Blanco offers exceptional live music, art and cultural events and historic options. The beautiful Blanco River is the jewel of this exceptional community.
Blanco, Texas was settled 1853 by a pioneer stockmen who had to fortify homes against hostile Indians. It was named Blanco (Spanish word meaning white) for the Blanco River.
The centerpiece of town square is the Old Blanco County Courthouse, a fine example of Second Empire style architecture. The town was the Blanco County seat from 1858 to 1891. The county seat was then moved to centrally located Johnson City, Texas
The courthouse and 37 other Blanco buildings on or near the square are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Antique stores, art galleries, flea markets, restaurants, and artisans occupy the historic buildings around the old courthouse.
Blanco, Texas is now a popular tourist and resort area in the Texas Hill Country . The town square is joined to the state park by a two-block City Park, with a nature trail featuring a Xeriscape garden.
With over twenty area lavender farms in Blanco County, the towns of Blanco, Johnson City and the surrounding area will be bathed in lavender during the Lavender Festival with the whole hill county participating in the celebration. Merchants will offer lavender merchandise such as homemade soaps and lavender lemonade. Restaurants will serve lavender-flavored dishes such as lavender and sage ice cream. Artists from across the Hill Country will offer lavender-related pleasures and treasures from the finest craftsmen.
A sunny climate attracts campers, anglers, and hunters. Hill Country streams offer game fishing. Hunters find white-tailed deer, wild turkey, quail, and dove, during seasons. For more information hunting seasons in Blanco, please check https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/animal_listing.
Blanco State Park, a 110-acre park, in the scenic Blanco River Valley, lies largely within the city limits. It offers camping, trailer sites, picnicking, screened shelters, group pavilion, fishing, swimming, pedal boats, a children’s play area, rest rooms, and showers. It is located on U.S. 281. There is an admission fee of $5 for people 13 yrs. and older (12 and under are free). You can find more information about Blanco State Park here: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/blanco/fees-facilities/entrance-fees
The Hill Country is made up of many small towns connected by beautiful scenic drives. There are gorgeous Hill Country landscapes in almost any direction. Scenic drives are a favorite pastime for many locals, especially during sunset. So crank those windows down, turn up the radio, and fly over those hills!
Located two miles south of Blanco, portions of the drive toward San Marcos follow a ridge called “The Devil’s Backbone,” a treat of Hill Country landscapes where white-tailed deer are often seen, especially early or late in the day.
Blanco is on U.S. road 281, twelve miles south of Johnson City in south-central Blanco
There are plenty of opportunities for day trips from the Blanco area.
Enjoy a relaxing drive through the spectacular Texas Hill Country on wide-open roads lined with breath-taking flowers and trees. Relish views only available in the Hill Country. You’ll feel like you’re light years away from a crowded freeway…because you are.
And, you won’t have to pick up and move. No packing and unpacking. While relaxing in Blanco, you can make yourself at home and still experience a multitude of adventures that are fun for the whole family.
Here are a couple of the possibilities:
