We had driven through Llano multiple times but never stayed there. So this past weekend, we did. And we loved this city and all it had to offer!
On the way, we stopped in Burnet, Texas to visit the Fort Croghan Museum and grounds - enjoyed it so much. We saw a map of forts that were built in a line, to protect settlements from Indians. This was a fun stop.
And then, of course, we had to stop at Storm's for a burger and fries. If you haven't had a burger (and a shake!) from Storm's, you're missing a slice of life!
We arrived in Llano and were happy to get a text stating our airbnb was ready early, so we checked in. It was the Corner Oak Cottage in Llano, within walking distance from the downtown and the park near the river - perfect situation. And the house was super charming. Lots of character, two sitting area options, so clean and perfectly decorated. We had time to walk the square where we found some really cute shops! The square and the courthouse - both so pretty and we bought several things.
We had brought a nice salad, so we had that for dinner and headed to town to the Lantex theater for their play - it's ALWAYS fun to see a play or movie in an old theater and munch on popcorn while you do. This week's feature was Savannah Sipping Society.
The next morning we ate the BEST Mexican breakfast at Jalisco - highly recommend! We then opted for a circle drive in the country nearby to several ghost towns, and to Mason. Ghost towns, or tiny towns with barely anything to see, are the most fun. Fredonia only had an old store. Castell has a general store and 16 residents, but they have "drinking with Jesus" services where 90 attend - crazy! We drove through Katemcy, Pontotoc and Valley Spring as well. It wasn't a long drive at all, and the wildflowers were amazing!
Back to Llano for the afternoon where we took a stroll down the river and across the Inks Bridge. The river has been so dry that artists have created amazing visuals with the rocks and branches that are visible. It was so fun to see them all. Below the bridge is Badu Park and we met an amazing woman and her dog Charlie, and she chatted with us for a long time...and we became friends on Facebook! It was a perfect stroll.
That evening we wanted to enjoy our house, so we ate a mix of snacks and watched a movie and loved the ambience created by the twinkly lights throughout the home. There was even a scrapbook of photos of how they restored the old home to become an airbnb.
The last day, we walked to town to Fuel Coffee - a charming coffee shop where we lingered a while. We had read about Shakedown Street, just a few steps away, an alley of sorts - where murals lined the walls. So fun to walk to and take pictures. Just a couple places were open on Sunday, so we went in those as well - Charlie's furniture and gifts spanned almost a block!
We then drove to Robinson Park, Llano's city park by the river. We took a walk by the water and saw baby geese - the weather was perfect.
Our last stop before we headed home was at Cooper's BBQ, Llano's famed bbq joint - so we ate lunch there. Next time, we will try Inman's BBQ because the locals says it's better!
Llano was just what we needed as a getaway for fun and relaxation on a late weekend in April. If you get a chance, go!