Texas Hill Country: Caverns, quaint downtown make Boerne a great destination

During a long weekend trip to San Antonio, I took a day trip to Boerne (pronounced Bernie) and fell in love with the Texas town. We spent just one day in Boerne but there is so much to do that you should plan to stay for a few days.

German immigrants first settled the land where Boerne is located over 150 years ago and there are more than 140 historic structures in the town. You will find yourself relaxing as soon as you begin your adventure in Boerne. The small town atmosphere provides a perfect combination of old world charm and Texas hospitality.

We began our visit with a little spelunking at Cascade Caverns and Cave Without A Name.

Scott Kyle, owner of Cascade Caverns, joined our tour led by guide, Amanda. Kyle, an architect, inherited the caverns from his uncle. He has lots of plans for improvements, including upgrading all of the lighting inside the caves.

A favorite stop in the quarter-mile walk through the caverns is the Imagination Room where, if you look closely, you will see that some of the formations resemble Snoopy, Shrek, Charlie Brown and other cartoon characters.

The walk through the caverns stops at the Cathedral Room which has a 100-foot water fall. Church services were held in this area of the caverns during World War II.
While upgrades are planned, Kyle wants to keep the old Americana mystique of the caverns as a tourist attraction.

Cascade Caverns first opened to the public for tours in 1932. The grounds include 55 full hook up camp sites and another 50 tent/partial camp sites.

For more information, go to www.cascadecaverns.com.

Cave Without a Name got its name when a contest was held with school children making suggestions. One young boy said the cave was so beautiful that words couldn’t describe it.

Before going down the 126 steps that lead you into the caverns, we stopped at the original entrance to the cave. It’s just a hole in the ground where farmers noticed steam coming up from the rocks in the 1920s. In 1939, the caves open to the public as a tourist attraction.

Concerts are held in the caverns. Check out the website, www.cavewithoutaname.com, for a schedule and for more information.

After our morning climbing all over the caves, we were ready for lunch. Cypress Grille, located in the downtown area, offers sandwiches, salads and other entrees. I chose the house smoked salmon club with avocado, tomatoes and crisp prosciutto and it was great. I also tried one of the savory crab beignet appetizers and it was crisp and tasty.

The afternoon was spent in the specialty shops of Boerne, where you will find some unique and beautiful gifts. Antiques, home furnishings, clothes and accessories, books, jewelry and arts and crafts are among the items offered.

Festivals are held year-round and those offered include: Chuck Wagon Cook-off (February); Heritage Gathering (March), Parade of Artists (April), Art in the Park (May), Berges Fest (June), Kendall County Fair (September), Key to the Hills Antique Show (October), Dickens on Main (November) and A Hill Country Christmas (December). Each month, a Second Saturday art festival is held. A complimentary trolley, as well as hors d’oeuvres at many locations, make this a fun outing.

While we didn’t stay in Boerne overnight, we saw plenty of options to do so. Resorts, bed and breakfast inns and motels are all located in the town.

My brief visit to Boerne left me wanting to return. Area attractions on my list next time are the Cibolo Nature Center, the Agricultural Heritage Museum and Enchanted Springs Ranch, where you can experience a wild west adventure.

For more information, go to www.visitborne.org and www.boerneart.com or call toll free, 888-842-8080.

Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.