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Fine art, first-rate restaurants, and fashionable boutiques may not come to mind when you imagine a tiny Texas town — but Hico is flipping the script with a wellspring of upscale enticements that are well worth the drive from Fort Worth. Investors have been pouring money into this little hamlet on the northern edge of the Hill Country and the banks of the Bosque River. For drivers who want to avoid the traffic and semitrucks on Interstate 35, it’s a smart midpoint stop between Fort Worth and Austin.
But Hico is becoming a destination itself, with plenty of reasons to linger. It started life as a cattle-and-cotton market town in the late 1800s, and many of its limestone buildings date from this era. Their rock-hewn charm gives Hico’s diminutive downtown the quaint ambiance of yesteryear; many have been restored into trendy eateries, shops, and hotels with local artwork on the walls. Stroll slowly along Pecan Street, the epicenter of activity, and check out the 1850s log cabin in Peppermint Square around the corner. New and vintage murals dot the main area, which stretches just half a mile from one side (Second Street) to the other (Hico City Park).
The park runs along the north bank of the Bosque River, a peaceful nature break cradled in the shade of giant pecan trees. You can walk or bike the mile-long path or snag one of the waterside tables for a picnic en plein air. There are several places to fill your basket with made-from-scratch goodies. Two Clay Birds Bakery & Garden Market offers fresh-baked breads and pastries, small-batch pickles, and sandwiches — all with an eye toward local, natural ingredients. Goin2Be sells tasty box lunches and Amish-made preserves. Grab wild popcorn flavors at Hico Popcorn Works (like sweet jalapeno and cinnamon toast) and go for the decadent dark truffles at Wiseman House Chocolates.
If you’re traveling on the weekend, be sure to browse the calendar at HiCo Hall for live music and special events. Hico’s historic cotton mill, built in 1899, sat unused for decades until a couple of enterprising locals transformed it into a rustic-chic venue with oodles of authentic character. Doors open every Sunday at 2 p.m. for a free afternoon of Texas music, and concerts take place on various Saturday nights. Musical performers also pop up around town at Eis, Goin2Be, and Buzzed Brumby — so keep an ear out. Prefer to choose your tunes? Drop a dime in the jukebox (err … enter your credit card) at Wild Saddle Saloon, Hico’s newest watering hole and a hotspot for billiards.
Whether you sing along, shop till you drop, or simply savor the bygone charm, this little country hideaway has big appeal.
Explore Hico

Savor: Foodies will find a home in Hico. The newest eatery is BarbaCelli’s Pizza Joint, where wood-fired, brick oven pies come with cheffy toppings like spicy honey, gorgonzola, pesto and roasted garlic. Crusts are chewy and charred. The owners also run Oma Leen’s, recently relocated from Walnut Springs to a refurbished 19th-century general store in Hico. The carved wooden bar from Dodge City, Kansas, circa 1880, is truly something special. So is the farm-to-table fare, with cuisine that ranges from Southern to Italian; pasta dishes are always on point. And try brilliantly crafted Texas eats at the Chop House, like a Sunday brunch with brisket cheddar biscuits and house-smoked, molasses-cured salmon. Then there’s Eis, an ice cream parlor and sandwich café with tons of Texas-made ingredients. Finally, if you want to go old-school, the pies at Koffee Kup Family Restaurant have the tallest meringues this side of the Mississippi.

Shop: You can indulge in some serious retail therapy in this small town, starting at Hico Mercantile. More than 40 artisans and vendors have turned the town’s 1895 opera house into a two-story treasure chest of clever finds, from chunky ceramic jugs to chatty tea towels and cute pajamas. Another one-of-a-kind stop is Blue Star Trading, part art gallery, part museum, and part gift shop. Browse rattlesnake skin boots and high-end leather jackets at Hide and Horne Western store, and head to Hill Country Dwellings for a fresh take on sophisticated farmhouse decor.

Enjoy: Billy the Kid is big news around here. Locals believe that the infamous outlaw lived out his life in peace and quiet in Hico under the name “Brushy Bill” until 1950. Decide for yourself at the Billy the Kid Museum and snap a selfie by the gunslinger’s statue by Eis. Feel like shooting at something yourself? From a tiny tank? Hop in the commander’s seat and shoot paintballs at your friends at Mini Tank Combat Battlefield Zone. Choose from three battlefields: Vietnam, Fury, and Battle of the Bulge. Now that your adrenaline is flowing, head to Siloville to climb the six-story grain silos (inside or outside) and channel your inner gladiator on the Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course.

Snooze: Just like the restaurants and shops, Hico’s hotels heighten the small-town standard with surprisingly chic spaces — like the six romantic rooms at Upstairs Inn B&B. Exposed limestone walls, antique furniture, and top-shelf linens create a cozy mood. The Midland Hotel is slightly bigger, with 14 rooms (plus the Chophouse restaurant) in a brick building from the 1890s. Each room has unique touches, like historic maps of Texas and panes of beveled stained glass. For glamping, Off the Vine RV Park rents adorable vintage trailers with Texas city themes, including the “Fort Worth” Scout trailer with cowhide pillows and horns on the wall. Social Grace Guest House is fun and colorful for a trip with the girls, and Hico’s newest boutique hotel — The Henry — is a bold downtown addition of modern Western style.

How to Get There: It’s 80 miles to Hico, and the drive takes about 80 minutes. Head south from Fort Worth on the Chisholm Trail Parkway for 27 miles to Cleburne, then turn left onto US-67 S toward Glen Rose. In 37 miles, turn left onto TX-220 S, and Hico is 13 miles ahead. Take a right onto Second Street, and you’ll be in the heart of town.