Read, Raft and Relax
A Review of the River View B & B

Tired of big city traffic, airplanes, and theme parks? Try moseying over to the peaceful River View B&B at 52 Pecan Street in Blanco, Texas. It's about an hour from Austin, Killeen, San Antonio or New Braunfels, and 125 miles south of Johnson City. Once you get to the only stoplight in Blanco on Highway 281, you're about a minute and a turn away from this hidden treasure.

One of many unique features of the River View B&B is its location in Blanco. From the River View, you can throw a rock to town businesses like Dairy Queen and throw another rock into the rustic Blanco State Park with the Blanco River along side it. You're in the town; you're on the river. You have a view of and free access to the river for fishing and swimming and to the state park's trails and play areas, and you can walk to groceries, shopping for vintage treasures, or restaurant meals.

Pull in under one of the front yard's pecan shade trees. Walk through a humble iron gate between stone pillars, and step up to the friendly covered porch with large porch swing. Notice the stone on the exterior of the house and surrounding yard. The original builder, as it is told, actually hand picked the stones from around the area when erecting the house in 1939.

Upon opening the front door, you're greeted by a blast of cool air from the AC (very nice during the summer months) and numerous ceiling fans. From the central part of the house, the great room, you can see that oak hardwood floors run through most of the first floor. The great room sports a large leather couch, colorful rugs, a row of antique theater seats, and several armchairs and end tables. Quilts drape chairs, and antique furniture and lamps create a homey feel. Sturdy ceramic pulls hang from the ceiling fans; the rustic décor looks old world but is spotlessly clean. After letting your eyes wander around the great room, you can look straight ahead to see the river through the sun room windows.

The enclosed sun room is furnished with rattan rockers, chairs, indoor/outdoor carpet, a table for eating or gathering, and games. There's no AC, but doors and glass windows separate the area from the rest of the house, and a ceiling fan and opened exterior windows allow a breeze. The sun room rests under two large pecan trees providing a lot of shade. Even in the August, the sun room is a nice place to sit and read or have your morning coffee.

From the front door down the hallway to the right are two bedrooms with a full bath between them. Each bedroom has wood walls, natural window light, a deliciously comfortable queen-sized bed, and a robe you can wear during your stay. Linens are fresh, mattresses firm. Ceiling fans spin in both rooms. The restroom is spacious with sturdy towel hooks and adequate hot water and pressure for long showers or a relaxing soak in the tub. Towels are plush. Antiques grace every area.

To the left of the house's front entry is a dining room that doubles as either a den (with TV, VCR / DVD player, shelf full of books, and game table) or additional sleeping space (with a queen-sized Aerobed floor mattress and linens in the room's antique armoire).

Adjacent to the dining room is a well-equipped sunny kitchen with a granite island. Find everything you'd expect in a full kitchen plus a microwave, coffee maker, coffee carafe and extras like napkins, all varieties of tea, an electric cake mixer, milkshake machine, and a waffle iron. At this B&B you make your own breakfast from provided supplies that include homemade granola, eggs, pancake mix, gourmet coffee, peppermint cocoa (also homemade) and orange juice.

A flagstone porch, wrought iron table and six chairs welcome you to the fenced backyard. Take all your meals there if you like. Hang the house's double hammock on designated hooks, light up the charcoal grill or sit under a tree and read a book.

Off the flagstone porch is a wooden staircase that leads to a loft-style bedroom and full bath (shower only). The loft has only two tiny windows, but it's roomy with a king bed (or twins if you rearrange) and enough carpeted floor space for a couple additional sleepers. The ceiling follows the roof line. The stairway is not accessible to those with handicaps and probably not safe for the toddling set, and you may wish to run the table top fan to drown out any conversations going on in the house's great room. But the loft is a cozy place. Enjoy its privacy, and plan to sleep very, very well.

The backyard slopes gently downward toward a little-used state park road paralleling the Blanco River. From the yard you can watch kayakers, swimmers and fathers and sons quietly casting for trout, or you can exit the rear gate in the backyard and walk along the river yourself. Several varieties of ducks and noisy geese will be glad to gobble up any bread you toss. Or bring an inner tube or swimming noodle and jump in. The water is relatively clean, the bottom muddy, banks shady. There is no lifeguard or sandy beach access, but floating the day away the gentle current of the river between two dams - well, let's just say you'll enjoy it, whether you're 4 or 84.

During your visit, you can fish (with a license) in the park, swing on the porch or swing at the playground in the park, prepare dinner for a group, float in the river, paddle your canoe or kayak on the river, ride your bicycle around the park, play the board games provided, watch TV, or walk Blanco's streets. Take the nature trail near the house to see a champion oak tree, and follow the trail to town. Eat at a barbecue restaurant less than a block away from the house. Within three or so blocks, there are around 10 restaurants. Occasionally there are special events going on in Blanco on summer weekends. But one thing you will not find at the River View B&B is a rat race. So far no one seems to miss it.

Most patrons escape to the River View B&B to read, raft and relax. It's not uncommon for visitors to return several times a year. It's just that wonderful.


Terri Rector Fannis a freelance writer in Austin, TX. Her work appears in the February through December 2006 issues of Scrapbook Answers magazine, Grrl Talk (official book release March 2007), and on various online course websites (www.hp.com, others).