Romantic Road Trip to Marble Falls
By Fred Afflerbach
Only an hour’s drive from Bell County, a little piece of Tuscany awaits—no transcontinental flight, no passport required. Just imagine it. Holding hands and strolling through a 22-acre vineyard. Watching the skyline turn from yellow to gold to crimson red. Wine tasting and a tour of the winery. You can enjoy all this, and more, at Flat Creek Winery, just a few miles off FM 1431 near Lake Travis. And a short and scenic drive from Flat Creek delivers you to Marble Falls, renowned for its art galleries and a museum that celebrates native daughter Birdie Harwood, Texas’ first female mayor. Whether you make it a day trip or a weekend getaway, you’ll find the Marble Falls area a memorable romantic destination.
Falls on the Colorado Museum
Here’s a little secret. There is no marble in Marble Falls. Never was. The stone outcroppings in the Colorado River—now underwater—for which the town was named, are actually dolomite. A nineteenth-century marketing campaign recruiting investors is responsible for the misinformation. Even if you’re not a history buff, stories like this will enlighten and entertain you at The Falls on the Colorado Museum, housed in a 120-year-old historic, granite schoolhouse.
A hands-on exhibit, built with 250-year-old cypress wood, reenacts how Mormon settlers harnessed energy from nearby Hamilton Creek 150 years ago. Although they kept to themselves, the Mormon community of about 250 was a vibrant and vital part of Marble Falls at the time.
In 1917, before women had the right to vote, Marble Falls elected the first woman mayor in Texas. The museum’s exhibit about Mayor Ophelia “Birdie” Harwood explains that she had parks and a power plant built, cleaned up the town and reined in the city’s finances. Known for campaigning by horseback, the diminutive woman packed a wallop when it came to her beliefs. “Her actions and background give you this feeling that she was a tough, big woman, but she wasn’t. She was a big persona, but a very small person,” says Darlene Oostemeyer, museum chairman.
2001 Broadway, Marble Falls
FallsMuseum.org
Flat Creek Winery
This 80-acre estate, nestled in the Hill Country just outside Lago Vista, brings couples together. Maybe it’s for a wedding, or an anniversary.
Driving through the front gate, Flat Creek makes a grand first impression with its groomed pastures, two spring-fed ponds and the namesake creek that flows through the property. In an unusual twist for a winery, owners Madelyn and Rick Nabers recently built an 18-hole disc golf course, with a layout easy enough for beginners to enjoy.
Inside the large dining room and arched doorways, high ceilings and a mural of a Mediterranean landscape set the tone for a special visit. The bistro menu offers paired wine and food with entrees like Ginger-Roasted Salmon with Zinfandel or Wild Boar with Special Reserve Tempranillo, all cooked in the wood-fired oven.
In the adjacent tasting room, you can sample five different wines for $15. “Occasionally, in the tasting room there will be a young man down on his knees ready to propose,” Madelyn confides. “That’s when the whole room just cheers!”
Although it’s a happy journey getting lost in the maze of grape types and wine flavors, don’t ask Madelyn which is her favorite. She will simply tell you, “It’s the one that’s in my glass.”
24912 Singleton Bend East, Marble Falls
FlatCreekEstate.com
Marta Stafford Fine Art
Situated on Main Street, where outdoor sculptures catch your fancy and boutiques and shops beckon, you’ll find Marta Stafford’s gallery. An eclectic mix of paintings, sculptures and other three-dimensional art creates a soothing ambiance that invites you to relax and take a deep breath.
Browse the gallery and you’ll encounter whimsical works, like a sculpture of a cow suspended in mid-air by a balloon, right next to a dramatic oil painting of a dancer. There is something for everyone in this elegant, eclectic gallery.
Owner Marta Stafford says her goal is to offer affordable works for people looking to begin their collection and high-end paintings that will satisfy the most discriminating taste. She believes in the transformative and healing power of art. “There is a lovely thing that happens when looking at art,” Stafford explains. “For a lot of people, it reminds them of a dream they have. It reminds them of a time that they were happy. It’s so emotionally based.”
200 Main St., Marble Falls
MartaStaffordFineArt.com
