Carolyn Boden

One of the favorite past times of central Texas residents is tubing along the multitude of rivers in the area. One of our favorite hill country destination is the Frio River.

If you have a passion for running or biking, Austin is the perfect place for you. Running or biking the many trails throughout Austin is a way of life, not just a hobby.

Pack up your car, grab the kids, leash up your dog, pack some necessities and it is time to hit the road for an amazing road trip through the Texas hill country. Here is a guide for making the most of your road trip through the hill country.

While other places follow the trends, the Hill Country sets them, emerging as innovators whether it's in music, food, architecture or culture. So it's no surprise that the Hill Country is already in the thick of yet another brew-haha – the craft beer scene.

One neighborhood that exemplifies the desirable traits of security, amenities and community is a gated community.

The Hill Country owes much of its scenic beauty to an entire network of springs, streams and rivers that thread their way through the area. Even in the middle of a Texas-style heat wave, relief and relaxation can be found at many secluded, but not-so-secret, springs and rivers throughout the area.

Texas Hill Country living just ain't right without Friday night lights. High school football in Texas is big. Bigger than big, in fact. It is a way of life.

The central Texas Hill Country is a great place to view the Monarch Butterfly each spring. The migration route of the Monarch goes right through the Texas Hill Country. Areas along the Frio, Llano and Sabinal rivers are included in the 300 mile wide swath of Monarch migration from central Mexico to the northern United States and southern Canada.

In the Texas Hill Country, a ride on a one horse open sleigh may be hard to come by, as one necessary ingredient (snow) is a rarity. However, don't let that dismay you – the Texas Hill Country Regional Christmas Lighting Trail leaves nothing to be desired.

Luxury homes in the south are now being built and designed with fantastic windows to accentuate views of beautiful landscapes, or just to bring in enormous amounts of light. When individuals or families require a bit of privacy for the evening, or are shielding out some of that ultra bright light, window treatments are a great decorative element for any luxury home.