The Ultimate Relaxation Getaway at Canyon Lake

10 Jun The Ultimate Relaxation Getaway at Canyon Lake

Summer is here! Time to kick back and relax. We decided to head to a part of the Texas hill country we had never visited before-Canyon Lake. If you are in need of some major float time in a pool, river or lake…this just might be your place!

Where We Stayed

We stayed in an awesome VRBO hillside house overlooking Canyon Lake and the gorgeous hill country. This three level 4 bedroom/4 bathroom house named Canyon Sky had plenty of room for our multiple families to spread out and relax or play some PAC-MAN or foosball. The kitchen worked well for our needs and the adorable coffee bar was great for additional counter space and the always necessary morning brew. I enjoyed sipping my coffee looking out the large picture windows where the blue waters in the distance took all my cares away,

The back patio, silo bar and pool were the stars of the show. A lot of vacationing happened back here including swimming, snacking, grilling, roasting s’mores over the smoker, deer watching and sunset gazing. I definitely found my favorite spot (pictured at the end of the post) and parked myself there for hours at a time. The pool gets afternoon & evening sun, so the umbrellas served as much needed relief from the toasty sun. We loved this property and would book here again!

For more details about this amazing property or for booking information click here: https://www.vrbo.com/1961629

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James Curry Nature Center

https://cceo.org/parks/curry-nature-center

This was a quick 3 minute drive from the house. The terrain was very rocky with a few inclines and minimal shade over the trail. It was a quick loop (less than a mile) around the canyon area. Overall it was an easy hike.
Cost: free
Restrooms available: no

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Guadalupe River South Trail

https://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/canyon/Recreation/Trails/GuadalupeTrails.asp

I think this was my favorite place we explored! It is a mostly shaded trail that parallels the Guadalupe River. The Cypress trees are HUGE and so interesting to look at. The trail does have some stairs and inclines and some occasional uneven terrain. It was easy enough though that 3 generations of family members were able to enjoy the hike together without challenges. We went about a mile down and a mile back. After all that walking the crisp clear river water was calling our name. We just had to jump in (ok, some jumped in and some of us just stuck our toes in). It was very refreshing and COLD! We loved how there were lots of shallow areas to explore, but it was very rocky around the shallow banks, so bring those water shoes.
Cost: free
Restrooms available: no

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Overlook Park

https://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/canyon/

We didn’t get to explore this park much because the sun was going down and the park closes just after sunset. We weren’t the only ones who had the idea to grab a bench or a seat along the dam and watch the sunset that evening…it was obvious by the crowd of people taking west facing selfies that they knew this was one of the best evening backdrops in town. I loved this vantage point of the lake and horizon.
Cost: free

Restrooms available: yes

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La Cruz De Comal Winery & Tasting Room

https://www.lacruzdecomalwines.com/

This quaint French countryside chateau style tasting room was gorgeous and cozy. It had plenty of seating inside and outside to choose from while you are sipping. I typically only prefer red wines, but the 2021 La Cruz de Comal Rose they serve for the tasting was DELISH! Even better, all of their wines are organic, free of sulfites.
Cost: $20 for a tasting of 4 wines

Restrooms available: yes

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The Heritage Museum of the Hill Country

https://www.theheritagemuseum.com/

This little museum was interesting and fun. They have a couple of small permanent exhibits inside and a guided tour outside. The staff and tour guide were very kind and engaging, The tour takes you back to 1982 when Acrocanthosaurus and Iguanodon footprints were found on this property and what scientists have gathered from these prehistoric prints. The tour only lasted about 45 minutes to an hour at most and was almost totally shaded for the outdoor portion. You can purchase tickets ahead of time on their website.

Cost: $5 adults, $4 ages 5-12, free for under 5

Restrooms available: yes

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Where We Ate

Kafekali Bakery

We ate at this cute little bakery twice! The first time we grabbed a pastry assortment and took it back to the VRBO (a quick 4- 5 minute drive from the house). The second time we grabbed some fancy coffee and more pastries for our last morning in town. The seating options are all outdoors and several were shaded or covered under the patio. It was really convenient to have this little slice of sweetness nearby.

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Richter’s Antler Cafe

https://www.antlercafe.com/

Most days our meals were planned for eating at the house, but one afternoon we ventured out to meet our family that lives in San Antonio. We wanted to eat somewhere close to Canyon Lake (it was an easy 10-12 minute drive for us to the restaurant) and Richter’s Antler Cafe came recommended to us by several people. We heard the chicken fried steak was something we needed to try. I guess you could say we were doing some investigative research. It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it. My research determined it was definitely worth the visit. I thought the plate of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and green beans were practically perfect. The only sad part was that I was so stuffed that I didn’t have room to try any of the yummy desserts on the menu. I loved that they had ample indoor and outdoor seating as well as a playground for the kids. If you sit outside, you might even make a few new feathery friends.

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Our first summer trip for this year was AWESOME! A perfect blend of relaxation and fun. There is still so much more to explore in the Canyon Lake area plus all the lake activities that we didn’t get to this time, but until next time..I will be dreaming about my favorite spot poolside overlooking the hills and lake. God bless Texas!

Other places of interest in the area:

>Canyon Lake Gorge

>Wildflour Artisan Bakery

>Whitewater on the Horseshoe

>Paddle Canyon Lake

***This post and any of my recommendations are based off my own opinions and personal travel experiences. Please be sure to check and confirm all hours of operations and reservation requirements with each business and establishment before booking your trip or arriving at the venue***