Fredericksburg is one of the most popular travel destinations in Texas and for good reason. It has small town charm, a huge wine scene, incredible natural beauty in the surrounding Hill Country, fantastic restaurants, hiking, swimming and more.
TRANSPORTATION:
Road trip from Dallas takes about 4.5 hours, but we like stopping in the middle to stretch out and relax.
Our route: Dallas-Hico-Fredericksburg
Airbnbs and Bed & Breakfasts are a plenty in Fredericksburg! It’s so hard to choose from all of the pretty offerings here. Our recommendation is Emma Haus which is on a quiet street, but still just minutes away from downtown and the various restaurants. B&Bs are great in non-pandemic times, but nothing beats a fully-equipped kitchen and eating simpler meals on your own schedule. Which is why cottages and Airbnbs are a great idea!
View this post on Instagram
DO:
Enchanted Rock State Park: Make reservations with Texas State Parks, weeks ahead of time. Depending on when you go, the parks can be full all week. The climb and trek can challenging, so be prepared with water. With little kids, plan for rest, or just go up to the base to take in the full view of the pink dome.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church is an important building in the history of German immigration to the area. It is one of a few “painted” churches in the region, and is built in the Gothic Revival style. The interior has beautiful painted murals that are a must-see.
Cross Mountain Park: A short climb on paved paths to the top of this park leads you to a cross, where you will find people praying, or sometimes just hanging out until golden hour and sunset. This is a good spot to take in a aerial view of the town.
LBJ State Park: This isn’t a typical state park. While it does have some trails, the park consists of buildings recreated from the time of the former President. Kids will enjoy the learning experiences. Be aware that the driving route within the ranch is single-file at various points and at 10 mph, make sure you set apart enough time to visit this sprawling ranch. Highlights were the living history farm, the gorgeous live-oak lined roads, the church and aircraft
Vereins Kirche is a must-visit in Fredericksburg. It tells the story of the hard-working immigrants who poured their everything into the town.
WINERIES:
Wine Road 290 as it is known has some really well known and some hidden gems. While Becker, Messina Hof and William Chris are some of the familiar names, we went to one of the “older” ones and a newer one.
- Pedernales Cellars: Reserve your wine tasting in advance. They were undergoing renovations when we got there, and but the outdoor seating area is really well spaced out, and perfect for social distancing. It’s common to see families picnic on the grounds, with their kids. And there’s lots of open space for little ones to run around and stay busy while the adults indulge in their wines. Be sure to try their award-winning tempranillo
- Signor Vineyards: No reservation is required, as no tastings were being provided at the time we went. You can however purchase wine by the glass or bottle. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and include a small pond, and well manicured lawns. Joanna’s Market is a store on the grounds that sells food and household items. Definitely visit! We got a bottle of their Rose and it was superb.
Not far from the wineries, is Wildseed Farms, a great place to buy seeds & plants, and when the weather is right, it’s full of blooms. They also have some food & drinks on site in their cafe.
SHOP
Downtown Fredericksburg has tons of cute boutiques and stores all along Main Street, but it also has the Warehouse District and other scattered areas.
- Main street: The kids enjoyed Dooley’s 5 & dime store, which was a real step into the past for me! They also loved the General Store and Camp Hayden. For a sugar rush, stop at Pritzer’s for a giant cookie!
- Circle E candles are popular all over the South. Their store and factory are in Fred.
- Warehouse Dist: Woerner’s Warehouse was so fun browsing through all their beautiful items while I waited on my food. The prices are great too! You will find it impossible to find something you love here.
- Vaudeville: Not only has the best food in town, but their store is a treasure trove of unique and curated items.
- Gathered and Good, and Blackchalk Home and Laundry are two other favorite spots for housewares.
EAT:
For a small town, Fred surprisingly is big on the restaurant scene. Make sure to include places that pay homage to the German influence & history. If wine isn’t your thing, then the food will certainly be a big draw. Here are some favorites:
- Vaudeville: Fine dining bistro downstairs and a lovely store upstairs, including an art gallery. The food is absolutely delicious at both lunch and dinner. While they didn’t have much of a kids’ menu, they were open to tailoring it for them. The kids will particularly love their giant cookies for dessert. Truly one of my top places to grab a cookie, and its not even a bakery!
- Tubby’s is a kid-friendly taco place with some unique offerings. They have a kids’ play area that was sadly closed due to Covid, but our kids still enjoyed their tikka and korean tacos.
- Clear River Ice Cream: After the spicy food, the kids will want to cool off with some ice-cream 🙂
- Fredericksburg Pie Company: For a little more adult dessert, stop by the pie company. The storefront is small and quaint, and their pies are befittingly delicious, and takes you back to simpler times and childhood memories of baking. Favorite here was the pecan pie. Considering that the pecans are probably sourced from nearby San Saba, also in Hill Country, this is no surprise.
- Old German Bakery: Great for food at any time of day! The German pancakes and the schnitzel were superb.
- Woerner’s Warehouse: At first we were confused as it looked like there was no way a warehouse could serve food. But tucked away in the middle of the store is the restaurant. The food was standard but pretty good, but the drinks were great! I honestly didn’t expect to have the best chai latte in a warehouse! Kids enjoyed their hot chocolate.
NOTES
There is so much to do in Fredericksburg that you will just have to come back to check out all of it! Here’s what I hope to do next time:
- Otto’s Bistro: From past experience, the food here is top-notch, but I didn’t find much on the menu for lunch or dinner that my kids would enjoy. Now brunch, they would love that!
- Das Peach Haus: I loved the description of it and their menu, but didn’t have the time on this trip. They sell jams, sauces and other products from the area.
- Alstadt Brewing: I’m not entire certain if this place is kid-friendly. Call before you visit. German-style beers are brewed here.Since we didn’t get to visit, we bought some to take home with us.
- Inks Lake and Pedernales Falls: Both parks are very popular and beautiful in pictures. We just didn’t have the time for it now, but hope to return in Fall when the leaves change color.
- Fredericksburg Herb Farm: Another place I have enjoyed in the past. They have restaurant, spa and lodging here. The food was unforgettable, and their garden is so pretty in spring.
