Between Austin And Houston Is Texas' Alluring City With River Floats And Tasty European-Style Food

Having spent a year of my life living in the Bohemian paradise of Prague, I often find myself banging the drum for the magnificent country of Czechia. For U.S. friends who find themselves unable to cross the Atlantic to this Central European destination, La Grange, Texas, serves as a fantastic little teaser of what Czech culture is like. With sprinkles of Czech history, events, and traditional cuisine, visitors can tuck into both beef brisket and beef goulash on a trip to La Grange. The town sits by the Colorado River, with a range of delights on offer such as its courthouse square, Texas Quilt Museum, and, most notably, a series of river floats and paddling trails. 

Just like Czechia is famed for its incredible selection of beer, fans of a tipple can try delicious beverages in a variety of wonderful settings in La Grange. There are award-winning meads at Texas' oldest operating meadery, Blissful Folly Farm, and beer aficionados can even check out the ruins of the 19th-century Kreische Brewery, where the annual Bluff Schuetzenfest Beer and Heritage Festival is hosted. Getting to La Grange is easy for those flying into Austin (one of the biggest hotspots for solo female travel), with Austin–Bergstrom International Airport located roughly an hour away by car. For those traveling in from Houston after checking out its sublime museum scene, La Grange is located around 100 miles west.

A surprising number of European culinary treats can be found across La Grange, despite its small population size of less than 5,000 inhabitants. Stuffed Czech pastries, known as kolaches, are a must-try. At Weikel's Bakery, kolaches are made from scratch with up to 19 different fillings including cottage cheese, poppy seeds, and prunes. This La Grange institution is also beloved for its klobasnikies (Czech pigs in blankets). The kitchen at the aforementioned Blissful Folly Farm also offers up a local Czech-style sausage basket to share, which can pair nicely with a dark Czech lager, such as the tap room's Tmavé Pivo. This is perhaps the perfect food and drink combo to line the stomach at one of the meadery's many events, from its trivia nights to its live music performances.

For a taste of another corner of Europe, visitors can go for some Italian-inspired classics with hearty plates at Reba's — run by a New Yorker trained under European chefs – or enjoy some slices at Ere's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria. Ere's has a BYOB option, encouraging patrons to bring a bottle of their favorite wine. Pick one up from La Grange's own family-owned vineyard and winery, Rosemary's. 

Craving those summer-in-France vibes instead? Guests can also linger over a cheese board and a glass or two at Bodega Wine Market. Just make sure to arrive early, as they close at 7 p.m.

La Grange's Czech cultural heartbeat is not just on display at Weikel's. The Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center houses the Nas Novy Domov museum, with artifacts from history's Czech immigration to Texas. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, closing a bit earlier on weekends. The center also hosts key events such as Slavnost/May Fest, Heritage Fest & Muziky, and performances by visiting Czech bands, while the whole town turns out each December for Schmeckenfest's hot mulled cider tastings and Christmas fun on La Grange's square. 

Water lovers are spoiled in La Grange. In-town access points to the Colorado River include White Rock Park and Buffalo Trail Park. For day floats, nearby options abound, with Bastrop's wide, slow-moving 6-mile El Camino Real Trail or the even longer 14.3-mile Wilbarger trail. Columbus's 6.5-mile trail comes with a reputation for amazing scenery featuring turtles and wildflowers. Numerous companies provide rental paddling equipment, and those with large groups can make reservations in advance with Paddle With Style. 

Outdoors enthusiasts can also enjoy a spot of golf at Frisch Auf! Valley Country Club and then settle in for the night at comfortable hotels such as the Hampton by Hilton, the Best Western, or The Oak Motel, which is located just a five-minute stroll to the famous Fayette County Courthouse. After finishing up a trip to La Grange, visitors with a hankering for proper Texan BBQ can drive for around one hour to get to The Lone Star State's overlooked foodie capital of Lockhart.