Dripping Springs may be considered the “wedding capital of Texas” with all the venues spread throughout the town, and it’s synonymous with distillers and breweries like Jester King. Because of this, I’ve never considered booking a night in Dripping Springs for a staycation. Instead, I typically think of heading to Wimberley thanks to all of the rivers to play in, and my time at The Yurtopian. However, I recently saw photos of the newly opened Folklore Spa at Camp Lucy, which I had visited for a wedding and a dinner before, and something about the pink umbrellas, gorgeous blue pool tiles, patterned tiles on the walkway, and lounge chairs made me say, “I have to go there!” I’m not one to visit a place solely based on an Instagram photo or an influencer’s recommendation as I’m sometimes disappointed in the hospitality or what you actually see when you get there, but I just knew that this gorgeous property was worth a Sunday Funday adventure.
Camp Lucy: The Best Hotel & Spa in Dripping Springs
I had also been working on updating my Best Bakeries in Austin blog, and Abby Jane Bakeshop needed a refresher on my page. Located off Fitzhugh Road, Abby Jane is connected to the famous Barton Springs Mill, which supplies Austin’s best restaurants with their farmer-grown wheat, flours, grains, corn, and beyond. All of Abby Jane’s baked goods come from these incredible stone-milled and organic grains, making this as close as you can get to a truly fresh bakery. Our full Dripping Springs day began with a stop at Abby Jane for the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had in Austin, with layers of cinnamon goo around each ring and icing that isn’t too tangy. I’ve also never been more proud of a chocolate croissant’s ratio of chocolate to dough. She put TWO bars of chocolate in there. Abby, you’re the best! While we did not take home a loaf of bread this time, Abby Jane is the spot to grab some sourdough or focaccia and some croissants. You can even see the baking classes in action in the education room of the mill. So ideal.
We then drove 20 minutes to Camp Lucy, which sits on 282 acres of land. We booked day passes ($105 each) to the Folklore Spa because you can only access their pool and sauna if you are using the facilities for a treatment or if you purchase a day pass. We actually decided to spend the night and make a longer vacay out of it so we checked into a dog-friendly room with a patio and couches that felt so quaint. Now, I understand why they call it Camp Lucy because they have cabins, but not actual “camp” cabins that might spring to mind. They feel more like nicer Colorado cabins with some Texas style. The property holds a chapel, alpacas you can feed, and three hiking trails that really lifted my already sugar high spirits. I love swimming, hiking, and baked goods, so this day kept me repeating, “This is SO fun!” over and over!!! I had just returned from Spain and Costa Brava, and even still, this day lit me up inside.
We hiked the Red Trail right by our room, which was grassy, curvy, and only hilly at the beginning. I loved exploring the property and enjoyed the easy access to everything. After the hike, we quickly changed and jaunted over to Folklore to make the most of our pool passes. Wow. The interiors of the lobby are gorgeous, and the outside green roof tiles draw inspiration from Vietnam, an ode to the now owners’ great grandparents, who loved traveling there and actually brought back pieces of a cathedral to build into their onsite restaurant, Tillie’s. You’ll see a similar church-style architecture in this lobby, but it’s the tiles and color everywhere that really outshine most of the other hotels in town.
The owner, Whit Hanks, is the great grandson and a former real estate developer and antiques dealer. I admire how much care and attention to detail he and his wife Kim put into his family’s estate and property for all of us to enjoy as opposed to selling it off or letting a corporate company run away with it. The history is unmatched, and the views made my experience one that I want over and over again. I’m not only talking about the nature views — I’m really talking about the tiles and design pieces! We are so lucky to have this destination.
Anyway, back to Folklore! We ordered a few Strawberry Basil Spritzes and enjoyed the pool almost to ourselves because it was a Sunday afternoon, and then jumped in the co-ed sauna. The sauna floor tile was heated, and the room is so big that you could fit your whole family. The best part is the window view looking onto the trails we just hiked. Aside from design and providing an atmosphere that is gorgeous, not pretentious, and clean, the service and hospitality really shined for me. I asked a lot of questions about the history and family as stated on the menu at Tillie’s, and our waitress knew all the answers immediately. Not once did she say she needed to double check. I really respect a well-trained staff and am always poking around since I am a restaurant and hospitality publicist. The Redfish was the only dish that really stood out to me in the restaurant, as our Short Rib Pappardelle felt like it was missing the meat, however, you must dine here to experience and understand the story of Tillie, the wife of former mayor of Austin, Lewis Hancock. After spending time in Scotland, the couple helped bring golf to Texas by helping establish the Austin Country Club, and after Lewis passed, Tillie became the first female developer in Austin. The restaurant takes inspiration from Tillie’s love of travel, seen through dishes on the menu and the Vietnamese town hall building that was transported from Vietnam to Camp Lucy to create the dining room’s framework.
The spa employees were so welcoming, and I just can’t wait to go back. It’s an easy drive from Austin, especially when you get to enjoy a bakery and expansive hill country views along the way. The whole day was a seamless experience, and if you wanted to stay longer you could enjoy Camp Lucy’s activities or spa treatment as well. This was one of the best days I could ask for on a hot summer Sunday. Education, hospitality, sunshine, and beauty come together in one place where you can pretend you are across the world, even though you’re really just a short drive away.
