Driftwood is an eclectic area on the outskirts of Austin
Spread out over the vast grasslands of the Texas Hill Country, Driftwood offers a rustic environment with a range of touted attractions and amenities. The area features multiple well-rated public schools, spacious properties, wineries and a very popular barbecue spot. “Most of Driftwood falls within Dripping Springs Independent School District. That’s why we moved there 20-some years ago,” says Realtor Mark Clausen, a Driftwood-area resident and principal owner of The Veritas Group at Compass Real Estate. “And then you’re 20 to 30 minutes to downtown Austin, depending on where in Driftwood you’re at.”
Residential seclusion is just outside the city
Driftwood’s sun-baked country roads branch off into a variety of housing developments, where buyers can find roomy homes on over an acre. Many houses were built within the last quarter-century, but there are a few options from the 1980s that remain. Subdivisions like Sierra West, La Ventana and Howard Ranch feature New Traditional houses with stone facades and deep yards. HOA fees vary, typically from $30 to over $130 per month. Floor plans average about 3,200 square feet. Most properties sell for anywhere from $530,000 to $3.3 million based on factors including age, square footage and acreage. Driftwood’s median sale price is about $1.1 million. The area’s climate poses severe heat and fire risks, according to First Street.
Area schools offer a range of extracurriculars
The Dripping Springs Independent School District is rated A by Niche and serves much of the northern and central portions of the Driftwood community. Families may apply for out-of-district transfers and intradistrict moves, subject to space and administrative approval. Cypress Springs Elementary School offers extracurricular activities, including a science fair club. Sycamore Springs Middle School has its own sports teams, from football to golf. Dripping Spring High School has an accomplished marching band and robotics team. All three schools maintain A ratings from Niche. Some sections of Driftwood are zoned for other school systems, including the B-plus-rated Hays Consolidated Independent School District and the A-minus-rated Wimberley Independent School District.
Austin is 25 miles away
Driftwood is considered a bedroom community to Austin, the state capital and home to 960,000 people. Residents have a fairly straightforward commute into downtown Austin, 25 miles away, using Ranch to Market Road 1826 and Texas State Highway Loop 1. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is just under 30 miles away and offers nonstop flights to cities from Dallas to Frankfurt, Germany. Austin’s Ascension Seton Southwest Hospital is a 14-mile trip and has a 24-hour emergency department.
Barbecue and wine are easy to find
The Hill Country landscape is conducive to growing grapes. “There’s a plethora of vineyards out in the area,” Clausen says. In turn, this region is also known as Texas Wine Country. Driftwood residents are close to multiple wineries, including Fall Creek Vineyards, which dates to 1975 and is considered a trailblazer in the state’s wine scene. Also, Driftwood Estate Winery, whose adjacent bistro serves quesadillas, sandwiches, steaks and more. Fall Creek Vineyards is across Ranch to Market Road 1826 from The Salt Lick BBQ, a well-known spot whose chefs cook over an open fire pit. The menu has a variety of options, from turkey and sausage to brisket and pulled pork. “If you order family style when you go there — which is what we typically do, at least me and my son — it’s kind of like a Brazilian steakhouse. They keep bringing you brisket until you cry uncle,” Clausen says, adding that the restaurant is also BYOB. “You see people walking in with coolers all the time." Residents can head to Dripping Springs for groceries and other shopping. Along U.S. Route 290, there's an H-E-B, Home Depot and Walgreens.
Outdoor recreation includes hiking and swimming
Driftwood is home to Charro Ranch Park, a 64-acre expanse with six trails that wind through the grasslands, totaling over 2 miles. Locals can travel about 26 miles to explore the over 5,200-acre Pedernales Falls State Park, where they can hike the 6-mile Wolf Mountain Trail or mountain bike on the 10-mile Juniper Ridge Trail. Part of the Pedernales River snakes through the park and is open to swimming and fishing. People can also cool off at Hamilton Pool Preserve, 21 miles away, where there’s a 50-foot waterfall and a natural pool that’s open to swimming as water conditions allow. Clausen says the Driftwood area also attracts a lot of road cyclists. “Because the roads aren’t as heavily traveled as they are in town, you’ll see packs of people out bike riding.”
Community events celebrate music and the fall season
This area hosts multiple annual events, including the three-day Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival in October, which features over three dozen artists across seven stages, along with plenty of food and drinks. Vista Brewing in Driftwood also puts on the Driftwood Fall Festival on its 21-acre property across a three-week period from mid-October to early November. The event has a pumpkin patch, a maze, a petting zoo and an artisan market.
![Wayne Epps Jr.]()
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
