ROAD TRIPS

7 quirky and unusual places to stay in the Texas Hill Country

Missing Hotel's cabins perch high on the hill tops.

For weekend warriors looking to escape Houston, the Hill Country offers more than just wine tastings and antique shopping. The rolling hills hide some of the most unique properties in the world. From safari ranches with rhinos to a life-sized bird's nest, these are the weirdest, wildest, and most unforgettable places to rest your head in Texas — because your hotel should be as memorable as your road trip.

Cypress Valley — Spicewood
If you've ever wanted to build a treehouse, but only had a few spindly saplings in your suburban backyard, this adventurous hideaway might cure some lifelong FOMO. With a winding tangle of rope bridges and trellises, the compound might look like a particularly elaborate rope course, but the rooms are more Jane than Tarzan. Snap a few shots of the distressed wood walls and oversized pendants for post-trip design inspo, then turn the cell phone off for the weekend.

Yes, you can sleep in this wagon.Barons Creekside/ Facebook

Barons CreekSide Glamping Wagons — Fredericksburg
Yes, playing The Oregon Trail video game caused a generation to distrust covered wagons, and the iffy salad bars at K-Bob's probably didn't help. These replica Conestoga settler's wagons don't have a risk of typhoid fever. The 220 square feet spaces have roomy showers, sinks, and all the conveniences of home. But guests will probably want to spend most of their time outdoors, lounging in a hammock near the fire pit.

Longneck Manor — Fredericksburg
You might expect to find goats, cows, and chickens on a Hill Country ranch. Longneck ups the ante with ambling rhinos and wagging Labradors. Founded by Rick Barongi, a former director at the Houston Zoo, the safari resort works with conservation groups to quell any Joe Exotic-style ethical concerns. Overstuffed furnishings and luxe linens give all the comforts of a high-end hotel, but there are some amenities that the Four Seasons can't replicate. The suite offers a private window into the barn, where baby giraffes happily munch on leaves.

Missing Hotel— Marble Falls
If Swiss Family Robinson's hardworking patriarch studied Modernist architecture, he might have drafted something like this Marble Falls enclave. The various cabins and geodesic domes may have urban niceties, but the canopy of old-growth trees is light-years from the hustle and bustle. Don't expect to make a stay into a working vacation — even the owners admit the Wi-Fi is spotty. Instead, give yourself the permission to forget about time by taking a dip in a private plunge pool or swaying along to a record.

The Diamond is Onera Fredericksburg's unique take on an A-Frame. Photo by Jeff Jones

Onera — Fredericksburg
This Hill Country resort is a CultureMap obsession, both for the breathtaking natural setting and the avant-garde architecture. In August, the spot debuted 23 new units with striking geometric forms that look more like minimalistic monoliths than buildings. Inside, the owners provide few distractions. Why nibble on tchotchkes when you can feast on spectacular vistas?

Skybox Cabins — Glen Rose
Although all of the cabins on this compound have charming themes, ranging from a tribute to 17th-century French pigeonniers to buzzy pollinators, the most coveted is The Nest. It isn't just a catchy name. Guests can actually perch in a human-sized aerie outfitted with pillows and twinkle lights. Bring up a portable speaker and cuddle into a tête-à-tête. Recommended listening: Billie Eilish's "Birds of a Feather."

Recharge your batteries at the Kerrville Texaco Station.Photo courtesy of Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau

Texaco Texaco Station — Kerrville
Yes, you read that right. You can actually spend the night in a repurposed Texaco gas station without having to wear a pair of coveralls. The 40s building is pure Americana, filled with quirky touches like a Dr. Pepper machine, a row of sporty vintage toys, and a trash can fashioned from a Mobil oil drum. And the recreational areas could be pulled straight out of Life magazine. Put on a bowling shirt and play table tennis or grill hot dogs inside a courtyard sodded with artificial turf.

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wave on wave

Exhibit on Jewish immigration to Texas lands at Galveston museum

Bryan Museum/Facebook

The Bryan Museum will open the new exhibit in November.

A new exhibit about the role Galveston played in bringing immigrants to Texas is set to open at the Bryan Museum. The exhibit will particularly highlight the wave of Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe in the early 1900s as they fled increasing persecution and pogroms.

Port of Promise: Jewish Pioneers of Texas explores the history of the Galveston Plan, sometimes known as the Galveston Movement. Between 1907 and 1914, roughly 10,000 Jews left Russia after a series of bloody pogroms sparked by conspiracy theories that Jewish leaders had assassinated Tsar Alexander II. Developed with support from the Joan and Stanford Alexander South Texas Jewish Archives at Rice University, it shows how these immigrants spread through Texas as pioneers and entrepreneurs, building communities in America.

“The impact of The Galveston Plan cannot be overstated. These determined individuals overcame tremendous obstacles to becoming some of the most successful and philanthropic people in the history of Texas,” said Charles C. Foster, immigration attorney and historian.

Port of Promise opens November 7 and runs through January 21, 2027. Admittance is included with general tickets.

Though the exhibit is primarily focused on the Galveston Movement, the island's role as one of the largest immigration hubs in the United States during the 1800s is also explored. Known as the Ellis Island of the West, Galveston handled around 200,000 immigrants between 1845 and 1948. For much of this time period, there were no restrictions on immigration into the U.S., and people from Europe, Latin America, and South America were all processed through the Port of Galveston.

According to Foster, the wave of Jewish migration sparked anti-immigrant backlashes in the Northeastern United States, prompting Jewish community leaders to direct migrants to Texas.

“With anti-immigration policies and anti-native sentiments rising, Galveston was strategically chosen as a great alternative to the crowded cities of the Northeast,” said Foster. “It wasn’t just a port; it was a plan. A way to welcome Jewish immigrants into the heart of the country instead of concentrating them on the East Coast.”

With immigration a hot button topic in contemporary politics, the Bryan Museum felt it was important to celebrate how much previous waves have contributed to Texas.

"Texas has always been shaped by people who arrived seeking opportunity and the chance to build a better future," said Melissa Williams Murphy, Bryan Museum executive director. "This exhibition honors the extraordinary contributions of immigrants whose impact continues to be felt across our state while ensuring their stories are preserved for future generations."

In addition to the exhibit, the Bryan Museum will also host three special public programs throughout the run. These include a panel talk with Foster on the Galveston Plan; a presentation by Robert Sakowitz on his family's luxury stores in the state; and a lecture by Dr. Nancy Katz on Jewish Texas before and after the Galveston Plan. Tickets for these events are separate from admission and must be reserved in advance through the Bryan Museum website.

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