Fredericksburg, Texas, is one of the most popular Hill Country destinations and one of my favorite day trips. I’ve been visiting Fredericksburg since 1987, and the Fredericksburg I knew then vastly differs from today! Your hotel choices then were the Peach Tree Inn, the Dietzel Motel, and about ten others. There were fewer than 40 restaurants, a handful of antique shops, and a few art galleries. The Nimitz Museum was in the original Nimitz House on Main Street, consisting of a few rooms and artifacts.
In the mid-1990s, out-of-town antique dealers started to set up shops, and hotels and restaurants began to flourish slowly. In the 2000s, I saw the explosion of wineries, restaurants, boutique hotels, and shops. The Nimitz Museum, now the National Museum of the Pacific War, is one of the best WWII and Pacific War museums you can visit; it is beautifully curated. There’s so much to see; you can easily spread the visit over two days. Over the past two decades, Fredericksburg has become a destination – and one I thoroughly enjoy!
On my day trips, I love to meander up and down Main Street and visit the shops. The Grasshopper has some unusual jewelry and a wonderful assortment of German beer steins. This foodie loves Der Kuchen Laden, where you can find all things related to cooking; it’s like walking into paradise! James Avery is another fun store to visit. It seems they have new items to admire each time I visit, and it’s always good to catch up with some of the long-time staff I know from working at their main campus in Kerrville. If you like New Age stuff and eclectic clothing, you’ll enjoy Earthbound Trading Company. The number of shops on and off Main Street will provide you with plenty of shopping opportunities, food and snack tastings, or just plain fun exploring unique items and antiques. Oh, and Oktoberfest and Crawfish Festivals at the Markplatz are not to be missed!
There are great restaurants to please all tastes. Some of my favorites include Cabernet Grill – I love the quail and their Texas wine menu; Vaudeville – great salads, quiche, fried chicken, and bellinis; Hill and Vine – the sausage and cheese board are excellent; and Woerner Warehouse – delicious chicken tortilla and spinach salad. You’ll find tasty German pancakes, egg dishes, fresh-baked pastries, and an excellent traditional German lunch menu if you can get into Old German Bakery (get there early). You can also find wonderful salads and sandwiches at Social Hauz. There are many other delicious eating options to try, but if you go on a weekend, make reservations or go early because everything fills up quickly, and sometimes the wait times are long, and the service is rushed.
Altstadt and Fredericksburg Brewery are two breweries I enjoy frequenting.The Hefeweizen and Amber at Altstadt, The Not So Dumb Blonde, and Fredericksburg Brewery’s Enchanted Rock Red Ale are my favorites. Altstadt has a cool Tractor Museum worth a visit, and the beer hall at Fredericksburg Brewery is a fun place to watch sports events while enjoying a brew and some good Opa’s German sausage and pretzels.
Wineries are ubiquitous in Fredericksburg; Highway 290, known as the Winey Highway, now boasts 50 wineries! I have yet to be on the wine bus or toured most of the wineries. When I do, I’ll write about it and provide my observations and recommendations. From the wines I have tasted, for my palate, the best grapes are Tempranillo and Viognier.
As you plan your day trip, and if you’re a WWII history enthusiast, I encourage you to visit the National Museum of the Pacific War, a world-class museum affiliated with the Smithsonian. The exhibits are expertly curated, and the descriptions of the artifacts are thorough and interesting. Some of the stories behind some exhibits provide rich context and enrich the experience. The remembrance wall on the grounds of the Museum is touching and stimulates reflection on the lives lost in the war. Several of my uncles served during WWII, and this is one of the main reasons the Nimitz, as I will always know it, is a special place for me. In a way, visiting keeps their memory and sacrifice alive for me.
Fredericksburg is also a perfect starting point for a day trip to Enchanted Rock, Willow City Loop during bluebonnet season, Luckenbach, Llano, Mason, Kerrville, and Lost Maples, to name a few. Stories on these to come!
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