to the hills

Travel magazine names Texas Hill Country among the top 25 destinations in the world

The 2024 eclipse had something to do with this ranking.

If you’re writing “travel more” on your list of New Year’s resolutions, you might not have to travel very far to visit one of the most sought-after travel spots across the globe: the Texas Hill Country.

Afar, a U.S.-based travel publication, just released its annual list of 25 recommended vacation spots around the world. It includes some of the obvious spots like Paris, Fiji, and Machu Picchu, as well as some more unexpected spots like Maldonado, Uruguay, and Brno, Czechia (as a Czech Texan, I’m adding this one to my list).

A few spots in the United States made the list: Philadelphia, Detroit, San Diego, Charleston, and a few others. But the Hill Country is the only Texas spot on the list, with Afar deeming it “arguably one of the prettiest places in Texas.” This isn’t exactly a secret: In 2022, the Hill Country saw more than 2.3 million visitors to its state parks. That's not even counting the many charming towns.

The main reason the Hill Country made the list? It’s in the path of totality for April’s solar eclipse. If you haven’t already made your eclipse travel plans, though, you might be out of luck.

Airbnbs in Fredericksburg, smack dab in the heart of the Hill Country, are listing for at least $1,000 a night on and around April 8. Some of the larger rental homes are going for as much as $2,700 a night.

But as Afar writes, there’s plenty of reason to stick around after the eclipse. There's the wine, for one thing; The Hill Country’s viticultural area spans 9 million square miles, the third-largest in the U.S. Then there's beer, with breweries like Jester King and Real Ale attracting visitors from far and wide.

Plus the unique lodging options are endless: yurts, shipping containers, treehouses and, yeah, you can even stay in a resort where giraffes will trot past your window. If the prices above are out of the question, you could always try camping or taking a road trip from an area with greater supply or less demand — both Austin and San Antonio are close enough for an easy day trip.

Afar’s article highlights some of the major locales – Fredericksburg and its peaches, of course – but also points out a few other less-trodden paths in the Hill Country, like Bandera (the Cowboy Capital of Texas) and Kerrville. But that barely scratches the surface.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Hill Country officially spans 25 Texas counties, though many Texans will tell you that the Hill Country is a state of mind (meaning, it’s west-ish of Austin and hilly). So the travel possibilities are endless.

hill country fredericksburg beer wine nature camping vacation

The Big Picture

Contest-winning photos show the Texas Hill Country in a new light

Hill Country rattlesnake photographed by Bill Weekley

“Danger in the Wildflowers” by Bill Weekley

This testy shot by Bill Weekley won second place.

The Hill Country is looking its best in a new round of award-winning photos. In them are landscapes, surprise moments with hard-to-find creatures, and one shot that highlights the beauty of the old-fashioned architecture. The winners of the photo contest organized by the Hill Country Alliance are available to look at in this article, and Texans are encouraged to carry the images forward through 2025 with a wall calendar.

The premise is both proud and cautious; as beautiful and thriving as the Hill Country is, heightened development is known to bring problems along with progress to rural towns. The Hill Country Alliance, a coalition of more than 85 area organizations that focus on natural and cultural preservation, has created the contest as an initiative to visually preserve the region.

There is national interest in the Hill Country, although no one sees it quite like locals. CNN named the Hill Country one of its 24 best places to visit around the world in 2024, and in 2023, motorcycle classifieds site Cycle Trader named the Twisted Sisters outside San Antonio as one of the best scenic routes in the country. Just days ago, William Chris Vineyards in Hye made the World's Best Vineyards list for the third year in a row.

More than 550 entries were submitted to the alliance this year, but only four won prizes, and of course nine more make their way onto the calendar (if you count the cover).

Grand prize:

$\u201cSunset\u201d by Jesus Corona$ This shot by Jesus Corona features wildflowers bathing in the sunset in Bexar County.“Sunset” by Jesus Corona

First place:

$\u201cGruene Nights\u201d by Gary T. Ray$ Gary T. Ray caught Gruene Hall and the surrounding buildings at the perfect dusk moment.“Gruene Nights” by Gary T. Ray

A release announcing the winners extolls the beauty of sunsets. "However, just as a sunset is fleeting, the health of our region can also be precarious," it warns. "This balance is particularly evident in current drought conditions, and HCA’s water program is focused on protecting our most delicate resources – like clear, flowing waters and the natural infrastructure we rely on to keep springs bubbling."

Second place:

$\u201cDanger in the Wildflowers\u201d by Bill Weekley$ It's amazing that Bill Weekley found this rattlesnake among sunny wildflowers and much more ominous skies.“Danger in the Wildflowers” by Bill Weekley

Third place:

$\u201cGray Fox up a Tree" by Mike Zarella$ This gray fox may look like he's sitting on the ground, but Mike Zarella caught him sitting in a tree in Blanco County.“Gray Fox up a Tree" by Mike Zarella

Many of the submitted images were of animals. "So much of the photography submitted in this annual contest reminds viewers of their own connection to the region’s delicate web of life," the release says. "This urgency underscores the importance of the HCA’s work to advance local land stewardship and conservation efforts that directly benefit the wild creatures and open spaces of the Texas Hill Country."

People's choice award:

It's not surprising viewers were enchanted by this welcoming road, which seems to lead into a future with more Hill Country blooms and beauty.Bluebonnet and Live Oak Road by William Shelton

The images above are featured on the calendar (even if they're not a full page), along with other selections that highlight unique geography, beautiful pollinators, cacti, and the darkening night sky.

Hill Country Alliance calendar The rest of the calendar images.Mockup courtesy of the Hill Country Alliance

The Hill Country Alliance works in five major areas, which are represented in some way in the images above: land, water, night sky, community, and collaboration.

This year's calendar ($15) is available now at hillcountryalliance.org. Other items like an illustrated map and apparel are also available in the online store. More information about the coalition's work (with more amazing photos sprinkled in) is available here.

The release credits the following photographers with work featured in the calendar:

Airon Mothershed
Alan Zhou
Ashley Campbell
Aspen McCallum
Baba Arimilli
Carol Serur
Carolyn Whiteside
Daniel Gomez
Delaney Kempf
Donna Chance
Elvis Canoy
Gary Sertich
Jackies Wise
Jacob Saunders
Jeff Newton
Jennifer Bauerkemper
Jess Brown
Joseph Richards
JP Sanchez
Katherine Carvajal
Kim Smith
Lisa Hood
Matthew Guthrie
Meghan James
Michael Tidwell
Michael Wight
Nicky Scott
P. Michael Jones
Patty Robertson
Paul Huchton
Shelby Sckittone
Steffen Baumgart
Stephen Isenhower
Tim Speer

hill country photography nature conservation