There’s a town in the Hill Country that calls itself “a little piece of heaven.” Feeling the need to transcend everyday life, I drove to Wimberley in search of an absolutely heavenly day.
9:00 a.m. Nothing gets a day going like a hike up the 218 concrete steps of Prayer Mountain (known locally as Mount Baldy). With each step, the sweeping views got better and better until I reached the top and took in a panoramic vista of the Texas Hill Country, the town of Wimberley, and everything I had planned for the day.
10:00 a.m. Wimberley’s natural surroundings feel like beautiful artwork, which is likely why so many artists call the town home. So after descending from the literal pinnacle of my trip, I headed to downtown Wimberley and spent some time browsing the quaint shops and galleries on the square. I also mingled with the local population of wood and rusted metal animal sculptures by Bastrop artist Lloyd Burns.
11:15 a.m. In the mood for more art, I drove to Wimberley Glassworks. Even more impressive than perusing the colorful, handcrafted glassworks in the gallery was visiting the onsite studio and watching artisans turn molten blobs of glass into pieces of ornate dinnerware.
12:30 p.m. Eager to find something that fits on top of a dinner plate, I popped into Ino’z Brew and Chew, a casual spot overlooking Cypress Creek. Rather than dine on the shaded patio, I took my buffalo chicken sandwich creek-side and ate atop a giant Flintstone-esque rock picnic table. After devouring my tasty meal, I took a short walk to the Wimberley Pie Co. for a slice of chocolate-chip pecan-pie heaven.
1:45 p.m. Needing a place to nap off my post-lunch daze, I made a beeline to Wimberley Blue Hole Regional Park, with its popular swimming hole along spring-fed Cypress Creek. The park has recently undergone renovations, including new trails and other facilities, with more improvements to come. After a bit of snoozing, I cooled off in the creek and then tried my hand at the local sport of ring swingin’, which consists of catching (or trying to catch) a flying ring as it swings back and forth from a tree limb. It is much harder than it looks, and, needless to say, I won’t be competing in the Olympics this year or anytime soon.
5:15 p.m. After some time in the sunshine, I hopped in my car, rolled down the windows, and cruised down one of Texas’ most scenic drives—the Devil’s Backbone (RM 32)—which gets its name from the rolling hills and vertebrae-like rock outcroppings along the route.
6:00 p.m. I parked myself at Brewster’s Pizza for a slice of hand-tossed pizza and a pint of handcrafted beer. This local pizza joint and brewpub gives new meaning to the phrase “family owned and operated,” as Bruce and Hollie Collie and their 13 children keep the pizzas flying and the customers smiling. My “omnivore” pizza topped with meat, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes (and more!) made me want to change Wimberley’s slogan to “a little SLICE of heaven.”
