We lived in south texas for 9 years loved all that texas has to offer. We initially moved there because my husband got a job there in the aviation industry and I followed. At first it was scary since I was going from being a 5 hr drive to my friends and family to now being a 24 hr drive to friends and family but I knew we had to make the best of being in a new and exciting place. My dad always said if you can’t find 1 thing you like about where you live you’ll never be happy anywhere. I whole-heartedly believe that. You truly have to make the best of any situation.
It was just the two of us and we didn’t have the same days off together but we still made sure to explore as much as we could with our time together. One of the first places we went to was Fredericksburg, TX. It’s in the Texas hill country and filled with wineries, quaint downtown shopping, camping, parks, horseback riding and so much more. Over the 9 years we lived in Texas I can’t even count how many times we went to Fredericksburg. We’ve met so many Texans who had never been to the hill country and if you’re one of them you need to go plan a trip NOW !
We love coming up and grabbing a glass of wine at Grape Creek Vineyards, sitting out on their patio while the kids play and enjoy the views of the vineyard. Another favorite is Becker Vineyards. Kid friendly, as well, and each spring it hosts a Lavender Festival the first weekend of May. And if you love this wine grab a bottle before you leave since it can’t be found at your local grocery store. Our evening are always spent eating authentic german at Auslander‘s or Altdorf Beirgarten. Altdorf just finished a complete remodel or the entire restaurant and trust me you’ll never want to leave their beirgarten ! Either place you decide schnitzel and potato pancakes is a must order !
Fredericksburg has tons of bed and breakfast inns to stay at but if you have young kids then that options is a no go. When we go up to Fredericksburg we didn’t want to stay in a hotel and luckily my husband found Country Inn and Cottages. We always stayed in a cottage and it’s about 4 miles just outside of town and sits on 200 acres. Each cottage overlooks the rolling hills of the hill country and is fitted with 1 or 2 bedrooms, bathroom, kitchenette, living room with a wood burning fireplace and ,of course, wifi and a tv. And it comes with breakfast vouchers so you can go into town and get breakfast at 1 of 4 different restaurants. The property also has swimming pool, outdoor fireplace and the best part…elk ! Our kids loved going to see the elk. They’re fenced in but they get close enough so you can easily be within feet of the them. We spend so much time at the property because the kids love running around with all the trees, swimming and seeing the wildlife. Another great option is Jellystone. This is a campground chain but it has so many fun things to do for kids. They have events planned on day long and has swimming, bouncing pillow, playground, dog park and so much more.
If you love hiking then you must try out Enchanted Rock. It’s an easy hike to the top of the granite dome and you’ll have a 360* view of the hill country. Since you’ll already be out-of-town you should drive a little further to the wildflower loop in Willow City. It’s a beautiful 13 mile loop through ranches surrounded by wildflowers. You’ll be making lots of stops along the road to take pictures. And if you didn’t get your fix of wildflowers then make a stop at Wildseed Farms. They have acres upon acres of wildflowers in bloom and even sell seeds to fill your own garden.
I can’t say enough good things about Fredericksburg. We absolutely loved coming up for a long weekend and enjoying a slower pace.
