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Why Texas is the most underrated state for an all-American road trip

Find tacos, truck stops and cowboys alongside tech hubs, hip distilleries and Lululemon on this revealing route through the Lone Star state

Any trip to Austin in Texas should begin not with barbecue but with tacos. They are 10-a-penny in this city – and, as I learnt recently, no hotel worth its salsa would dream of not offering them for breakfast. 
I was at the Hotel San José, a motel that draws a crowd with its car-park coffee shop, Jo’s – not only for its iced lattes and people-watching opportunities, but also for its famous mural, “I love you so much” – a sentimental proclamation scrawled onto the side of building, so local lore says, for the former owner of the hotel. 
But at 7am, the tourists were nowhere to be seen – just passing runners, cyclists, a dog walker in cowboy boots, and me, waiting for my breakfast-taco order while the early sun cast a hopeful orange glow over the silver buildings of downtown. 
It was an auspicious start to my trip – a 12-day odyssey starting in Austin, and then heading out through the Hill Country, to San Antonio, and back again to Austin. A relatively unknown option – outshone by the likes of Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway – it’s nevertheless ideal for a varied trip on a tight schedule (in my case, with a young child), particularly as no leg takes more than two hours. 
The neighbourhood of South Congress was a fitting place to start, itself a perfect illustration of Austin’s evolution – from the live-music-obsessed and politically outlying capital of Texas (its reputation as a liberal enclave in Republican Texas has seen it dubbed “the blueberry in tomato soup”), to a global technology hub – over the past 20 years. It’s still known for its music – the lights of the Continental Club have been flashing since 1955 – and beacons of old Austin, such as Allens Boots and Amy’s Ice Creams (order the Mexican vanilla), now share a postcode with the likes of Soho House, Lululemon and Hermès. 
These days, Austin is also aligned with the libertarianism celebrated by types such as Elon Musk, who moved his Tesla headquarters to the city in 2021 (on my first day, I saw three Cybertrucks, the company’s futuristic cars). The city’s increasing similarities to San Francisco have not gone unnoticed – or unchallenged – as evidenced by the various “Don’t California my Texas” stickers I saw pasted on bumpers all across the state. But for the most part, the evolution seems to suit the city just fine.
We embarked on the 90-minute drive from Austin to Fredericksburg, the city quickly turning to countryside. While not immediately pretty – it’s still an unmistakably American highway with trucker stops and signs (“Need welding? Call Ginger!”) – in spring, Texas bluebonnets, scarlet sage and pink showy primroses pop up everywhere from central reservations to fields. Stop off at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre or Wildseed Farms to see them in all their bright, blooming glory. 
Dripping Springs, 30 minutes into the drive and the gateway to Hill Country, also made a good stop-off point. US Vogue dubbed it “the buzziest rural town in America” – mainly owing to its burgeoning food scene and wealth of distilleries. Make a beeline, as we did, for Abby Jane Bakeshop (open Thursday to Sunday) for brunch goodies or pastries for the car journey, made from next door’s Barton Springs Mill flour.
We arrived in Fredericksburg to find the epitome of traditional-and-trendy Texas packaged up in a postcard-perfect, all-American Main Street. Shops selling concealed-carry handbags and windows filled with Stetson hats and Lucchese boots sit beside classy children’s boutiques, diners, trendy coffee shops and delis selling CBD products. 
The arrival of the Albert Hotel – named after the head of the Keidel family, locally prominent in the mid 1800s – which will take up an entire block on Main Street by the end of this year, is due to increase the modern buzz, with 109 rooms, a spa, outdoor pool, barbecue and fine-dining restaurants. To some extent, it already has, having recently opened Keidel’s, the family’s 19th-century pharmacy, which is now a coffee shop and general store; and the White Elephant Saloon, which opened in 1888 as a drinking den, and now serves frozen whiskey-Cokes on tap. 
The surrounding country is well worth exploring, too. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, for example, is just 20 minutes away by car. You can hike to the top of the 425ft golden-pink granite rock formation – thought by Native Americans to be a holy portal – but novices can stick to easier routes such as the Loop Trail, which skirts a shady creek. This is deep Hill Country – single roads surrounded by carpets of glorious green and gnarled oak trees – and time to let the windows down and turn up the Willie Nelson, or the Beyoncé, whose country album was serendipitously released while on this trip.
Reward yourself with a post-hike glass of albariño. Texas Hill Country is the second-most-popular wine region in the US after Napa Valley. Tasting rooms dot Main Street and the surrounding area – but take the pretty drive to Kalasi Cellars, a female-run winery set in a lofty barn. The wines here (malvasia, merlot, sangiovese) are the same as those you’d find in southern Europe, owing to the climate and terroir, and though grown on the Texan High Plains, they are produced in Fredericksburg. Pair them with Indian bar snacks – naan pizza, samosas – or save your appetite for a perfect chicken schnitzel at Hill & Vine, which also has a decent local wine list (try the McPherson sparkling), or excellent Tex Mex at Leroy’s. 
From Fredericksburg, it was an hour’s drive on to Bandera, the cowboy capital of the world – so called because it boasts the largest per capita number of world champion cowboys. We stayed at the Mayan Dude Ranch, named after the ranches Easterners would stay at when they came out West, and now akin to an all-American summer camp. Guests take part in daily guided horse rides through forests home to deer and awash with wildflowers, try their hands at line dancing with cowgirl Kelly, and even ride a hay bale to the “cowboy breakfast”, where streaky bacon, cheesy grits and fluffy, buttery biscuits are cooked over an open fire. This is pure Texas – wholesome and unchanged for decades. 
And then, at last, it was time to make the hour-long journey to our penultimate stop: San Antonio. No trip here would be complete without the sensory spectacle that is an NBA basketball game, easily ticked off your list with a visit to the Frost Bank Centre to watch the beloved Spurs play on their home court. This is a city devoted to its basketball team – look out for religious murals downtown depicting Spurs iconography and ubiquitous Victor Wembanyama T-shirts (dedicated to the team’s 7ft 4in tall French phenom). 
We headed next for Broadway, the “cultural corridor” of the city – increasingly finding itself likened to Austin’s South Congress Avenue. It skirts the length of leafy Brackenridge Park, home to the city’s zoo, and also counts the Witte Museum, and newly opened Ranch Motel, as residents. 
But it is the neighbouring Pearl, a former warehouse district, which has really added cool kudos to the area. By day, try Local Coffee, opposite indie book shop The Twig, and the bustling Saturday morning Farmers Market. By night, take a pre-prandial stroll by the river before having drinks at the showstopping Hotel Emma bar, and dinner at Best Quality Daughter, a New Asian-American restaurant by Jennifer Dobbertin, a fêted James Beard chef and second-generation Chinese American. 
From the Pearl, the waterways wind south to the 15-mile River Walk, a tangle of sub-street-level canals that ribbon around downtown. We took a boat trip (with Go Rio River Cruises, which has hop-on-and-off points) and learnt the history of the city as we floated past its architecture: red-tiled roofs and palm trees of the Spanish baroque era, intricate Gothic gargoyles, 1930s patterned brickwork and modular mid-century lines, like that of the Hilton, built for the 1968 World’s Fair. The most recent addition is Stargazer, a sculpture by Mexican artist Pedro Reyes which nods to the Hispanic diaspora of the city, which make up two-thirds of the total population.
And then, at last, we turned back towards Austin, and the end of our Texan adventure. This is a state of many sides, and one forever in transition – but one thing is certain: from its grits and Stetsons to its tacos and tasting rooms, it’s the headiest shot of past-and-present Americana you’re ever likely to find. Take my word for it: you won’t be bored – and you certainly won’t go hungry.
Here, tacos are akin to religion – zealots will have views on when to order flour tortillas (generally speaking, always for breakfast), and when to order corn (for everything else, except chicken). Everyone you ask will have a different favourite. An unscientific canvas of people declared Torchy’s, Tacodeli and Veracruz All Natural to be the best. For me, Veracruz (in the Line Hotel) takes the crown, owing to its organic produce and simple menu – though if you want something a little more bougie, try Nixta Taqueria or Suerte. 
But be sure not to ignore barbecue. If you’re willing to queue, try famous Franklin or La Barbecue, but Salt Lick – en route to Hill Country – is a worthy alternative if you’d rather book. If burgers are more your speed, you’re in luck: Austin does these extremely well too. The best in the city are found at JewBoy, named by and after owner Mo Pittle, who is Jewish and grew up in El Paso on the Mexican border. He turns out pickle-and-mustard-adorned smash burgers which are a cut above, heightened only by the accompanying green chile latkes (which can be added to your stack) and smoky mayo. It’s yet another beautiful example of the mash-up of cultures in this city. 
Mention Austin’s taco scene and San Antonians may scoff at you. La Gloria, in the Pearl, commands queues on weekend nights for its party-like vibe and river-facing patio. Margaritas are strong (and come frozen, or chilled, and in many flavours); the ceviche fresh (the roja was my favourite) and the shrimp tacos some of the best I’ve had outside of Mexico, let alone Austin, with tortillas made in-house daily. For something similarly authentic, try La Panaderia, a bakery from Mexico City with subs (sandwiches) to rival New York’s, and no fewer than four bread options. Pop in for lunch after seeing the historic Alamo, which is two blocks away. 
But for something really memorable? Only Mi Tierra will do – a family-run all-day eatery and bakery, dating back to 1941, located next to the biggest Mexican market outside of Mexico (where you can also pick up all manner of souvenirs). It’s a Mexican pleasuredome, replete with neon signs, metallic piñatas and “papel picado” hanging from every inch of ceiling, waiters in festive dress, mariachi bands and even a Day of the Dead altar to Selena Quintanilla, the late Mexican-American singer. The food is almost secondary to the vibe – but the menu offers anything you could want. I, of course, ordered a breakfast taco. 
Hotel San José (001 512 852 2350; bunkhousehotels.com) is an institution on the city’s neon-specked South Congress Avenue, the beating heart of hipster Austin. Doubles from $245 (£185).
Hoffman Haus (001 830 997 6739; hoffmanhaus.com) is a B&B in a cluster of former homesteads dating back to the late 19th century, when German immigrants settled here. It has a Shaker-style design with white frilly linens, oil paintings and a daily changing breakfast delivered to your room in a basket. Double rooms from $205 (£155), or the farmhouse (sleeps seven) from $502 (£380). 
Mayan Dude Ranch (001 830 796 3312; mayanranch.com) has been run by three generations of the Hicks family since the 1950s, and nearly everyone who works here is a relation, from the wranglers working the corral to those serving up the weekly barbecue under the big Texan sky. Rooms from $190 (£245) per adult (children $80/£60).
The Ranch Motel (001 210 429 8518; ranchmotel.com) has been sensitively restored by a local and acclaimed hotelier, and is destined to be a popular hangout, offering pool membership to locals, and home to a mezcal and listening bar, which feels more like a buzzy house party. Doubles from $250 (£190).
Jade Conroy was a guest of Travel Texas (traveltexas.com). 
Travelbag (020 3393 9620; travelbag.co.uk) offers flights and car hire in Austin from £839pp (based on two adults sharing), including direct return flights from London Heathrow with British Airways and seven days’ car hire. Selected departures in February or March 2025. Book by September 30 2024.
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