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Local Secrets, Big Finds - Texas

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Hamilton Pool
Austin

512.264.2740
A visit to Hamilton Pool is like traveling back to your childhood years when you'd spend the entire day at the local swimming hole. During the spring and summer, there is no "better way to take in some natural wonders of the Texas Hill Country" than to visit this "natural spring in a lush grotto--waterfall and all." They limit the number of cars to 75 to keep the crowds down, and it's only a short hike down to the beach. This hideaway makes for a good date spot, so "find a place to call your own, then plunge in from the waterfall or wade on the beach." Read more.

The Polish Pickle Run and Festival
Bremond

The Polish Pickle Run and Festival epitomizes "how much fun a small town can be." The entire day is jammed with activity, starting with a 5-K run and ending with fireworks. The winner of the Pickle Run is "awarded jars of homemade Polish pickles," and "post-run fare" includes "locally-made Polish sausage." The parade starts at 10am, followed by cook-offs, BBQs, volleyball, basketball, dominoes, horseshoes, and more.

Two Grannies Down Home Cookin' Restaurant
Glen Rose

254.897.9773
Two Grannies Down Home Cookin' Restaurant
Just like the name implies, the Two Grannies Down Home Cookin' Restaurant is "owned and operated by two grannies, June Thomas and Gloria Whitley," and the food is indeed homemade. In true "Granny-style" fashion, everyone is "greeted at the door with a hug." Plus there's scrumptious "home-cooked comfort food served buffet-style, live country music, and a granny at the piano." The atmosphere is "relaxed, fun, homey, and nostalgic." Two Grannies is located right off the square in Glen Rose.

Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum
Austin

512.445.5582
Charles Umlauf was a prolific and "gifted sculptor who died in 1994." There are more than 130 sculptures on display at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum, which accounts for more "outdoor sculptures in and around Texas than any other artist." The sculptures create a "unique garden setting in a beautiful and soothing landscape." Spring and fall are the best times to go, because while the winter weather is unpredictable, summer is guaranteed to be "hot and muggy." Read more.

Willow City Loop
Gillespie County

See magnificent views of Texas Hill Country on the Willow City Loop. April is the best time to see wildflowers like the "bluebonnets (Texas' famous flower), which are in bloom and are so thick you can smell their sweet scent in the air." Bike or drive on the "narrow, hill country road with open grazing (no fences)." There are "no signs and no tourist traps," just pristine "valleys, stream beds, and pastures" blanketed by "a purplish-blue covering of flowers." Read more.

Czech Stop
West

254.826.4170
The motto at Czech Stop and Little Czech Bakery is: "delicious is our business." This is a great rest stop off I-35. In fact "every drive from Dallas to Austin has to include a pit stop in West for a kolache." Kolaches are sweetened balls of yeast dough filled with sausage, cheese, or fruit, and are a mainstay for Czech-inspired Texas cuisine. You can also get sandwiches and fill up your car's gas tank--all in one little stop. Read more.

Sundays at Monica's Aca y Alla
Dallas

214.748.7140
Monica's Aca y Alla
Sundays at Monica's is "non-stop." Begin the morning with brunch and live music, then salsa dance into the night (including free lessons). Actually, almost every night there is something different going on, from 50-cent margaritas to half-price food at dinner. With subtle influences from Europe and Asia, this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Dallas, with specialties like: chili-pumpkin ravioli, black bean pepper steak, and Mexican lasagna. Read more.

Town of Jefferson
Marion County

888.GO.RELAX
From wildlife and nature to a diverse history, Jefferson is a "unique Texas town." Visit bayous and swamps, admire alligators and eagles from afar, and check out various museums and historical landmarks around town. Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in the state and has the world's largest cypress forest, and the Excelsior House hosted five U.S. presidents, including Ulysses S. Grant. Join in the festivities during Mardi Gras, Pilgrimage, Jazz Fest, and Candlelight, or relax and take it easy during the slower times. Read more.

Babe's Chicken Dinner Restaurant
Roanoke

817.491.2900
Try Babe's if you are looking for true Texas fare with genuine Lone Star state charm. The menu at this all-you-can-eat "family-style restaurant" is limited to "fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and the world's best biscuits." On any given Saturday night, there are "lots of pickup trucks with customers tailgating before going inside for dinner." Show up at least an hour before dinner, bring beverages and lawn chairs and listen to a live country music singer.

Dutch Mountain Ranch
Llano

325.247.4074
Located in the heart of Texas, this fifth-generation working ranch encompasses "four mountains that are granite outcroppings up to 1,700-feet high and are great for climbing." This 1,245-acre ranch "has been in the same family since the Texas Revolution," and there are "all sorts of wildlife, including deer, mountain goats, exotic deer, turkey, road runners, and eagles." "Finders keepers" is the rule here, so keep an eye out for ancient arrowheads; some are "over 1,500 years old." Read more.