Hunt, TX

KED

I have to go there to get my daughter at camp. I have this crazy idea about going a week in advance, arriving as far away as is feasible, then driving and shooting the whole way. The shooting is the key so I don't want to rush, and half the fun will be staying in whatever cheesy motel has a vacancy at the right time in the right place -- I did this once before, sans camera, about 3 decades ago!

Any guidance would be most appreciated!

Llywellyn

Where are you starting from? I can see Hunt is close to Fredericksburg, and I'd highly recommend stopping there to see and photograph Enchanted Rock. I can also tell you tons of places in SA and Austin, but if you're coming from one of these, that won't help you.

Also, what do you prefer to shoot?

KED

Llywellyn wrote:

Where are you starting from? I can see Hunt is close to Fredericksburg, and I'd highly recommend stopping there to see and photograph Enchanted Rock. I can also tell you tons of places in SA and Austin, but if you're coming from one of these, that won't help you.

Also, what do you prefer to shoot?

Great questions, sorry I wasn't clearer. I'm flying out from the East Coast, and would ordinarily fly into SA, but the idea was to make a long, opportunity-rich drive out of it. But thanks already for the Enchanted Rock recommendation, and I'd welcome your suggestions re SA. I want to shoot anything and everything, but feel like landscapes will be most of it if I can pull this off as I envision it.

Llywellyn

Well, you can start south (land in Houston--which is a hated place for me--and quickly swing south to Galveston or Corpus Christi for some coastal shooting--though, to be honest, if you're on the East Coast, Texas's coast is quite ugly in comparison) and then head north, with a definite stop on the Riverwalk in SA and the Alamo, if you haven't been. You can continue north and swing by Natural Bridge Caverns, though it's extremely touristy these days. Still neat to view. Canyon Lake is a bit west of there, and would put you on the right track toward Fredericksburg and then Hunt. Or Lake Travis is up near Austin.

One of my favorite drives was Hwy 83, I think it was, from New Braunfels to Canyon Lake. I also took back roads from San Marcos out to CL. The drive was always beautiful and relaxing for me. Right around there is Gruene (pronounced Green), which is a tiny town on the Guadalupe river. Lots of tubing and quaint handcraft shops, with a nice little winery, too.

If you like street photography, Sixth Street and South Congress in Austin would keep you occupied for quite a while. And I love the capitol building there.

Your other option is to start north in Dallas or Ft. Worth and then head south. I only know the city parts there and nothing truly landscape worthy.

Or you could start west in El Paso and head east, though I can give no guidance on west Texas. I can, however, say, "skip East Texas." Avoid Tyler in particular. :giggle

To give you a sense of driving times--on highways and without stopping for photography--the drive from Houston to Galveston is about 45 min. From Houston to SA is about 3 hours. From Dallas to SA is about 4 hours.

HTH!

slpollett

Well, If you're traveling from San Antonio to Enchanted Rock by way of Fredericksburg, you'll be right in the vicinity of Lukenbach, Texas which is a great place (if you find it) to stop and take a few pictures. Lukenbach is on a little road about 5-8 miles east of Fredericksburg on the hwy that connects Fredericksburg and Johnson City (I forgot the road number though).

Once you leave Fredericksburg on the way to Enchanted Rock, be sure to swing through the Willow City Loop. It is a very picturesque little drive.

North of Fredericksburg (past Enchanted Rock) is Llano. Head east from there to pass Buchanan Dam and Tow on the way to Burnet. The area between Johnson City to Fredericksburg to Llano to Burnet is the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Lots of pink granite hills and lots of lakes therefore lots of photo ops. There's also Longhorn Caverns near Inks Lake (Burnet) in addition to the caverns near Gruene.

If you are in Austin, especially around 6th St and Congress, don't forget to stroll along Guadalupe (also known as 'The Drag'). You'll see many characters there that really fit into Austin's unofficial motto of 'Keep Austin Weird.

There's really too many places to stop and take some nice landscape photos around Texas. It probably doesn't matter which road you take or which direction you travel--you will find something worth snapping.

Enjoy the trip!

Sherry

KED

slpollett wrote:

Well, If you're traveling from San Antonio to Enchanted Rock by way of Fredericksburg, you'll be right in the vicinity of Lukenbach, Texas which is a great place (if you find it) to stop and take a few pictures. Lukenbach is on a little road about 5-8 miles east of Fredericksburg on the hwy that connects Fredericksburg and Johnson City (I forgot the road number though).

Once you leave Fredericksburg on the way to Enchanted Rock, be sure to swing through the Willow City Loop. It is a very picturesque little drive.

North of Fredericksburg (past Enchanted Rock) is Llano. Head east from there to pass Buchanan Dam and Tow on the way to Burnet. The area between Johnson City to Fredericksburg to Llano to Burnet is the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Lots of pink granite hills and lots of lakes therefore lots of photo ops. There's also Longhorn Caverns near Inks Lake (Burnet) in addition to the caverns near Gruene.

If you are in Austin, especially around 6th St and Congress, don't forget to stroll along Guadalupe (also known as 'The Drag'). You'll see many characters there that really fit into Austin's unofficial motto of 'Keep Austin Weird.

There's really too many places to stop and take some nice landscape photos around Texas. It probably doesn't matter which road you take or which direction you travel--you will find something worth snapping.

Enjoy the trip!

Sherry

Sherry AND Kerry (nice!) -- thank you both so much. Lots to work with here, and since I may devote up to a week to this, I may start out of state and work my way to as many of these venues as I can. This is great stuff -- all I could have hoped for and more. Thanks again.

KED

KED wrote:

Sherry AND Kerry (nice!) -- thank you both so much. Lots to work with here, and since I may devote up to a week to this, I may start out of state and work my way to as many of these venues as I can. This is great stuff -- all I could have hoped for and more. Thanks again.

Sherry and Kerry -- I am back and just wanted to thank you for your guidance. Both of you had input that found its way into my itinerary and into my resulting favorite shots -- such an eclectic mix that I can't even figure out where to post a sampling on this forum. I had actually printed out this thread and taken it with me to make sure I didn't miss anything (anything within reach anyway). So there's everything from action at 6th & Congress (a GREAT blues band that let me shoot them, something I've never gotten to do before) to Greune to Enchanted Rock to . . . actually all the way to Bandera, which I found on my own and where I got a sweet shot of a REAl cowboy in a REAL saloon:



I actually may never post an assortment at Dgrin because there's no common theme to what I got to shoot, nor am I by any means an accomplished landscape photographer, so feel free to check out my site anytime you're feeling nostalgic about the Hill Country.

Thanks again!

Llywellyn

Glad to hear you had a great trip! And actually, the Journeys forum would be the perfect place for a collection of your shots from the trip. I'm ready to delve back into the Hill Country!