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Located 30 miles east of Austin, Bastrop is the quintessential small Texas town packed with lots of surprises, including riverfront patios, live music, old-town streets, and outdoor adventure. Begin your visit at the Bastrop Museum and Visitor Center, where you can learn about the town’s history on a docent-led tour. See that history come to life on the streets of downtown, where you’ll find more than 130 historic homes and buildings, alleyways and courtyards, and lots of local artists. Located just off Main Street, Lost Pines Art Center is a regional arts center known for promoting and celebrating Texan artists. Visit the center to see the latest exhibits or to take an art class on glass-blowing, spray paint art, or plein air sketching. Continue to R.A. Green Merchant, where local artists display and sell ceramics, jewelry, sculptures, and more. Book lovers will want to check out Painted Porch Bookshop. On Saturdays, peruse the Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market. Come for the food, and stay for the live music. Bastrop is, in fact, known for its live music scene. Every night, you’ll find songwriters performing at restaurants and bars. Just beyond town is Bastrop State Park. With nearly 6,000 acres of pine forest, winding trails, and rolling hills, it feel worlds away from the rest of Central Texas. Visitors can hike and bike through the Lost Pines, fish at Lake Mina, camp beneath the trees, or take the scenic drive connecting Bastrop and nearby Buescher State Park.
Eat
Start your day at Maxine’s Café, where the coffee flows and the griddle cakes are stacked high. Neighbor’s Kitchen & Yard is the place to go for food, drinks, live music, and river views. Voted the favorite restaurant and best pizza in Bastrop County, the eatery is a staple in the community. In addition to the fan-favorite pizza, the menu features seven types of wings and a variety of shareables, including fried Brussels sprouts, pepperoni rolls, and Texas bruschetta. For good ol’ Texan barbecue, head to Billy’s Pit BBQ or Southside Market & BBQ. Set in a historic brick storefront, Copper Shot Distillery feels like a modern Texas salon with leather chairs, dark wood, and Prohibition-era vibes. The distillery is known for its flavored moonshines, whiskey infusions, and handcrafted small-batch spirits. Additional distilleries worth a visit include Bastrop Beer Company and 602 Brewing Company.
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Stay
Bastrop’s lodging scene echoes the town’s personality with luxurious stays, as well as rustic cabins and historic spots in downtown. The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa offers a luxurious stay in a resort surrounded by forest landscapes just outside Bastrop. The property feels like a Texas ranch and even has onsite horseback riding opportunities. For a different kind of luxury, book a stay at the Reserve at Greenleaf. These beautifully designed yurts are tucked into the trees, offering a romantic stay with outdoor soaking tubs among the pine trees. Pecan Street Inn is a cozy B&B set in a Victorian home. A stay in this historic inn feels intimate and distinctly small-town Texas.
