Rated one of the top ten summer road trips in the country by Shape Magazine, For a drive of 150 miles that doesn’t pass through any major urban areas if the most direct route is taken, the journey from Houston to Austin offers some pretty enticing pit stop options, not to mention some wonderful views.
The next time you make the trek from your luxury apartment in Houston to Austin’s capital city or vice versa and want to break up your road trip with a meal or some gift shopping, stop at one of the following along-the-way highlights.
Weikel’s Gas Station and Bakery
If you are cruising along on Highway 71 and develop a taste for a pastry, sweet or savory, Weikel’s Bakery is a stop that will interest you. Kolaches, their signature Czech pastries, come in an array of flavors, many of which are fruit-filled. If your sweet tooth is not aching at the time you arrive, one of their pigs-in-a-blanket may have greater appeal to you. Rolled in their homemade kolache dough, Weikel’s pigs-in-a-blanket come filled with any combination of sausage, ham, cheese, and jalapeno that interests you. Situated almost exactly halfway between Austin and Houston, Weikel’s La Grange location makes it the perfect halfway point to stop at on a road trip between the two cities.
Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Company
Also situated on Highway 71 about 15 miles from Austin, Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Company is the perfect place to pick up last-minute gifts or grab that delightful pecan pie you have been craving. Family owned and operated, the store is managed with love and it shows. In addition to pecans, pecan pies, pecan bars, pecan oil, and assorted pecan sweets, Berdoll is known by loyal customers for its canned goods, crackers, and apparel. The shop has several tasty gluten-free options, and gift packages that can be picked up from the store on a road trip or ordered online.
Buc-ee’s Bastrop
If you have spent much time road tripping around Texas, you’re probably already acquainted with Buc-ee’s. This massive convenience store (known for its abundance of jerky varieties, kolaches, BBQ, and candy) is an excellent place to fill your gas tank and belly. From quintessential road trip snacks to eccentric eats unique to Buc-ee’s such as Beaver Nuggets caramel-coated corn puffs, this larger-than-life roadside stop has everything you could dream of needing to keep yourself fueled and energized for your road trip.
While the fairly new store in New Braunfels has received a great deal of media attention lately, the Buc-ee’s in Bastrop is a flagship store that still offers all you need and more. As at other Buc-ee’s locations, a massive statue of a bucktoothed beaver sporting a baseball cap welcome you to a mega-convenience store where you can spend anywhere from five minutes to ten hours. They say everything is bigger in Texas. In the case of Buc-ee’s, this could not be more appropriate.
Hruska’s Bakery
Another kolache-serving pit stop along the route most traveled between Houston and Austin, Hruska’s Bakery is a great place to stop for road trip grub. In addition to having 16 varieties of signature homemade kolaches, Hruska’s grills some mean breakfast sandwiches and cheeseburgers. In addition to foodstuffs, Hruska’s in Ellinger, Texas has a convenience store with an extensive selection of practical and decorative trinkets that serve as excellent additions to your apartment home decor.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of people drive between Houston and Austin on a daily basis. If you are one of them, even if you only make the road trip once in a while to attend one of Austin’s famed music festivals or Houston’s conventions, trade shows, or theater performances, this is a great list to have on hand. With it, you can Live Life + Love Life more on your next intercity Texas road trip.
Do you have a favorite pit stop on the 71 or 95 between Austin and Houston?
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst