{"id":16690,"date":"2025-10-23T01:49:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T01:49:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/16690\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T01:49:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T01:49:01","slug":"texas-adorable-city-outside-of-austin-is-a-hill-country-gateway-full-of-wildlife-and-small-town-charm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/16690\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas’ Adorable City Outside Of Austin Is A Hill Country Gateway Full Of Wildlife And Small-Town Charm"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Texas Hill Country is downright easy on the eyes \u2014 and on the soul. The scenic terrain stretches across the heart of the Lone Star State,\u00a0west of Austin, as far as the eye can see. The central region is known for its rustling rivers, freshwater springs, towering\u00a0oaks, and, of course, its\u00a0rolling stony hills. It’s also chock-full of historic communities, from Mason, the “Gem of the Hill Country,”<\/a> to the German-infused town of Fredericksburg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The roots run just as deep in\u00a0Copperas Cove, a humble farming town founded in the\u00a0late\u00a01870s. The darling city has sprouted much since then. About 40,000 people now call this\u00a0rural-suburban area\u00a0home, making it\u00a0the largest city in all of Coryell County.\u00a0Despite its size, Copperas Cove is still beloved for its tight-knit, small-town atmosphere. As one resident shared on Niche<\/a>, the city is full of “quaint neighborhoods with lots of trees and friendly faces.” Another local\u00a0added<\/a>: “If you’re looking for a great area to raise your kids or to even start a family, Copperas Cove is it.”<\/p>\n

Straddling Highway 190 about 70 miles north of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), the city serves as\u00a0a gateway to the seemingly boundless lands of the Texas Hill Country. Put simply, there’s no room for boredom in this nook of the state. Copperas Cove teems with a variety of\u00a0parks, wildlife, and\u00a0outdoor adventures, with sprawling\u00a0lakes and recreation areas just a short drive away.<\/p>\n

Read more: One Of West Virginia’s Best-Kept Secrets Is A Train Ride Through A Canyon You Can’t Reach By Car<\/a><\/p>\n

Experience the wilds of Copperas Cove\"Baby<\/p>\n

Baby armadillos in Texas – L. Hanscom\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

The rural flair of\u00a0Copperas Cove is pretty hard to ignore. ‘Round these parts, it’s not uncommon to see speedy roadrunners, burly armadillos, wild turkeys, and various other wildlife roaming the lands. If you’re keen on seeing more critters, mosey on over to Topsey Exotic Ranch. Perched on the outskirts of the city, the safari excursion is one Copperas Cove’s\u00a0top-rated attractions.<\/p>\n

“Deer, cattle, emu, an ostrich, zebras and more will walk alongside your vehicle in hopes of getting tossed some food pellets to snack on,” reads one review on Tripadvisor<\/a>. “You will also see rabbits, prairie dogs and squirrels. Some kangaroos and a camel can be seen behind a fence.” The animal-filled outing costs $16 per person, at the time of writing, with discounts available for seniors and children 12 and under. Buckets of animal feed can be purchased for an additional fee.<\/p>\n

You can also find a few green spaces in town.\u00a0Copperas Cove City Park is among the more popular outdoor haunts; it includes\u00a0ponds and a seasonal\u00a0pool.\u00a0You can also make a splash at\u00a0Belton Lake or\u00a0Stillhouse Hollow Lake, both about a 30-minute drive away.\u00a0The former spans more than\u00a012,000 surface acres of water, while the latter covers just over 6,000. A bevy of sandy beaches and\u00a0parks hug the waters. If you opt for Belton Lake, tackle trails at the\u00a0Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area or do more wildlife watching at the\u00a0Miller Springs Nature Center, situated on the southern end of the reservoir.<\/p>\n

Where to stay and eat\"Scenery<\/p>\n

Scenery of Belton Lake in Texas – Airwave Dynamics\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n

Wondering where to hunker down for the evening? If you’re up for braving the wilds, grab your\u00a0best camping gear for a comfortable night outdoors<\/a> and snag a spot at one of the many campgrounds along the lakes. Live Oak Ridge Park Campground sits right next\u00a0to Miller Springs Nature Center on\u00a0Belton Lake and receives\u00a0strong reviews for\u00a0its amenities and setting. If you find yourself at Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Union Grove Campground offers a few\u00a0screened shelters for those without camping gear. The facility\u00a0also\u00a0has plenty of spots to park a rig or pop a tent. Both campgrounds offer showers, a dock, and a playground. A swimming beach can also be found at Union Grove.<\/p>\n

Don’t want to rough it? If you’d prefer a more luxurious abode, there’s a decent selection of familiar hotel brands in\u00a0Copperas Cove, too, including the Comfort Suites,\u00a0Days Inn by Wyndham, and Best\u00a0Western\u00a0Inn & Suites, all\u00a0of which are located in the same vicinity. You won’t go hungry in this part of Texas, either. Feast on fettuccine alfredo, cheesy ravioli, baked lasagna, and other pasta staples at\u00a0Giovanni’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria \u2014\u00a0rated the No. 1 restaurant in the city over on\u00a0Tripadvisor<\/a>.\u00a0If you’re craving down-home country classics, grab a table at Lil-Tex Restaurant or Bobby B’s Southern Cooking & More. Just don’t skip dessert.<\/p>\n

Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter<\/a> and add us as a preferred search source<\/a> for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.<\/p>\n

Read the original article on Islands<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Texas Hill Country is downright easy on the eyes \u2014 and on the soul. The scenic terrain…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16691,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2401,13236,13235,27,29,2165,28],"class_list":["post-16690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-texas","tag-austin-bergstrom-international-airport","tag-baby-armadillos","tag-copperas-cove","tag-texas","tag-texas-headlines","tag-texas-hill-country","tag-texas-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16690"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16690\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}