Central Texas, along with many other parts of Texas, busts the western movie stereotype of Texas being all plains and prairie. The rolling hills of Central Texas are full of huge oak trees along with plenty of mountain cedar (ashe juniper) and mesquite. The clear, cool spring fed rivers and creeks are lined with towering cypress trees and are a welcome relief in the hot Texas summer as are the many lakes.
In the summer, one of the favorite activities is floating down a creek or river in an inner tube. In spring, it's time to drive the winding backroads and take in the rainbow of colors produced by the blooming wildflowers including bluebonnets and indian paintbrush. In fall and winter, the hunters visit in hopes of taking home a white-tail deer.
A couple of the favorite local cuisines are barbecue and a cheesier, greasier version of traditional Mexican food lovingly referred to as Tex-Mex.