Travel + Leisure Co. has purchased The Cedars Ranch in Wimberley, a 20-acre property tucked among mature live oaks less than an hour outside Austin, and plans to turn it into Eddie Bauer Adventure Club–Texas Hill Country, the first Outpost in the brand's growing portfolio. The company says reservations for vacation club owners and guests will open in early 2027, with actual stays anticipated to begin that summer.
The announcement, detailed in a press release from Travel + Leisure Co., describes the planned property as including 21 accommodations ranging from geodomes to yurts and cabins. The site, which the company says sits among mature live oaks in the heart of Texas Hill Country, is slated to keep some of its existing bones: the property's current main event space will become an owners' lounge with self-serve retail, according to the same release. Accommodations are described as blending modern architecture with sustainable solar power. As reported by the Financial Times, the purchase was announced Friday.
What Guests Can Expect On-Site
Per the company statement, the Outpost will offer firepits, outdoor camp kitchens, an onsite trail, bocce, pickleball and yard games. Phased renovations are planned to continue throughout 2027, adding accommodations and enhancing resort amenities, the release notes. Sarah Koves, the company's senior vice president of brand strategy, said in the announcement that owners can cycle Hill Country roads and explore nearby towns before returning to a retreat under live oaks.
Before the sale, The Cedars Ranch operated as what its own site calls an eco-conscious retreat offering glamping yurts, cozy cabins and sprawling event spaces for weddings, retreats and getaways. That framing lines up with the direction Travel + Leisure Co. is taking the property, even as the accommodation count and amenities shift under the new Eddie Bauer branding.
Part Of A Larger Adventure Club Buildout
The Texas property fits into a three-part ecosystem the company has been assembling under the Eddie Bauer Adventure Club name: Basecamps, Outposts and Trail Partners, per the investor release. Basecamps are described as the club's resort properties, with the first located in Moab, Utah. That inaugural Moab location features 39 suites, including studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom accommodations, according to a separate Business Wire release announcing that debut.
Outposts, meanwhile, are pitched as more intimate properties designed for immersive stays in nature, featuring modern cabins, lodges, tiny homes and similarly distinctive lodging. Trail Partners round out the network, giving owners access to an expanding roster of outdoor stays; Under Canvas was named the first Trail Partner, giving club owners access to its 18 properties across North America, according to a Business Wire announcement on the partner network. Owners can apply their club credits toward stays and excursion add-ons across that network, the same release states.
Perks Tied To Club Ownership
Eddie Bauer Adventure Club owners get a handful of built-in perks once the Wimberley property opens, according to the company announcement: one complimentary annual excursion for two people, curated based on season and setting; automatic guide-tier status in the Eddie Bauer Adventure Rewards program; and 50% off regularly priced Eddie Bauer apparel and gear online. Owners will also be able to use club credits to book stays at the new Outpost starting in early 2027.
The club is operated by Travel + Leisure Co. under a license from Authentic Brands Group, the company says, and sits alongside other brands in its portfolio including Sports Illustrated Resorts, Margaritaville Vacation Club, Accor Vacation Club, Club Wyndham, WorldMark and RCI. Travel + Leisure Co. says it provides more than six million vacations to travelers around the world every year and employs more than 19,000 associates worldwide. Eddie Bauer itself has inspired people to pursue outdoor adventures for more than 100 years, per the release.
Wimberley's Short-Term Rental Rules In Context
Any new lodging venture in Wimberley arrives amid an active local debate over short-term rentals. The city's government confirms that Ordinance 2027-07 removed the ability to obtain a new non-owner-occupied Short-Term Rental 2 conditional-use permit in R-3 single-family residential districts, according to the City of Wimberley. The city also says that use authorized under an existing valid permit may continue indefinitely, without expiration, renewal or reapplication, as long as it meets its approved terms.
Short-term rentals carry real weight in the local economy: a committee report estimated their contribution to Wimberley's local GDP at $10.53 million in fiscal year 2024 and $10.41 million in fiscal year 2025, according to the Hays Free Press. The same reporting notes that under a committee recommendation, commercial properties could see short-term lodging permitted by right for up to 30 units, even as residential-district rules tighten. Separately, the city's rental guidance lists a 6% state hotel-occupancy tax and a 7% city hotel-occupancy tax, and notes that a short-term-rental conditional-use permit typically takes 45 to 60 days to process, with applications reviewed by the Planning & Zoning Commission before going to the City Council for final action.
