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An hour west of Austin is Johnson City, Texas, known as the hometown of President Lyndon Johnson. Of course, the small town is steeped in history, but stay for a bit and you'll find yourself in awe over the area's natural beauty, impressive wineries, and wide open spaces. Here, it's easy to escape the big-city crowds and find a bit of solitude mixed in with a good dose of local charm.

Opened in 2015, the Science Mill is a must for families wanting to give their kids a bit of education while traveling. Full of interactive exhibits and programming, the Science Mill helps children understand the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) while inspiring curiosity. Exhibits include a fractalarium, a beautiful mesh of science and art; Deep Sea Robotics, which teaches about oceanic drones and their importance in reaching unexplored depths; Masters of Disguise, which teaches about animal camouflage with live animals; the Paludarium, with crabs, fish, and an entire swampy ecosystem; and Jurassic Flight, a virtual reality experience that takes you back to prehistoric times.

For a look at the presidential and personal life of President Johnson, head to the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, also known as the Texas White House. The Johnsons donated the Texas White House to the National Park Service in 1972, and Lady Bird continued to live here until her death in 2007. Here, you'll find Johnson's home, nestled alongside the Pedernales River, where Johnson conducted presidential business while in office. Numerous world leaders visited here, as Johnson was the first president to create a work-from-home White House away from Washington. Take a driving tour around the ranch, or see the hangar and air strip that Johnson had made for quick flights to and from Washington.

Driving up to the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, you'll see beautiful live oak trees and Texas longhorns dotting the landscape, a Texas snapshot worthy of experiencing. This state park includes the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm, where park rangers dress in period clothing and explain what life was like here in the 1860s. Guests can help with daily chores here, including churning butter, gathering eggs, or gardening. The park also includes trails where you'll see roaming bison wildflowers, longhorns, and historic cabins. There's also river access, a pool, amphitheater, and a visitor's center for souvenirs and books.

Back in town, learn even more about President Johnson at the Lyndon B. Johnson Boyhood Home, where Johnson lived from age 5 until he graduated from high school in 1924. The home was built in the 1880s by Samuel Ealy Johnson Sr., the president's grandfather. The Johnson family moved to Johnson City from a farm in nearby Stonewall, and Johnson and his four siblings Rebekah, Josefa, Lucia, his brother Sam Houston, and parents Sam and Rebekah shared the small home. The house is furnished in the 1920s period and displays what rural Texas life was like almost a century ago.

Johnson City is located along U.S. Highway 290, which is home to loads of wineries throughout Hill Country. Sample wines that were made in Texas, or try some great selections brought in from California and Oregon. Farmhouse Vineyards Marketplace and Tipsy Trailer grows grapes that can handle the Texas High Plains heat, and offers white wines, red wines, and sparkling wine out of their 1978 Airstream turned tasting trailer named West Texas Tipsy. Next to the Blanco County Courthouse in town, Alex Anthony Vineyards offers wine tastings from their selection of 10 wines. Crowson specializes in "zero-zero wine," which means nothing is added or taken away, and does wine tastings by appointment. Westcave Cellars uses only Texas grapes for their wines, with the majority of the grapes grown on site.

For a nature escape, head to Pedernales Falls State Park, where the Pedernales River flows through massive limestone slabs that are great for lounging and swimming. There's lots of easy to challenging hikes here, including the .5-mile Twin Falls Nature Trail, which takes you by a scenic overlook to the falls, and the 6-mile Wolf Mountain Trail winds around Tobacco and Wolf mountains and by canyons and beautiful pools. Aside from hiking, visitors can also swim, kayak, mountain bike, bird watch, geocache, and ride horses. There's also a bird blind and butterfly garden. At the bird blind, see if you can spot an endangered golden-cheeked warbler, which nests in the park.

Located in the old Blanco County Supply and Hardware Building, Pecan Street Brewing is a great place to hang your hat after a long day of exploring. The building used to be the gathering place in town, where locals drank coffee and shared stories, and today, the fun continues, but with craft beer instead. Here, beer is brewed on site and paired with comfort food classics like fried chicken, burgers, plus brick-oven pizzas and salads. Grab a pint or a flight and sit outside in the pet-friendly biergarten, or dance the night away as live bands are featured on weekends.

Enjoy a bit of retail therapy about town, where shops and boutiques offer clothing, jewelry, unique gifts, and more. The Old Annex Market has more than 20 vendor booths selling home decor and upcycled finds, and Oak and Olive Boutique sells trendy clothing, accessories, and home goods. At Black Spur Emporium, find fun metal artworks, Mexican pottery, candles, handcrafted jewelry, plants, and lots of home decor. For antique finds, head to Vintage 205 on Main Street, where vintage wares such as baskets, chairs, furniture, and signage abound.

AUSTIN, Texas — Dominance has been the theme in Johnson City this spring for McCray Jacobs and Johnny Slawinski.

The left-handed pitchers were nearly unhittable, helping the Eagles to a district title and top-15 ranking in Class 2A. The duo has been putting up video game numbers on the mound, creating their own competition throughout the season.

“They definitely feed off of each other," said Johnson City head coach Steven Shipley. "It's a constant competition."

Both Jacobs and Slawinski are unbeaten. The two posted earned run averages under 0.4 while reaching 100 strikeouts in the regular season.

"We always have to have the competitive aspect," said Slawinski, a sophomore lefthander. "It’s mostly friendly, nothing really serious, except the 100 strikeouts was pretty serious.”

“We were racing to 100 strikeouts. He got there in less innings, so he'd beat me on that," said Jacobs, a junior lefthander. "He gave me crap for that, but I gave up less walks and less runs.”

The strikeout rate for Jacobs and Slawinski works out to around 16 or 17 per seven-inning game, meaning there are only a few balls put in play each time they're on the mound.

"Sometimes, they [teammates] tell me to let them hit it," Slawinski said. "I’d rather not do that.’”

“Every once in a while, I'll have to yell out of the dugout, 'hey, y'all be ready, wake up,'" Shipley said. "We might only get four or five chances in a game.”

Keeping the fielders on their toes is about the only thing Coach Shipley is worried about when his southpaws are throwing.

“McCray’s got a tenacity about him. You see him do different things that a lot of guys don't think about while they're up on the mound," Shipley said. “I think for Johnny, it may be more personal...he's gonna throw it by you, and he's gonna try to make you look stupid.”

Two different approaches to the game, but the same outcomes for opposing batters.

“One of the best feelings in baseball when you strike somebody out, especially when you strike out 15 or 16 a game," Jacobs said. "It just feels like you're in control of everything...feels like they can't touch you."

Plus, Where to Glamp Beneath the Stars

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Catch a killer Texas Hill Country sunrise from the luxurious tents at Walden Retreats.

Sure, we all love Fredericksburg, but in the last couple of years, a lesser-known stretch of the Texas Hill Country has flourished. The 25 miles between Johnson City and Dripping Springs offer dozens of wineries, not to mention craft breweries and distilleries, chef-driven restaurants, and endless green grass dotted with hay bales and bluebonnets. For the hikers and bikers, you’ll be a stone’s throw from Pedernales State Park, and for the city lovers, these towns sit smack in between Austin and San Antonio.

For a perfect weekend getaway to the Texas Hill Country treasures of Johnson City and Dripping Springs, here’s a cheat sheet.

Where to Glamp in Texas Hill Country

On 96 acres along the Pedernales River, the new Walden Retreats offers the best parts of camping — fire pits, no city sounds, bird song in the morning — without all the stuck sleeping bag zippers and peeing in the woods. Equipped with heat and air conditioning, a king-sized bed, a clawfoot bathtub, soft linen robes, and a full kitchen, each luxury tent (don’t worry; you won’t have to pitch it) is more like a cabin with roll-up tent flaps. The private porch and outdoor shower make for optimal star-gazing. When was the last time you could see Orion’s Belt?

Where to Wine and Dine Johnson City

For a day of dining and drinking, wake up and drive 15 minutes to downtown Johnson City. First grab coffee at Johnson City Coffee Co., where, on the weekends, the parking lot transforms into a little farmer’s market, vendors selling fresh milk, produce, and gluten-free dog treats. The parking lot is also home to a few food trucks.

For lunch, Pecan Street Brewing slings delicious craft beer and brick-oven pizza. It packs out on the weekends, so get there on the early side.

History buffs should check out LBJ’s childhood home, where daily tours run every half hour. Our 36^th president was famously a scotch and soda guy, but were he alive today, perhaps he’d finish up that tour and amble over to the nearby Crowson tasting room. Like so many businesses in these parts, Crowson is a family endeavor—winemaking by Henry Crowson and his father, and an adjacent café run by Henry’s wife. The Crowson method is non-intervention—wines made as naturally as possible — no additives, no manipulation. Enjoy a tasting, hang out with Henry, and listen to Bob Dylan on vinyl. These are some of the most interesting wines in the Texas Hill Country.

For dinner, walk across Main Street to Bryans on 290 (you’ll want to make a reservation), where the vibe is upscale but laidback and cozy, the service is attentive, and the grill is open-flame. You’re in the German region of Texas, so go for the veal schnitzel, and ask the bartender for wine-pairing suggestions.

Where to Wine and Dine (and Sip Sotol) in Dripping Springs

In Dripping Springs, the “wedding capital” of Texas (it has over 30 wedding venues), grab breakfast at local institution Thyme & Dough, a European bakery and café, before checking out Mercer Street. Downtown is very blink-or-you’ll-miss-it, but it’s a nice place to do a little shopping and includes cute boutiques like the new Palm Social Collection.

The winery options are many, but don’t miss Bell Springs Winery, five miles north of downtown. A winery and brewery in one, this little spot offers two tasting rooms, one for beer and another for wine, as well as an outdoor day-drinking seating area. The beer is brewed with rainwater.

Eleven miles south of downtown, Desert Door Distillery centers the liquor made from the sotol plant (similar to blue agave). Try the sotol flight, but be careful — a couple of the expressions are 100 proof.

For dinner, Tillie’s boasts alpacas and fine dining from a world-class chef. (You’ll want a reservation.) Ok, the alpacas aren’t in the restaurant, but you’ll see them on the grounds of Camp Lucy as you walk there from your car. Grand turquoise farm doors give way to Moroccan tile flooring and window seating that shows off the outdoor pool. The appetizers steal the show: Don’t miss the whole-milk burrata or the bluefin tuna agua chile.

To get the most out of Johnson City and Dripping Springs, why not go while the bluebonnets are still blooming? About halfway to Walden Retreats, when the Hill Country appears in the frame of your windshield, the drive from Dallas will prove to be one of the most beautiful parts of your weekend.

Texas winery Lost Draw Cellars is opening a new winery and tasting room in Johnson City. The new facility is at 1686 US Highway 290, where its parent company, William Chris Wine Company, already has seven acres of vineyards. It will open on Thursday, December 8.

The new Lost Draw Cellars facility will have a 9,260 square-foot winery and tasting room designed by the ubiquitous local architect firm Michael Hsu Office of Architecture. It will include a public tasting room, club member tasting room, covered porch, retail store, offices, and an outdoor bar. There will also be a kitchen, which the team plans to use for small bites and charcuterie, expanding to full-service later on. The facility will focus on Lost Draw’s wines, which use 100 percent Texas-grown grapes.

As part of this initial opening, the new tasting room will be open for weekends through the end of the month/year with wine tastings and cheeses from Antonelli’s.

Lost Draw’s other tasting room, which opened in Fredericksburg in 2014, and will remain open, though likely with some tweaks to its name and format.

Lost Draw Cellars was founded in 2012 by Andrew Sides, Troy Ottmers, and Andy Timmons. In 2020, Lost Draw merged with fellow Texas winemakers William Chris Vineyards to form William Chris Wine Company, with Lost Draw becoming a brand under that umbrella. Sides is the COO of William Chris Wine Company, which he runs with William Chris Vineyards co-founder Chris Brundrett.

Update, December 6, 11:24 a.m.: This article, originally published on July 22, has been updated to include Lost Draw’s Johnson City tasting room opening date.

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1686 US Highway 290, Johnson City, Texas 78636 Visit Website

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113 East Park Street, Fredericksburg, Texas 78624 (830) 992-3251 Visit Website

Johnson City Christmas Lights Spectacular 2022 – What to expect at this lighting event in Texas

Come one, come all to celebrate the Johnson City Lights Spectacular 33rd Season! Johnson City is an area close to Fredericksburg, TX.

Every Christmas holiday for the last 33 years, Johnson City transforms from a slow-paced, presidential hometown nestled on the banks of the Pedernales River, into a bright beacon of light — like a guiding star welcoming visitors with good old fashioned Johnson City Texas Christmas lights cheer!

Visit today and enjoy the dazzling Johnson City Christmas lighting displays until January 8, 2023!

Johnson City Christmas Lights 2022 – What to expect?

Image Credit: lightsspectacular.com

The Johnson City lighting is a FREE Christmas Lights display event you can’t miss! With over 2 Million Christmas lights in Johnson City, the display would be so big and bright, NASA has reported seeing it from space!

Come out before sunset, stroll around the historic Johnson City Texas lights with your loved ones, and take part in family-friendly events while enjoying local food, beer, wine, and all the festivities.

The Christmas lights Johnson City display will continue to glow from dusk to midnight this holiday season. It is dubbed the “The Twinkliest Town in Texas”, as it boasts millions of twinkling lights at the historic square off Main Street, Memorial Park, and PEC headquarters.

Check out our guide below for all the events that are a part of the Johnson City Christmas celebration!

Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Johnson City Christmas Lights 2022 – Events and Attractions

Image Credit: Lights Spectacular TX – Hill Country Style FB Page

Santa Claus is coming to Johnson City, TX! If you’re out visiting Johnson City TX Christmas lights in town, stop by Memorial Park at Main Street and Avenue G.

Santa will be hanging out in the gazebo ready to see all the children. Visits with Santa are at no charge. Be sure to bring your phone or camera to snap your photos with Santa!

Where: 105 E. Main St. Johnson City TX 78636When: December 16 – December 17, 2022 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Grinch is coming to Lights Spectacular Johnson City! Watch out on December 16 as the Grinch will be spotted in Memorial Park and will be making his rounds around town. Beware, you never know when or where he’ll pop out in his Grinchy way!

?Where: 105 E. Main St. Johnson City TX 78636When: December 16, 2022 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

In conjunction with Johnson City’s community celebration of “Lights Spectacular,” the LBJ Boyhood Home will be open for lamplight tours each Saturday. National park rangers will be available to answer questions about this historic house and explain life in Johnson City before rural electrification.

This park event is complemented by the stunning lighting display at the Pedernales Electric Cooperative, across the street from the Boyhood Home, with majestic live oaks resplendent in hundreds of thousands of tiny white lights.

Where: Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park, 100 E Ladybird Ln, Johnson City, TX 78636When: December 17, 2022 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Get your photo with your favorite Disney Princess when the Disney Princesses come to Lights Spectacular in Johnson City! The Princesses will be in Memorial Park (Ave. G and Main).

Plus, get the chance to enjoy a performance by Modern Enrichment Encore Dance at 6:00 pm at Memorial Park.

Where: 105 E. Main St. Johnson City TX 78636When: December 17, 2022 | 6:00 pm

Join in celebrating the 110th birthday of the beloved Lady Bird Johnson with a birthday cake and a rededication of the trees at the courthouse.

The Christmas tree that is located on the southeast corner of the courthouse is decorated by Urban Ranch in honor of Lady Bird. Covered in wildflowers, this tree is stunning and would surely make Lady Bird proud. Join this event in honoring the legacy of Lady Bird and the Johnson family.

Where: Blanco County Courthouse, 101 E Pecan Dr, Johnson City, TX 78636When: December 18, 2022 | 2:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Residents of Johnson City are encouraged to help capture the Christmas spirit and decorate their homes and places of business to participate in the annual Lights Spectacular Decorating Contest. Categories for this year are residential lighting, residential inflatable, and business lighting.

Where: Residents of Johnson CityWhen: December 15 – 21, 2022

2022 Walking Map of Johnson City including restaurants, bars, shopping, and much more!

For more information about The Johnson City lights Christmas events and displays, visit their website here.

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