WHEN TO GO: Texas is hot and sticky come August, but the evening breezes blow cool at Sinya, a collection of safari-style tents in the lush Hill Country.
WHAT TO EXPECT: Communing with nature isn’t always comfortable. But at four-year-old Sinya, inspired by owner Lynn Gallimore’s travels in Africa, hikers, bird-watchers, and those looking to rough it in style can indulge their inner Hemingway, then scrub up in a refreshing outdoor shower. Or better yet, just relax on the veranda hammock with a glass of chilled Vermentino pressed from local grapes.
TYPICAL DAY: Spend the morning admiring the eponymous creek, which wends through the five-acre retreat, or head down to the water for a dip. Sinya’s hiking guests have found shards associated with the Native tribes who lived along the banks, but adventurers with an eye for more contemporary artifacts will want to make the quick trip to the First Saturday Market, a hotbed of collectibles and tchotchkes all mixed up in hundreds of booths. Since there’s no restaurant at Sinya, you’ll need to stock up on meal provisions as well. After a stop at Linda’s Fine Foods for Whole Foods–style prepared salads and sides, head to Bella Vista Ranch for olives and homegrown oils to round out an open-air picnic back at the tent. If the water’s high, anglers can complete their meal with white crappies pulled from Lone Man Creek.
GETTING THERE: The retreat is a forty-minute drive from Austin. hillcountrysinya.com
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