This Underrated Town in Texas Beats the Famous Ones

One of the most popular travel regions in Texas, the Texas Hill Country, is ideal for outdoor activities, history, weddings, and wineries. And while there is no shortage of busy little communities like Fredericksburg and Dripping Springs that draw the crowds, some of the region’s most authentic travel experiences can be enjoyed by wandering a little off the beaten path to underrated places like Llano.

Just over an hour from Austin and 38 miles north of Fredericksburg, Llano rests along the Llano River and is well worth getting to know. Surrounded by the Llano Uplift, a natural phenomenon that pushed billion-year-old granite to the surface and in the process created one of the most mineral-rich regions in North America, the town's story is one of boom and bust, granite and grit.

Established in 1856 as a frontier trading post, the discovery of iron ore deposits 40 years later suddenly put Llano on the radar. The town’s population soared to nearly 10,000 miners, prospectors, and railroad workers, as well as 22 saloons to keep them entertained.

While the iron boom eventually ended, the town’s granite industry endured. Stone from the region has been used in major projects ranging from the Texas State Capitol in Austin and New York’s American Museum of Natural History to Iceland’s imposing Leif Eriksson statue. Learn more about this small town that beats the famous ones.

Llano Today

Visit Llano today, and see plenty of evidence of its early boomtown years. Downtown is still the beating heart of the community. Find the Llano County Courthouse, an elegant structure built from locally quarried granite. Completed in 1893, it continues to watch over Main Street.

A block away, the Red Top Jail was where the justice dealt out at the courthouse was enforced. Built in 1895 and named for its red roof, it once housed the sheriff’s home and office, prison cells, and the town’s gallows. Fascinating tours of the building and its cells are available.

Learn more about the jail and the courthouse, as well as the town in general, at the Llano County Historical Museum. Located in the historic Bruhl Drugstore building on the banks of the Llano River near the 1930s-era Roy Inks Bridge, the museum’s exhibits range from Native American artifacts and antique cash registers to retail memorabilia and genealogy resources.

Stay Local, Eat Like a Local

Llano’s old-Texas authenticity also spills over into its accommodation scene. One of the best heritage experiences can be had at Dabbs Hotel. Built in 1907 as a stop along the Austin and Northwestern Railroad, the hotel, once used by train crews passing through town, is now a classy boutique hotel with uninterrupted river views. If it is available, request the Bonnie and Clyde Suite, named after the infamous gangsters who once stayed here.

Worthy alternatives for a memorable stay include several traditional B&Bs. Sandstone Street Bed & Breakfast features period furnishings and is within easy walking distance of the historic downtown and river. And the Mustard Seed B&B on the Llano, set in a former farmhouse built in the late 1870s, is also close to town.

Feeling peckish? Fuel Coffee House on East Main Street is great for a caffeine boost and snack, and occupies an ornate old grocery store. For more substantial meals (and a truly authentic Texan experience), head to Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que. Opened in 1962 and a favorite of former President George W. Bush, go all out and order the “Big Chop," a two-inch-thick pork chop that could feed a family. Inman's BBQ is equally yummy and has been serving its famous turkey and jalapeno sausage since 1967. It is also generally less busy in case the lineups at Cooper's are too long.

To wash all that great BBQ food down, several craft beverage spots are located around town. Llano Craft Distillery (aka, War Trail Spirits) has been producing small-batch spirits since 2016, and features live music most weekends. For something different, LTX Mercantile & The Redneck Speakeasy is a quirky combo of outdoor clothing store and bar, backyard seating, and cold beer.

Llano Events and Festivals

To add to Llano’s authentic Texas Hill Country vibe, try to time a visit to coincide with one of the town’s many fun events and festivals. The Llano Earth Art Festival (LEAF), held each March at Grenwelge Park along the river, features the World Rock Stacking Championship. This unique event sees artists, adventurers, and audiences from around the world gather to construct stone sculptures and large-scale natural art installations, as well as participate in workshops.

The first weekend in April brings the equally fun Llano Fiddle Fest to town. Around since 1976, players of all ages descend upon the John L. Kuykendall Arena and Events Center to test their tuneful skills. This is followed shortly after by the Llano Crawfish Open at Robinson Park, where Hill Country meets Cajun culture for a celebration of the famous food locals call “mudbugs.”

Other must-attend events include summer’s Llano Open Pro Rodeo & Parade with its bull riding, barrel racing, and downtown parade. Come fall, it is all about the hunting season. Llano has earned the nickname as the "Deer Capital of Texas" for the 8,000 or so hunters that arrive between November and early January to hunt white-tailed deer.

Nearby Towns and Easy Side Trips

Just a short drive south of Llano, Fredericksburg's German heritage dates to 1846 and can best be enjoyed during its always-popular Oktoberfest celebration. In addition to its beer, Fredericksburg is well known for its more than 30 wineries and is the birthplace of WWII’s Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Learn more about it at the National Museum of the Pacific War.

Just 35 miles to the west of Llano, Mason also boasts many wineries, but without the crowds. The drive alone is wonderful, passing through some of the best wildflower territory anywhere in Texas.

Though a little further to drive (it’s around 45 miles southeast of Llano), Johnson City is home to Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, where you can tour LBJ’s boyhood home in town and visit the Johnson family cemetery at the nearby LBJ Ranch, although the Texas White House itself remains closed for interior tours while it undergoes structural repairs.

Llano is the Perfect Small Town

While Llano doesn’t boast the wineries or wedding venues of its better-known neighbors, it does offer those who visit a truly authentic Texas Hill Country experience. A perfect getaway for outdoor enthusiasts as much as it is for those who enjoy traditional Texan barbecued food, Llano delivers something other more famous destinations can’t: it’s a real slice of unadulterated old Texas.