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Houston to Hamilton Pool Preserve road trip: best stops

The drive from Houston to Hamilton Pool Preserve takes about 3 hr (west of Houston), by real roads from ZIP 77002. Along the way we found 76 stops within a short detour: 17 coffee shops, 3 bakeries, 12 ice cream and treats and 27 places to eat.

The list below is the best few of each kind, in driving order, with how far into the drive you reach each one (counted from Houston) and the detour it adds. Stops marked Our pick are chosen by us; the rest come from OpenStreetMap listings, so confirm hours before you count on them.

Plan this trip All day trips from Houston

Where you are going: Hamilton Pool Preserve 3 hr from Houston

Hamilton Pool Preserve

Photo: Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0

Swimming

Hamilton Pool Preserve

A swimming hole under a roughly 50-foot waterfall in a box canyon west of Austin. A short, steep, rocky trail leads down to it.

  • 2-3 hrs
  • Year-round; swimming only when water tests allow
  • Reservation fee per vehicle plus cash entry fee per adult (kids 12 and under free)

Heads-up: Reservations required every day (morning or afternoon slot). Swimming is often closed for bacteria or falling rock, so call the info line before you go. No pets at all, even in cars. No water or food for sale.

Official site

Map of the stops between Houston and Hamilton Pool Preserve

Open the interactive map

First third Middle third Last third Hamilton Pool Preserve

First stretch 12 stops

  1. Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum Museum · Bunker Hill Village
    About 20 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  2. Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice Ice cream counter-service · Houston
    About 20 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 00:00-22:00 Website
  3. Shipley's Donuts Donut restaurant · Houston
    About 21 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  4. Tasty Munch Restaurant · Bunker Hill Village
    About 21 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 07:00-15:00; Sa-Su 07:00-16:00
  5. Becks Prime Burger restaurant · Houston
    About 22 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: 11:00-22:00
  6. Long Coffee Coffee shop · Barker
    About 29 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 07:00-21:00; Su 07:45-21:00
  7. Friends Ice Cream and Coffee Ice cream · Katy
    About 29 min into the drive · detour about 5 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 09:00-08:00
  8. Sweets by Belen Dessert Boutique Pastry shop · Katy
    About 30 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: We-Sa 12:00-19:00; Su 12:00-17:00 Website
  9. Urban Bird Hot Chicken Chicken place · Barker
    About 30 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Su-Th 10:30-22:30; Fr-Sa 10:30-23:30 Website
  10. The Duelin' Daltons Attraction · Katy
    About 33 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  11. Cajun Comforts Crawfish & Seafood Cajun counter-service · Katy
    About 35 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Fr 17:30-22:00; Sa 13:00-22:00; Su 13:00-21:00
  12. Starbucks Coffee shop · Sealy
    About 51 min into the drive · detour about 2 min Website

Middle of the drive 10 stops

  1. Hruška's Bakery Bakery · Ellinger
    About 1 hr 23 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  2. Weikel's Bakery Bakery · La Grange
    About 1 hr 34 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  3. Texas Coffee Works Coffee shop · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 55 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 07:00-15:00 Website
  4. CCC Water Fountain Attraction · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 56 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  5. Hay Elotes Dessert counter-service · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 58 min into the drive · detour about 3 min
  6. The Coffee Dog Roastery & Coffeehouse Coffee shop · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 06:00-18:00; Sa 07:00-18:00; Su 08:00-16:00 Website
  7. Johnson's Bakery & Coffee Shop Bakery · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 59 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Tu-Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-16:00 Website
  8. Sugar Shack Candy shop · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 59 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 12:00-21:00; Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 12:00-18:00 Website
  9. Bastrop County Courthouse Historic site · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 59 min into the drive · detour about 3 min Website
  10. Museum of the Bastrop County Historical Society Museum · Bastrop
    About 1 hr 59 min into the drive · detour about 3 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00; PH off Website

Last stretch 5 stops

  1. Old Bastrop Highway Creek Crossing Historic site · Moores Crossing
    About 2 hr 17 min into the drive · detour about 2 min
  2. Matt's El Rancho Tex-Mex · Austin Our pick
    About 2 hr 28 min into the drive · detour about 8 min Website
  3. Sunrise at Shore Coffee shop · Barton Creek
    About 2 hr 34 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Su 07:00-14:00
  4. Marble Slab Creamery Ice cream · Bee Cave
    About 2 hr 39 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: We-Th 12:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-19:00 Website
  5. Austin Tea Xchange Cafe Coffee shop · Bee Cave
    About 2 hr 40 min into the drive · detour about 2 min · hours listed on OpenStreetMap: Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00, Sa-Su 08:00-16:00 Website

Questions about the drive from Houston to Hamilton Pool Preserve

How long is the drive from Houston to Hamilton Pool Preserve?

About 3 hr by road, heading west from the middle of ZIP 77002. Traffic and weather change that.

What are the best stops on the way from Houston to Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Good ones to start with: Matt's El Rancho (Austin). The page lists 27 in all, in driving order.

Where can I get coffee or a bakery stop between Houston and Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Long Coffee in Barker, Starbucks in Sealy, Hruška's Bakery in Ellinger and Weikel's Bakery in La Grange. Check hours first; they come from OpenStreetMap listings.

Where can I eat on the way to Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Bahama Buck's Original Shaved Ice in Houston, Tasty Munch in Bunker Hill Village, Becks Prime in Houston and Urban Bird Hot Chicken in Barker.

Are there viewpoints or quick sights on the way?

Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum in Bunker Hill Village, The Duelin' Daltons in Katy, CCC Water Fountain in Bastrop and Bastrop County Courthouse in Bastrop.

More about Houston and Hamilton Pool Preserve

Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Stops come from our own picks and OpenStreetMap listings; hours and detours change, so check before you go. We do not store anyone's location.

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