Texas wildflowers

[ltracker]

We are planning a trip next winter/spring to Texas and would like to see the famous Texas wildflowers. It looks like trying to be near Brenham Texas around the first week of April might be good. Does anyone have any have a better idea where and when to go to see the wildflowers? Any suggestions for campgrounds?

Appreciate any advice as we are at this point very flexible.

[ltracker]

Thanks for the advice. We will plan to go to the Fredricksburg area first and then head over toward Brenham on or way back to South Carolina. Will shoot for the first week of April and hope the wildflowers will accomodate.

[bradnailer]

We spend a week in the fall and the spring in Fredericksburg. We've done the Willow Loop and while there were quite a few wildflowers, the loop takes forever to get around and we've seen better. Plus the road is very narrow and your are encouraged not to stop as it blocks traffic.

In Fredericksburg, we normally stay at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park run by the City of Fredericksburg. Full hook ups run $30 a day or $175 a week. I've also heard good things about the KOA. There are also several Texas State Parks in the area that are nice, including Blanco and Pedernales.

Between Llano and Brady there are tons along with a couple of bald eagle roosts and there are safe pull outs where you can stop and take photos. According to Texas Country Reporter, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin was voted the best in the state.

[houtrz]

I lived in Brenham for many years and my mom still lives there. The flowers vary year to year depending on rain and how late the winter runs but mid March through the end of April is a good window. Most people drive up from Houston and park on the main highway and trample everything to death but you can take some of the back roads and a lot. Hwy 290 is the main highway but a smaller FM 390 is a very good road to take to see some flowers.

Plan to stop at The Antique Rosé Emporium in Independence Texas which is about twelve miles north of Brenham on Hwy 50. This is a retail nursery that specializes and grows on site antique roses (non-hybrid or American roses). Their retail center has grown over the years and includes several buildings like a chapel, a 100 year plus home, and a kitchen from the 1800's and all of these buildings are heavily landscaped with roses and native flowers. If you drive to Brenham to see flowers this place is a must stop.

There are two Blue Bell factories in town and the main plant on the loop is also landscaped nicely with lots of antique roses and flowers. Tours are available but I think it's jut Monday through Friday.

LBJ's wife Lady Bird Johnson is responsible for most of e wildflowers that have been planted with a big campaign she pushed back in the day. I can't tell you exactly where but in the Austin area there is suppose to be a lot of fields planted.

[Texas_Roadrunn1]

Willow City Loop, north of Fredericksburg is a great place to see wildflowers. Just google Willow City Loop and you will get the Fredericksburg site to which Willow City is linked. The flowers are beautiful, but the Hill Country is a beautiful backdrop for the flowers. Fredericksburg is a fun town to visit, it has a well preserved German heritage, always something going on there. A really nice KOA is just east of town. Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park is on the other side of town. I don't think they have sewer, but the sites are shaded and there is a golf course and maybe a pool, not sure about that. There is another park, Oak Park??? I am not sure of the name. It is tight, I think, not my favorite. There are some others, just don't know their names. If you want to stay at Lady Bird, you should probably get reservations as soon as you know your dates. Hopefully we'll get some fall and winter rain so the flowers will be abundant. If you do get to Fredericksburg, be sure to visit the Nimitz Museum. It is wonderful, Chester A Nimitz was from Fredericksburg. Plan to spend at leastt 2-4 hrs. there, it is extensive. You can also visit Luckenbach, which is just a few miles out of Fredericksburg. If the flowers are good, you'll see them on the drive there, for that matter on most any drive around there. As far as when, as in leaves changing in New England and elsewhere, it just depends on the weather. Generally the first two weeks in April are good, and perhaps some of those websites will be of some help. I might add, the third week in April is a huge city wide party in San Antonio, Fiesta. There are numerous events, NIOSA, being just one. Music, food, and fun are the order of the day! There are 3 parades, two evening and one daytime. My favorite is the Monday night river parade, but that's just mine. Google, Fiesta San Antonio for the schedule. NIOSA is always Tues.-Fri., if you do go to NIOSA, I would encourage you to go on Tues pm, and Wed. Is OK, but it is wild on Thurs. and Fri. Good luck with the flowers, hope they will be beautiful for you, but for us too, as that will mean we have had rain, which we desperately need!

[padredw]

The first or second week in April should be just about right, though this can vary from year to year. We were in Brenham and Fredericksburg last year during the second week of April and that was about right that year. We stayed at Artesian Park RV near Brenham. I would not rate this park very highly, but we have stayed there several times because of its location. Nothing highly negative, but certainly not a resort.

We spent most of our time in Fredericksburg. We always stay at the KOA out east of town. We do not usually seek out KOA parks, but this is one of our "regulars." I would think you would want to go on to Fredericksburg if you are in the Brenham area.

Brenham is the home of "Bluebell Ice Cream," and you can tour the factory. There are many worth while "sights" around Fredericksburg: The Wildseed Farm; Luckenbach, The Nemitz Museum, many German restaurants, and too much more for me to name in this response.

Hope you get to make the trip. It is the best time to come to Texas. I can also give you some good stops here in the Northeast part of the state. Just let me know if you are interested.

[BB_TX]

The Willow City Loop just outside Fredericksburg, TX always gets great reviews if you want to venture that far west. A number of good RV parks that way.
Be aware that it can vary considerably depending on the rainfall for the year. And can vary considerably from one locale to another even though they may not be that far distant, again depending on rain in a specific area.