The Top 18 Things to Do in Round Mountain, TX
Round Mountain, TX, is a special community located in Blanco County, Texas. It’s in the heart of Texas Hill Country – one of the country’s fastest-growing regions, renowned for its gorgeous scenery and growing wine culture.
For centuries, residents of this region have enjoyed its subtropical climate, featuring hot summers and often mild winters.
Round Mountain – and the surrounding region – has always been a great place to live. However, now more people know about the area’s charm. Here are 18 things to do while visiting Blanco County.
Best Things to Do in Round Mountain TX
Whether you are into the Texas Hill Country wine culture or a lover of the outdoors, there’s plenty to do in and around Round Mountain TX. Here are 18 ideas of how to spend your time.
1. Go “Glamping” at Three Points Ranch in the Texas Hill Country.
The same family has owned three Points Ranch since 1929. However, the current generation has decided to share this beautiful location with anyone needing to reconnect with nature.
Take a weekend getaway or a week-long retreat at Three Points Ranch. Visitors to Three Points Ranch sleep in style in vintage Airstream caravans or a screened-in sleeping porch. Your group will enjoy game nights, morning yoga, bike rides, and pool parties!
But the real magic occurs as you dine under the stars and sit by the campfire. Create lifelong memories for you and your family by booking a glamping experience in Round Mountain, TX, today.
2. Shop for wares, wine, and whiskey at The Library Big Iron.
The Library@Big Iron has something for everyone – no matter your jam.
What other place sells vintage furniture and unique glassware – while enjoying drinks made at local distilleries and vineyards?
If shopping isn’t your thing, you can read a book from the library shelves or pick up a game of pool while tasting local whiskey and wine.
Check out The Library’s online calendar of events and sign up for your library card so you don’t miss out on the latest happenings at The Library.
3. Visit the home of Round Mountain’s founder.
During the early days of the settlement, Round Mountain was called “Birdtown” in honor of one of the first inhabitants – Joseph Bird.
Learn about the Bird Family (and what life was like for families in the 1850s) by visiting their log cabin home.
Portions of Bird’s Log Cabin date back to the mid-1850s. The dwelling was once two different cabins, built in two different eras using two different construction methods. However, the cabins were joined together to create a dogtrot cottage featuring limestone chimneys on both ends.
The cabin was covered with vertical cypress siding for years until a 1980s renovation revealed much of the original log construction. The home became a Texas Historic Landmark in 2005.
4. Indulge in rum cocktails at Round Mountain Distilling.
Round Mountain Distilling is a small distillery that uses locally sourced sugarcane to produce triple-distilled and oak-barreled rum. This small-batch distillery allows tours and is a must-visit location if you love rum cocktails.
5. Find your next project car at CarsBikesBoats.
CarsBikesBoats specializes in classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, trucks, sports cars, Harley Davidsons, and Indian motorcycles. They also buy and sell carefully selected boats, trailers, parts, and construction equipment.
Whether you are looking to buy or sell unique and extraordinary vehicles, CarsBikesBoats is the place to go.
CarsBikesBoats has served the Round Mountain, TX, region for over 30 years. If you need help finding or restoring your dream car, contact Hans at CarsBikesBoats for help.
6. Explore all your tour options at the Exotic Resort Zoo.
The Exotic Resort Zoo is in Johnson City – only 11 minutes from Round Mountain. It’s the ideal destination for family-friendly fun!
The Exotic Resort Zoo was the post-retirement project of Dennis and Marilyn Bacque. They intended to turn their 137-acre property into a private retreat. However, plans changed when Marilyn brought home a Canadian elk calf named Dottie. The couple determined that Dottie needed animal friends to keep her company. So, Dennis and Marilyn decided to search for new animals to add to their “zoo.”
The rest is history. Within a few months, The Bacques had acquired more than a hundred exotic animals. Their zoo is home to 700 animals – with more than 45 species.
Visitors to the park will discover the different tour options. You can have a private, guided park tour to learn more about the conservation efforts. Other options include drive-through visits and overnight stays.
7. Visit the Blanco County Fair and Rodeo.
If you are new to Texas or have never experienced a county fair or rodeo, you must go to one.
The Blanco County Fair and Rodeo has offered fun activities for the residents and visitors of Blanco County for over 90 years.
Check out the exhibits and livestock shows. Then, look at the rodeo schedule to avoid missing your favorite event. Enjoy the tractor pull, street parade, fair food, and more!
The Blanco County Fair & Rodeo Association seeks to further citizens’ education about topics in agriculture while celebrating the region’s rich Western legacy. The Blanco County Fair is held each year in August. Look online for a schedule of events.
8. Visit a beautiful waterfall at Pedernales Falls State Park.
Pedernales Falls State Park in Blanco County is a 5,212-acre park that runs along the banks of the Pedernales River. It’s less than a half-hour drive from Round Mountain and offers many outdoor activities for the entire family. You can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, geocaching, bird watching, horse riding, tubing, and swimming!
The picturesque Pedernales Falls can be seen at the park’s north end, where the waterfall crashes on layered and tilted steps of 300-million-year-old limestone.
The park receives many human and animal visitors. Keep a lookout for coyotes, armadillos, white-tailed deer, rabbits, raccoons, and opossums. And if you see a small animal with a black and white striped tail, view this visitor from afar.
Pedernales Falls State Park is a birdwatcher’s haven. Over 150 species of birds have been observed in this Texas state park, including doves, ravens, herons, vultures, owls, quails, western scrub jays, and rufous-crowned sparrows.
If you love to fish, the Pedernales River is the place to be. The river is home to bass, catfish, carp, and sunfish.
There are also wooded areas to explore. Walk among the elm, pecan, sycamore, hackberry, and walnut trees.
Whether you visit Pedernales Falls State Park for a single day or decide to stay for a long weekend, you’ll find plenty to do.
9. Encourage your kids’ love of science at the Science Mill.
You’re guaranteed to learn something new every time you visit the Science Mill in Johnson City. The Science Mill is a great place to take your kids or grandkids and is less than 15 minutes from Round Mountain.
The Science Mill is a family attraction that provides an engaging, hands-on learning environment for people of all ages. Visitors will learn about science-related subjects and topics related to technology, engineering, and math.
The Science Mill is housed inside a repurposed 1880 feed mill. In fact, most of the 17,000-square-foot historic mill and its silos have been preserved and repurposed for this use.
The science museum opened in 2015 and has inspired thousands of young scientists and mathematicians to learn more about STEM-related topics.
10. Sip some vino at McReynolds Wines.
The McReynolds family learned about winemaking while living in California in the 1970s. While their full-time gig was conducting research at Stanford University, they worked at two Santa Clara County wineries on a part-time basis to learn the craft.
When the family moved to Austin, they purchased five acres in the Texas Hill Country to escape city life. They created several award-winning blends before opening their doors to the public, which they did in 2000.
Spend an hour or two at the McReynolds Wines tasting room in Cypress Mill.
11. Support community theater by buying tickets to a local show.
A small group of friends from Horseshoe Bay who were passionate about live theater founded the Hill Country Community Theatre in 1985. Since then, HCCT has produced over 200 plays and other special events, selling more than 7,000 tickets annually.
The theater is located in Cottonwood Shores, Texas – only 15 minutes from Round Mountain. It attracts theater lovers from throughout the Texas Hill Country by offering high-quality productions.
The Annual HCCT Talent Show is a fun event that showcases a variety of local talent in the community. In addition, your kids or grandkids may enjoy their summer theater program.
12. Hit the trails!
There are a lot of hiking opportunities around Round Mountain. Download AllTrails or your favorite hiking app to look for public trails near you.
Check out the nearby Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge was specifically established to protect the nesting grounds of the black-capped vireo and the endangered golden-cheeked warbler. But, of course, it’s also home to many native Texas wildlife and plants.
You’ll need a bit of exercise to walk off all the wine and cheese you consume at Hill Country wineries. So, you might as well exercise at a beautiful natural location.
13. Enjoy some time at Cypress Creek RV Park.
The privately run Cypress Creek RV Park is a 20-acre park in Round Mountain. It provides a relaxing, comfortable, and quiet camping experience in the Texas Hill Country.
The facility includes a propane refilling station, a bathhouse, and a laundry room. Visitors to Cypress Creek RV Park can lease long-term or short-term sites.
14. Share a bottle of wine with friends at Texas Hills Vineyards.
Look for Texas Hills Vineyard’s Lone Star metal gate entrance as you travel east on Hwy 290/281 to Pedernales State Park. This out-of-the-way location is worth the trouble to find as Texas Hills Vineyards offers award-winning wines in their beautiful tasting room.
Settle in and interact with the friendly tasting room staff. They are knowledgeable about the 25-acre vineyard and award-winning wines.
You can also visit the grapes. You’ll feel you are visiting the Tuscan countryside as you wander through the rolling hills of Texas.
15. Get out on the water at Lake LBJ Yacht Club & Marina.
Lake LBJ Yacht Club & Marina is an easily accessible marina near the famous Horseshoe Bay Resort. Located less than 30 minutes from Round Mountain, the Yacht Club offers boat slips and charter boats. This full-service marina has everything locals and visitors need to get out on the water.
However, Lake LBJ Yacht Club & Marina is much more than a marina. You can stay in luxurious rental cabins overlooking the lake and the marina. The beautifully maintained grounds grow especially lovely at dusk and dawn.
16. Visit LBJ’s childhood home.
Lake LBJ is named after Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the U.S. The lake is named after the President because his childhood home and ranch are nearby.
Located about 15 minutes from Round Mountain, you’ll find the restored boyhood home of the man who would become JFK’s vice president – and successor after Kennedy was assassinated.
The site is a National Historical Park in Texas run by the National Park Service.
Check the park website to learn more about the tours showing the house and the grounds.
17. Go on a night hike at Westcave Preserve Discovery Center.
Westcave Preserve offers several outdoor adventure activities – including a popular night hike. You’ll experience the magic of a grotto pool at night and learn about the animals that call Westcave home during this 1.5-2 hour tour.
Make sure you make reservations for this experience – and don’t forget your flashlight.
18. Tour Round Mountain Reserve.
Visitors to Texas Hill Country have a hard time leaving. The good news is that there’s a new homestead community near Round Mountain that features beautifully designed homesites located at the foothills of the region’s most prominent geographic feature.
Round Mountain Reserve is located on the 2,000-acre ranch formerly owned by generations of the Ebeling Family.
The community strikes a perfect balance between community and privacy thanks to its acres of communal open space and protected private views at each build site.
Imagine breathing fresh air from your back deck as you admire the breathtaking scenery. You’ll be able to gaze up in perfect wonder at the bright starlit sky and breathe in the peaceful silence. It’s one of the best things to do in Round Mountain, TX.
Recreation opportunities abound at Round Mountain Preserve. The hiking trails go through the gently rolling hills. You can search for fossils, admire the wildflowers, or observe the local wildlife.
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