Dripping Springs

Dripping Springs is a small city with a vibrant downtown area and rolling Texas Hill Country scenery. Located less than 40 minutes from Downtown Austin, this peaceful Hays County town is known as the gateway to the Hill Country. Dripping Springs is one of Texas’ most popular wedding destinations. The city is also home to numerous breweries, distilleries, and wineries. Highway 290 runs through the heart of Dripping Springs and continues east to Austin.

Dripping Springs features peaceful neighborhoods with spacious lots and many beautifully designed single-family homes. The sprawling Hill Country scenery surrounding Dripping Springs offers secluded country retreats, venues, short-term rentals and expansive ranches and estates.

Dripping Springs may be close to Austin, but this serene Hill Country city feels a world away. Open space abounds here, and Dripping Springs offers scenic spots for outdoor recreation. An abundance of wildlife can be found in the beautiful scenery that surrounds the city.

The downtown area of Dripping Springs along Highway 290 features a great mix of restaurants, boutiques, and brewpubs. Railroad Bar-B-Que serves delicious mesquite-smoked ribs and brisket. The Pig Pen food truck is another fine choice for Texas-style barbeque. The rustic Homespun Kitchen & Bar offers an unforgettable steak burger prepared with freshly ground USDA prime ribeye and NY steak alongside fried chicken, breaded catfish, and fish tacos. Epicure pairs sophisticated global entrees and cheese and charcuterie platters with a fantastic selection of wines. Wine is also the main attraction at Bell Springs Winery’s Prohibition-style Sidecar Tasting Room, while The Barber Shop combines local craft beer and live music. Hudson’s on Mercer is another live music hotspot hosting an eclectic lineup of local, regional, and national acts.

Venture outside the downtown area to discover some of the Hill Country’s best wineries, distilleries, and breweries. Deep Eddy Distillery has an award-winning selection of vodkas. Deep Eddy’s signature Original Vodka is distilled ten times. Other options include tasty vodkas infused with real fruit. Treaty Oak Distilling produces sublime bourbon, rum, gin, and craft beer. The Ghost Hill Restaurant on Treaty Oak’s 28-acre ranch serves these outstanding spirits and beers alongside a sophisticated menu of Texas-style eats. The tranquil Bell Springs Winery pairs exceptional wines with refined chef-crafted meals. Twisted X Brewing Company has a tasting room where you can sample some of Texas’ highest quality craft beer. The Texas Hill Country Olive Company offers award-winning olive oils produced from olives grown on a 15-acre orchard. There’s also a tasting room where you can enjoy bistro dishes alongside local beers and wines.

Dripping Springs’ 200-acre Hamilton Pool Preserve is one of the most stunning destinations in Central Texas. Less than a mile upstream from where it meets the Pedernales River, Hamilton Creek flows over limestone outcroppings to create a spectacular 50-foot waterfall. The waterfall splashes down into a popular swimming hole nestled inside a magnificent grotto formed through thousands of years of natural water erosion. The Pedernales River flows for three miles through the expansive 2,400-acre Reimers Ranch Park. Anglers fish for white bass in the river while hikers, bikers, and horseback riders enjoy 18 miles of scenic trails. Limestone cliffs rise above the river, providing a world-class location for rock climbing. Nearby Pedernales Falls State Park gives the opportunity to camp, hike, swim, mountain bike, picnic, bird watch and ride horses.