Al's Hideaway was only established recently as a campground in Pipe Creek, Texas, located in the hills east of Bandera Falls and on the south side of Pipe Creek. The property is surrounded by hills, greenery, and various wildlife. In the town of Pipe Creek, one can find a number of restaurants and activities, and the city is only a short drive away from San Antonio. Close to the property, there are a wide variety of tours that can be found as well as a few shuttles that can take guests to other parts of the city like the airport or the neighboring town, Bandera, which is known as "The Cowboy Capital of Texas."
Al's Hideaway is spread across 20 acres of Texas country land. On the property, there are a grand total of 10 RV sites, 12 cabins, and two teepees that are available for guests to stay in during all times of the year. All of the cabins come with a king-sized bed, a shower, a microwave, a mini-fridge, and furniture on the patio for two. The RV sites come with 20, 30, and 50 AMP electric stations, as well as water and sewage stations. When visiting, guests are also welcome to use the 16 by 40-foot outdoor pavilion equipped with a full kitchen, wet bar, free WiFi, and a large swimming pool. Also available to guests is a smoke pit that is often used by visitors to make smoked meats and other foods.
16 out of the 20 acres contain a variety of outdoor activities or allow for such activities to take place. Guests can bring their own games and equipment to play on the campground. Due to the location of Al's Hideaway, there are a number of hiking trails of varying difficulty that are located on the campground property, as well as a creek and trails that allow for horseback riding. A shuttle service is available to anyone looking to be taken river rafting in the Medina River or people who are looking to enter the town. Wine tours and concerts are held on several different occasions on the property.
The area is surrounded by many natural attractions like gardens and—to see the more aquatic and wild animals up close—an aquarium. There are also several accessible big city malls that can be found in the area. In the cities of Pine Creek and Bandera Falls, many well-rated local restaurants can be located. A few dining options which are mentioned on Al's Hideaway's website include Country Sweets Bakery, which serves pastries and loaves of bread, and The Old Forge, which serves a wide selection of meats and seafood, as well as vegetables from their salad bar. The owner reports that the number of reservations is fairly consistent across the year, as they are available year-round; however, they do see a slight decline in occupancy during the months of January and August.
The goal of Al's Hideaway is to create a family-friendly atmosphere at the campground. The staff and guests have adopted the motto, "Arrive a guest, Become Friends, Return as Family." The owner explains that the goal is for guests to be comfortable and relaxed while staying at the campground.
Previous visitors have left a number of reviews regarding their appreciation of the owner, whose name is Gordon Cook, and describing his level of service as being high. Many of the reviews have mentioned that the guests enjoyed the large property and how there are so many things to do without having to leave the campground—several of these being river rafting, swimming, hiking, and horseback riding. One guest review read as follows: "We did the primitive camping and had a lot of fun. Some of the campsites are easily accessible by car and others you would want to either bring a Jeep or ATV to reach them or just walk. There is a volleyball net and open space for activities behind the cabins."
The owner mentions that they encourage exploration and solitude, whether that's branching out to some of the towns that are within range, like Lake Hills, Kerrville, and Boerne, to name a few.
The owner of Al's Hideaway, Gordon Cook, founded the property about four years ago, in 2017. Gordon says he does all of the work that eventually goes into aspects of the property. He bought the property and cleared the land, then he built the cabins—which are now available for guests to stay—and is now the full-time keeper of the grounds. The campsite was originally just woods on an open field. He bought the property because it was a lifelong dream to get into the campground industry. He sold almost everything he had and took upwards of a year to build and establish what is now known as Al's Hideaway. He loves people and is dedicated to getting to know every guest and give them the best experience possible.
Gordon says he named it Al's Hideaway after his Grandfather, whose name is Albert. When Albert returned from being a prisoner of war in World War II, he would take Gordon to the Helotes to enjoy the scenery and see the wildlife.
299 Willow Springs
Pipe Creek, Texas 78063
United States
Campground
Gordon Cook
