Bastrop

• 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.

By plane

Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) 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.

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.

• Bastrop County Historical Society Museum

  phone: +1 512 303-0057, +1 512 303-0904
  address: 904 Main St

• Bastrop Fine Arts Guild Gallery

  phone: +1 512 321-8055
  address: 815 Main St

Indoors

• Bastrop Opera House

  phone: +1 512 321-6283
  address: 711 Spring St
  Professional theater productions in a historic building built in 1889.

• Bastrop Skate Palace

  phone: +1 512 303-0320
  address: 488 Hwy. 95 N
  Large indoor roller skating rink.

• Chestnut Square Family Entertainment Center

  phone: +1 512 581-3500
  address: 1600 Chestnut St
  Multi-screen movie theater with stadium seating, bowling (bumpers available), indoor miniature golf and arcade

Outdoors

• Bastrop State Park

  phone: +1 512 321-2101
  address: Texas State Hwy. 21
  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).

• ColoVista Golf Club

  phone: +1 512 303-4045
  address: 100 Country Club Dr

• Fisherman's Park (City) and the Colorado River walkPlayground, Boat ramp

• Lake BastropThis 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

  phone: +1 512 303-1369

• McKinney Roughs Nature Park

  phone: +1 512 303-5073
  address: Texas State Highway 71
  Great hiking.

• Pine Forest Golf Club

  phone: +1 512 303-6777

• White Lightning Ranch

  phone: +1 512 680-0463
  address: 601 Pine Tree Loop
  Horseback riding-great horses and very nice lady.

• The Sugar Shack

  phone: +1 512 321-3777
  address: 114 Loop 150 W
  As the name implies, all kinds of sweet treats to be had.

• Naturally Country Clothing

  phone: +1 512 321-7002
  address: 601 Chestnut St

• Berdoll Pecan Farm

  address: 2626 State Highway 71 W
  Cedar Creek. Tasty treats and gifts.

• K M Skin Care

  phone: +1 512 303-7302
  address: 601 Chestnut St

• BeallsDepartment store with a focus on clothing.

• Portia's Pet Emporium

  address: 926 Main St
  Fun pet supply store where "animals are welcome to bring their owners".

• HEB Grocery

  phone: +1 512 321-1011
  address: 487 Hwy 71 W
  Best grocery store chain in Texas. Superstore has Bakery, Deli, Meat market, 1 hour photo lab

Budget

• The Pit Stop

  phone: +1 512-549-3772
  address: 1006 Main St
  Grill and fast food

• Roadhouse

  phone: +1 512 321-1803
  address: 2804 Hwy 21 E
  Best burgers.

• Chicken Express

  phone: +1 512 321-6800
  address: 107 N. Hasler Blvd
  Great sweet tea!

• Buck's Pizza

  phone: +1 512 321-0400
  address: 1007 Hwy 71 E

Mid-range

• Cripple Creek & Company

  phone: +1 512-332-2477
  address: 928 Main St
  Wine boutique, food and coffee, children's toys (Melissa & Doug, Klutz), wine accessories.

• Cartwright's Famous Bar-B-Que

  phone: +1 512 321-7719
  address: 490-A Hwy 71

• Billy's Pit Bar-B-Q

  phone: +1 512 321-6453
  address: 110 Hwy 71 W
  Simple barbecue, Texas style. The food is tasty.

• China Chef

  phone: +1 512 321-9802
  address: 300 Hwy 71 W
  Chinese lunch and Sunday buffets.

• MaMa Mia's Italian Garden

  phone: +1 512 321-7808
  address: 904 College St

• Anita's Cafe

  phone: +1 512 303-9693
  address: Main St
  Solid Tex-Mex eatery. Consistently good food.

• Vallarta Jalisco

  address: Hwy 71

• Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant

  phone: +1 512 321-3002
  address: 494 Hwy. 71 W, Suite 180

• Shady Oaks Restaurant

  phone: +1 512 303-6447
  address: Hwy 71 W
  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.

• Texas Grill

  phone: +1 512 321-5491
  address: 101 Hwy 71
  Country café, chicken fried steak. Cafeteria style lunch. Breakfast anytime.

• Big Mouth Southwestern Grill

  phone: +1 512 332-0074
  address: 912 Main St
  Beautiful setting, great food, live entertainment, full bar.

• Baxter's On Main

  phone: +1 512-321-3577
  address: 919 Main St
  Mid-range. Casual fine dining.

Splurge

• BootsBeer and wine only. Live music, pool tables, DJ, and more. No kitchen.

• Leon's Country StoreQuaint old beer joint, convenience store, & feed store.

• Lone Oak BarBeer joint with great old country jukebox.

• Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa

  phone: +1 512 308-1234
  address: 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Rd
  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

  phone: +1 512 321-3303
  address: 106 Hasler Blvd
  Two story motel.

• Pecan Street Inn Bed & Breakfast

  phone: +1 512 321-3315
  address: 1010 Pecan St
  Located in a historic landmark home.

• Buttonwood Row B & B

  phone: +1 512 303-5664
  address: 1402 Hill St
  Located in a historic landmark home.

• Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast

  address: 583 Union Chapel Rd
  Cedar Creek. Just east of Austin on Hwy 71 towards Austin.

• Bastrop Inn

  phone: +1 512 321-3949
  address: 102 Childers Dr

• Days Inn

  phone: +1 512 321-1157
  address: 4102 Hwy 71 E
  Two-story motel.

• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

  phone: +1 512 321-1900
  address: 491 Agnes
  Three-story motel.

• Tropicana Motel

  phone: +1 512 321-2526
  address: 103 Hwy 71 W
  Looks like it was built in the 1950s or 60s. Pool.

• Best Western Inn of the Pines

  phone: +1 512 321-6000
  address: 3110 Hwy 71 E
  Two-story kind of by itself.

RV parks

• Bastrop River RV Park

  phone: +1 512 321-7500
  address: 98 Hwy 71 W
  Gated, paved, propane available, walkway to deck on river bank, swimming pool.

• Hobo Camp RV Park

  phone: +1 512-332-2267
  address: 307 FM 1209

• Bastrop RV Park/By The Way Mobile Home Park

  address: 689 Highway 71 West

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.