Swimming holes and granite domes in the Texas Hill Country
A grotto pool, a granite dome and German bakeries in Fredericksburg.
- Distance
- 280 km (174 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 07 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 6
- States
- TX
- Updated
- March 28, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 280 km (174 mi) with 6 stops, from Austin to San Antonio. About 3 h 07 min of driving in total.
Route description
Leave Austin west on US-290 toward Dripping Springs and Hamilton Pool Preserve, a jade-green pool under a collapsed limestone grotto with a waterfall. Entry requires a reservation made in advance, and swimming can be closed after heavy rain or for water quality, so check before you go.
Continue west on US-290 through Johnson City to Fredericksburg, founded by German settlers, where bakeries and beer gardens line Main Street. Enchanted Rock, a huge pink granite dome, rises about 18 miles north on RM 965. The summit trail is short and steep, and day passes sell out on weekends, so reserve ahead and start early before the rock heats up.
From Fredericksburg, head southeast via Comfort and I-10 to San Antonio. The Alamo, the mission founded in 1718 and the center of Texas history, stands downtown a few blocks from the River Walk. Spring brings wildflowers to the roadsides, while summer is hot enough that the swimming holes are crowded and reservations are essential.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Austin
TX - 245 km
Hamilton Pool Preserve
NatureDripping Springs, TXA jade-green pool under a collapsed limestone grotto with a waterfall. You need a reservation.
- 382 km
Enchanted Rock
NatureFredericksburg, TXA huge pink granite dome in the Hill Country. The summit trail is short and steep, and day passes sell out on weekends.
- 430 km
Fredericksburg
TX - 5122 km
The Alamo
HistorySan Antonio, TXThe 1718 mission church at the center of Texas history. The River Walk is a few blocks away.
- 61 km
San Antonio
TX
