Just west of Austin and San Antonio lies Texas Hill Country, a landscape made up of charming towns and great antique finds. Settled in the mid-19th century, mostly by German immigrants, approximately 37 ethnic groups established Texas neighborhoods, farms and ranches, wineries and plenty of antique shops. You’ll find most of these shops in New Braunfels, Boerne, Fredericksburg, Kerrville and Comfort. All of them feature a wide range of items, from country antiques and painted furniture, to high-style pieces to shabby chic objects, farm tools and ranch furnishings.

Texas Hill County sets a rich historic backdrop for antiquing. Comprised of over 100 pre-1900 buildings, it’s the most authentic downtown in Texas and has the only monument to the Union Case, south of the Mason Dixon Line. Things you can do outdoors include: horseback riding, fly-fishing, hunting in season, country and western dancing, camping, hiking, river tubing, nature walks and birding. If museums are more your cup of tea than the outdoors, highlights include Kerrville’s Cowboy Artists of America Museum, Pioneer Village, and the National Museum of the Pacific War.