Joshua Creek Ranch is a stand-out among nature tourism destinations in the Hill Country. This outdoor recreation ranch offers bird hunting, lodging, small group retreats, dining, and just about every related diversification one could imagine. The capital improvements of the Main Lodge, the Long House and the Stone House for lodging are just the beginning. A pavilion catches your eye as you drive up to the circle, the dining patio provides a unique reception setting, and the retail store is filled wall to wall with all the amenities a bird hunter or outdoor enthusiast might need.

But the natural resources of the ranch are its most stunning asset. The crystal clear waters of Joshua Creek as well as the Guadalupe River provide challenge and relaxation for fly fishing, tubing and kayaking, while the surrounding grasslands, woods and ground cover provide the perfect environment for pheasants, quail, partridge and turkeys. Youth camps, hunting lessons and other activities are also offered to make good use of the facilities.

Our hostess, Cynthia Williams, is the marketing director for the ranch. She’ll reveal the history, the mission, and the marketing strategies that make Joshua Creek Ranch so popular. If ever you wondered what nature tourism is all about, this is a must-see stop.

Love Creek Orchards
Medina
Tour P

Love Creek Orchards is owned and operated by Baxter and Carol Adams. They are pioneers in Texas, a state that is not particularly noted for its apple production. But they successfully grow and direct market this peculiar Texas fruit quite successfully. They also offer school tours and group picnics at the orchard, and they offer nearly all their apple products online through their Web catalogue.

The retailing location is a couple minutes down the road in downtown Medina. It’s called the Cider Mill and Country Store. That’s where they sell their pies, cider, apple butter jams and jellies and a long list of other value-added, apple-based products together with a full country store inventory. Baxter and Carol will give us a tour of both Love Creek Orchards and the Cider Mill.

Luckenbach, Texas
Luckenbach
Tours A, B, C, P, R, S

Back in 1849, Luckenbach was established as a Trading Post.The general store-post office-bar has been in continual operation since that time. The town once had a steam-powered cotton gin located on the banks of Grape Creek. It had a blacksmith shop and a school. The town declined through the years. When the postmaster retired in 1970, he put an ad in the paper: “Town for sale—lock, stock and dancehall.” And so began Luckenbach’s second life when it was purchased by three Texas dreamers, Hondo Crouch, Guich Koock and Kathy Morgan.Hondo, a self-proclaimed “imagineer” and “mirthquake,” created something out of nothing through sheer force of a whimsical personality.

Luckenbach gained fame and immortality in a song titled—what else—“Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics).” Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson sang a hit song and made this tiny little “town” famous. Song-pickin’ and beer drinkin’ were daily activities back in the 70s—and that tradition continues today.

As you approach Luckenbach, set aside your expectations. Be ready to step back in time. Be ready to become part of a real Texas tradition. Luckenbach may not be an agricultural enterprise, although it is surrounded by ranching and agriculture. Imagine cowboys and Texas pioneers through the decades coming to the general store to buy some peaches or eggs, mail a letter and have a drink.

NAFDMA’s visit to Luckenbach will ring true to the tradition. We’re not really goin’ for any good reason… just gonna stop by… have a bite to eat… maybe you’ll want to buy a beer for one of your trail buddies… then we’ll move on. Cheers!

 Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
Austin
Tour F

Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36^th president of the United States, was born and died in Texas Hill Country near Johnson City. We’ll likely drive by his ranch and through Johnson City, which was founded by his ancestors. Although we don’t have time to stop at his ranch, Tour F will stop at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, a historic storybook for the LBJ era. This a wonderful, fairly small museum filled with important 20^th century history, great exhibits and fun facts. Not only will we see all of the LBJ campaign buttons and presidential gifts, we will also learn about the amazing work done by Lady Bird Johnson in preserving open space and national park land, and promoting the growth and display of wildflowers throughout Texas and the nation. This is a unique opportunity to visit the presidential library of a modern president whom most of us remember.

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