Austin, Texas, gets plenty of shine as the “it” place for its vibrant live music scene and revelatory barbecue. The magnetic draw of the city’s distinctive music and food is how I moved close by. But when I need a respite from the bustle, I know Dripping Springs, a.k.a. “The Gateway to Hill Country,” is merely 40 minutes away. My most recent Dripping Springs escape plan involved a stay at the luxury resort Camp Lucy.
I could feel the stress leaving my body as I exited Austin’s city limits and soaked in the serene surroundings leading to Camp Lucy’s sprawling off-the-grid location. As I drove over glittering rivers and streams and onto winding, narrow country roads, my Google Maps decided to go offline. Fortunately, the rustic sign pointing to Camp Lucy’s hilltop entrance appeared in the knick of time.
Nature greeted me with the best welcome soundtrack: waves of silence bedecked with soft trickles from a nearby creek, the cheerful chirps from birds, and leaves rustled by a gentle breeze.
Camp Lucy has created an idyllic, off-the-grid hilltop sanctuary for those seeking an escape drizzled with a dash of adventure – but it wasn’t always this way. Camp Lucy was initially established as an outdoor wedding venue before being converted into a unique luxury getaway by owners Kim and Whit Hanks in 2010. Camp Lucy now has 27 boutique hotel rooms, two standalone family cottages, fun daily guest activities (such as archery, vineyard strolls, mixology classes, olive oil tasting, hatchet throwing, and fishing), a resort-style pool with a swim-up bar and Tillie’s restaurant.
Courtesy of Camp Lucy
For history buffs like me, I especially appreciated Camp Lucy’s diverse array of historical architecture and artifacts. The original wedding venue, known as Ian’s Chapel, is a 19th-century French colonial chapel made of hand-carved beams imported from Vietnam and reassembled on-site. Whit, a former antiques dealer, and his wife Kim have decorated the property with vintage trinkets from around the world, such as cast-iron frogs from Vietnam, textiles from Ecuador, and more.
In early 2025, Camp Lucy plans to debut the Folklore Spa, a curated wellness space seamlessly capturing the resort’s eclectic charm. Folklore Spa will live inside three repurposed 19th-century Vietnamese homes akin to the structures housing Ian’s Chapel and Tillie’s. The spa will feature additional overnight accommodations, a bathhouse, a sauna, an outdoor pool overlooking Hill Country, and a meditation building.
From enjoying a glass of Camp Lucy Vineyards malbec on the balcony of my Treetop Room to channeling my inner Katniss Everdeen through an archery class, I cherished the relaxing, whimsical stay at Camp Lucy.
Read on for my review of Camp Lucy, a sequestered gem in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.
Camp Lucy
The Rooms
I stayed in one of Camp Lucy’s deluxe Treetop Rooms, nestled in an oak tree with a private balcony overlooking the rolling hills. In the mornings, I would catch stares from the cute and curious neighbors, a family of deer. Asian-inspired décor, like vintage tapestries and chic, retro wallpaper, greeted me, along with patterned pendant lamps dangling from the high ceilings. The Estate Rooms have exquisite, handcrafted imported stone soaking tubs. The two standalone family cottages (Creekside Cottage and Lucy’s Cottage) can house up to 10 guests and are equipped with full-size kitchens, fireplaces, and multiple bedrooms. The English Suite has an outdoor rain shower, while the Terrace Suite offers two private patios outfitted with outdoor seating and a plush, pillow-top hammock.
Food and Drink
Courtesy of Camp Lucy
Camp Lucy’s on-site restaurant Tillie’s is inside a repurposed 18th-century town hall from Ninh Binh, Vietnam. The seasonal menu showcases ingredients sourced from local farms and ranches, resulting in international-inspired plates and cocktails with a Texas touch.
My favorite bite from the weekend was their tender beef short rib drizzled with a smoky-sweet glaze, complemented with smoked marble potatoes. The bold cocktail menu features a lineup of Texas-based spirits, including Treaty Oak Day Drinker Texas Bourbon and Nine Banded Straight Bourbon Whiskey. My favorite drink on the menu was the Smoked Old Fashioned, made with Nine Banded Bourbon, Angostura bitters, sugar, and orange, accompanied by a smoke-filled bottle to cloak the cocktail when it was unveiled tableside.
Activities and Experiences
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms/Travel + Leisure
Upon check-in, I was greeted with a complimentary glass of wine from their vineyard – which was fresh news to me. I was distracted from hearing the daily activity options explained as I went between making eye contact with the receptionist and the towering, glass-shielded wine cellar behind her. Although I knew Dripping Springs is part of the Texas Wine Country, I didn’t realize Camp Lucy had their own award-winning wine line-up in partnership with Comfort, Texas-based Bending Branch Winery. Since its 2017 vintage, Bending Branch has crafted wines using grapes sourced from the five-acre Camp Lucy Vineyards (which you can tour while visiting the resort). So, when I wasn’t feeding the resident alpacas (front desk staff provides the appropriate food) or hatchet-throwing, I enjoyed sitting on my room’s balcony with a glass of Camp Lucy Vineyard wine, specifically their juicy, dark cherry-meets-rich cocoa 2019 malbec.
One pre-dinner activity I especially enjoyed was a private mixology class. The bar team caught wind that I was a Nine Banded Whiskey fan and was sure to include that brand among the base spirits in my one-hour cocktail-making session. Other activities available to guests include hanging with Camp Lucy’s chickens (they currently have 20 pasture-raised chickens that provide eggs used at Tillie’s), hiking, yoga, walking history tours, archery, and fishing.
Accessibility
Many of the rooms at Camp Lucy are ADA compliant, including The English Suite, second-floor Treetop Rooms, which guests can access via elevators, select Estate Rooms (the ADA-compliant suites feature a walk-in shower rather than a stone tub), and the Junior Estate Suite.
Location
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms/Travel + Leisure
Even though Camp Lucy is off-the-beaten-path within the hills, the resort is just minutes away from renowned Dripping Springs-based breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Scenic natural destinations, such as the emerald swimming hole Hamilton Pool Preserve and the picturesque Pedernales Falls State Park, are nearby.
