Bastrop - Bastrop

Bastrop is the county seat of Bastrop County, Texas, and is located about 30 mi (48 km) east of Austin at 30°6'43" North, 97°19'1" West (30.112057, -97.316838). Bastrop was settled by Europeans in 1804 and incorporated on December 18, 1837. The population was 7,218 according to the 2010 census.

Understand

  • Bastrop Chamber of Commerce, 927 Main Street, 1 512 303-0558. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-3PM. Visit the Chamber and pick up a free visitor's guide. If the chamber is closed, guides may be found in the box by the front door.
  • The Bastrop Advertiser is the oldest semi-weekly newspaper in the state of Texas. It publishes twice a week and can be purchased at most area convenience stores for $0.50.
  • Bastrop does not have a smoking ordinance so patrons may smoke inside restaurants, unless it is forbidden by the restaurant.

Get in

Map of Bastrop

By plane

Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS IATA) is 30 miles (48 km) west of the city center. The most practical means of travel from the airport is by rental car but taxis are available. A one-way trip by taxi is about $40 (credit cards accepted).

Auto rental companies at the airport:

  • Advantage Rent-A-Car 530-3330
  • Alamo 530-3500
  • Avis 530-3400
  • Budget 530-3350
  • Dollar 530-2277
  • Enterprise 530-8100
  • Hertz 530-3600
  • National 530-3550
  • Thrifty 530-6811

Taxis:

  • Airport Shuttle and Taxi 303-5505

By car

The main highway through Bastrop is Texas State Highway 71 which can be picked up off Interstate Highway 35 in Austin or off Interstate Highway 10 about 75 miles west of Houston.

Get around

Loop 150 off 71 takes you through the heart of historical downtown Bastrop. Once downtown, parking is plentiful and free. Bastrop is small enough that it is practical to park and walk to boutique shops, restaurants, the new river walk and the many historic houses located in the city.

See

Bastrop county historical society museum.jpg

Do

Indoors

Outdoors

  • Bastrop State Park, Texas State Hwy. 21 (about 1 mile east), ☏ 1 512 321-2101. Su-Sa 8AM-5PM (to 7PM in summer). Located among the "Lost Pines of Texas," this 3,500-acre park has a swimming pool (summer only-fee), golf course (fee), a 10-acre lake, hiking trails, picnic tables, tent and RV campsites (fee), and 13 cabins (fee). $4 per day, per person 13 and older. 
  • ColoVista Golf Club, 100 Country Club Dr, ☏ 1 512 303-4045. 
  • Fisherman's Park (City) and the Colorado River walk. Playground, Boat ramp 
  • Lake Bastrop. This 906-acre lake offers recreational facilities in two parks, one on the north shore and one on the south shore, for boating (fee), fishing, swimming, water-skiing, picnicking, and camping (fee). 
  • Lost Pines Golf Course (inside Bastrop State Park), ☏ 1 512 303-1369. 
  • McKinney Roughs Nature Park, Texas State Highway 71 (8.4 miles west of Bastrop), ☏ 1 512 303-5073. M-Sa 8AM-5PM; Su noon-5PM. Closed on major holidays. Great hiking. $3 for adults, $1 seniors, no charge for children 13 and under. 
  • Pine Forest Golf Club, ☏ 1 512 303-6777. 
  • White Lightning Ranch, 601 Pine Tree Loop, ☏ 1 512 680-0463. Horseback riding-great horses and very nice lady. 

Buy

  • The Sugar Shack, 114 Loop 150 W, ☏ 1 512 321-3777. As the name implies, all kinds of sweet treats to be had. 
  • Naturally Country Clothing, 601 Chestnut St, ☏ 1 512 321-7002. 
  • Berdoll Pecan Farm, 2626 State Highway 71 W. Cedar Creek. Tasty treats and gifts. 
  • K M Skin Care, 601 Chestnut St, ☏ 1 512 303-7302. 
  • Bealls (Hwy 71 at Hasler). Department store with a focus on clothing. 
  • Portia's Pet Emporium, 926 Main St. Fun pet supply store where "animals are welcome to bring their owners". 
  • HEB Grocery, 487 Hwy 71 W, ☏ 1 512 321-1011. Su-Sa 6AM-midnight. Best grocery store chain in Texas. Superstore has Bakery, Deli, Meat market, 1 hour photo lab 

Eat

Budget

Mid-range

  • Cripple Creek & Company, 928 Main St, ☏ 1 512-332-2477. Wine boutique, food and coffee, children's toys (Melissa & Doug, Klutz), wine accessories. 
  • Cartwright's Famous Bar-B-Que, 490-A Hwy 71, ☏ 1 512 321-7719. $Mid-range. 
  • Billy's Pit Bar-B-Q, 110 Hwy 71 W, ☏ 1 512 321-6453. Simple barbecue, Texas style. The food is tasty. 
  • China Chef, 300 Hwy 71 W, ☏ 1 512 321-9802. Chinese lunch and Sunday buffets. 
  • MaMa Mia's Italian Garden, 904 College St, ☏ 1 512 321-7808. Tu-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-9:30PM, Su 11AM-3PM. Lunch buffet daily 11AM-2PM. 
  • Anita's Cafe, Main St, ☏ 1 512 303-9693. Solid Tex-Mex eatery. Consistently good food. $Mid-range. 
  • Vallarta Jalisco, Hwy 71. Mid-range. 
  • Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant, 494 Hwy. 71 W, Suite 180, ☏ 1 512 321-3002. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM. Mid-range. 
  • Shady Oaks Restaurant, Hwy 71 W (about 4 miles out of town between Bastrop and Austin, just west of where Hwy 21 merges with Hwy 71), ☏ 1 512 303-6447. The place looks suspect and the tables are a mish-mash of old dining sets and folding tables and chairs, but this place has great, down home, Southern style, stick to your ribs, kind of food. The Mexican plates are particularly good at a good price. Mid-range. 
  • Texas Grill, 101 Hwy 71, ☏ 1 512 321-5491. Open 24 hrs. Country café, chicken fried steak. Cafeteria style lunch. Breakfast anytime. 
  • Big Mouth Southwestern Grill, 912 Main St (in the middle of Downtown Bastrop), ☏ 1 512 332-0074. Beautiful setting, great food, live entertainment, full bar. 
  • Baxter's On Main, 919 Main St, ☏ 1 512-321-3577. Mid-range. Casual fine dining. 

Splurge

Drink

  • Boots (Hwy 95 just past FM 1441). Beer and wine only. Live music, pool tables, DJ, and more. No kitchen. Budget. 
  • Leon's Country Store (FM 535 in Rockne). Quaint old beer joint, convenience store, & feed store. 
  • Lone Oak Bar (FM 1441 across from Boy Scout Camp). Beer joint with great old country jukebox. 

Sleep

  • 1 Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Rd (About 10 miles west of Bastrop), ☏ 1 512 308-1234. Resort and spa situated on 405 acres (260 ha) of Central Texas landscape, adjacent to the 1,100-acre (440 ha) McKinney Roughs Nature Park along the Colorado River. Equestrian center, golf course, swimming pool with water slide. 
  • Comfort Inn, 106 Hasler Blvd, ☏ 1 512 321-3303. Two story motel. 
  • Pecan Street Inn Bed & Breakfast, 1010 Pecan St, ☏ 1 512 321-3315. Located in a historic landmark home. 
  • Buttonwood Row B & B, 1402 Hill St, ☏ 1 512 303-5664. Located in a historic landmark home. 
  • Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast, 583 Union Chapel Rd. Cedar Creek. Just east of Austin on Hwy 71 towards Austin. 
  • Bastrop Inn, 102 Childers Dr, ☏ 1 512 321-3949. 
  • Days Inn, 4102 Hwy 71 E, ☏ 1 512 321-1157. Two-story motel. 
  • Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 491 Agnes, ☏ 1 512 321-1900. Three-story motel. 
  • Tropicana Motel, 103 Hwy 71 W, ☏ 1 512 321-2526. Looks like it was built in the 1950s or 60s. Pool. 
  • [dead link]Best Western Inn of the Pines, 3110 Hwy 71 E, ☏ 1 512 321-6000. Two-story kind of by itself. 

RV parks

  • Bastrop River RV Park, 98 Hwy 71 W, ☏ 1 512 321-7500. Gated, paved, propane available, walkway to deck on river bank, swimming pool. 
  • Hobo Camp RV Park, 307 FM 1209, ☏ 1 512-332-2267. 
  • Bastrop RV Park/By The Way Mobile Home Park, 689 Highway 71 West. 

Go next

Bastrop is 30 minutes (off rush hour) from Austin. The drive in to Austin on Hwy 71 is lined with antiques, gift shops, a flea market, a fossil and bonsai store, and many more central Texas cultural venues. Or you can go to Smithville to shop antiques and country kitsch. Or go to San Marcos for the outlet malls.

Routes through Bastrop
Ends at I-35.svg ← San Marcos ← W Texas 21.svg E → Jct NUS 77.svgS → Bryan-College Station
Brady ← Austin ← W Texas 71.svg E → La Grange → Jct WI-10.svgE
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