10 Incredible Picnic Spots in Austin, TX
Apr 3, 2023
The canyons, treetops, and beautiful scenery of East Texas can’t be missed, and they’re even better when you’re enjoying one of the fastest ziplines in the country. This part of the Lone Star State is home to Big Bend National Park and several other must-see locales, making it a quintessential Texas vacation destination.
Even better, your initial interest in ziplining can be wrapped up into a peaceful and restorative trip focused on outdoor exploration.
If you reside in Texas’s major cities like Houston or Dallas, it’s easy to let time slip by without a trip to the countryside. It may seem like you never have time on the weekends, or there are other places around the country you want to visit when you look for an escape.
Still, there are plenty of reasons to consider the adventures in your own backyard, like a trip to Texas Hill Country.
Although there is a debate among Texans as to what technically constitutes the Hill Country, it’s generally agreed upon to be the land between Austin and San Antonio. That leaves plenty of space to be discovered, but we recommend heading to Wimberley Valley for a classic Hill Country experience.
If you have never gone ziplining, there’s no need to worry. There isn’t much more involved in the process than riding a cable from one point to another at a high elevation. It’s definitely worth adding to your bucket list, especially if you enjoy an adventure.
When you go on a zip line course for the first time, you will be strapped into a harness that fits around your chest and wraps around your thighs so that you will be in a sitting position in mid-air. Your harness will have cables with claw clips at the end for you to hook onto and off of zip lines. By the time you get strapped in and put your helmet on, you will feel snug, secure, and ready for this immersive outdoor experience.
The best and most popular option for zip lining in Hill Country is Wimberley Zipline Adventures. When you choose a Wimberley Zipline Experience, you aren’t just taking a trip across one of the longest ziplines in the state. Instead, you will embark on a tour led by a ziplining expert that will take you through 10 different side-by-side zip lines over the course of three hours.
Each line ranges from 200 feet to 900 feet long and from 20 feet to 100 feet high. If you’re nervous at all, rest assured that you will be fully prepared when the time comes to lift your feet off the treehouse launch pad.
Before you start your tour, you will complete flight school training, in which you’ll learn the important safety rules and instructions for zip lining from a tour guide. Additionally, before you start, you will practice on a miniature zip line, so you feel confident on your adventure.
Getting from line to line accumulates to about half a mile worth of hiking filled with expansive, remarkable views of Hill Country and a few moments in between each zip line for you to rediscover your center. By the end of the tour, you will be wishing for more ways to immersively admire the Texas foliage.
When you arrive, you will be given all of the necessary gear and a bottle of water. Don’t forget to bring your phone or camera to document the unique vantage point that you will have at the top of each zip line. You won’t have to worry about losing anything since they offer phone pouches for purchase.
Be sure to wear close-toed shoes and long shorts or pants so that you are comfortable and safe for your Texas zipline adventure.
After taking in a deep breath of the fresh countryside air and feeling the blood rush through you while being carried away on a zip line, you most likely won’t be ready to leave Hill Country. Collective Retreats offers accommodations with luxurious amenities that will make you feel right at home as you continue to enjoy the natural wonders surrounding you.
As you walk into your Summit Tent, you will be immediately greeted with rustic Texan decor, such as woven textiles and antique-inspired furnishings. Your king-sized bed will be dressed with 1500-count linens, and your en suite bathroom will be stocked with spa-quality toiletries.
Most importantly, you will have the chance to step out onto your private deck every morning to admire the way the morning sun hits the greenery that surrounds you. You may also choose to wrap yourself in a blanket on the deck chairs in the evening as you count the many stars in the sky.
If your children are over nine years old and weigh over 65 pounds, they are welcome to join you on your zip-lining adventures. For larger groups, we offer an accommodation option that will fit the whole family. You can book a regular Summit Tent that comes with access to an additional, smaller tent just a few steps away.
The smaller tent comes with two single beds that are also dressed with 1500-count linens and beautiful woven textiles. This option gives both the children and parents some alone time at night and the chance to reconnect easily in the morning.
If going on a zipline tour sounds like the perfect way to celebrate your wedding, then we have the place for you! The Summit Tent — Honeymoon Suite comes with all of the wonderful features of the Summit Tent in a much larger and more romantic setting.
The space even expands to include an additional lounge area for sipping wine after a magical day or cuddling up together to watch your favorite show.
After spending a day ziplining, you might be ready to explore the beautiful nature around you in new ways. Fortunately, our Hill Country retreat includes many more experiences that are exciting, calming, and restorative.
Incorporating meditation into your life will help center your mind, calm your nerves, and reduce stress and anxiety. However, we offer an upgraded meditative experience at our Hill Country retreat. Our Sound Meditation class will provide healing sounds and a calm environment for you to relax and recharge.
In the mornings, we recommend taking advantage of our sunrise yoga classes. During your morning flow, your muscles will be strengthened, and your mind will be at ease as you look out over the rolling hills and plateaus of the surrounding area.
Once you feel fully rested from our mindfulness experiences, you might be ready to get back out into nature. There are two hikes located on the ranch that lead you to a stunning viewpoint. Feel free to bring a picnic and a bottle of wine to enjoy at the top as you watch the sunset over the trees.
Besides zip lining, another unique way to explore the outdoors is on horseback. A local guide will take you on a two-hour tour across the ranch, during which you will be provided with a snack and a non-alcoholic beverage. This is truly a must-do experience and will make you feel like a true Texan.
It’s time to take advantage of the remarkable scenery that Texas Hill Country has to offer and explore the outdoors from a new perspective. After a trip full of zip lining, meditation, yoga, hiking, and horseback riding, you will feel totally rejuvenated.
The best part is that you can experience all of this without having to give up plush pillows, en suite bathrooms, and Wi-Fi. There’s no need to sacrifice comfort to immerse yourself in the wild, beautiful world around you.
Sources:
Texas Hill Country Day Trips | Fredericksburg & New Braunfels
San Antonio & The Texas Hill Country | Visit San Antonio
Hill Country State Natural Area | Texas Parks & Wildlife Department