Just a four-hour drive from Dallas, Fredericksburg in Texas’ Hill Country is a convenient getaway. A diverse offering of experiences keeps regular visitors coming back. From wildflower tours and world-class golf to Oktoberfest and presidential and war museums, there’s something for everyone.
About 75 miles west of Austin and 70 miles north of San Antonio, Fredericksburg was settled in the mid-1800s by German immigrants, a legacy the small town has fiercely preserved. The community is home to numerous German bakeries and restaurants; among the best is Der Lindenbaum on Main Street. It has one of the state’s largest selections of German beers, as well as authentic schnitzels, gulasch, sauerbraten, and the Prussian specialty Konigsberger klopse (pork and beef meatballs in a caper sauce).
Fredericksburg promotes itself as the “unofficial capital of eclectic lodging.” And with more than 350 bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, inns, and ranches, there’s some validity to that claim. Among the options are historic “Sunday houses,” tiny residences early settlers built as a place to stay when they left their farms for weekend trips into town to buy supplies or attend church. (There’s a nice collection of Sunday homes on the 400 block of West San Antonio Street.)
Those arriving to the Hill Country by jet will appreciate accommodations right off the tarmac at Fredericksburg’s Hangar Hotel, where the design mimics a World War II-era hangar and aims to take guests back to the romantic 1940s. Grab after-dinner drinks in the cozy, mahogany-outfitted Officer’s Club, or try a “bomber burger” for lunch in the retro Airport Diner next door to the hotel.
If you’re wondering about the World War II theme in a German town, it’s because Fredericksburg also is home to the National Museum of the Pacific War. It honors the town’s own Chester Nimitz, who served as the U.S. Navy’s commander-in-chief of the Pacific during WWII. His grandfather’s Nimitz Hotel in Fredericksburg has been restored as part of the museum complex.
Continuing on an American history kick, make time to visit the impressive Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site, about 30 miles east of Fredericksburg in Johnson City. Spanning nearly 700 acres, it includes the “Texas White House” and Johnson family ranch, cemetery, LBJ’s birthplace, and the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm.
The Hill Country’s wine industry has seen explosive growth in recent years. In fact, it ranked on Wine Enthusiast’s list of the “10 Best Wine Travel Destinations for 2014.” Of the region’s nearly 40 wineries, 13 are located on scenic Highway 290 between Fredericksburg and Johnson City. There are plenty of tempranillo grape-based red wines, as the soil in the region resembles that of northern Spain. This has allowed the tempranillo to gain recognition as the state’s signature grape.
But Hill Country whites are gaining favor, too. D Magazine’s resident wine expert Andrew Chalk says that Texas Viognier is as good as any in the United States, and better than some emerging from France. The Hill Country’s Pedernales Cellars’ 2012 Viognier Reserve, for example, won the prestigious “grand gold” award at an international wine competition in Lyons, France, last year. It was the only American winery to win the award out of 3,200 entrants. Pedernales is run by the Kuhlkens, a sixth-generation Texas family.
Also on Highway 290 is Wildseed Farms, the largest working wildflower farm in the United States. There, more than 100 varieties of flowers and herbs are grown. Visitors can explore “pick your own fields” and create their own bouquets. The flowers bloom March through November but peak in April, when views of the fields are stunning.
Those looking to get their polka on will want to visit Fredericksburg in the fall. The German community’s Oktoberfest takes place in and around the Marktplatz downtown. You’ll find more than 50 varieties of German, Texan, and other beers, and three stages where oompah bands perform.
If two-stepping is more your style, check out Luckenbach, a hamlet near Fredericksburg made famous by Waylon Jennings’ and Willie Nelson’s hit, “Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics).” There’s not much to the tiny town, but its legendary dance hall still hosts regular “picker circles” and performances by musicians such as Texas’ own Gary P. Nunn.
Trip provided by the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. A version of this story appears in the April 2014 issue of D CEO. Hilary Lau contributed to this report.
