Where to stay around Utopia ...
Since this place is packed... March to July anyway.
Here are some ideas for visitors regarding local lodging, and a few other pertinent odds and ends. Standard disclaimer applies: I have no financial interest whatsoever in any of these places. Area code is 830 here. First a couple non-lodging general items...
The primary eatery in town is the Lost Maples Cafe. It opens earlyish, and closes at 8 p.m. There are others (not after 8p) but which have changed lots so we won't try to keep up with that. Currently there is a sandwich shop next to the general store (in same building). Don't under-estimate the trailer food court, Rosie makes great tacos, and Big Ernie's BBQ pork ribs are to die for. There is some food here, but it is not the big city. If you have some "dressy casual" attire with you and will be here on a Saturday, try The Laurel Tree, a couple miles south of town. Lunch or dinner only, reservations required, visit The Laurel Tree
The General Store is usually not open Sundays except during deer season. Beer, wine and liquor need to be procured prior to arriving in Utopia. Some of that is available at Vanderpool, Tarpley, and Sabinal. A couple quick stops on Main St. you might find interesting are The Sabinal Canyon Museum (open weekends), and the Utopia Library has a nice butterfly garden on the south side. Use the gate to enter anytime, make sure you close it when you go.
Many of the local lodging establisments require two nights stay if one is a Friday or Saturday night, but other nights often one can get just one night, except at peak periods. Inquire. Many B & B's here are only the first 'B', bed, only. No breakfast at many of them. Many have kitchenettes. Inquire. Here are a few of the places around with a brief word or two. Scroll cursor over the business names below and if underlined, they are hotlinks.
The Sabinal River Lodge is right at the south end of town on Hwy. 187, but only has four or five rooms. It has had Green (Mexican) Violetear, Green and Ringed Kingfisher, Louisiana Waterthrush. Back side has river and hummer feeders.
Sandy, 966-3393
Utopia River Retreat is a group of cabins a mile west of the NW corner of town, again with river access so good birding out the door. 966-2444
Clear Springs Lodging is a lady (Tracy) that handles over a dozen local cabins, houses, etc. One called "the Preston Place" has great on site birding (Ring King hole in bank on property) a half mile south of town (Short-tailed Hawk over it Sept. 2016) and is a stand-alone house with a couple bedrooms. 966-2164
Bend O'the River is a few room B&B (as most here - without the second B maybe? - check), a couple miles north of town on Hwy. 187. Some birder folks said it was fine. Will add some contact info when I find some...
Foxfire Cabins in Vanderpool is just a mile south of Lost Maples. They also have cabins called Dos Arroyos a couple miles west of Vanderpool a lot of birders use and like.
966-2200 or 966-4241
The Lodges at Lost Maples I know nothing about, but some birders use them. A couple miles west of Vanderpool on Hwy. 337. Seems to have some on site birding.
966-5178 lodges@lostmaplescabins.com
Neal's Lodges in Concan I hear isn't quite the same as it was in its birding heyday when June Osborne was around. It has since changed ownership and management has changed. Since it became a fee site to bird for an hour I have not been covering Concan. 232-6118
Rio Frio Lodging is another house/cabin broker in the area that handles many local rentals, mostly larger stuff, more along the Frio. LeAnn, 966-2320
A longtime birders' favorite lodge, Utopia on the River, is closed, rumor has it that it will one day reopen. Uvalde has a Holiday Inn Express, a Hampton Inn, and a Motel 6. Hondo and Kerrville have the various chains of course as well. There is (not cheap) camping available at Utopia Park, and of course Garner St. Pk. as well as Lost Maples SNA.
Some other local town names to search besides Utopia are: Vanderpool, Leakey, Concan, Medina, Rio Frio, Tarpley, and Sabinal.
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