The Texas Hill Country Is Going Upscale. Here’s Where to Go.

An influx of fancy hotels is set to transform the laid-back region of central Texas

When I left my home in San Antonio for a yearlong sabbatical one hour northwest in Fredericksburg, Texas, I wasn’t planning to stay. It was the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the small town in the heart of the vast Hill Country, a loosely defined cross-section of the state, felt like a refuge. Stone buildings, built by German settlers beginning in the mid-1800s, line Fredericksburg’s Main Street. The surrounding hills are ideal places for long, solo walks.

Fredericksburg’s Main Street.

Spanning at least 18 counties near San Antonio and Austin, the Hill Country has transformed as those two cities have grown in population. Known for its wide-open vistas and vibrant spring wildflowers, the region’s newfound buzz and natural beauty have recently put it on the radars of Bravo producers (the network has announced a new show set there) and luxury-hotel developers. Here’s how to make the most out of the sprawling Hill Country, which even as it is changing still feels like a hidden gem.

A high-end hotel boom

The Hill Country’s accommodations for travelers have largely consisted of small inns and B&Bs sprinkled throughout rural towns. This month, the opening of a new outpost of Canyon Ranch, the wellness resort popular with celebrities and spa junkies, kicks off a series of luxury arrivals.

Northwest of Austin, the Auberge Collection is developing a hotel named Mirasol Springs on the Pedernales River. Aman is also at work on a ranch-inspired retreat about 90 miles northwest of Austin. And Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has also announced plans to open its first Texas hotel in Fredericksburg, in 2029.

“You have this bucolic beauty and these gorgeous natural spaces that are accessible,” said Canyon Ranch chief executive Mark Rivers of the Hill Country. “Then you take that alongside the growth in Austin, the new wealth that’s here and the level of sophistication. It was just a matter of time.”

The Canyon Ranch Austin resort is set on 600 acres in the small unincorporated community of Spicewood, about an hour from Austin. Its buildings, made of limestone, glass, cedar slats and copper, blend with their surroundings. Approaching the property, a small roadside sign that read “Om Sweet Om” signaled I was in the right place.

Canyon Ranch was designed by the architectural firm Lake Flato in collaboration with BOKA Powell. 

Five miles of trails along Lake Travis allow guests to stroll among native grasses, wildflowers, mesquites and other hardwoods. The resort also offers 35 classes a day, ranging from archery to wildflower workshops to yoga. Its main attraction is its 40,000-square-foot spa, which has 40 treatment rooms and outdoor courtyards with hot tubs, cold plunges and rain showers.

Exploring the natural sights

As luxury-hotel developers have learned, the Texas Hill Country’s wilderness has long been what brings people there. Even drivers just passing through are known to pull over to take photos among the bluebonnets in springtime.

In fall, the leafy Uvalde bigtooth maples at Lost Maples State Natural Area ($6 entry for ages 13 and up) turn every shade of crimson and gold. On hotter days—and there are plenty in the Hill Country—skip the hikes and rent an inner tube at Garner State Park ($10), about a 90-minute scenic drive from Fredericksburg, to float down the Frio River.

Closer to town, you’ll find Enchanted Rock, a spectacular pink granite dome rising 1,825 feet above sea level. A hike to the top takes 45 minutes to an hour. Along the way, you can learn about the flora and fauna via informational plaques. They also feature Native American folklore passed down from tribes including the Comanche, Tonkawa and Lipan Apache, which all considered Enchanted Rock a sacred site.

Enchanted Rock, in the distance, rises 1,825 feet above sea level.

The less outdoorsy can still find nature at the Hill Country’s more than 100 wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms. My favorites include Signor Vineyards and Formando Vineyards, two small, family-run operations. The latter opened a tasting room this fall, offering housemade pizzas and guided wine tastings starting at $35.

A hub for art and artists

Along with young families and retirees, creatives have been among the Hill Country’s newest residents. One of the best places to witness the region’s transformation into a destination for artists and collectors is Arthouse, a gallery in Marble Falls. Free exhibitions featuring works by artists like Ed Ruscha and Jenny Holzer underscore its mission to make world-class art more accessible to people outside cities.

Other artistic enterprises lean into nature. La Cuna Center, which opened in 2025, hosts an artist-residency program and occasionally stages public events featuring art inspired by the surrounding environment. “Money brings opportunities, but it has to be done with deep listening and care for the limits of the land and the people that were here before,” said Rachel Farrington, the center’s executive director.

Land art by Diego Miró-Rivera made in collaboration with the La Cuna Center using prescribed fire.

A piece by Diego Miró-Rivera on display at La Cuna Center’s first exhibition in 2025. 

Rachel English, a painter in Spicewood, has watched the region change from her family’s roughly 400-acre farm, which shares a fence line with Canyon Ranch. The hotel commissioned her to paint a 5-by-12-foot triptych depicting a thunderstorm brewing over the Hill Country.

“We’re seeing heavy traffic on what used to be quiet roads, the stars are getting dimmer,” English said. While those may be markers of development, they are also signs the area is getting its due. “If you’re lucky enough to live in a place as wild and beautiful as this, you get a lot more enjoyment sharing it with others than keeping it all to yourself.”