My friend and I decided to go on a weekend trip to Fredericksburg, TX. Fredericksburg, TX is located in hill country about an hour and a half from Austin. It is known for all the amazing wineries it has and its German history. It is a good place for a girl’s trip, bachelorette trip, or couple trips. You can even make it a two-for-one trip and visit Fredericksburg and Austin like we did.
First up: Lodging
On our trip, we spent one day in Fredericksburg because it was really hard finding affordable lodging in Fredericksburg the weekend we went. Our original plans were to get an Airbnb because there are no major chain hotels located in Fredericksburg. However, we did not book our Airbnb early enough so a lot of the AirBnbs had already been booked. The Airbnbs that were left were going for about $250 a night. So, my friend (@ruyaduwang) suggested we stay in Austin.
Turns out it was a really good idea because our hotel ended up being $75 a night after she used her Expedia points.
My suggestion is if you are wanting to stay in Fredericksburg, definitely try to get accommodation a month in advance or go during non-busy times.
The hotel we stayed at in Austin was Hyatt Place which was comfortable, clean, and provided complimentary breakfast. The breakfast was actually good too especially on Saturday. The staff was really helpful. I needed a pair of scissors to fix my outfit and they gave me a pair.
Day One: Fredericksburg, TX
We drove from Austin to Fredericksburg which was an easy hour and a half drive. You do drive through Hill country to get to Fredericksburg so there are a lot of hills and turns, just to warn you, but the view is amazing. It’s a lot of open space, nature, and is slower than the normal bustle and rustle of Dallas.
1st Stop: Signor Vineyard
We visited Signor Vineyard a 200 miles expansive vineyard that features a tasting room, garden seating and a market. It is definitely Instagram-worthy and gives modern farmhouse vibes.
The first thing we did when we got there was take pictures because it was sooooooo beautiful. Then we did a wine tasting. We tried 6 wines in total. Our server allowed us to try two additional red wines that were not a part of the menu and we got a charcuterie board.
Overall, I was impressed by our experience. The server was very knowledgeable about wines and the process to make everything. The charcuterie board was beautiful and delicious. I had to go to the market and purchase the Jalepeno jelly that was provided on the charcuterie board. I also learned I am not a fan of red wines.
2nd stop: Main Street
Main street is the heart of Fredericksburg bustling with people, small boutiques, and restaurants. My first impression of Main Street was not things. Like most things, it seemed to be Americanized and not anything special. I was really hoping to see more of the German background.
However, once I started taking the time to really enjoy the small things I had a better time. The architecture was different from anything that I had seen before and I liked it. It replicated what actual German architecture looks like. They also had a few additional tasting rooms/ wine bars to visit. They were quaint and cute. We had enough drinking so we did not try them but you also try these places on Main Street if you would like.
We ate lunch at Der Linderbaum which was recommended as an authentic German restaurant by one of the employees of the neighboring wine bars. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it. For my meal, I got schnitzel which is a pork cutlet breaded before frying. The food was different from what I am used to. Instead of using salt in the mashed potatoes, they use sugar. Also, this was my first time having red cabbage so that was interesting. All in all I really enjoyed experiencing authentic-ish German food.
Stop 3: 290 Wine Castle
We finished our evening with a glass of bubbly from 290 Wine Castle. It’s a grand castle that opened about three years ago and has an amazing sunset view so definitely go around that time. You can get the most gorgeous pictures ever.
Day 2: Austin, TX
1st and 2nd stop: Alfred Coffee and Abel’s on the Lake
It has become sort of a tradition for me and my friend to visit these two places when we go to Dallas.
The first stop of the day is Alfred Coffee is located in The Line hotel. The Line hotel is just a really aesthetically beautiful hotel located in downtown Austin that is filled with various art pieces and some good dining options.
My friend is a big fan of coffee so we went to this coffee shop to fill in time. Sometimes, they have unique coffee flavors. I believe every coffee my friend has had there she has really enjoyed it. I tried the Peach Blossom tea and it was pretty good for tea and the hints of peach really came through.
Next, we went to Abel’s on the Lake which sits right in front of the lake surrounded by palm trees. It is a relaxing place to have lunch and enjoy the scenary. I don’t normally get to hang around water so this was a cool time to enjoy the moment.
The End
If you are going to Fredericksburg you are going to have a good time no matter what you did. Since we did not stay in Fredericksburg, we did not do everything that I found to do in the area so I am going to leave some other things that found in case it can help you plan your trip.
- Use the 290 Wine Shuttle to visit the wineries and not have to worry about drinking and driving. They have a list of all the wineries that they provide transportation to. They don’t go to all of them, but they do stop at a decent amount of them. It cost $39.99 per person.
- Restaurants it was recommended to try:
- Emma + Ollie
- Otto’s
- The Laurel Tree (Reservation required)
- Enchanted Rock State National Park is a way for you to get out in nature. They have hiking trails and rock climbing. It cost $8 for individuals 13 years old and older.