9 Awesome and Unique Places to Visit in Texas

As the second-largest state in the United States, Texas has an array of hidden gems to explore. From majestic caverns to seriously-strange museums, the Lone Star state has it all. If you’re visiting the Texas Hill Country, make Cypress Creek Cottages your home base, then hit the open road and set out on an adventure. To make things easier, we’ve laid out a list of some of the best unique places to visit in Texas. 

In addition to this list of hidden gems, we have a complete Texas Hill Country Itinerary for you to refer to— and it’s free! It contains information on the area’s best restaurants, events, attractions, and fun-filled cities. 

What Is the Number One Tourist Attraction in Texas?

With Texas’s great size, gorgeous landscaping, rich history, and various cultures, there’s no way to decide what the best tourist attraction in the state it is! But we’ve listed our favorite unique places to visit in Texas for you.  

Unique Places to Visit in Texas You Might Not Know Existed

1. Sparky Park

Location: Austin

A one-hour drive from Cypress Creek Cottages.

The city of Austin is loaded with ordinary things that get turned into creative pieces of art. Sparky Park is a perfect example. Sparky Park was previously an electrical substation, which is where the name sparky comes from. Now, it’s transformed into an eclectic park featuring creations made up of mirror balls, broken antique glass dishes, painted stucco, petrified wood, marbles, and more old substation hardware. 

2. Hamilton Pool Preserve

Location: Dripping Springs

A 40-minute drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

Hamilton Pool Preserve is a natural swimming hole formed from the dome of an underground river collapsing after thousands of years of erosion. The pool’s water level stays pretty constant, but during rainfall seasons, there is a cascading waterfall that flows over limestone outcroppings and into the pool. Something important to note is that you must have a reservation to spend the day swimming at Hamilton Pool. Call Travis County Parks to make a reservation to have the time of your life at this unbelievable natural swimming hole. 

3. Museum of the Weird 

Location: Austin

A one-hour drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

Self-proclaimed as America’s strangest attraction, Museum of the Weird is a fascinating display of oddities. From shrunken heads to suits of armor to Bigfoot fossils, this place is full of things you’ve never seen before. There’s also a gift shop on-site for you to bring home a strange souvenir. A visit to Museum of the Weird is definitely something to add to your bucket list. 

4. Jacob’s Well

Location: Wimberley

A 10-minute drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

During your stay at Cypress Creek Cottages, cool off from the Texas heat in the naturally cool waters of the swimming hole, Jacob’s Well. Spanning over 81 acres, this artesian spring is the second-largest fully submerged cave in Texas. Parking and hiking around Jacob’s Well are always free to the public, but you must pay an entrance fee if you’d like to swim. 

5. Enchanted Rock

Location: Fredericksburg

An hour and a half drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

For thousands of years, visitors from near and far have been drawn to the massive pink granite dome rising above Central Texas, known as Enchanted Rock. Between the beautiful scenery, enormous rock formations, and magical legends, this natural area has it all. Legend has it that brave tribes of Native Americans fought for their lives on top of the mountain. Some favorite activities to enjoy here include hiking, rock climbing, and kid-friendly Ranger programs. 

6. Bracken Cave

Location: San Antonio

A one-hour drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

From March to October every year, over 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats reside in Bracken Cave. This makes it the largest known concentration of mammals! Each evening at dusk, the bats emerge from the cave for their nightly insect hunt. This site is memorizing. To catch a glimpse of this unbelievable site, you can register for a Member Bat Flight with BCI (Bat Conservation International).  

7. Natural Bridge Caverns

Location: San Antonio

A one-hour drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

When you visit Natural Bridge Caverns, there’s so much much to discover and explore. These caverns are the largest known commercial caverns throughout the state of Texas. Explore the enormous limestone formations beneath the Earth’s surface with the various tours hosted at the caverns. Tours include climbing, crawling, hiking, rappelling, and exploring with lanterns. Above ground, exciting activities include rope courses, zip lines, gemstone and fossil mining, and an outdoor maze. 

8. San Antonio Botanical Garden

Location: San Antonio

A one-hour drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

The San Antonio Botanical Garden is a non-profit botanical garden that spans 33 wondrous acres. When you visit this remarkable place, you’ll bask in the views of colorful flowers, native Texas greenery, exotic plants, and mesmerizing glass pyramids. Before you arrive at the San Antonio Botanical Garden, be sure to check their Event Calendar to check what’s going on, such as a winemaking workshop or a plant sale. 

9. Texas State Capitol

Location: Austin

A 45-minute drive from Cypress Creek Cottages. 

Located in downtown Austin, the capitol building houses the offices and chambers of the Texas Legislature and the Governor of Texas. The Texas State Capitol is a gorgeous sight to behold. It’s known as one of the nation’s most distinguished state capitols and is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Each day, guided tours lead visitors through critical areas of the building and teach about the history of Texas and its legislature. 

Stay in Your Private Cottage in Wimberley, Texas

As you plan your trips to these unique places to visit in Texas, you’ll need a convenient location to make your home base. Cypress Creek Cottages is precisely that. Located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country in Wimberley, Cypress Creek Cottages is your hub to it all. 

When you stay with us, choose from 12 pet-friendly cottages. Each cottage comes fully equipped with a kitchen, living room, dining area, bedroom, private deck, and outdoor hot tub. We want to make your stay as comfortable and delightful as possible, so we’ve provided you with excellent amenities, including complimentary high-speed WIFI, a full-sized coffee machine with pre-stocked coffee and condiments, toiletries, bathrobes, a sofa bed, and more! Check our availability and find your dream cottage today!

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