Places to Stay Near Helotes, TX
Real log cabins, full-hookup RV sites and cowboy campsites in the Hill Country, a short drive up Highway 16 from Helotes.
Check Availability & BookA Hill Country Getaway Beyond Helotes
Helotes sits where San Antonio's suburbs meet the Hill Country, and it is where Bandera Road (Highway 16) starts heading out into ranch country. It has its own small-town treasures, too: John T. Floore Country Store, one of the oldest outdoor music venues in Texas; the MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes on the first Saturday of every month; and family-owned El Chaparral, serving Mexican food in Helotes since 1972. There are hotels around Helotes, but a lot of guests want more than a room.
Al's Hideaway is a family-run property of 13 handcrafted log cabins, 10 full-hookup RV sites and 9 cowboy campsites on 20 acres in Pipe Creek. Follow Highway 16 north from Helotes and you are there in about 20 minutes. We are not a hotel; we are the quiet weekend that starts after the last stoplight.
Hotel or Getaway? Places to Stay Near Helotes
What to expect from the different options around Helotes and the northwest side.
| Option | What you get | Best for / trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel near Helotes or on the northwest side | A standard room, close to shopping, dining and Loop 1604 | Convenient for visiting family, events or a quick overnight. It is still city noise and city rates |
| Airbnb or short-term rental | A whole house or guest suite, often in a neighborhood | Good for groups. House rules, cleaning fees and neighbors vary widely |
| RV park near San Antonio | A pad with hookups, often closer to the highway | Fine for a night. Check for shade, space between sites and whether it feels like a getaway |
| Al's Hideaway | 13 handcrafted log cabins (four one-bedroom cabins have full kitchens), 10 full-hookup RV sites, 9 cowboy campsites — on 20 acres with a pool and two creeks | Couples, bikers, dog owners, RVers, church groups and reunions who want space and quiet. Not walkable to a town center; you drive in (about 20 minutes from Helotes) |
Why Helotes-Area Guests Head Up to Pipe Creek
A real Hill Country weekend without a long drive.
Just 20 minutes, worlds away
Follow Highway 16 north and swap traffic lights for ranch land, creeks and open sky. It is about 20 minutes from Helotes.
After a night at Floore’s
John T. Floore Country Store has been a Texas honky-tonk since 1942, with some of the best outdoor concerts around. Catch a show, skip the late drive back across town, and head up Highway 16 to a quiet cabin.
Riders on Highway 16
Bandera Road is one of the classic rides out of San Antonio. Stop 20 minutes past Helotes for the night, and keep going to Bandera in the morning. See motorcycle & touring stays.
Visiting family in Helotes?
Give everyone some breathing room. Stay 20 minutes up the road in your own cabin or bring the RV: 10 full-hookup pull-through sites (20/30/50 amp).
Church groups & reunions
Northwest-side churches and families use our pavilion and outdoor kitchen for retreats and reunions. See our event venue.
Dark skies
One of the darkest sky corridors in Central Texas — a real difference from the glow around the city. Pets are always free.
Why Guests Come Out Here: Unplug, Meet the Animals, Feel the Cowboy Heritage
Al's Hideaway is where people come to slow down and to do things they cannot do in the city.
No traffic, no car horns, no sirens. Two creeks, a pool, one of the darkest sky corridors in Central Texas, and a short walk to the store for morning coffee and breakfast.
See the log cabins →Pet Highland cows, feed camels and kangaroos, and meet capybaras, wallabies and alpacas at working farms right here in Pipe Creek.
Highland cows →Camel farm →
Exotic animal encounters →
Ride horses, meet Texas longhorns, and catch rodeo season and Bandera's Round Up weekend, all a short drive from your cabin.
Horseback riding & longhorns →Bandera Round Up →
Scenic drives →
Things to Do Near Helotes and on the Way Up
Plan your weekend around the first Saturday of the month and you can shop the MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes, one of the best market days in the Hill Country and right up there with Fredericksburg. Grab lunch at El Chaparral, family-owned since 1972, and catch an evening show at John T. Floore Country Store. Government Canyon State Natural Area is just to the west for hiking. Head north on Highway 16 and the Hill Country opens up: scenic drives, horseback riding and longhorns, river tubing and Bandera's rodeos and Main Street.
Once you are at Al's Hideaway, our neighbors add Highland cows, a camel farm and exotic animal encounters. The Hill Country area guide has the full list.
Everything You Need, Already Here
Leave the 1604 traffic behind. Once you pull in, the pool, creeks, pavilion, outdoor kitchen and on-site store (firewood, snacks, sno cones and smoothies) are a short walk from your door.
Real beds, A/C and a porch, about 20 minutes from Helotes. No cleaning fees and no pet fees.
10 full-hookup RV sites (20/30/50 amp) and 9 cowboy campsites for tents.
Cool off in the pool, walk to the creeks, and watch the stars come out with no city glow.
Hot Meals, Specialty Coffee & Clean Energy Drinks On Site
If you are escaping the traffic around Helotes and San Antonio, the whole point is to slow down. Our on-site store serves hot meals, and the Al's Hideaway Energy & Drink Bar is now open, making specialty coffee, espresso drinks and cold brew, plus clean energy drinks made with premium Monin flavors and sugar-free options. You can eat, sip and stock up without getting back in the car.
You came up here to get away from drive-thrus. Walk over for a cold brew and breakfast instead, and hear the creek instead of Bandera Road traffic.
If you are riding on to Bandera, fuel up here first: it is 15 more minutes up Highway 16 to Main Street, and you will be back in time for the stars.
Staying Somewhere Else in the Hill Country?
Same property, same log cabins and RV sites — here is how it fits each nearby town. Or see all 13 cabins, the RV sites and our Hill Country area guide.
Cabins and RV sites about 45 minutes from downtown San Antonio.
Stay near San Antonio →