If you are looking for a fun weekend getaway in Texas for romantic weekend, family outing or Gal Pal adventure, Fredericksburg may be just the perfect destination. Fredericksburg is a darling town in the hill country of Texas. The city was founded in 1846 by German emigrants and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Nimitz. He played a major role in the World War II as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas, commanding Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II.
There are numerous options for places to stay during your visit. You could rent a motel room in town, rent a house from VRBO or a local property manager, stay outside of town on a small ranch-style bed and breakfast or even stay in San Antonio or Austin and just come over for the day. John and I stayed in a traditional, West Texas style cabin on “The Back Forty” just a few miles outside of town. The peaceful large property had a pasture filled with horses and a number of the iconic white limestone cabins so prevalent in that part of Texas. When we came with our daughters and later with my girlfriends, we rented Vs within walking distance of Main Street, where most of the shops and many of the restaurants are located. I have a great memory of us sitting in rocking chairs on the covered front porch on a warm evening with a glass of wine, watching the fire flies dance while talking late into the night. It was a perfect end to a perfect day. end to a perfect day.end to a perfect day.nd to a perfect day.d to a perfect day. to a perfect day.to a perfect day.o a perfect day. a perfect day.a perfect day. perfect day.perfect day.erfect day.rfect day.fect day.ect day.ct day.t day. day.day.ay.y.
Fredericksburg is centrally located in Texas, with driving distance from Houston under 4 hours, San Antonio and Austin ( about an hour) or, if you enjoy driving through beautiful ranch lands and hills like we do, 5 hours by car from either Fort Worth or Dallas. If you don’t feel like driving for 4-5 hours, you can take a flight from Houston or Dallas and arrive in San Antonio in about 45 minutes.
I have been there several times and can’t wait to go back again because there are so many things I still haven’t seen. John and I celebrated his birthday several years ago, taking a 6-hour private wine tasting tour that included reserved times for wine tastings at several of the premier wineries in the area, a yummy lunch in a biergarten in Fredericksburg, and a visit to historic Johnson City (where former President Johnson grew up and had his ranch nearby). Our private guide was a delightful older gentleman who was very knowledgeable about wines and about Texas state history. For example, did you know that many of today’s exclusive French wines owe their very existence to the hardy, disease resistant vines found in Texas? Yes. In the mid 1880’s the French wine industry almost collapsed due to a highly contagious blight that was destroying entire vineyards. Thankfully, scientist in the US sent the French vintners our strong, disease resistant Texas vines to graft into their dying vines. So the next time you drink a lovely French Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay, thank Texas.
If you are interested in taking a wine tasting tour (there are over 15 vineyards in Fredericksburg), there are numerous companies and numerous ways to tour, from two- hour to all day, and from a private car to a motor coach, bus or trolley. We chose Off the Vine Tours because they offered a private tour for just the two of us to top wineries and, while it was a little spendy, we felt we got our money’s worth.
Here are some ideas for fun things to see and do in Fredericksburg:
1. Visit Wild Seed Farms, a family owned and operated farm that boasts it is the largest wildflower farm in the country. You can walk the gorgeous fields bursting with wildflowers, listen to live music on the weekends, hang out in a butterfly garden and take a tour.
2. Spend a couple of hours in the National Museum of the Pacific War. This is a comprehensive museum with exhibits from Pearl Harbor, bomb exhibits (don’t worry, they are unarmed), and exhibits from famous battles in the Pacific during World War II. We must ensure that the next generation knows this part of our American history because, as one of the plaques reads, it was a time when “Uncommon valor was a common virtue.”
3. Take a tour of the LBJ Ranch which is located outside of Fredericksburg in Stonewall, Texas. You can take a self-guided tour in your own vehicle to see his gorgeous house, called the Texas White house, see artifacts from his presidency, his birth place, his horse barn and hangar and much more. The LBJ Ranch was where he was born, lived, died, and was buried. After the President's death in 1973, Mrs. Johnson continued to live at the Ranch part time until her death in 2007.
4. Enjoy a local craft beer (with a delicious, freshly baked German pretzel of course) or Texas wine at the Fredericksburg Brewing Company on Main Street.
5. Have a delightful breakfast or lunch at Emma and Ollie. You enter the cute Victorian house to a display case filled with delicious cinnamon rolls, cookies, scones, etc. I had the breakfast bowl with scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, cheese and veggies. If you go, you must try the beignets…they are of so fresh and delicious.
6. Try a Lavender Latte (seriously yummy) at Kaffee Haus on Main Street.
7. Enjoy a meal at Nury’s on Main Street. It is a delightful, family-owned restaurant (this is their second location in town) where mom is the very talented chef, dad is the manager and the son is the bartender. Yummy food, delightful service , pretty ambiance and located right on Main Street.
Where to Stay:
There are numerous options for places to stay during your visit. You could rent a motel room in town, rent a house from VRBO or a local property manager, stay outside of town on a small ranch-style bed and breakfast or even stay in San Antonio or Austin and just come over for the day. John and I stayed in a traditional, West Texas style cabin on “The Back Forty” just a few miles outside of town. The peaceful large property had a pasture filled with horses and a number of the iconic white limestone cabins so prevalent in that part of Texas. When we came with our daughters and later with my girlfriends, we rented VRBO homes within walking distance of Main Street, where most of the shops and many of the restaurants are located. I have a great memory of us sitting in rocking chairs on the covered front porch on a warm evening with a glass of wine, watching the fire flies dance while talking late into the night. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.
Fredericksburg has so much to offer: cute stores filled with local art and jewelry, yummy restaurants, German biergartens, historical buildings and fun festivals for each month of the year. Our next trip will be during the Christmas season. They told me that Fredericksburg is beautifully decorated for Christmas and, if you go, you have to try the Vanillekipferl (a German vanilla crescent cookie).
Until our next adventure…