Krause Springs was such a peaceful, whimsical little escape. The amount of lush greenery and…read moremassive old trees was unreal. Some of the tree roots were the biggest and most unique I've ever seen in my life. The whole place just had such a calm, magical feeling to it. One thing to note is that there are a LOT of stairs in many locations and most are very steep, so it's definitely not stroller-friendly if you are a family with young ones. If you're bringing little ones, just be mindful and watch your step going down the stairs toward the springs. The property itself is absolutely beautiful. You can either camp overnight or purchase a day pass. From what I remember, day passes were $10 per adult, kids under 3 were free, and camping was around $21 a night. They close the springs at 8:00 pm and for campers quiet time is from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am. No loud generators allowed for campers. They had so many little hidden coves and tucked-away areas where you could set up camp, which made it feel really private and peaceful. I was also very impressed with how clean everything was. The bathrooms and showers were pristine, very sanitary, and conveniently located within walking distance of the entrance. One surprise I didn't expect was that they also have a separate swimming pool in addition to the springs, which ended up being great because the water at the springs was a little murky the day we went due to recent rain. Still gorgeous to look at though, especially with the waterfall. It honestly felt surreal, like you forgot you were still in Texas. They also have a beautiful butterfly garden with tons of unique plants and greenery that made the experience interesting. Overall, this place just gave off such a good feeling. Peaceful, relaxing, beautiful, and definitely a must-see if you enjoy nature. We'll absolutely be returning again.

Beautiful hidden gem in hill country. There is a modest entrance fee that allows you access to the…read morewhole space - the natural springs, the man-made pool, butterfly garden, and more. The man-made pool has spring water; this is where I would recommend families with children or inexperienced swimmers go. It's lovely and more of a managed pool setting. We hiked down the stone steps to reach the natural springs which are so beautiful with a picturesque mini waterfall and a rope swing as well! However swimming here can be treacherous. I highly recommend water shoes as there are lots of rocks and moss in the springs. Water depth also varies greatly from one spot to another so it's important to be aware of that. Water temperature was comfortable and cool - felt great on a hot summer day. Wrapped up our visit in the garden, which is so beautifully maintained. Absolutely lovely and zen. The changing room and bathroom facilities are clean and easily accessible. We left feeling dry, happy, and peaceful after a wonderful day in nature.

When you're feeling blue, go for a drive, and see the Bluebonnets. Best therapy…read more About an hour drive from N. Austin is Spicewood, TX, and Muleshoe Bend. A gorgeous park with a lake, picnic areas, and RV set ups with grills, but most of all, the star of the park, Texas Bluebonnets. There is a park fee, of $5.00 per person. You are given a pass for the day. And a map of the park. To see the Bluebonnets from the entrance, you're just going to follow the road. Very easy to find. It's a bit of a drive to the Bluebonnets and lake. And it's a dirt road, lots of dust and small rocks. The park is absolutely beautiful. Well worth the drive and the pictures, well, speak for themselves. God Bless Texas. So grateful for the Bluebonnets today.

This campground and recreation area in Hill Country is a lovely way to spend a few hours in nature…read more We were hoping to see the bluebonnets they're known for but alas, late blooming this year. That didn't stop us from seeing a few starting to spring to life. We walked along the water and throughout the property just consuming as much of the beauty as we could. Found some seashells along the way.

Wowzers, glad we located this park to enjoy a weekend with the dogs. The best place to come and…read moreview bluebonnets; mostly unpopulated space. You can camp and enjoy family gatherings. There aren't any trails to hike, but it's fun to take your well equipped vehicle muddin' through the rugged paths. I love the open fields to lay in the grass and listen to "Children by Robert Miles" , so tranquil. If you want to get into the water or fish, there's a body of water. I dipped my toe in it and it was icy cold. I absolutely loved this day spending time enjoying nature. Don't sleep on this recreation park. There's restrooms onsite.

I've been doing a lot 'nature focused' things as of late and this is yet another review to add to…read morethat list. Forty miles northwest of downtown Austin, Turkey Bend Recreation Area lies on the north shoreline of Lake Travis in both Burnet and Travis counties. Turkey Bend Recreation Area is located between Marble Falls and Cedar Park. If you and your fam are looking to campin, not glamping, Turkey Bend Recreation Area might be for you! The Deets: The price- Campsites - $27.50- Two park entrance fees are included in your stay. Entrance to Park (non campers)- Adults - $5 Children (12 and younger) - Free Disabled - $2 Seniors (65 and older) - $2 Free with LCRA Annual Parks Pass The winery nearby is Flat Creek Estate: Texas Winery & Vineyard Non crowded or over booked campsites like some places NO running water NO showers NO electricity Kayaking If you are looking for peace and solitude to get away from chaos, give this place a try. #bewellcentraltx

This place is awesome, however you should know there are a lot of hard burrs in the grass. Not…read moregreat for your little ones to walk around.

Small hidden camp area near Marble Falls! Bathroom stall is clean and they have tent for glamping…read moreexperience. No water or electricity hook ups but over looking a creek or dried up lake.. it's $25 a night.

Beautiful park that is just gorgeous in the spring with wildflowers in bloom. If camping though,…read moreplease be aware that there is no ranger or camp host on site. I camped midweek with my kids and we were literally the only people in the park. It was kinda cool having the place to ourselves until 10pm when some sketch dude on a motorcycle literally stopped right at our spot and claimed to be "meeting a friend." Not sure what kind of shenanigans he was up to, but it did not feel safe. I may have set a record for breaking camp and getting the heck out of dodge.

The park host deserves all of the credit for the culture she creates for her campers. She called…read morethe park her yard and said she keeps up with it as such. There were a number of times over my weekend there where I had long conversations with her where she gave me great information and was just generally welcoming and generous. I know that at one point she took kites down to the kids for them to fly which to me is above and beyond. I do hope LCRA will add a wheelchair accessible restroom, potable water on grounds, an ice machine and firewood that isn't $11 for a tiny bundle. Know to bring your own hand washing station. We found the port-a-potty to be the cleanest we'd ever seen but there isn't even hand sanitizer available. Each campsite is very unique so if you're not sure which you would like go to the grounds ahead of time and ask the host if you can just drive through to look and pick a site for the future. She said we could do that anytime for free if we weren't staying. Again, Linda the host was the best my camping club has ever experienced.

I've been living here at Turkey Bend RV park for about 6 months and since Jack; our property…read moremanager, had evicted the crazies from our park it has been peace and quite! The rent is cheap and includes water, this is great as I am able to always have extra money on hand. Property manager Jack and his wife Penny help me, and all other tenants with RV issues/maintenance as well which is very helpful as I am a new RV owner. We are also right here at Turkey Bend recreational park for easy, quick access to Lake Travis. If your looking for simple country living this is the place to be!

From the owner: 7 available long-term RV space rentals -- $300 per month rent with $100 electric deposit -- pet…read morefriendly -- located next to Turkey Bend Recreation Area which has camping, fishing, swimming, picnics, etc.. on Lake Travis. If you like quiet country living, come visit and stay awhile.

Loved camping here, but I am very sad that the water level has been too low for years to cliff…read morejump. I remember when Pace Bend used to be THE cliff jumping spot. I couldn't even get a campsite reservation because it was so popular a few years ago. It is truly past its prime now, and not just with the lack of cliff jumping. The campsites seem to be at about 50% capacity. We drove past so many camping areas that were closed. They're not using their usual online reservation system, and instead you have to reserve by emailing them and requesting specific sites. This is very inefficient as I saw quite a few vacant sites in person that were supposedly taken according to the website. We stayed at Kate's and Johnson campground, which is a primitive car camping site with pit toilets. There were no sinks, but there was hand sanitizer, and the bathrooms were quite clean for pit toilets. The campsites each had a grill and fire pit, but there was a burn ban so we couldn't have a ground fire. There was also a picnic table at each site. They limit each site to two cars, and they told me I couldn't park elsewhere in the park or pay for just the parking for an additional car. I would have had to pay for another site just to add one car. There's a lot of land in this park and not a lot of people with plenty of empty campsites even on a weekend, so I thought this was a little unreasonable. We went hiking on the blue trail per the recommendation of the lady at the lady who checked us in at the entrance. She told us it has the best views of the park. We certainly reached the highest point of the park, but there were no views. It was all rocks and trees. The trails are all pretty short. We went up the blue trail and down the yellow from the southeast trailhead, and it was a total of 3.6 miles. I liked the hike for a bit of exercise, but there wasn't really anything to see, so we felt deceived. My friend went swimming in the lake, and he seemed to enjoy it except for the sharp rocks at the bottom. I didn't go swimming, but I'm sure it would be enjoyable on a hot day.

Only flaw was the cacti. Other than that, I enjoyed the camp ground. Keep in mind that each rented…read morecamp only has 2 parking spots, so if you have more cars, you'd have to rent another camp site.

Great place to stay! The park is clean and well-maintained. The Club house and pool are very nice…read more The staff and residents are friendly and helpful! This is a great place to bring your family or to enjoy a quiet time on your own! I will definitely return!

OPEN AIR RV RESORT - SPICEWOOD, TX…read more I would like to formally voice my concern regarding Open Air RV Resort in Spicewood, Texas, a property within the Castle Park investment portfolio. Frankly, I am concerned that Castle Park may not fully realize the value and potential of this property. The resort is located between two luxury communities with multimillion-dollar homes and prestigious 18-hole golf courses. Directly across the road, the new Thomas Ranch golf course has recently opened. As part of that development, extensive brush and tree clearing has opened up absolutely stunning views from many of the RV sites. You can now clearly see the river flowing into Lake Travis. The location itself is exceptional. The resort is close to Stone House Vineyard, Spicewood Vineyards, Marble Falls, Johnson City, Stonewall, and Fredericksburg -- all highly desirable Hill Country and wine country destinations. It is also conveniently located near Bee Cave with its shopping, dining, and entertainment. My husband and I travel full-time in our motor coach and spend approximately 3-4 months each year in the Spicewood area to visit our daughter and grandchildren. We have stayed at Open Air several times over the years and are currently at the resort for a short stay. Unfortunately, each time we return, the condition of the property has deteriorated further. We understand that multiple managers have attempted to operate the resort, apparently with little success. We have also heard repeated concerns regarding the lack of financial support for maintenance and operations, as well as poor compensation. If true, that would help explain the ongoing turnover. At this point, the condition of the resort is beyond disappointing. Quite honestly, if you saw the property today, you would likely be embarrassed by its appearance. The bathrooms are not being properly cleaned, the pool is poorly maintained, the playground appears dilapidated, and there are massive fire ant mounds throughout the property. Fire ants are not just unpleasant -- they are dangerous, especially for families and pets. In addition, the grass throughout much of the resort is knee-high, which creates both safety and fire hazards. There appears to be one employee genuinely trying to maintain the grounds. He was kind enough to clear around our site with a weed trimmer because the mower is apparently broken down. This raises an important question: Is the resort simply not being provided adequate maintenance funding? The frustrating part is that this property has enormous potential. With proper investment and upkeep, Open Air could easily attract higher-end Class A travelers with significant discretionary income. The views from many of the sites are now incredible due to the new golf course development across the road. To put the surrounding area into perspective, memberships at that golf club reportedly start around $50,000. There is also a new distillery opening nearby, adding even more appeal to the area. My husband and I will be leaving Friday, May 15th, and plan to return near the end of October. We would genuinely love to utilize and support this resort long-term, but in its current condition, it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify staying here. This property should be a standout destination in the Texas Hill Country. Right now, unfortunately, it is being neglected.

We were genuinely excited about the possibility of having our wedding at The Retreat. The setting…read moreis beautiful, and at first glance, it seemed like a great fit. Unfortunately, the experience ended up being incredibly frustrating and disappointing. We had a simple but important request: to have outside kosher food for a small number of guests who keep strict dietary laws. We weren't asking to forgo their catering--just to bring in meals to accommodate religious needs. The venue refused outright, claiming "insurance restrictions," yet they offered no explanation of those restrictions, and no willingness to explore reasonable workarounds like guest waivers, additional insurance, or even discussing the options the caterer presented like naming them on their own insurance. We felt like we presented many creative and reasonable solutions that absolved them of liability and there was no legitimate reason to not move forward. Worse, we were consistently treated like an inconvenience. Messages and emails were ignored for days or weeks at a time--if they responded at all. We were never given the sense that they valued us as potential clients or were interested in helping us create a meaningful, inclusive event. This experience left us feeling dismissed and disrespected. If you're planning a wedding with any religious, cultural, or dietary considerations--or if you just expect professionalism and responsiveness--this may not be the right venue for you.

Animal lovers - beware!! They have this Scarlet Macaw (a huge parrot) imprisoned by itself in a…read moretiny cage that is not even big enough to open its wings. The bird has bouts of anger (can you blame it? It has been in a very small space for many years by itself) and looks very unhappy. For a place that cares so much about being in close contact with nature, keeping a majestic animal like a Scarlet Macaw in such condition is disappointing to say the least.