Castell General Store

Wind your way through a scenic, 40-minute Hill Country drive north from Fredericksburg, make it across the slab river crossing, and keep an eye out for the old yellow building jutting from the rugged land—that's where you'll find the famed Castell General Store.

It can be a bit of a shock, really. Small-town general stores typically don't have this much flair. But this store isn't run by a typical owner. The boss here is Randy Leifeste, an eccentric Texan who often wears colorful outfits like he's Rodney Dangerfield's stunt double from 'Caddyshack'.

Randy also owns a ranch across the Llano River that's been in the family since the mid 1800s. He bought the general store building in 2010 after a career with a Houston oil company. The building has been around since 1927, when it was first used as a blacksmith shop. It's also been a garage, gas station, and cafe.

For years it was also home to the late Cockaroo, a rooster who was fond of fornicating with one of those battery-powered novelty singing fish. Visitors got a real hoot out of that. Cockaroo has since been taxidermied, so he still resides at the store.

These days, the store is a popular pit stop for motorcyclists and hunters in the region. It's stocked with fishing supplies and will even get you outfitted with rentals for a 12-mile canoe trip down the adjacent Llano River. The food here is apparently pretty decent, with regulars praising the burgers.

It's a good place to grab a beer, as there's plenty of room to stretch your legs after a long drive. There's a smattering of tables inside and a large garage where a score of camouflaged hunters were watching the Cowboys game during my visit. There's also an outdoor patio area outside, perfect for catching the breeze and ogling whoever pulls up.

There are long, quiet stretches of Texas where you can drive 100 miles and see nary a gas station, let alone a good bar or diner. But this isn't one of them. Castell General Store is one of the best small-town pit stops around, where you can grab an ice cold beer and see a famous dead rooster to boot.