Canoeing/Kayaking

Oasis Lake Buchanan

7 RV Sites, 7 Cabins

Oasis Lake Buchanan in Bluffton, Texas, offers an intimate lakeside retreat on the shores of Lake Buchanan—the largest and westernmost of the Highland Lakes chain on the Colorado River in the Texas Hill Country—providing a quiet and relaxed escape for campers seeking the serene shoreline and recreational opportunities of one of Central Texas's most beautiful and least-crowded major reservoirs. Positioned on Lake Buchanan's tranquil waters in Llano County where the Hill Country's granite and limestone terrain meets the impoundment's clear water, the small park delivers a genuine lake-life experience without the commercial development pressure that characterizes more heavily visited Highland Lakes communities. The park's amenity focus is water recreation—a sandy beach, boat ramp, boat rentals, and kayak rentals give guests the tools to access Lake Buchanan's 23,060 acres of clear water without bringing their own equipment, and the lake's protected coves and open water fishing areas are accessible from the park's dock infrastructure. A dump station serves self-contained RV travelers, and the property's pet-friendly character welcomes the canine companions that make extended lake camping trips more enjoyable. The intimate scale of the park itself reflects the low-key, neighbor-to-neighbor character of the Bluffton community along the lake's western shore. Lake Buchanan's geology is among the most dramatically scenic of any Texas reservoir, formed where the Colorado River was impounded behind Buchanan Dam in 1937 and immediately surrounded by the pink granite and reddish-brown sandstone of the Llano Uplift's basement rocks—ancient Precambrian formations that give the lake's shoreline and the islands within it a raw geological character quite different from the limestone-rimmed lakes downstream in the Highland Lakes chain. The lake's size, depth, and infrequent motorboat crowding compared to Lake Travis and Lake LBJ make it a preferred destination for anglers targeting striped bass, largemouth bass, and catfish in productive open water. The Fall Creek Falls, accessible via a short hike near Bluffton, provide one of the Hill Country's most rewarding waterfall experiences in wet seasons, and the Colorado Bend State Park approximately 20 miles northeast protects a spectacular river canyon with Gorman Falls—a travertine cascade considered one of the most beautiful waterfall formations in Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, accessible via FM-2341 approximately 25 miles southeast, is the Hill Country's most iconic granite dome destination and a premier hiking and rock climbing location. Llano, the granite capital of Texas and gateway to deer hunting country, provides the nearest commercial services for Lake Buchanan visitors. Oasis Lake Buchanan operates year-round in the Hill Country's moderate climate, with spring's wildflower displays—bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush blanket the roadsides from March through April—and fall's comfortable temperatures representing the most popular booking windows. Summer brings fishing enthusiasts targeting the lake's striped bass in the cooler, deeper waters, and the lake's size buffers against the worst summer heat with reliable afternoon breezes across the open water. The park's quiet, unhurried character makes it particularly appealing for guests who have experienced the more crowded downstream Highland Lakes and want the Highland Lakes experience without the crowds.

from $69/night

Texas Hills RV Haven

8 RV Sites

At 111 Willow Shores Drive in Tow, Texas—on the shore of Lake Buchanan in Llano County where the uppermost of the Highland Lakes chain fills the Colorado River Valley's widest basin in the Hill Country, producing the 23,000-acre reservoir that supports the largest wintering bald eagle concentration in Texas, the hybrid striped bass fishery that draws anglers from across central Texas, and the pink granite shoreline that exposes the Precambrian bedrock underlying the Hill Country's limestone veneer—Texas Hills RV Haven provides full hookup RV sites with three-way connections, three cabins, a lake house, a private boat ramp, complimentary kayak use, and a seasonal beachfront swimming area in the family-operated lakefront campground that has served the Buchanan Lake recreation community since 2008. The private boat ramp, the complimentary kayaks, and the beachfront swimming area together constitute the water access infrastructure that makes Texas Hills a functional water-recreation base rather than simply a lakeside parking spot. Full hookup RV sites with three-way connections—power, water, and sewer—provide the complete hookup infrastructure at each site, eliminating the black-water tank management that partial hookup sites require. Fire rings at individual sites provide the evening campfire setup. Three cabin rentals and a fully appointed lake house serve the guests without RV equipment and provide the family reunion and group accommodation format that a single RV site doesn't support. A private boat ramp—the campground's own concrete launch rather than a shared public facility—provides the immediate lake access for trailered watercraft without the Highland Lakes public ramp congestion that summer weekends at Lake Buchanan generate. Complimentary kayak use available to all registered guests gives the paddling option without requiring guests to own, transport, or rent equipment. A seasonal beachfront swimming area provides the supervised freshwater beach experience directly on Buchanan's shore. A pavilion, playground, horseshoes, washers, and a common area with board games and movies provide the social gathering and rainy-day entertainment infrastructure. Lake Buchanan's fishing calendar features the largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, white bass, and the hybrid striped bass that Texas Parks and Wildlife has stocked and managed in the reservoir since the 1970s. The Highland Lakes' uppermost impoundment provides the most rural and least-developed of the chain's six reservoirs, with the sparse development along Buchanan's shoreline preserving the natural character that lower Highland Lakes reservoirs—particularly Lake Travis—have largely lost to residential development. Bald eagle viewing tours, operated by local tour operators on Lake Buchanan during the winter months from November through March, provide the most accessible concentration of bald eagles in Texas at a viewing density that surprises first-time participants. Inks Lake State Park—adjacent to Inks Lake immediately downstream from Buchanan on the Highland Lakes chain—provides the state park infrastructure, hiking trails, and Inks Lake's clear, granite-bottomed freshwater swimming and paddling access that complements the Buchanan camping base with managed park facilities. The Vanishing Texas River Cruise, headquartered in Burnet and operating on Buchanan Lake, runs the eagle tours and scenic lake excursions that the Buchanan environment makes distinctive for the Texas nature travel itinerary. Texas Hills RV Haven is open year-round, welcoming anglers, families, couples, and snowbirds across all seasons in the Highland Lakes' temperate climate. Summer brings the lake recreation and swimming season peak; winter attracts the bald eagle viewing guests and the snowbird population seeking the Hill Country's mild December-through-February temperatures. Reserve the waterfront site or lake house well in advance for summer weekends, plan the eagle tour for the January morning, and let Lake Buchanan's pink granite shore earn the Highland Lakes experience that the chain's uppermost reservoir preserves in its most natural form.

from $50/night

Lake Fun Properties

28 RV Sites, 5 Cabins, 1 House

Lake Fun Properties in Kingsland, Texas, delivers a lakefront resort camping experience on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson in Llano County's Hill Country corridor, where the Highland Lakes chain's deepest reservoir provides year-round boating, fishing, and water skiing on the clear, warm waters of the Colorado River impoundment that the Lower Colorado River Authority created in 1951. Positioned in the Colorado River's Highland Lakes chain between Lake Marble Falls to the east and Lake Buchanan to the west, the resort serves the lake-lifestyle visitors and Hill Country tourism travelers whose Kingsland itinerary centers on LBJ Lake's consistent recreational productivity and the nearby wine country and natural scenery of central Texas's most popular vacation region. The resort's waterfront amenity package delivers direct lake engagement: boat docks for guests who bring their own watercraft, canoeing and kayaking access, swimming in the Highland Lakes' clear warm water, and the walking trails and pavilion that extend the outdoor experience beyond the waterfront. Full hookup big-rig-friendly sites, cabin rentals, a clubhouse, dining, laundry, dump station, and Wi-Fi provide the complete infrastructure for multi-day lake stays, and the golf course access nearby serves guests who integrate fairway recreation into their lake-centered itinerary. Stargazing under the Hill Country's dark skies adds a celestial dimension to evening hours on the lake that the region's low light pollution makes genuinely rewarding. Lake LBJ is the deepest lake in the Highland Lakes chain and the most constant in level, receiving its water from the Highland Lakes impoundments above and maintaining consistent boating conditions that make it particularly popular for water skiing, wake boarding, and the pontoon boating culture that has defined the Kingsland and Horseshoe Bay residential lake community since the 1960s. The lake's 6,000 acres of clear Colorado River water enclosed by the Hill Country's granite-and-limestone terrain create the visual character of the central Texas lake experience at its most appealing—glassy morning water reflecting the live oak and juniper hillsides on both shores before the afternoon breeze arrives. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, approximately 30 miles northwest via RM-152 and RM-965, provides the Hill Country's most celebrated geological attraction in the massive exfoliated granite dome that rises 425 feet above the Llano Uplift and is considered sacred by the Tonkawa people who inhabited this territory before European settlement. The Fredericksburg wine tasting corridor and the LBJ Ranch's birthplace and burial site are accessible in under an hour, and the Llano River—a dedicated Geological State Landmark for its exposure of some of the oldest rocks in Texas—flows through nearby Mason County in one of the Hill Country's clearest and most beautiful river corridors. Lake Fun Properties operates year-round in the Highland Lakes' semi-arid Hill Country climate, with the Lake LBJ boating and water sports season running at full capacity from late April through September when the warm water, consistent sunshine, and school-vacation calendar drive maximum lake recreation demand. Fall's cooler temperatures extend the boating and kayaking season into November with dramatically reduced boat traffic, and the wine harvest season at the surrounding Hill Country wineries creates an additional September-October visitation draw for guests combining lake recreation with the corridor's wine tourism. Winter's mild conditions sustain year-round lake fishing for the bass and crappie populations that LBJ's clear, deep water sustains.

from $45/night

Dos Rios RV Park

14 RV Sites, 10 Cabins, 5 Tent Sites, 6 Glamping Sites, 3 Airstreams

Where the James River meets the Llano River in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Dos Rios RV Park occupies one of the most distinctive natural settings of any campground in the state. The name says it all — two rivers, one property, and a twenty-acre island accessible from the grounds that guests can explore on foot or wade across when water levels allow. Mason County sits in an uncommonly beautiful part of the Hill Country where granite outcrops, juniper mesas, and spring-fed rivers define the landscape, and the campground puts all of it within reach. The accommodation options at Dos Rios cover the full spectrum from tent sites and full-hookup RV pads to rental cabins, tiny homes, a vintage Airstream trailer, and glamping setups for those who prefer their wilderness experience with better bedding. The property's spread along both river banks and onto the island gives different sites genuinely different characters — some face the James River, others overlook the Llano, and the island itself offers a feeling of total seclusion that traditional campgrounds simply cannot replicate. Picnic tables, fire rings, and river access are standard throughout, and the overall setup encourages multi-day stays. Both rivers run clear over limestone and granite bedrock through most of the year, creating exceptional conditions for kayaking, tubing, and stand-up paddleboarding from the campground's own put-ins. The area around Mason County is one of the few places in the United States where blue topaz — the Texas state gemstone — can be found by amateur collectors, and the campground can direct guests to rock-hunting locations where the gemstones turn up in river gravel and hillside outcrops. OHV terrain and stargazing on the island round out the activity offerings; Mason County lies within the Hill Country's certified dark sky corridor, and the absence of light pollution on clear nights is genuinely striking. Mason itself, a small German-settlement town three miles from camp, preserves one of the better collections of nineteenth-century limestone architecture in central Texas. Fort Mason, established in 1851, served as the post where Robert E. Lee spent several periods of his pre-Civil War military career, and the site remains a quiet but historically resonant piece of Texas frontier history. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, the great pink granite dome that anchors the southwestern Hill Country, rises 42 miles south of Mason — a full day of hiking, bouldering, and panoramic views. The Old Tunnel Wildlife Management Area, roughly 30 miles east, harbors a bat colony of approximately four million Mexican free-tailed bats that emerge at dusk in a sustained column visible for miles. The Hill Country enjoys a long spring season from March through May, when wildflowers — particularly bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush — carpet the roadsides and river banks and the rivers run at their most reliable levels. Summer brings tubing season in earnest, with river levels dependent on rainfall but typically adequate through July. Fall is the second peak, when cooler temperatures and changing sumac and cypress color make the river setting especially scenic. The stargazing is excellent year-round in Mason County; winter nights are long and cold, with the Milky Way visible in full glory from the island.

from $35/night

Rebecca Creek Campgrounds

5 Glamping Sites

On a scenic bend where the Guadalupe River meets Rebecca Creek and Schultz Creek in the Texas Hill Country of Comal County, Rebecca Creek Campgrounds has created a multi-use outdoor destination on more than 15 acres of riverfront property in the community of Spring Branch—a campground that serves the tube floating, kayaking, and river swimming crowd that makes the Guadalupe the most popular river in Texas from May through September with a variety of accommodations ranging from primitive tent sites to fully furnished glamping tents with hotel-style amenities. Full-hookup RV sites, primitive water and electric sites, private bunk rooms, and kayak and tube rentals position Rebecca Creek as one of the Hill Country river campgrounds that thought through the full visitor experience rather than simply providing a parking spot near moving water. Full-hookup RV sites with water and electric connections, primitive sites with covered tables, glamping tents with hotel amenities, private bunk rooms with separate shower houses, and primitive tent camping collectively cover the full accommodation spectrum from the self-contained motorhome to the group of friends sharing a bunk room for a weekend float trip. A fully plumbed bathhouse with showers, an on-site laundromat, and free Wi-Fi throughout most of the campground provide the practical support infrastructure, and tube and kayak rentals with complimentary life vests on a first-come, first-served basis give guests immediate river access without requiring personal watercraft. The Guadalupe River's convergence with Rebecca Creek creates the campground's most natural recreational asset—a swimming, floating, and fishing location where the cold spring-fed Guadalupe stays refreshingly cool through the summer heat that makes July and August float trips the most popular outdoor recreation in Comal County. White bass runs in the early spring, catfish fishing year-round, and the swimming that the campground's river frontage enables give the property a multi-season fishing and aquatic character beyond the summer tube-floating crowd. A horseshoe court, volleyball area, and children's playground with a small rock wall complete the recreational infrastructure for guests who want activity beyond the river. Canyon Lake, about 12 miles west on the Guadalupe River upstream from Spring Branch, provides the flatwater reservoir recreation that complements the river camping experience—an 8,230-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir with swimming beaches, boat ramps, and the whitewater release below the spillway that activates the Guadalupe's most exciting paddling when the Army Corps releases water through the dam gates. Guadalupe River State Park, about 14 miles east, preserves four miles of the Guadalupe's most scenic cypress-lined corridor in a managed natural environment. New Braunfels, 15 miles southeast, offers Schlitterbahn Waterpark, River Road's tubing outfitters, and the German heritage Wurstfest celebration each November. The Texas Hill Country's mild climate makes Rebecca Creek functional from spring through fall, with the peak floating season running from Memorial Day through Labor Day when the Guadalupe's spring-fed cool water provides an escape from intense Hill Country summer heat. Spring brings the white bass run and wildflower season to the Hill Country landscape, with the Comal County limestone hills flowering in Indian paintbrush and bluebonnets in late March and April. Fall provides more moderate river temperatures and the shift in the Hill Country's recreational calendar toward hiking and family camping that summer crowds the Guadalupe's swimming holes, making September and October the most enjoyable months for an extended riverfront stay.

from $10/night

Buda Place

79 RV Sites

Buda Place in Buda, Texas, offers 79 full-hookup RV sites on 30 acres along Interstate 35, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 60 feet. Lakeside premium and luxury lakeside back-ins join premium pull-throughs and a color-coded Boulevard East category, ten minutes from downtown Austin. Seventy-nine sites span Boulevard East back-in, lakeside premium back-in, luxury lakeside back-in, premium pull-through, and standard pull-through categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp, sized to 60 feet. Cabins round out the accommodations. A general store, laundry, restrooms, and showers handle the practical side, and the bathrooms draw specific praise in guest reviews — a hotel-quality standard that is genuinely unusual at a campground. A pet washing station is on site. An outdoor pool and hot tub anchor the warm months, with a catch-and-release fishing lake, fishing pier, and beach on the property supporting paddle boats, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, and boating. Mini-golf, horseshoes, ping pong, walking trails, a clubhouse, barn, dog park, and on-site dining fill the rest, with strong stargazing and birding across the acreage. Pets are welcome. Buda sits 0.2 miles off I-35 in Hays County, five minutes from a downtown that has kept its small-town character against the suburban push south from Austin. Doc's Drive-In Theatre is two miles away, with Main St. Pizzeria and Beer Garden and MudBugs both two miles and Willie's Joint bar and grill three. Austin event weekends drive demand hard. Reserve well ahead.

from $61/night

HTR TX Hill Country

13 RV Sites, 16 Cabins, 13 Tent Sites

HTR TX Hill Country in Kerrville, Texas, provides a diverse and well-equipped camping resort in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, a landscape of clear limestone-bottomed rivers, juniper and live oak woodland, and rolling cedar-covered hills that draws more visitors annually than any other inland region in Texas. Situated where the Guadalupe River flows through the hills above its lower valley and the city of Kerrville serves as the cultural and commercial hub of the Hill Country's central tier, the resort delivers a broad accommodation mix and comprehensive on-site amenity package that makes it an anchor destination for visitors exploring one of the American South's most beloved natural and cultural landscapes. The property's accommodations span RV sites with full hookup utility connections, cabin rentals of various configurations, and tent camping areas, providing flexibility for guests traveling in every mode. On-site amenities include a clubhouse, outdoor pool, walking trails, a general store, recreation center, and paddle boarding and kayaking access on the Guadalupe River—a water recreation asset that distinguishes the resort from inland Hill Country properties without direct river frontage. The river's clear water and scenic setting make it the defining experiential element of a stay, and the resort's access to the Guadalupe connects guests directly to one of the Hill Country's most iconic natural features. The Texas Hill Country's landscape is one of the most ecologically distinctive in the state, where the Edwards Plateau's limestone geology supports a unique flora including the iconic Texas live oak, Ashe juniper, and the endangered golden-cheeked warbler that nests exclusively in old-growth Ashe juniper and is found nowhere else in the world. The Guadalupe River's clear spring-fed waters—maintained by the Edwards Aquifer's extraordinary productivity—create one of the most beloved swimming, tubing, and kayaking destinations in Texas, and the river corridor between Kerrville and Canyon Lake is the most heavily visited outdoor recreation corridor in the state's interior. Kerrville itself anchors a rich cultural landscape, with the Museum of Western Art, the Cowboy Artists of America Foundation, and the Kerrville Folk Festival—one of the longest-running music festivals in the country—providing cultural programming that distinguishes it from purely outdoor-focused Hill Country communities. Fredericksburg, approximately 25 miles east via TX-16, offers the Hill Country's most complete visitor infrastructure with German heritage-inspired architecture, dozens of wine tasting rooms, and a culinary scene that has made it one of Texas's most popular weekend destination towns. Lost Maples State Natural Area to the south and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area to the northeast provide the Hill Country's premier hiking and fall foliage experiences within easy day-trip range. HTR TX Hill Country operates year-round, with spring's wildflower season from March through April and fall's comfortable temperatures and river clarity in September through November representing the most popular visitation windows for serious Hill Country enthusiasts. Summer brings Texas-scale heat to the cedar hills but the Guadalupe River's spring-fed cool water moderates the experience for guests who spend hot afternoons in the water. Holiday weekends and fall tubing season on the Guadalupe fill the resort's capacity quickly, making advance reservations essential for guests targeting the Hill Country's peak demand windows.

Rio Guadalupe Resort

64 RV Sites, 25 Cabins

Rio Guadalupe Resort in New Braunfels, Texas, offers 64 full-hookup RV sites and 25 cabins on the Guadalupe River, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted up to 94 feet, open all year. Premiere sites join back-in 30/50, back-in water-and-electric, and pull-through categories, with an outdoor pool, boat and kayak rentals, and a boutique shop. Sixty-four sites span back-in 30/50-amp, back-in water-and-electric, pull-thru 30/50-amp, and Premiere categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted with site WiFi, sized to 94 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Confirm your tier, as the water-and-electric category does not carry sewer at the site. Ninety-four feet is exceptional for a riverfront Hill Country property. Twenty-five cabins round out the lodging. A general store, boutique shop, restrooms, showers, and a pet washing station handle the practical side. Four dog-friendly cabins are available with a 25-pound weight restriction for all breeds excluding service dogs; there is no weight restriction for dogs staying at RV sites. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with boat rentals and kayak rentals opening the river for boating, paddle boats, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, and fishing. A playground, pavilion, dog park, and picnicking fill the rest, and the property operates as a wedding venue. The resort opened in 1976 on 25 acres that German settlers once used as a riverfront park. Summer river season drives demand hard. Reserve well ahead.

from $65/night

Summit Vacation

66 RV Sites, 43 Cabins, 5 Tent Sites, 4 Wagons

Summit Vacation and RV Resort in New Braunfels, Texas, offers 66 full-hookup RV sites, 43 cabins, five tent sites, and four wagons on River Road along the Guadalupe, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted up to 88 feet. Deluxe pull-through and full-hookup back-in categories join a water park, marina, hot tub, mini-golf, and fitness center. Sixty-six sites run in deluxe pull-through and full hookup back-in categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 88 feet, with picnic tables. Eighty-eight feet is exceptional for a river property in the Hill Country and accommodates the longest coaches with a tow. Forty-three cabins, five tent sites, and four wagons make the lodging range unusually broad. A laundry, dump station, and showers handle the practical side. A water park and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a hot tub and sauna alongside. A marina, lake, and river open the water for boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming. Mini-golf, a fitness center, clubhouse, sports courts, tennis, volleyball, basketball, billiards, shuffleboard, horseshoes, walking trails, biking, a playground, pavilion, dog park, on-site dining, and a bar fill the rest. The property operates as a wedding venue. River Road is the heart of the Guadalupe tubing corridor, where the spring-fed current draws more than a million visitors a year, with Gruene's historic dance hall and Landa Park close. Summer river season drives demand hard, and River Road fills. Reserve well ahead for June through August.

from $36/night

River Bend Bliss

4 RV Sites

Thirty minutes southeast of Austin along the Colorado River, River Bend Bliss in Cedar Creek offers full hookup RV sites with direct Colorado River access, a private viewing deck, fire pits, yard games, and the kind of natural riverbank setting that is increasingly rare in the rapidly developing Austin metropolitan corridor. Located on the Colorado River banks in Bastrop County, the property sits at the edge of the Lost Pines—a relic population of loblolly pines isolated from the main East Texas pine forest by geological history—in a landscape that combines the green, shaded character of piney woods with the open waterfront that makes the Colorado River so appealing through this stretch. The result is an intimate riverside retreat within easy reach of Austin's full array of amenities. Full hookup RV sites include 30 and 50-amp service, water, sewer, and high-speed fiber WiFi that supports remote work and streaming. A fire pit, BBQ grill, and yard games create the relaxed outdoor social environment that defines the Texas riverfront camping experience, and the viewing deck positioned over the Colorado River provides a dedicated perch for sunrise coffee, evening wine, and the wildlife observation—herons, kingfishers, river otters—that the Colorado corridor delivers reliably throughout the year. Pets are welcome on the property, and the riverbank access extends the walk-in-the-water experience to dogs whose owners don't want a formal pet park. The River House—a furnished three-bedroom, two-bath home sleeping up to ten—is available separately for groups wanting a full accommodation package on the river. The Cedar Creek stretch of the Colorado River flows through Bastrop County's Lost Pines landscape, where the combination of sandy acidic soils and a buried aquifer created the isolated pine forest that stretches between Austin and the river communities of Bastrop County. The pines recovered remarkably well following the catastrophic wildfires of 2011 that burned 34,000 acres of the Lost Pines forest, and the regenerating forest now provides the canopy and understory that supports the bird diversity and wildlife activity that make the area so ecologically interesting. White-tailed deer, wild turkeys, armadillos, and the river's corridor of aquatic wildlife create a natural neighborhood the Colorado River camping experience inhabits deeply. Bastrop State Park, 15 miles east, offers the heart of the Lost Pines hiking and camping experience alongside the remarkable story of the 2011 fire recovery, now a decade-plus into a landscape regeneration process that park naturalists document and interpret. McKinney Roughs Nature Park, managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority, provides additional hiking, cycling, and river access trails nearby. Lake Bastrop, with its fishing, swimming, and water recreation, lies within easy reach. Austin's South Congress and East Sixth Street districts, Barton Springs Pool, and the full range of Austin's cultural and culinary offerings are 30 minutes north. River Bend Bliss operates year-round, with the Colorado River and the Lost Pines accessible in every season. Spring bluebonnet season in April draws visitors who combine the river experience with the wildflower displays that cover the highway medians and roadside pastures of Bastrop County in extraordinary numbers. Fall brings comfortable temperatures and excellent fishing conditions on the Colorado. Summer evenings on the viewing deck, with the river below and the trees cooling the air, are among the most pleasant outdoor experiences the Austin area offers. Book your site at River Bend Bliss and let the Colorado River and the Lost Pines put Austin's frenetic energy in proper perspective.

from $70/night

San Marcos River Resort

186 RV Sites, 18 Cabins, 21 Tent Sites, 3 Treehouses

San Marcos River Resort in Fentress, Texas, offers 186 full-hookup RV sites, 21 cabin and treehouse units, and 21 tent sites among pecan trees on the San Marcos River, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 60 feet. Covered Elite, Prime Elite, and Riverview Elite categories join standard back-in and pull-through tiers, with a pool, mini-golf, and fitness center. One hundred eighty-six sites span covered Elite, Elite back-in, Elite pull-thru, Prime Elite, Riverview Elite, and standard categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 60 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The covered Elite sites put a shade structure over the pad — a real benefit through a Central Texas summer — and Riverview is worth requesting. Twenty-one cabins and treehouses and 21 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. RV and tent check-in is 1pm, cabins 3pm, with checkout at noon for everything. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with mini-golf, a fitness center, clubhouse, sports courts, basketball, horseshoes, walking trails, a playground, pavilion, and dog park filling the grounds. The river carries swimming, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The San Marcos is one of the clearest and most consistently beautiful rivers in Texas, spring-fed and cool year-round. The resort was known for decades as Leisure Resort. Summer river season drives demand hard. Reserve well ahead.

from $51/night

Camp Fimfo Waco

246 RV Sites, 88 Cabins, 8 Tent Sites

Camp Fimfo Waco in Texas offers 246 full-hookup RV sites, 88 cabins, and eight tent sites across more than 200 acres on the Bosque River, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 56 feet behind a gated entrance, open all year. Preferred Red Carpet back-in and pull-through categories join premium RV/tent sites with side-specific hookups, alongside a water park, zip line, and laser tag. Two hundred forty-six sites span preferred Red Carpet back-in, preferred Red Carpet pull-thru, and premium back-in RV/tent categories — including sites specified as right-side hookup — all carrying water, sewer, and electric with site WiFi, sized to 56 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Specifying which side the hookups are on is a small detail that saves a lot of hose. Eighty-eight cabins and eight tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Tours are welcome by appointment — call or email [email protected]. A water park and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a zip line, laser tag, mini-golf, an arcade, jumping pillow, gem mining, sports courts, tennis, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, bocce ball, billiards, horseshoes, corn hole, a pond, playground, dog park, and on-site dining besides. The river carries fishing, boating, paddle boarding, canoeing, and kayaking. Two hundred acres west of Waco makes this a destination rather than a stopover. Summer is the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $45/night