Eat & Shop a Perfect Day in Wimberley, TX
This Austin weekend road trip is a true hidden gem in the Hill Country. Little Wimberley is packed with fun family activities, cozy b&bs, and plenty of adventure. Fewer than three thousand people call Wimberley home but, what it lacks in population, this Texas Hill Country town makes up for in pie. Yes, you read that correctly. Pie. Chocolate chip pecan, Dutch apple, lemon chess, fudge, peanut butter, peach. Snag a slice of gooey goodness from the Wimberley Pie Company and watch your diet go down in flames.
You could walk the rest of the way to Austin (thirty-seven miles) as damage control, or you could continue down the road to the main square, where you can digest in peace. Wimberley also attracts many artistic visitors, and you can visit the Wimberley Glassworks to watch artisans blow glass by hand or buy exquisite glass pieces that are on display at the Silo Gallery & Glass Studio.
Staying the weekend? You can rent a cozy New Braunfels cabin near Wimberley and cook dinner Texas-style on an outdoor barbecue grill under a starry night sky.
Ok, after pie, let’s continue to the main square. It’s time to go for a stroll and check out the explosion of arts and crafts indie shops.
The Old Mill Store
When we visited, a giant, inflatable spider was crouching on top of the store, although Halloween was a good month away. Thankfully, it was one of those friendly-looking ones that had nothing in common with actual arachnids.
The Old Mill Store is deceptively big, with several rooms stocked with old school candy, triple-milled soap that smelled almost as yummy as the pie, and Texas-themed souvenirs. I coveted the honeycomb calcite ‘candles,’ which are actually made from stone; they glow when paired with a candle or electric light.
Gallery on the Square
Tucked inside a dinky, yellow house, complete with Southern front porch, is Gallery on the Square. It displays the work of sculptors, glassworkers, photographers, painters, and craftsmen. I fell in love with architect Bert Ray’s inlaid tables, which he accurately terms ‘furniture art.’ They were a smidge out of my price range, but prints were available, starting at $30 a pop.
Under One Roof Artist Coop
Six local artists collaborated to form this coop, which consequently showcases a variety of arts and crafts. Cowboy hats hang out near chunky pottery and flower-inspired paintings. Jewelry dangles from the shelves and marbled soaps, with enticing names such as high tide, spice Brulee, and Luckenbach lavender, make you long for a hot, sudsy bath.
Rancho Deluxe
Folk art and Western décor jostle for attention in Rancho Deluxe. Although I’m an HGTV addict, I had never paid much attention to switchplates or lamp finials. Clearly that was a mistake. The store has an eclectic collection of vintage and quirky doorknobs and pulls, including one in the shape of an armadillo!
If we’d arrived a little earlier in the year, I’d have jumped into Wimberley’s Blue Hole. You can stop by Blue Hole Regional Park to wade in the swimming hole or play tennis with your friends. This swimming spot is open between Memorial Day and Labor Day (no dogs allowed). Although I was disappointed to have missed out, it may have been a blessing – given the heft of the slice of pecan-studded pie I’d scarfed down early, I’d probably have sunk!
