petite getaway:This day trip can be reached from Southeast Day Trip 01 via La Grange or East Day Trips 01 and 02, which take you through Elgin and Giddings, turning south in Carmine.
While these towns may be petite in terms of population, they pack a wallop when it comes to drawing vacationers, especially during “Antiques Week,” traditionally scheduled for the first full weekend in April (although this can vary with the timing of Easter) and October. During Antiques Week, dozens of antiques shows dot the countryside, featuring thousands of vendors and tens of thousands of shoppers from across the country.
If you think you might want to expand your day trip into a multiday shop-a-thon, book accommodations months in advance. Lodging can be very hard to come by for these prime weekends. You’ll find a lodging request form on the Round Top Area Chamber website, roundtop.org; they’ll send your lodging request to member accommodations to check for availability.
Located on busy US 290, tiny Carmine is easy to miss during most of the year, but during Antiques Week in the spring and fall, it becomes the first shopping stop for many Austin travelers.
where to shop
Hill Country Collectibles. 115 Thigpen St.; (979) 278-3314. You’ll find a range of items here including soaps and candles, greeting cards, original artworks, quilts, and home decor accessories. Open Thurs through Sat.
Hourglass Trading Company. 248 Centennial; (979) 278-4040; hourglasstradingco.com. This shop is located in the old Carmine lumberyard and offers wares from over 30 different dealers. Some of the inventory here includes furniture, vintage apparel, glassware and china, and other home decor. Open Thurs through Sat.
During Antiques Week in the spring and fall, Carmine hosts several large events:
County Line Antique Show. Intersection of Spur 458 and TX 237. This antiques show takes place in several historic buildings that are themselves part of the fun. Shop in a former gas station, an old sausage company, and even an air-conditioned building as well as open-air tents during the twice-annual event.
La Bahia Antiques Show. TX 237, north of where Spur 458 intersects with the highway; labahiaantiques.com. This antiques show takes place in a historic community center. Free admission.
The Original Round Top Antiques Fair at the Carmine Dance Hall. 2 blocks north of US 290 at highway crossover sign; (512) 237-4747; roundtoptexasantiques.com. One of four venues offered by this very popular company, one ticket offers admission to all four sites. Many consider this market, held at an authentic old-time dance hall, one of the best.
From Carmine take Spur 458 south to TX 237, turning south on TX 237 to continue to Round Top. Officially founded in 1835 by settlers from Stephen F. Austin’s second colony, this town is filled with restored homes, log cabins, and country stores.
Round Top is also home to a world-class music facility. The International Festival Institute, located just outside of town, offers performances by visiting symphony orchestras under the summer stars.
“Downtown” Round Top consists of several blocks flanking the old courthouse. Today the county seat is located in nearby La Grange, but the lawn of the Round Top courthouse is still faithfully maintained by the DYD (Do Your Duty) Women’s Club, as it has been since the 1930s.
where to go
Round Top Family Library. 206 W. Mill St.; (979) 249-2700; ilovetoread.org. Serving as a traditional lending library for the residents of Round Top, this facility is also the home of the Bybee Texas Heritage Collection, focusing on Texas history, furniture, decorative arts, and architecture as well as oral histories of the pioneers who settled this region. The library is housed in the 1925 Hope Lutheran Church, a Gothic structure moved to Round Top from Milam County. Open 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mon through Sat. Free admission.
Round Top Festival Institute. 248 Jaster Rd. (off TX 237, 5 blocks north of Henkel Square); (979) 249-3129; festivalhill.org. This music and theater center was founded by noted pianist James Dick. During the school year, the Institute presents monthly concerts. In the summer, the center hosts students from around the world who entertain guests with musical performances. The center is housed in historic buildings, including an 1870 farmhouse and a former school for African Americans. The focal point of this site is the Festival Concert Hall, a limestone structure fitted with 1,000 seats. In its grandiose scale and its dedication to craftsmanship, the concert hall rises from its rural surroundings like a grand cathedral.
Even if you don’t have the opportunity to attend a concert here, call to schedule a tour. Your look at the institute can include the David Guion Museum Room, housing a collection of belongings and music of this Texas composer, and the Oxehufwud Room, a collection of Swedish decorative arts that recall the life of a Swedish noble family whose final member retired in La Grange. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the 100-acre grounds, which are planted with thousands of trees and include walking trails and a stonework bridge, constructed to resemble a Roman footbridge. Fee.
where to shop
Antiques Fairs. Round Top holds antiques fairs like no place else in the state. These events draw collectors from across the country for staggered antiques shows that range over a one-week period (deemed “Antiques Week”) in both the spring and fall, with limited shows in June as well.
Marburger Farm Antique Show. TX 237 between Round Top and Warrenton; (800) 947-5799; roundtop-marburger.com. This sale, which has been featured in top magazines such as Country Living, offers indoor and outside stalls spanning 10 large tents and 12 historic buildings. The 27 acres of parking gives you an idea of how popular this show is, which offers, for a higher fee, an early bird sales day.
The Original Round Top Antiques Fairs. At the Big Red Barn on TX 237; (512) 237-4747; roundtoptexasantiques.com. These megafairs draw antiques lovers from around the state to more than 300 booths. In addition to spring and fall Antiques Fairs, the company also presents a Winter Antiques Show.
Texas Rose Antique Show. 2075 S. TX 237; (256) 390-5337; texasroseshow.com. Collectibles, not flowers, are the hallmark of this show held in Mar and Oct. Vendors display their wares over 5 acres and within a 36,000-square-foot building. Free admission (and free parking).
Henkel Square Market. 201 N. Live Oak St.; (979) 249-5840; henkelsquareroundtop.com. A cluster of restored pioneer buildings now house a collection of shops selling arts and crafts, home and yard furnishings, and apparel. The visitor center of the Round Top Area Chamber of Commerce is also located in the square. Open Wed through Sun.
where to eat
Royers Round Top Cafe. 105 Main St., on the square; (979) 249-3611; royersroundtopcafe.com. You wouldn’t expect to find grilled rack of lamb, fresh red snapper in Cajun sauce, or grilled quail stuffed with shrimp at a small-town diner, but here it is. This lively joint serves up some of the best cooking in Central Texas in a fun atmosphere that’s popular with locals and visitors alike. It’s all topped off with homemade pies that include key lime chess, buttermilk, and that Texas favorite, pecan. Royers operates a mail-order and wholesale business, featuring meat seasonings, mesquite mustard, peach ’n’ pepper preserves, and applesauce butter. Open Wed through Sat 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun noon to 3 p.m. $–$$.
The Stone Cellar. 550 N. Washington St.; (979) 249-3390; stonecellarwines.com. An array of gourmet pizzas are the order of the day here as well as salads and nachos. A bar offers wines and over 20 beers on tap. You can catch live music on Fri and Sat evenings. Open Thurs through Sat. $$.
If you’re continuing on a collectibles hunt during Antiques Week, skip Winedale and continue on to Shelby. Otherwise, make time to detour to historic Winedale.
To reach the tiny burg of Winedale, head east of Round Top on FM 1457, then north on FM 2714. This town does not appear on the official Texas State Map, but it’s definitely on the map for Shakespeare buffs, thanks to the University of Texas productions here.
Winedale started out in 1870 as a German community named Truebsal. Eventually the community relocated slightly and, thanks to a grape crop from area farmers, got a post office with the official name of Winedale. Today the area is best known as the home of the Winedale Historical Center, part of the University of Texas’s Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. Winedale’s preservation dates back to the early 1960s, when conservationist Miss Ima Hogg worked to preserve the old Samuel Lewis homestead here, later donating it to the university.
where to go
Things are pretty quiet in Winedale for most of the year, except during the Shakespeare at Winedale events and in mid-December during the Christmas at Winedale celebration.
Winedale Historical Center. 3738 FM 2714 (4 miles east of Round Top via FM 1457, then north on FM 2714); (979) 278-3530; cah.utexas.edu. Although Shakespeare at Winedale is a limited activity, the center is a year-around attraction. The 225-acre complex is home to a collection of eight historic structures, a research center, a nature trail, and a picnic area. Tours (by appointment only) take visitors through homes furnished with period antiques and details such as stenciled ceilings that recall the area’s German heritage. Open Mon through Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee.
Shakespeare at Winedale. 3738 FM 2714 (4 miles east of Round Top via FM 1457, then north on FM 2714); (512) 471-4993 or (512) 471-4726; utexas.edu/cola/progs/winedale. Operated by the University of Texas at Austin, this center hosts annual Shakespeare productions that draw visitors from across the state. Students from assorted disciplines have come to Winedale every summer since 1970 to perform the works of the Bard in an old hay barn that has been refitted as an Elizabethan-style theater. For 15 to 18 hours a day, the students make costumes, prepare lighting, and rehearse. Public performances are held on selected dates Feb through Oct. Reservations for the performances are highly recommended. Fee.
To reach Shelby, head 6.1 miles east from Round Top on FM 1457. If you’ve made the Winedale detour, return to FM 1457 by retracing your steps on FM 2714, then turn east on FM 1457.
The small community of Shelby is old by Texas standards, first getting a post office in the 1840s. The post office closed in the early 20th century, but Shelby still brings many visitors during Antiques Week, thanks to several shows held in this burg.
where to shop
Shelby Antique Show. Harmonie Hall, FM 389, 0.5 mile past intersection of FM 389 and FM 1457; (727) 488-7750; antiqueshowshelbytx.com. This show held in the spring and fall isn’t as large as the ones you’ll find in Round Top, but many shoppers like the smaller crowds at this country show held in a historic (but air-conditioned) dance hall. Free admission.
This scenic little community dates back to Texas’s early days. It was settled by three families from Stephen F. Austin’s Old Three Hundred, the first colony settlers who received land grants. They were soon followed by Czech, German, and other immigrants who through the years named and renamed the community. Its most interesting moniker? Lick Skillet. The name came from the days when free meals were distributed and those who arrived too late were told to “lick the skillet.”
Today the town recalls that heritage with an October Lick Skillet Festival. The town also participates in Antiques Week (although you’ll find antiques shops open year-round). Downtown, don’t miss the 1880 precinct courthouse, built to help residents avoid the journey to the county courthouse in La Grange. The precinct courthouse also has a chiming clock, donated by the women’s Do Your Duty Club, making Fayetteville the world’s smallest town with a clock of that type.
Things are generally very quiet in Fayetteville, with limited hours at some shops and restaurants. During Antiques Week in the spring and fall, however, look for extended hours (and larger crowds).
where to go
Fayetteville Area Heritage Museum. 119 N. Washington St.; (979) 877-5290; fayettevilletxmuseum.org. Located on Fayetteville’s town square, this museum traces the history of the town. Don’t miss the displays on the Baca (pronounced “Batcha”) Band, a Czech family band that started in the late 1800s and became one of Texas’s top musical acts. Open Sat 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. Free admission; donations accepted.
Walking Tour of Historic Town Square. Fayetteville’s status as a true historical treasure is emphasized by the fact that a total of 345 buildings here are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Fayetteville’s town square is filled with fine examples of 19th-century architecture. The chamber of commerce offers a “Historic District Walking Tour Guide,” which can be downloaded at their website, fayettevilletxchamber.org.
where to eat
Joe’s Place. 120 N. Live Oak St.; (979) 378-9035. A fixture on Fayetteville’s square, Joe’s serves Texas favorites like chicken-fried steak, barbecue, steaks, and seafood. Its century-old shotgun-style interior is packed at lunchtime with locals who show up for the daily specials. Open Wed through Sun. $–$$.
Orsak’s Cafe. 121 W. Fayette St., on the square; (979) 378-2719. Country food is the order of the day at this Fayetteville favorite for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Catfish is tops, as are chicken-fried steak and burgers, but save room for the ice cream. Open Sun through Thurs 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Fri and Sat 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. $.
From Fayetteville head west on FM 1291 to Warrenton, best known as the home of the smallest Catholic church in the world.
where to go
St. Martin’s Church. Billed as the world’s smallest Catholic church, St. Martin’s, located on the west side of TX 237 north of town, is a simple white frame building. Inside the Lilliputian house of worship, plain wooden benches serve as pews before an ornate altar. Step inside for a look; visitors are welcome. Free admission.
where to shop
Like nearby Round Top, Warrenton is home to several antiques shows in both the spring and fall. Many of the Warrenton booths open days before the Round Top booths.
Cole’s Antique Show. TX 237 at intersection with FM 954; (281) 961-5092; colesantiqueshow.com. This antiques show spills out of a massive, air-conditioned building into tented booths with 10 acres of parking. Over 200 vendors are represented here.
The Zapp Hall Antique Show. TX 237; (713) 683-8029; zapphall.com. With a motto of “Come for the antiques, stay for the atmosphere,” this market is known not only for its fine antiques but also for its other activities, including free live music, a beer garden, and even an annex of Round Top’s famous Royer’s Round Top Cafe. The whole event takes place in a historic dance hall.
To head back to Austin from Warrenton, continue west on FM 1291; the road continues through the agricultural community of Walhalla before turning north and continuing to Led-better. At Ledbetter, you’ll intersect with US 290; turn west and continue to Austin.
You can also choose to head south to La Grange on TX 237, continuing as it becomes TX 159. This will take you through the community of Oldenburg, then to La Grange, where you can join Southeast Day Trip 01 and return home via La Grange, Smithville, Bastrop, and Cedar Creek.