Far to the north of Austin, the live music capital of the world, sits the town of Florence. Located west of Texas State Highway 195, which connects it to the rest of Texas, Florence is a small town that enjoys the country life away from the hectic nature of larger cities. Although Austin lies about forty minutes south, most residents of Florence enjoy their time locally. The community gathers regularly at the local parks and library, while adults can find retreat at the nearby vineyard. Florence isn’t large, but its small feel and tightly knit community of friendly neighbors makes for a welcome retreat from city life. If you are thinking about buying Florence real estate, you will find a cozy country town that is far from the city and nestled directly in the center of the Texas countryside.
In a small town like Florence, it’s not unusual to see residents taking advantage of the public facilities that have been constructed around town. With Austin more than a half hour away, dining and music in town requires a wait for the weekend. Every day, though, people gather at the local community park where children gather after school and couples sit along the park benches. With 14 acres full of playscapes, pavilions, walking trails, and observation decks, the park gives residents an excellent time in the countryside of central Texas. Elsewhere, the city maintains a swimming pool along Church Street, where residents of the town turn out every summer for a cooling dip to relieve the sometimes scorching Texas heat.
When they’re not at the park, residents of Florence can stop into the Eula Hunt Beck Florence Public Library, which keeps books, audio books, and DVD’s on stock for adults and children alike. The library also offers internet access for the parts of the community that cannot afford it at their home, as well as fax and copy services for local businesses. The library also brings in different lecturers to talk to the public, such as members of the local Stone Carver association and representatives of the Master Gardeners. These lectures are designed to educate residents about different organizations in the area and how to join. Finally, the library also sponsors runs throughout the year to raise money that goes directly toward maintaining the library. Fun events such as the lecture and 5K runs are part of what make this library a vital part of the community.
The Vineyard at Florence offers a taste of elegance in the center of Texas. Offering some of the best domestically produced wine in the entire state, the Vineyard acts in a traditional role of wine production, but also uses the beautiful grounds for other purposes. Very often, the rustic setting is used for wedding photography, bridal parties, and the weddings themselves. Horse drawn carriages draw the happy couples to their destinations, where the festivities are waiting to being.
The Vineyard also welcomes people from Florence and Austin on a regular business for dining and drinks at its on premise café and bar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are offered featuring famous Texas ice tea, salads, breads and bagels, sausage, and more. At the bar, you can enjoy a wine tasting of 5 estate wines for only $12. The bar regularly hosts concerts and music festivals that also help pass the time well into the night. If you are looking for an elegant evening enjoying the finest wines in Texas to the sounds of music, then a night at the Vineyard may just be what you are looking for.
If you are not looking for an evening of wine and instead just want a solid meal to fill your stomach, there are few places to grab a burger than Andice General Store. While it’s called a general store, this location is actually home to some of the best burgers found in the entire region. The Andice General Store provides giant burgers served up alongside plates full of crispy crinkled fries. Outside, diners can take their meals onto the patio and enjoy their burgers in the famous Texas sun from the safety of the outside patio table umbrellas.
Andice truly does look as if it were pulled out of the Wild West, and has stood at its location for close to a century. The delicious Texas style cooking draws in diners from as far as Austin. When they’re not enjoying the food, they can catch a sight of Andice’s famous miniature pony, who trots along outside the store. This is truly a family favorite destination where you can take the wife and kids, or just get together with coworkers for some of the best cooking in the state.
