The drive from Fredericksburg into The Preserve feels like crossing into another ecosystem entirely. Cedar, oak and Hill Country brush give way to magnolia trees lining the entrance, their dense green canopies softening the landscape. Native to parts of Southeast Asia, the magnolias subtly signal a shift; southeast Asian elephants may be waiting to greet guests near the entrance, creating the disorienting sensation that the landscape no longer belongs to Texas. Hearts are humbled as they walk into the territory of gentle giants, where the ordinary boundaries of an event venue begin to disappear.
Seasons operates as the event venue for The Preserve, a 57-acre elephant preserve and conservation-focused facility in the Texas Hill Country. While The Preserve itself came first, Seasons evolved naturally from the property’s existing architecture. Today, the space hosts corporate retreats, rehearsal dinners, fundraisers, trade shows and experiential gatherings designed around The Preserve.
It is not simply the presence of wildlife that separates Seasons from a traditional event venue, but the way The Preserve becomes woven directly into the experience. The venue’s floor to ceiling windows frame a hallmark Hill Country landscape view. Just beyond, the covered back deck is a serene space with rocking chairs, breezy air and kookaburras laughing in the distance. The connection does not stop at a distant view. Corporate groups often rotate between presentations inside Seasons and guided Preserve experiences outside, including elephant encounters and tours of the property. During receptions and gatherings, porcupines, kangaroos and other ambassador animals may be brought onto the back deck for guests to meet while overlooking The Preserve.
That immersive philosophy reflects the lives of the people behind The Preserve. Owners Gary and Kari Johnson have spent decades working with elephants, long before Seasons or even The Preserve existed. Kari began apprenticing under her stepfather, an elephant trainer in Texas, when she was only 14 years old. Gary developed his fascination with elephants as a child in Southern California and eventually acquired his first elephant at just 16. Together, the couple built their lives around elephant care and conservation, eventually creating The Preserve that now surrounds Seasons. “This isn’t just a business,” Kari explained. “This is our life. This is what we live for.”
That commitment shapes The Preserve at every level. It is accredited by the Zoological Association of America and undergoes regular USDA animal welfare inspections. The Preserve also partners closely with the International Elephant Foundation, an organization Gary helped found in 1998 to support elephant conservation efforts around the world. Through both Seasons and The Preserve itself, the Johnsons hope to create direct encounters that foster deeper public understanding of elephants and the threats they face in the wild. For Kari, that emotional connection is central. “Once you’ve met an elephant,” she explains, “you’re going to do anything you can to help them if you get a chance.”
That connection is what makes Seasons standout from a traditional event space. Most venues are carefully designed to remove unpredictability, sealing guests inside controlled environments where the outside world fades into the background. Seasons depends on the opposite. The Preserve remains present throughout the experience–expansive, alive and impossible to fully choreograph. Long after the events end and the elephants wander back into the trees, conversations surrounding the animals linger. Their presence offers something rare: the opportunity to explore a world few people ever encounter close up. The menu at a wedding reception will fade from memory, but the feeling of standing within sight of an elephant, close enough to hear the movement of its breath and watch an entire crowd fall silent in awe, is never forgotten.
“Once you’ve met an elephant, you’re going to do anything you can to help them if you get a chance."