Hamilton Pool Preserve, Texas

Secret watering holes are a Texas staple, and they don’t get more iconic than this turquoise pond in a box canyon, encircled by a natural stone grotto and fed by a 50-foot waterfall. (Fittingly, it’s actually located in the town of “Dripping Springs,” a 40-minute drive from Austin.) Keep an eye out for pink and yellow chatterbox orchids and golden-cheeked warblers in the surrounding 30,428-acre preserve, and check the website ahead of time if you want to swim—recent falling rocks have caused local authorities to shutter the pool aspect for the current season (we blame 2020). #summervacation#beachvacation#hikingtrails#hotelstay#urbanexplorer