I spent quite a bit of time in the Texas Hill Country last fall, and each spot I visited was lovely and one that I would definitely return to. While making the choice to move back home to the coast was easy, when it came to leaving two of the best friends I have ever made (Jess & Christine), that was much much harder, so we make it a point to meet up and do things together as often as we can. Christine and I decided to meet in Pipe Creek, just outside of Bandera, TX for a girls weekend.

After getting caught in traffic in downtown Houston which delayed my arrival by several hours, the drive west was relaxing and even meditative. Zatara always handled the road well, and when the view out my windshield began to rise, I became as giddy and excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Christine and I booked a tiny house that sits on the side of a mountain (hill) with beautiful vistas. The home was really tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, and there were parts of the road that I wasn’t sure Zatara would fit! A couple of those tight, steep turns had me really nervous, but it made the adventure that much sweeter!

Once Tine and I were both at the tiny house, we checked out the view from the park bench the hosts set up on the edge of the hill, did a quick survey of what cooking utensils were made available, and went to the grocery store to grab what food we would need for our stay.

The Tiny Home was absolutely perfect for our girls getaway! The space was well planned, and thoughtfully laid out which made it very easy for two adults to be inside without feeling like we were on top of each other. Even though this home was tiny in square footage, it came with a full size kitchen and extra counter space for working if that is your need. The queen size bed was tucked away in its own space up the steps past the kitchen, a couch that folded out into an extra bed was provided, and the bathroom was extra spacious.

While the interior was more than we could ask for, they put just as much thought into their outdoor spaces! A large oversized deck stretched out from the front door of the home, complete with an electronic awning to shade one from the afternoon sun. This deck was perfect for watching the sun rise and fall and dining al fresco.

A fire ring and chairs are also set up, though we did not take advantage of this space since we visited in August and there is never a need to sit around a fire in Texas at that time of the year! Our favorite spot was the park bench sitting right at the ridge line. I spent every morning relaxing here with my journal, taking in the views.

Tine and I spent our first full day visiting the neighboring towns of Bandera and Beorne. I didn’t get many pictures while we explored since we spent the entire time fanning all the doors in their downtown, main street shops. I highly recommend both, but if you only have time to visit one, Beorne has more to offer as far as number of boutiques as well as different choices in eateries and coffee houses.

For our second day, we drove out to see Medina Lake. The water levels were drastically low due to this area of Texas experiencing extreme drought conditions, so all of the Lake access points were closed. Once we were back at the Tiny Home, we enjoyed some lunch and relaxed until evening where we did a little photo shoot so that I could get some images of clothing in my shop’s fall line for my website and social media.

Our AirBnb hosts provided breakfast essentials for the duration of our stay which was a lovely touch. We had locally sourced bacon and farm fresh eggs, milk & juices, bagels & cream cheese, and all the coffee fixings. They even left extra coffee which was perfect for enjoying an afternoon cup as well! On our last morning, we decided to check out a local spot that was recommended in their guide book, The Backyard Bistro. This was a quirky little spot with farm to table food. After our meal, we were able to explore their gardens where we were greeted by the resident piggies, and even did a little extra shopping in their onsite antique store. It was a perfect end to a perfect stay.

This was a perfect little getaway. I ran the hilly neighborhood every morning, spotted so many deer, and even had a close encounter with a little grey fox that I thought was actually going to come up and sit in my lap while I was journaling! While the ocean will always be the place that my heart calls home, there is something about the mountains that leaves me speechless.