Boerne is getting bigger and drawing more attention each year. People flock to our town on the weekends from all over the country – and even the world – making their way down the Hill Country Mile and stopping at the local watering holes and eateries. Denise and I often sit on the porch swing at Cibolo Creek Brewing Co., just watching people come and go. There really is a charm to this town. Events like Dickens on Main, the Hill Country Rod Run, and Das Festival can make it feel like a Hallmark‑card town.
All of the businesses and events we have to offer are the fruits of the labor of hardworking local Boerne citizens – people who have chosen to stay here and raise their families, investing their hard‑earned money and time back into the community. Folks on the outside see this and admire it, as they should. I cannot count how many times I have heard, “So, you are actually from here?!” from tourists. Sometimes it seems a little funny, but if you stop and really think about it, where else have you found a community like this? The cleanliness, the friendliness, the true sense of a small, local community, and a place that still has old‑timers with family names on buildings and street signs. Welcome to Boerne, Texas, folks. This is small‑town USA.
Wondering What Visitors Actually Do Here?
Watching people walk up and down Main Street has made me wonder: What does their agenda look like? Did they plan anything, or are they just taking it step by step (pun intended)? If you are arriving in the summer, what do you do to cool off? Where do the locals eat breakfast? Where are the hidden gems of the Hill Country?
When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? I cannot tell you how many times while traveling we have searched for the “local spot.” People want to experience a place with all their senses. They do not want the cruise‑ship experience; they want the VRBO experience. They want to know what it is like to live in a different cultural area from their own. It is fun to see the pace of life from another perspective. Try to put on that shoe and walk a mile. Pretend you are not who you are because of where you are from. In fact, that is an important lesson everyone can learn.
After watching this for years, a question crossed my mind: What does the perfect Boerne, Texas weekend look like? While I cannot answer that for everyone, I can share what I consider the best experience from my local perspective – through the eyes of a man raising his family in Boerne and taking full advantage of the amazing natural resources we have. So saddle your ponies, and let’s ride.
Saturday Morning: Tacos and Traditions
Denise gets up and goes straight to feeding the dogs, the chickens, and Chuck the pig. I can already smell the coffee. Thankfully, we spent a few hours on Friday night getting the boats strapped down, counting life jackets, sorting fishing tackle, and prepping food and ice chests. It makes for a smooth start to the day and has become somewhat procedural for float‑trip weekends.
Meet‑up time and location is usually 10:30 AM at Mague’s Café. There seems to be some confusion in town about where to get the best breakfast tacos, so allow me to clear this up. There is only one place the true locals go, one place that has been open for generations, and that is Mague’s Café. Randy’s with beans, verde and rojo sauce, and a pile of pico – same order every single time, just the way we like it. I call these “tailgate tacos” because we are usually eating them in the parking lot while double‑checking gear and waiting on a straggler or two to arrive. I will not name any names, Tom… From there, we head to the launch location (secret spots).
Midday on the Guadalupe: Rapids, Wildlife, and Relaxation
For the rest of my life, pulling up to the bald cypress trees that line the banks of the Guadalupe River will never get old. It feels like I am the only one aging while the river renews its youth each spring. Once we arrive, everyone knows the tasks at hand. We unload all the boats and gear and drag everything to the water’s edge while the drivers deliver the vehicles back to the pick‑up location.
This usually lets us push off from the riverbank around 11:30–12:00. Perfect timing. We crank the Turtleboxes up and thank the Good Lord for the blessing of another day. Paddle in hand and free‑floating. Today we have a pretty good‑sized group: me, Denise, Hunter, Ellie, Ty, Karlee, Matt, Erin, and Evan, with five kayaks and two canoes. Our journey is a short one at 3.8 miles, but the pace will be slow.
Right away, we encounter our first set of rapids. Denise and I are the first ones down, turning around at the bottom of the eddy to watch everyone else pass through safely. It is not a dangerous rapid, but it is a little deceiving. Ty immediately turns his boat over and spills every piece of gear he has into the fast water. No injuries – maybe just a tiny hit to the pride – but Ty is a good man and laughs it off right away. I think the river wanted to show off a little for the rookie.
As we make our way slowly downriver, I lean my head back to look up at the canopy of bald cypress trees arching overhead. Ducks fly up from the timber, and cranes pace the shallow water as they stalk the banks for a bite to eat. Schools of threadfin shad and common carp swim under the boats like our own river entourage. Every single time we do this, we ask ourselves, how is it that we are the only people out here? I am still working on my theory.
You are free to choose your own adventure along this stretch. No surprise, I like to fish the entire way, challenging myself to catch a bigger fish each time, and this time did not disappoint. I landed a 3‑pound largemouth on the edge of a deep bank shaded by a low‑hanging tree – a perfect spot for a healthy fish.
About 1.8 miles into the trip, we pull ashore at a beautiful spot with two giant cypress trees on both sides, a mild rapid, and a good, clean eddy below. These are ideal places to stop for a swim, relax, and fire up the grill. Luckily for everyone, Denise and I prepped some food the night before. I like to travel with a small 12‑inch Weber grill; it is easy to fire up, clean, cool down in the water, and stow behind my seat.
By now, you are probably dying to know what is on the menu: mushrooms marinated in Italian dressing and balsamic vinegar, stuffed with cream cheese and pickled jalapeños, and wrapped in bacon. It is a fan favorite every time and pairs beautifully with an ice‑cold Lone Star beer. Honey, my daughter’s lab, came along this time. She loves swimming and letting the current carry her just far enough downstream to make her mom a little nervous.
While I am cooking, I like to scan the shore and shallow water for Indian artifacts like points or tools. You never know what you might find if you spend a little time looking. This time, as I was studying the ground, I noticed a piece of flint shining back at me in about six inches of water. I grabbed it, gave it a quick rinse, and realized it was an unfinished point – an arrowhead about five inches long. What a day!
We saddle back up and enjoy the remaining two miles of river just how we started: at a nice, slow pace.
Late Afternoon: Comfort Pies And Blue Skies
When we hit the bank, everyone knows their part. We break the boats down, load the gear into the truck bed, and strap everything down for a safe haul. Next stop: Comfort Pizza.
We call our order in two days ahead of time to secure the dough (if you know, you know) and have the pies ready almost exactly when we arrive. If someone asked me for a hidden gem in the area, Comfort Pizza would be at the top of my list. The place used to be an old filling station – probably from the 1950s – now converted into the best pizza stop I have ever found.
There is a large selection of craft beers and wines from around the world, plus gelato and salads. Sitting on the shade‑covered patio with misters, fans, and friendly people, it is hard to imagine feeling more welcome or more comfortable than you do right there. It is always a great time to refill the tanks and hit level five on the relaxation scale.
Saturday Night: Y’all Come On In And Pull Up A Chair
After a quick stop at the house for a shower and to drop off a very tired white lab, we head back to Cibolo Creek Brewing Co. If we are lucky, we snag the porch swing and a handful of chairs out front.
On Saturday nights, there is live music out back, a packed house, some spectacular people‑watching, and the best food and beer in town. This is where locals gather to tell stories, toast to good times, meet new friends, and enjoy home‑cooked food and house‑made beers. I cannot tell you how many friends we have made sharing a table here. In my opinion, it is the welcome gate to Boerne, Texas.
If you are coming with a big appetite, I recommend the goat burger or the fried chicken sandwich tossed in buffalo sauce. Pick your poison to wash it down, but in the summer heat, I am leaning toward the lighter lagers and pilsners. We spend the rest of the evening telling stories from our day and planning new adventures. As the night goes on, more people join us on the porch, and the laughs get a little louder right before closing time.
An Idea Taking Shape: Mazour Outfitting Co.
There it is, in black and white: the perfect weekend in Boerne, Texas – at least in my family’s opinion. You will leave tired but certainly not disappointed.
We have been tossing around an idea, and here is the pitch: Mazour Outfitting Co., an all‑inclusive guide service for the upper Guadalupe and Llano rivers. Let us handle all the gear and logistics so you can relax and soak it all in. We believe there is an audience for the things we enjoy as a family, and we would love to share them with you. Shoot me a message if you are interested in a trip down the river with us.
Jed Mazour has guided readers down the water before in The Spring Transition: Fishing the Guadalupe River, and keeps exploring Hill Country waterways in The Pecos River and The Starlight Canvas. Back in this issue, unwind with Clay Smoot’s The ’64 cigar review or read Bill Thomas’s story in The Man Who Built Joy.
