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When looking for things to add to our Fort Cavazos and Texas Bucket List, folks always told me to make sure Fredericksburg was on there. They gushed about this little town – how charming it was, how much fun they had there, and how I just HAD to go.
We headed out to Fredericksburg with plans of hiking, finding a restaurant, and wandering around this charming town.
However, our day did not go as planned. We were turned away from our hike because we didn’t have reservations. And the only restaurant we found that wasn’t packed was Dairy Queen.
The saving grace was that we visited the infamous town of Luckenbach and then stumbled upon a flea market and spent the afternoon looking at all the weird and wonderful treasures. It wasn’t a bad day, per se, but it wasn’t the one I planned.
Before we came across the flea market, all we found was an endless line of wineries. While they were absolutely gorgeous properties, our kids were not impressed….plus, we’re not really wine drinkers.
Wineries are one of the main attractions in Fredericksburg, but if I had done my research, I would have known that there is so much more to this beautiful place.
Here are 8 things to do in Fredericksburg, TX besides drink wine:
Listen to Music in Luckenbach
One of the main reasons that our trip to Fredericksburg wasn’t a total bust, was because we were able to visit the infamous town of Luckenbach, Texas. Willie and Waylon have been singing about it since 1977. (You can find 5 Things to Do in Luckenbach in this post.)
While Luckenbach was absolutely charming and I could have sat in the shade and listened to music all day, there are so many other things to do in Fredericksburg.
Fredericksburg Trade Days
The flea market that we stumbled upon was Fredericksburg Trade Days at Sunday Farms. With over 350 vendors, 7 barns, and acres full of antiques, tools, collectibles, crafts, furniture, and so much more, there is sure to be something for everyone.
There is also a Biergarten, live music, and food vendors so you can really make a day of it. This event takes place the weekend of the 3rd Saturday of every month. So, if you’re in the area on one of those weekends, you should stop in and take a look around!
Hike Enchanted Rock
This was the hike that we were trying to do the weekend that we ventured out to Fredericksburg. Unfortunately, I didn’t make reservations in advance and the park was already at capacity when we arrived. So, we were turned away at the gate.
However, don’t make my mistake and make reservations in advance so that you don’t miss out on this beautiful hike. Enchanted Rock is an ancient pink granite dome that rises over Central Texas giving you incredible views of the surrounding area. I regret not going back for this hike while we were stationed at Fort Cavazos.
Das Peach House
Das Peach House in Fredericksburg is a store, peach orchard, and event venue. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and I’ve seen so many beautiful pictures of this place on social media.
The store sells boutique Texas products from local vendors and everyone raves about the delicious treats they’ve bought from there. I wish I had known to stop by while we were in the area.
Visit During Christmastime
It seems that we really missed out on an incredible opportunity by not visiting Fredericksburg during Christmastime.
With its German influence, the town transforms into a real-life Christmas village (sans snow, of course.) There are beautiful light displays and plenty of shopping available from local small businesses.
There is also a giant German Christmas Pyramid in the town’s Marktplatz. Standing 26 feet tall and spinning like a carousel, this would have been as close to a European Christmas Market as I’m ever likely to get. And I wish we would have visited Fredericksburg during the Christmas season.
Wildseed Farms
Flowers are one of my favorite things! And the wildflowers across Texas made my heart so happy. So, I’m extra bummed that I didn’t stop at Wildseed Farms – the largest wildflower farm in America!
They grow a variety of different flowers, from poppies to sunflowers to bluebonnets. There are walking trails around the property in addition to a Biergarten, plant nursery, gift shop, and winery. If I’m ever back in the Fredericksburg area, I won’t be missing out on this gorgeous farm.
Try Some German Food
Founded by German immigrants in 1846, the town is proud of its heritage. One of the best things to do in Fredericksburg is to try some German food.
There are numerous German restaurants in town serving up not only traditional German dishes, such as bratwurst, schnitzel, and strudel but also German dishes with a Texas twist, such as kasewurst with jalapenos.
See One of the Famous Painted Churches
Visiting the famous painted churches was one of the things on my Texas Bucket List that I never got around to. These churches were built and painted with ornate and intricate designs by Czech and German immigrants. However, while most of the painted churches are in the Schulenburg area, Fredericksburg has one of its own.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church is free and open to the public. I wish we had stopped in and taken a quick look around.
We always said that we would have to go back to Texas to go to the Round Top Antique Fair after we had our forever home. We’ll just have to make a detour to Fredericksburg while we’re at it.
There are so many fun things to do in this German-inspired Texas town!
