Texas Hill Country Boasts This Wildly Popular, Scenic, And Spectacular Lake Region Full Of Cozy Lodgings

The idea of a Hill Country region in the state of Texas is perplexing for those who have yet to visit the Lone Star State. For a state that has a reputation of being a flat, desolate farmland with tumbleweeds passing, its Texas Hill Country and Highland Lakes regions flip that notion on its head. The Hill Country of Texas lies directly up against the capital city of Austin and stretches west for hundreds of miles. Now, with an ever expanding population in Austin, the spotlight is shining brighter on the natural beauty of the surrounding area.

Between the rolling hills of Central Texas offering Hollywood Hills vibes, there is a series of six lakes and connecting waterways that are a crucial feeder system for much of Central Texas' water supply. Stretching from the heart of the city of Austin out to an entirely different landscape in the smaller towns of Marble Falls and Granite Shoals, the Highland Lakes region offers some opportunities to cool down and enjoy the water during the hottest of days under the Texas sun.

The chain of six Highland Lakes in Central Texas ends at Lake Austin with the skyline of Downtown Austin as the backdrop. Lake Austin is a reservoir to the Colorado River system located about 30 minutes from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport that can be viewed on the water by boat or by renting a stand-up paddle board to soak in the sun and the city. It's flanked by multimillion dollar homes owned by celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and possibly Elon Musk. Lake Austin flows southeast into the river-like Lady Bird Lake, which is not technically part of the Highland Lake chain.

Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) runs alongside the vibrant, walkable downtown area, crawls past Zilker Metropolitan Park – home to the Austin City Limits Music Festival –and separates north and south Austin. Once you travel upstream under the iconic Pennybacker Bridge heading west, you've left Lake Austin and journeyed into the second Highland Lake within the city limits. Lake Travis boasts much more expansive waterways and begins about 19 miles west of Downtown Austin. It's the longest of the Highland Lakes, acting as the connector between the city and the Hill Country, and it can stretch to almost 5 miles wide. 

This makes Lake Travis the ideal boating and water sports destination for Austinites and visitors, and a popular destination for lakeside bachelor and bachelorette party vacation home rentals. Lake Travis offers views from the water of stunning mansions that hang over the cliffs. Visitors can zipline over lake waters, and there are also public parks with sandy beach alcoves circling the lake. For the best panorama, be sure to check out Oasis Texas Brewing Company's craft beers and its spacious patio lofted 450 feet above Lake Travis.

Roughly a 30-minute drive from Austin city limits, the quaint town of Marble Falls rests directly on the 5.75-mile-long Lake Marble Falls, with RV parks by walking trails and hotels overlooking the water. The lake is also the annual host to the three-day LakeFest Drag Boat Races for a taste of speed on the water. Heading west, the next lake in the chain of Highland Lakes is Lake LBJ. What was once Lake Granite Shoals was renamed Lake LBJ in 1965 after President Lyndon B. Johnson, who was a Texas native. On Lake LBJ, you'll find one of the most luxurious lakeside communities in Central Texas in Horseshoe Bay. 

This community hubs channels like Applehead Island filled with bodacious lake houses equipped with private boat driveways. The Horseshoe Bay Resort boasts four championship golf courses, family-friendly water activities, and a sandy beach and paradise vibe akin to a resort getaway on a Southwest Florida island. Cozy bed and breakfast properties suit the vibe of the Texas Hill Country, and Lake LBJ flows through towns such as Kingsland, where you can wake up lakeside. From RV parks along the lake like Sunset Point to ranch houses with boat ramp access, there are plenty of opportunities for new exploration along the Highland Lakes region. 

Lake LBJ and the neighboring Inks Lake are both underrated destinations for explorers of nature. Inks Lake is home to several nature trails that venture around the very underrated Inks Lake State Park, and deer are so friendly here that they will eat out of your hand. The westernmost Highland Lake is Lake Buchanan, which is also the second largest Highland Lake with 124 miles of shoreline. This Hill Country gem is the unofficial striper capital for fishing enthusiasts, and the massive 2-mile-wide dam is another ode to the saying that everything is bigger in Texas.