Visiting Wimberley Texas with a Toddler
This past spring, we visited Texas for the first time for a get-together with Jessica's family in the heart of Texas's hill country: Wimberley. Wimberley, located just under an hour southwest of Austin, is a charming town known for its natural beauty and a vibrant arts and shopping scene. The majority of the family rented cabins at Wimberley's 7A Ranch – nestled along the Blanco River – and we booked a room at the nearby Wimberley Inn. As you can imagine, not being a seasoned visitor to Texas or Wimberley, these are just my first impressions and takeaways. I wanted to share some of the places we enjoyed visiting, some details on where we stayed, as well as the dining options that suited our toddler. As a bonus, I think we got to visit the Chase Sapphire Terrace for the first and last time before it closed as well!
Accommodations
Wimberley Inn + Bar
We stayed at Wimberley Inn + Bar on the east side of Wimberley. It was quiet, had recently updated rooms, and was close enough to downtown that we could have walked if we wanted to. There wasn't much in the way of sidewalks between the inn and downtown, though, so we didn't attempt the walk with the baby.
We also didn't request a crib this trip and opted to bring our Guava Lotus travel crib since we weren't certain if we would need to use it for nap time or not at 7A Ranch. Overall, the room was a good size and very comfortable; we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
7A Ranch
7A Ranch was where we spent the bulk of our time this trip. Jessica's cousins booked a massive cabin called the Moonlight Lodge and her parents booked a smaller "classic" cabin nearby.
The cabins were equipped with kitchens, restrooms, and had fire pits, grills, and even smokers (at the Moonlight Lodge) available. They all had beautiful views of the Blanco River and were in close proximity to Pioneer Town.
We didn't actually spend the night here, but the cabins would have definitely been fine for a baby/toddler and we would have had room to set up our travel crib.
Dining
Neon Armadillo
We ate at the Neon Armadillo during our first evening in Wimberley. It's basically a food truck (trailer?) and only has outdoor seating, but they served some delicious BBQ.
We ordered the Neon Nachos (brisket and jalapeño nachos) and a "Dillo Pack" that came with a pound of brisket and all of their sides. Our daughter is a bean fiend and loved their Anazazi Charro Beans.
Would definitely recommend.
Wimberley Cafe
For breakfast both days we ate at the Wimberley Cafe on both Saturday and Sunday. Both days were delicious. I got a "7A Omelette" because it felt appropriate and it was definitely a solid omelette.
Wimberley Inn + Bar
On Saturday night we had an early dinner at the Bar portion of the Wimberley Inn + Bar. It was on the lighter end of what we'd been eating, but hit the spot and was a nice change of pace from all of the BBQ and grilled meat we'd been eating.
Attractions
Pioneer Town
Next to 7A Ranch is Pioneer Town – a free to visit little Wild West village. It's got an ice cream shop, some western buildings, and even a kiddie train that loops around the ranch!
The Pioneer Express Railroad train runs every 30 minutes throughout the day and is $6 a ticket (kids 2 and under are free). We rode it and it was a surprisingly long (somewhere between 10-15 minutes) and scenic ride. I assumed it would just loop around Pioneer Town, but it went around the whole ranch and gave us some good views of Texas Hill Country.
Blanco River
We just viewed the river from the banks, but there were a lot of folks paddle boarding and kayaking in it – even in early March! 7A Ranch has paddle boards and kayaks available for rent, but we weren't adventurous enough to try it with an 18-month old. Maybe next time!
Austin Airport
Car Rental Experience
Renting a car at the Austin Airport was very convenient. The rental car facility is located onsite in a parking garage just across the street from the terminal and let me tell you, I love not having to take a shuttle to a separate facility.
We rented a Chrysler Pacific minivan which was alright, though in Wimberley I found myself wishing for something with a bit more clearance. 7A Ranch is full of narrow gravel roads and the town itself is pretty hilly making it easy to bottom out.
That said, the rental experience overall went very smoothly.
Chase Sapphire Terrace
Since I currently have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card we decided to check out the Chase Sapphire Terrace in its final days. We got some free snacks from a strange refrigerated vending machine thing and a nice outdoor place to sit away from the busy terminal.
It was very loud and windy, however. I think now the patio has reopened back to the public so you no longer need a Chase card to visit, which is probably for the best. It's was too exposed and noisy to be a proper lounge and having outdoor spaces available like this just makes sense for a warm weather airport.
Closing Remarks
Our first visit to Wimberley was a nice introduction to the Texas Hill Country's charm and natural beauty. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, the local food, and attractions like Pioneer Town and the Blanco River, all made smoother by the convenient Austin airport car rental. All in all we had a great visit!
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