6-Day Austin & Texas Hill Country Cultural Adventure Bike Tour
Duration
6 days
Daily Biking
13 to 51 miles
Trip difficulty
2-Easier to Intermediate
From
USD 3599
OR CALL (800) 257-2226
Duration
6 days
Daily Biking
13 to 51 miles
Trip difficulty
2-Easier to Intermediate
From
USD 3599
Trip Overview
Austin, Texas, has evolved into one of America’s premiere cities, with a vibrant downtown area and top-notch outdoor activities. The town sits on the edge of the Texas Hill Country and provides an excellent launch point for bicycle adventures. This new tour connects biking in the Hill Country with biking and exploring some of the best areas of Austin.
In the Hill Country, you spend three nights in iconic Fredericksburg and enjoy some of our favorite routes in the area … This plateau region is unique for its fusion of Spanish and German influences on food, beer, architecture and music that form a distinctively local “Texan” culture.
On the way from Fredericksburg to Austin, you bike the spectacular Fitzhugh Road, which has two stop signs in 30 miles of twisting country road. After visiting Pedernales Falls State Park, enjoy more quiet roads and a special lunch, followed by a short transfer to Austin.
In Austin, you enjoy bike paths and lanes through a vibrant city – and some of our favorite local restaurants. Your hotel is downtown but also near the lakes, bike paths and bike lanes that make Austin a hub for outdoor recreation. In addition to exploring the town by bike, there is an option for a kayak or SUP ride on Lady Bird Johnson Lake … and a chance to see the famous bats from the Congress Avenue Bridge.
Surfaces for this tour: 95% Paved and 5% Gravel.
Itinerary
From start to finish, check out the route.
Austin, Texas, features a vibrant downtown area and top-notch outdoor activities. This tour allows you to pedal in both Austin and the nearby Texas Hill Country — known for excellent bicycle routes on rural roads with scenic ranches and rolling hills.
Arrival Day
Please meet at the Hilton Garden Inn Austin Airport at 9:30am. Then gather for a welcome lunch, bike fitting and orientation. You go on an afternoon ride through Fredericksburg and out into the Hill Country, then settle into your cabin at Barons. Enjoy a wine tasting and dinner at the Club at Barons Creekside.
Accommodation: Barons Creekside
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Biking: 31 miles ( kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Willow City Loop & Pecan Creek Road
Today features some of the most scenic riding in Texas — along with lunch at a classic Texas hill country restaurant. Start with a ride from the Inn to the small village of Willow City, then descend into a remote canyon on the famous Willow City Loop, a scenic winding road. In spring, the area is known for fields of bluebonnets and other wildflowers. Quiet roads along and through farms and ranches bring you back to the highway, where you shuttle to the Hilltop Cafe.
After lunch, you can jump onto another famous local loop on Pecan Creek Road, or you can ride the short distance back into Fredericksburg and spend the afternoon exploring local wineries and museums. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Accommodation: Barons Creekside
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Biking: 13 to 35 Miles (21 to 56 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate
Luckenbach
Today’s ride features a loop to iconic Luckenbach. The ghost town of Luckenbach was made famous when Jerry Jeff Walker recorded a live album there in the 1970s, and it remains a colorful symbol of the Hill Country. The ride crosses the Pedernales River and then traverses quiet back roads to Alamo Springs and the Old Tunnel State Park. You can take a short hike here.
After lunch you roll along Grape Creek to Luckenbach, where you can stop and listen to the daily live music on the stage and explore the “town.” You finish with smooth back roads all the way to Barons Creekside. Shorter mileage options include stopping or starting at Luckenbach. The final dinner at Barons includes live music.
Accommodation: Barons Creekside
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Biking: 34 to 51 miles
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate
Fitzhugh Road
Today’s ride begins with a shuttle to the western end of Fitzhugh Road in Johnson City. You ride along Fitzhugh and down into Pedernales Falls State Park. Optional hiking along the falls and a snack are followed by more quiet miles of riding.
After the riding and some lunch, take a short shuttle to the edge of downtown Austin and the Carpenter Hotel. For those interested, there’s an optional stop at Austin’s Barton Springs Pool near the hotel. Before dinner tonight, go to the nearby Congress Avenue Bridge at sunset to see the spectacular emergence of the brown bats – this is the location of the largest urban bat colony in the world, which is estimated to be 1.5 million bats.
Tonight’s dinner is at one of our favorite local Tex-Mex restaurants.
Accommodation: Carpenter Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Biking: 27 to 39 miles (43 to 63 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate
Lady Bird Lake and Austin Trails
Today starts with a ride along the nearby Lady Bird Johnson Lake and into quiet neighborhoods. After cycling along Lake Austin, spin along bike trails to return to downtown Austin. Following a lunch stop on Congress Avenue, you can choose between exploring Lady Bird Lake by kayak or SUP (extra cost applies), or an optional ride along the Colorado River into east Austin. Another option to swim in Barton Springs Pool ends the afternoon of your second day in Austin.
Tonight’s dinner is at a famous local BBQ restaurant.
Accommodation: Carpenter Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Biking: 14 or 31 miles (22 to 50 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier or Intermediate
Departure Day
Today’s ride is through the South Austin neighborhoods and back along the lakeside trails. Alternatively, you can go on a hike along Barton Springs Creek and see the limestone bluffs and winding waterway right in the center of Austin. After hotel check out at 11 a.m., you have a final lunch together at a local South Austin restaurant and a return shuttle to the Austin Airport.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Biking: 12 miles (19 kilometres)
Terrain: Easier
Dates
Prices are per person based on double occupancy (2 people in one room). A deposit of $750 holds your reservation for most tours. For tours less than 6 days, the deposit is $500.
What's Included
- 5 nights’ accommodation
- 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
- Our own highly experienced trip leaders, with you from start to finish
- Industry leading Guest-to-Guide ratio (averaging 6:1)
- Your own ‘Account’, an online space with everything required for your adventure
- Our knowledgeable Customer Service Team to answer your queries - just a phone call, email or chat away
- Customer Service pre-trip phone calls to ensure you’re 'trip ready'
- Delicious snacks and non-alcoholic drinks to keep you fueled
- Gravel bikes with drop handlebars, Hybrid with flat-bar handlebars or E-Bikes, equipped with a front handlebar bag or rear carrier, branded water bottle, mirror and flat pedals
- Ride with GPS for navigation along with the detailed maps and itineraries
- Branded t-shirt and bag
- All activities outlined in the itinerary
- All necessary equipment (well-maintained and safe) for activities
- Transportation in our air-conditioned vans - safe, clean, modern and comfortable!
Inns
Barons Creekside
A unique log cabin village on 26 rolling acres in the midst of their own vineyard, Barons CreekSide offers exquisite lodging with a taste of Switzerland in the Texas Hill Country. Unwind along the gorgeous “mountain creek." Explore, watch for birds and butterflies, go fishing … or just relax in a rocker on your private porch.
Carpenter Hotel
This South Austin hotel is one with its lush surroundings. Carpenter Hotel features a pool replete with loungers and each of its 93 rooms comes with a terrace. Take in the scenery with fare from their all-day cafe or enjoy a meal on the patio or in the dining rooms of their restaurant, Carpenters Hall.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tour features cycling through the rolling hills of Texas Hill Country, visits to charming small towns like Fredericksburg, and exploration of Austin’s vibrant live music and food scenes.
The terrain is a mix of rolling hills and flat stretches, with routes chosen for their scenic beauty and manageable difficulty. While there are some climbs, the pace is relaxed to accommodate most riders.
The tour includes live music experiences in Austin, wine tastings at Texas Hill Country vineyards, and visits to historic landmarks, offering a mix of culture, food, and scenic cycling.
Accommodations include a combination of boutique hotels, charming bed-and-breakfasts, and inns that reflect the unique charm of Texas Hill Country.
Rental bikes, including e-bikes, are available and included in the trip. If you prefer to bring your own bike, you are welcome to do so with prior arrangements.
