Boerne

From downtown San Antonio, it's a straight shot north on I-10 to Boerne (rhymes with "journey"). Boerne's a good base for travelers, as it's near both a big city (just 30 miles from San Antonio) and some very rural areas. A popular health resort in the 1880s, the little (2 1/4-mile-long) town near Cibolo Creek was first settled 30 years earlier by freedom-seeking German intellectuals, including firebrand journalist Ludwig Börne, for whom it was named. A gazebo with a Victorian cupola in the center of the main plaza often hosts concerts by the Boerne Village Band, the oldest continuously operating German band in the world outside Germany (it first tuned up in 1860). A number of the town's 19th-century limestone buildings house small historical museums, boutiques, and restaurants, and old-fashioned lampposts and German street signs add atmosphere. But Boerne's biggest draw is the crafts and antiques shops lining the Hauptstrasse, or main street. For details, stop in at the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce, 126 Rosewood Ave., Boerne, TX 78006 (tel. 888/842-8080 or 830/249-8000; www.boerne.org).

What to See & Do

Those who want to spend their time outdoors can explore four distinct ecosystems -- grassland, marshland, woodland, and river bottom -- via short treks on the Cibolo Nature Center, City Park Road, off Highway 46 East next to the Kendall County Fairgrounds (tel. 830/249-4616; www.cibolo.org). Dinosaur tracks trace the route of Acrocanthosaurus atokensis and friends, whose fossilized footprints were uncovered when the area was flooded in 1997. If you like your strolls to include sand traps, the top-rated Tapatio Springs Golf Course, Johns Road exit off I-10 West (tel. 800/999-3299 or 830/537-4611; www.tapatio.com), is your place.

One of the most popular nearby attractions is Cascade Caverns (tel. 830/755-8080; www.cascadecaverns.com); drive about 3 miles south of Boerne on I-10, take exit 543, and drive a little over 2 1/5 miles east. This active cave boasts huge chambers, a 100-foot underground waterfall, and comfortable walking trails; guides provide 45-minute to 1-hour interpretive tours every 30 minutes. It's open Memorial Day through mid-August daily 9am to 6pm; off season Monday through Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Admission is $13 adults, $7.95 children. Another popular underground attraction is the stalactite- and stalagmite-filled Cave Without a Name, 325 Kreutzberg Rd., 12 miles northeast of Boerne (tel. 830/537-4212; www.cavewithoutaname.com). A little boy who wrote that it was too pretty to name won a naming contest held when the cavern was discovered in 1939, and happily the $500 he earned put him through college (where maybe he learned how to name things). Hour-long tours of the six chambers are offered throughout the day. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day daily 9am to 6pm; off season daily 10am to 5pm. Admission $12 adults, $6 children.

Rafters and canoeists like Guadalupe River State Park, some 13 miles east of Boerne, off Highway 46 on P.R. 31 (tel. 830/438-2656; www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/guadalup), comprising more than 1,900 acres surrounding a lovely cypress-edged river. Keep an eye out and you might spot white-tailed deer, coyotes, armadillos, or even a rare golden-cheeked warbler. The gate is open daily from 8am to 10pm, and the entrance fee is $6 adults and $3 seniors; 12 and under are free.

If your tastes run to the aboveground and Epicurean, drive 12 miles north of Boerne on FM 1376 to the Sister Creek Vineyards (tel. 830/324-6704; www.sistercreekvineyards.com), located in a converted century-old cotton gin on the main -- actually the only -- street in Sisterdale (pop. 50). Traditional French wines are made using traditional French techniques, but the attitude is Texas friendly. Open 11am to 5pm Monday through Saturday, Sunday noon to 5pm. Weave down the road afterward to the Sisterdale General Store (tel. 830/324-6767), opened in 1954 and featuring a beautiful old handcrafted bar made of East Texas pine.

Where to Stay

Now an appealing B&B in the heart of town, Ye Kendall Inn, 128 W. Blanco, Boerne, TX 78006 (tel. 800/364-2138 or 830/249-2138; www.yekendallinn.com), opened as a stagecoach lodge in 1859. The rooms ($120-$150) and suites ($160-$210) are individually -- and attractively--decorated, some with Victorian antiques, others with American rustic pieces. Historic cabins ($140-$190) transported to the grounds are available too.

The Guadalupe River Ranch Resort and Spa, P.O. Box 877, Boerne, TX 78006 (tel. 800/460-2005; www.guadaluperiverranch.com), was owned by actress Olivia de Havilland in the 1930s, and served as an art colony for a time. This gorgeous spread offers abundant activities ranging from river rafting and porch sitting to getting wrapped and polished at the spa. The rooms -- arrayed in a variety of buildings, including stone cottages and an adobe hacienda--range from $104 to $234, double.

Where to Dine

The Limestone Grill, in Ye Kendall Inn , 128 W. Blanco (tel. 830/249-9954), sets an elegant tone for its eclectic Southwestern/American menu. It's open for lunch Monday through Saturday, dinner Tuesday to Saturday, brunch only Sunday; entrees are moderate to expensive. An adjoining wine bar made the scene in late 2004. The more casual Bear Moon Bakery, 401 S. Main St. (tel. 830/816-BEAR), is ideal for a hearty breakfast or light lunch. Organic ingredients and locally grown produce enhance the flavor of the inventive soups, salads, sandwiches, and wonderful desserts. It's open Tuesday to Saturday 6am to 5pm, Sunday 8am to 4pm, and is inexpensively priced. The food is mix and match -- a variety of portion sizes and ethnic origins -- and somewhat hit-and-miss at the Dodging Duck Brewhaus, 402 River Rd. (tel. 830/248-DUCK) but you can't beat the views of Cibolo Creek from the front deck, and the beer, handcrafted on the premises, is top-notch. Prices are generally moderate. You can have lunch or dinner at the Duck Tuesday through Sunday.