Nearby Activities
Granny D’s
How about the perfect breakfast spot only a short drive away? Granny D’s is famous for the “Texas’s largest pancake” which is HUGE! You’ll love their wide variety of foods for breakfast and lunch, all home cooked and cooked to order. The wait staff are super friendly and this place feels like a local gem.
Overlook Park
After loading up on your breakfast fuel, take a scenic walk at Overlook Park, a 1-mile round trip basic hike with amazing views of the lake on one side and views of River Road and the headwaters of the Guadalupe River on the other side. It’s an easy walk and perfect for a sunrise or sunset stroll. You can also reach the water through Overlook Park’s trails down to the lake. There are several unofficial swimming areas where people go to spend the day and cool off. Good parking and easy access!
Canyon Lake Gorge
Schedule an unforgettable tour of the Canyon Lake Gorge, where waterfalls and geological history will keep you entranced. You’ll see live waterfalls (seasonally) fossils and even dinosaur tracks. The tours run throughout the day and are always a fun little escape to keep your whole family entertained. Just a very short drive from our Tipis and vacation rentals on the South Access Road.
Whitewater Amphitheater
Some of our favorite guests come back year after year for amazing concerts at Whitewater Amphitheater. They get a great variety of artists who play under the stars and with the Guadalupe River as the backdrop with colorful lights and no noise complaints! Enjoy watching from the pit or pay a little extra for a table and enjoy your favorite live music up close and personal! They usually have food trucks and lots of cold beer stands.
Here’s pictures of Eli and I enjoying a Charley Crockett concert at Whitewater last summer!
Canyon Lake
Ready for the perfect day on the water? Need to rent a boat or watercraft for a day of Texas lake enjoyment? Whether you are looking for a relaxing experience, a fun day of adventure or an exciting day under the Texas sun, Canyon Lake Marina has the exact boat for you. Offering tritoons, wave runners, ski boats, kayaks, and paddle boards. There is a rumor that the lakes are too low to enjoy boating and lake activities and that is simply NOT TRUE! Current lake levels are not impacting boating enjoyment and the lake is not overcrowded. You’ll love staying at our Tipis or our cabins and making the short drive to Canyon Lake to enjoy all your watercraft opportunities. Please note, we offer boat and trailer parking on site for an additional fee, so you can always bring your own boats or watercrafts as well!
Here’s a picture of Jack surfing behind the boat at Canyon Lake!
Lone Star Float House
Lone Star Float House is the absolute BEST place for a one stop experience of amazing food (best burgers around!) and easy floating. Roll up to the restaurant, order a beer, burger and some delicious onion rings. Then schedule the shuttle right from there up-river to enjoy the perfect stretch of floating fun and (not too long!) tubing experience! When you arrive back at the Float House after your trip, you can hang around and just chill at their picnic tables and Adirondack chairs sitting in or near the river’s edge. They often have live music too, which makes this an amazing and unforgettable spot. The best part is, it’s only a couple miles from the Tipis on the Guadalupe!
Little Ponderosa River Outfitters
We love keeping things simple and convenient! That’s why we offer a shuttle stop AT THE TIPIS provided by Little Ponderosa River Outfitters. In the high season, it’s best to schedule ahead of time for your float trip and they will give you the best and most up-to-date information about what is the perfect 3-5 hour float trip on the Guadalupe River. They will rent you the tube, provide you with the cooler (or the cooler tube) and shuttle you to the most ideal spot on the river for your summer tubing experience! Locally owned and operated by a wonderful family, LPRO is a one stop shop that is affordable and easy to reserve for your crew!
Shanty Tubes-Float the Horseshoe!
For a convenient float, try the famous Horseshoe on the Guadalupe River, where you can literally park at one end of the horseshoe-shaped bend in the river, float to the other end, then walk back to your vehicle easily! This part of the river is fed by Canyon Lake where it comes out of the dam, so be advised that the water is COLD! But there are several mini rapids, lots of rock formations to see and usually lots of deer and turtles for your wildlife viewing pleasure! We recommend Shanty Tubes for rentals and shuttling in this area of the river – they also have food and drinks available in the summertime!
Sweetie’s Bakery
What is the very BEST thing you could wake up to when you stay at the Tipis? The short answer is fresh donuts and delicious coffee. Look no further than Sweetie’s Bakery, only a mile from the Tipis on the Guadalupe. Pro tip – try grilling your donuts on the barbeque grill or roast them on your fire pit…you won’t believe how good they taste! Yum!
Breakwater Cantina
How about the perfect ending to a day spent on the lake? You should try Breakwater Grill & Cantina! Great pub food and delicious cocktails with an amazing vista of the lake from the multi-level deck. This place is out of the way but convenient to get to from the Tipis and well-worth the trip! Be sure to try their yummy appetizers and burgers.
Roughhouse Brewery
This is such a fun afternoon getaway for some great tasting beer and live music in a Hill Country setting! Outdoor games, lots of seating, cool people make this a great hang! I’ve seen a couple of great bands play on Sunday afternoons here and even had a rainy concert experience! It’s a blast! Offering lots of brews, snacks, kids’ menu and even some desserts, this is a family-friendly place that will complement your visit to the area. It’s only about 20 minutes away from the Tipis!
Lone Star Flyfishing Guides
If your travels bring you to our area in Fall, Winter or Spring be sure to book a guide fishing trip with Lone Star Flyfishing. They gear their trips to all ages, provide all the gear you need and were so nice and professional. I took my 7-year-old on an amazing fishing trip in November when the rainbow trout and white bass were running on the upper Guadalupe. The guides were so helpful and supportive, ensuring we had a successful trip and actually caught some worthy fish! Keep in mind that in this trophy stretch of the river, all of the fishing is catch and release only. You can book trips by the half-day or full day with one or more guides and they do offer group rates as well! Our guests sing the praises of this group of guides.
That’s a picture of Jack’s huge catch – a rainbow trout!
Dry Comal Creek Winery
Tastings and events rule the day at Dry Comal Creek Vineyard and winery. This place is a literal snapshot of the Texas Hill Country with wildflowers, huge old oak and pecan trees, outdoor seating, unique presentations and frequent live music under the stars. Sip, shop, relax and BE HAPPY with all the good vibes that await you and your friends. Join their wine club for even more enjoyment! This place is about a 35 minute trip from the Tipis, but well worth the effort in checking it out!
Also a picture of my friend and I enjoying an amazing bottle on a beautiful evening!
Daytrip to Gruene
Craving a day of shopping an historic sight-seeing? Gruene is just a short drive down the beautiful and picturesque River Road. You can shop in the little boutiques, eat a delicious burger at Mozies or get a famous margarita from the Gristmill. Buy a Texas t-shirt at the Gruene General Store, play 9 or 18 holes of miniature golf, then enjoy some live music in Texas’s oldest dance hall. Step back in time as you two-step and play some pool while you sip a cold beer and enjoy some of Texas’s most talented musicians who always grace the stage here. You won’t want to leave and it’s definitely worth carving out time for this unforgettable experience!
Natural Bridge Caverns
Do you need a nice blend of adult and kid friendly attractions, all in one place? This is the place! Everyone can take a cave tour together to appreciate the amazing rock formations and tricks of light, then feed the animals from your own vehicle at the wildlife ranch next door. Then let the kids try the Twisting Trails zip line and finish up with some gem and fossil mining; it’s such a unique family destination, and located only a 25 minute drive from the Tipi cabins!
Comal Park
Craving a beach experience while visiting the Canyon Lake Area? Comal Park is the perfect place. Easy to access and simple to find, you can pay by the car load to access this popular park. It’s a fantastic spot for a day of sun bathing, sand volleyball, floating in a tube or even kayak or SUP rentals (additional fees required). There are also two public boat ramps and a 1.2 mile walking and biking trail! Bring your own picnic fixings and enjoy a whole day of family fun.
Panther Canyon & Landa Park
Want one of the best playgrounds near a wonderful hiking trail that is challenging enough for the adults but not too steep to bring the kiddos? You should check out Panther Canyon and Landa Park! There’s lots of playground equipment to enjoy, a historic train to ride, a wading pond, paddle boats, and great walking & hiking trails. This location is just about a 30 minute drive from the Tipis on the Guadalupe and nearby a lot of local New Braunfels attractions.
Schlitterbahn
The hottest coolest time in Texas is at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark! Kid approved fun at the best outdoor waterslides in Texas. This park has activities for the whole family including multiple lazy rivers, adventurous slides, uphill water coasters, games, natural spring-fed slides, super-fun children’s play areas, easy parking and great food and snacks. A great location for locals who have season passes or tourists looking for a perfect day of fun in the sun. Go get wet!!
Some pictures of my sons snacking with Pirate Cove in the background!
