Fredericksburg Texas Combines Outdoor Adventure with SMALL TOWN CHARM
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MILES FROM SAN ANTONIO
WINE TOUR COMPANIES
SHOPS & BOUTIQUES
As travelers these days we love to hear about a ghost town, not an abandoned frontier village but
a destination with some space to shop, eat and enjoy the sights. There’s no better way to experience Fredericksburg at a relaxed pace than to visit midweek, the days when you can get seated without a reservation, receive more attention from a sales associate, and learn more about the area’s history without feeling rushed. Midweek lodging specials are yet another perk.
It’s easy to relax anytime in the Texas Hill Country, the scenic and rolling landscape that glistens in spring with wildflowers and sunlit days. Located just over one hour from San Antonio, Fredericksburg already feels a little different from most places, a laidback vibe combined with the area’s distinctive German Heritage.
No Hill Country locale satisfies so many different interests as Fredericksburg. Art lovers discover a diverse palette of galleries, featuring works from local, regional and national artists.
Lady Bird Johnson famously loved wildflowers, desiring to see every one of the 5,000 species that color the Texas landscape. Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park not only showcases many local flowers in their native environment, but the 10-acre park also features butterflies and birds within the woodland and meadows. Wildseed Farms is also a can’t-miss for flower lovers, considered the largest working wildflower farm in America.
Outdoor enthusiasts will also find Texas-sized options from several ranch horseback trail rides to wandering 8.4 miles of trails in Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. A very popular by reservation park, midweek is the ideal time to schedule a visit to this exceptional natural area. Cross Mountain trails also offer a significant elevation change that reveals rare vistas of the gorgeous local topography.
visit fredericksburg for a little bit of everything
Birders by day and stargazers come nightfall will also experience the best their hobbies have to offer. About 300 bird species are seen here every year, a rare habitat that draws individuals from the eastern and western U.S. As for counting constellations, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park are both International Dark Sky Parks.
All this outdoor activity requires some refreshment, and Fredericksburg more than complies. The Texas Hill Country is famous for hosting more than 100 wineries, one-half of which reside within Gillespie County. Far from a nouveau operation, the area’s first winemakers used native Mustang grapes to produce vintages for themselves and other settlers. The Urban Wine Trail keeps the vines even closer to home. More than 20 wine tour companies are joined by downtown wineries and tasting rooms to keep your notes up to date.
Naturally, Fredericksburg’s German legacy translates very well into beer steins, beginning with The Fredericksburg Brewing Company and Altstadt Brewery. German-style lagers and pilsners pair perfectly with the mild temperatures and sun-filled days, as well as the Bavarian-influenced menus. However, because not all, or any if we're honest, beer drinkers are exactly alike, the town's brewmasters also offer ales, seasonals and other brews on tap.
As one can’t live by wine and beer alone, Fredericksburg restaurants are spread throughout town. In addition to the brewery restaurants, German cuisine awaits at Otto’s, Der Lindenbaum, and the Old German Bakery & Restaurant. Altdorf and The Auslander also feature beer gardens.
Hill Country cuisine is very well-served in more than one-half dozen restaurants. Foodies can also explore culinary adventures, including a visit to the area’s famous peach orchards. You can find chile con queso, catfish and Gulf-caught seafood in addition to salt cures, beef and pork. And then there’s barbecue, from Backwoods BBQ to David’s Old Fashioned Pit BBQ and Mike’s on the Loop among others. Brisket to bass, there’s a menu to satisfy your tastes.
For travelers, midweek often translates into longer breakfasts and lazier lunches. There’s another virtue to uncrowded days, the opportunity to go a little deeper at museums. The National Museum of the Pacific War features interactive exhibits that shed light on this often-overlooked facet of World War II, the Pacific Theater. The hands-on Pioneer Museum provides much more, well, hands-on time during the week too. And you can Q&A to your heart’s content when visiting the LBJ Ranch, aka the Texas White House.
Cruising around Fredericksburg from Monday to Friday, you quickly realize the sidewalks never roll up here. With over 400 festivals and special events every year, there’s a good chance something unique is happening during your visit. Naturally, Oktoberfest is the town’s largest festival, but you’ll find celebrations of film, fruit and wine, as well a rodeo and the Gillespie County Fair too.
We are ready to head out and get acquainted with our perfect vacation destination again, especially when the sidewalks aren’t crowded, the galleries have more room and the wine tastings are more tailored to smaller groups. A midweek visit to Fredericksburg promises all of the above and more, a wildflower-filled meadow of possibilities to enjoy at our own pace. Check out the Visit Fredericksburg website to start planning your Texas Hill Country adventure.
Texas Hill Country Provides Perfect Midweek Getaway