Texas Hill Country Luxury at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs, TX

The Texas Hill Country is an amazing place. If you’ve never been to Texas, the lower and Eastern parts of the state are flat. Like, super flat. So flat you can see for miles and miles. But, from the middle of the state on up, you’ll find yourself in rolling hills, endless Texas vineyards, and beautiful farmland. Right in the middle of that is Dripping Springs, Texas.

What’s the history of Camp Lucy?

Camp Lucy is a warm and welcoming place with a history deeply rooted into the connection of family ties. Of the 289 acres of Texas Hill Country property, 70 acres are a curated set of Vietnamese style buildings with a desert style terrain over the rolling hills.

The property was the current owners’ mother’s and is lovingly called “Camp Lucy” after his mother Lucy.

The style of the camp has a unique history as well. If you look around, you’ll see buildings which architecture widely varies from the traditional Texas landscape. Owner Whit Hanks’ son Ian spent some time in Vietnam on a mission trip and and discovered a love for the architecture and local art. After Ian passed, Whit grew to love the culture and people as well and wanted to incorporate it into the property somehow.

There was an old town hall in Vietnam that was scheduled to be destroyed. The structure is built from Iron wood- one of the strongest woods in nature and therefore cannot be nailed into. Instead the building is fixed together by grooves and locks similar to “Lincoln logs.” Whit purchased the structure and transported it back to Texas where it was reassembled piece by piece using an intricate mapping system. This beloved building has become a staple of the Camp Lucy property; lovingly called Tillie’s after his late grandmother. The chapel on property is one of the most sought after wedding venues. It’s a beautiful structure named after his late son, Ian and is called Ian’s Chapel.

The “heart” logo for Camp Lucy can be found multiple places around the property, most famously on the clay exterior tiles of most structures. The symbol represents love and peace. While sourcing a lot of other antiques in Vietnam, Whit purchased a large quantity of these hand-crafted tiles imprinted with a unique shape resembling a heart.

Whit is also married to Kim, a local event designer and the love for weddings and events grew their business into what it is today. The property has several weddings every weekend, and the property has also been used in movies and television shows. In fact, while we were there, The Walking Dead was filming an episode!

What do the accommodations look like at Camp Lucy?

The word beautiful doesn’t even describe the rooms here at Camp Lucy. Whether you need a single room, a family suite, or a spacious stand alone cottage, Camp Lucy has it all! They have 27 guest rooms and 2 cottages in total, so there’s plenty of options for you and anyone you’re traveling with.

We stayed in one of the Treetop Rooms and if that name doesn’t excite you and scream adventure I don’t know what will! The Treetop Rooms are aptly named that because of their stunning treetop views. From the second floor balcony, we could enjoy a cup of coffee and see watch the sunrise every morning. It was absolute perfection.

All rooms include a coffee maker, microwave, mini fridge, free Wifi and satelite, Sealy Posturepedic plush pillow top mattress, hair dryer and lighted vanity mirror, handcrafted imported stone bathtub, and glassed-in shower with rain shower and traditional shower heads. You’re not going to want to leave this place. We sure didn’t!

What activities are there to do at Camp Lucy?

They have all of the usual things a nicer hotel would have – fitness center, gift shop, pool, etc. However, they don’t stop there! They have a resort pool with complimentary towel service and a fully stocked swim-up bar, hiking trails, a communal fire pit, and tons of daily activities for guests to enjoy.

While we were visiting, we also got to enjoy a yoga class, private tour of the estate, archery, hatchet throwing, feeding the farm animals and strolling through the vineyard.

Some other activity options include guided fishing and meditative coloring. But they’re always adding new activities, so if you visit, be sure to stop by the front desk and what’s on schedule for that day.

Can you have events at Camp Lucy?

If you’re looking for a meeting space, family reunion locale, or wedding venue, Camp Lucy has all of that and more to offer too. They have intimate spaces both indoor and outdoors as well as a large event hall (Ian’s Chapel) with a 19th century French colonial feel that can hold up to 300 guests.

My favorite is a toss up between the Sacred Oaks and the Vineyard. The Sacred Oaks is a beautiful outdoor ceremony space with long church pews and overarching trees giving the most gorgeous open shade (which is perfect for photos). The Vineyard is just that – the vineyard. You can choose to have your ceremony, reception, or even just a meal right there smack dab in the middle of the grape vines with just a beautifully set table and twinkle lights strung overhead.

What’s there to eat at Camp Lucy?

There is a wonderful restaurant to enjoy while at Camp Lucy. Tillie’s is an American style restaurant with an international spin on their dishes. The restaurant alone is gorgeous but the food is what will have me coming back here. I recommend you get the pork belly with grits or the chocolate pot de creme. Their craft cocktails are incredibly delicious as well.

Hancock’s Marketplace is the other place on the property to get a little something to eat. They’ve got quick grab and go options that make it easy for you to pick up a yogurt parfait or a roasted chicken club sandwich on your way out to hit the trails.

Is Camp Lucy good for families and kids?

Absolutely! While I think it would be a great place for a honeymoon or couples weekend getaway spot, there’s a bunch of activities that kids and parents could enjoy together as well. Hiking, archery, and feeding the animals are just a few things the kiddos can enjoy.

How much does it cost to stay at Camp Lucy?

Room rates start at $360 per night and go up from there depending on how many people you have in your party and what type of room you choose (cottages being the most expensive of course).