Chill Out in the Hill Country

You haven't experienced summer in Texas until you float down the emerald-hued Guadalupe River or blast down a twisty slide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, the world's largest water park. Pumped from the spring-fed Comal River, the water stays a cool 72 degrees all summer long.

Water attractions take center stage in New Braunfels and the neighboring riverside village of Gruene, a half-hour drive north of San Antonio, but there are plenty of other recreational activities. Hone your serve with a lesson at The John Newcombe Tennis Ranch. Cruise to see rhinos, giraffes, and 50 other species of wild critters at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, or step down into the cool air at Natural Bridge Caverns, where you can explore the largest public cave in Texas, with an underground chamber as large as a football field.

left: On summer days, the Guadalupe River turns into the state's biggest floating block party.

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