Texas Hill Country's Most Unique Attractions

Old Tunnel State Park, is home to an abandoned railroad tunnel where three million Mexican free-tailed bats and thousands of cave myotis bats reside from May through October. Each evening at dusk, the bats leave the tunnel and swarm throughout the Texas skies. Visitors can watch the spectacle from bleachers set up near the tunnel.

Old Tunnel State Park, located midway between Comfort, Texas and Fredericksburg, Texas, covers around 16 acres, making it the smallest state park in Texas. The actual railroad tunnel is off-limits, and, because of the large amounts of bat droppings, is not a place you'd want to explore anyway. The rest of the park is free to visit during the day. The bats come out around dusk, so, after 5:00 p.m., you'll need to pay a minimal fee to stay and watch the show. 

Stonehenge II is a massive concrete and steel sculpture with a design similar to England's prehistoric Stonehenge monument. Stonehenge II is located in Ingram, Texas, at the Hill Country Arts Foundation. The site of Stonehenge II also includes replicas of Easter Island moai.
The Stonehenge II site is one of the most popular places to visit in Texas Hill Country. The grounds are open daily, from dawn to dusk, and admission is free most of the year. Note that photographs of the Stonehenge II meant for resale require permission and, possibly, a fee.

Natural Bridge Caverns, located just outside San Antonio, Texas, is a group of enormous underground chambers with a 60-foot limestone bridge near the main entrance. The caverns are privately owned and operated, and a variety of tours are offered daily. The most basic tour covers a half mile of the cavern and descends to around 180 feet below the entrance. Other tours involve exploring undeveloped sections of the caverns. Prices vary, depending on the type of tour.

If you're a history buff, the National Museum of the Pacific War is a must-see attraction. Located in Fredericksburg, Texas, it's the only museum in the United States dedicated to the Pacific theater in World War II. The museum has numerous exhibits and displays, including a Pearl Harbor exhibit, Doolittle Raid exhibit, and a two-acre re-creation of a Pacific island battlefield. There's also plenty of vintage World War II equipment, from a PT-boat to a Japanese midget submarine. All in all, this museum is a great place to learn more about battles in the Pacific during World War II.

Enchanted Rock, located north of Fredericksburg, Texas, is a beautiful dome (monadnock) of pink granite, rising over 420 feet above the surrounding area to an elevation of 1,825 feet. Hiking to the top of the rock is relatively easy, and the view of the surrounding Texas Hill Country are fantastic.

Enchanted Rock is part of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and a small fee is required to enter the area. Enchanted Rock is also designated as an International Dark Sky Park, so, if you're interested in stargazing or night photography, you'll love this place.