The Texas Hill Country is full of hidden gem small towns, and one of my favorites is Fredericksburg.
There are so many fun things to do in Fredericksburg, TX, that you could easily spend a week or more exploring this small town in Texas.
Fredericksburg, Texas, offers visitors the opportunity to explore world-class museums, shop until their heart is content, and get outdoors as much as possible.
The best part is, all of this takes place in Texas wine country as well.
The fact that Fredericksburg is located near both Austin and San Antonio make it an easy Hill Country escape.
One of my favorite drives is the Austin to Fredericksburg drive.
There are some really great stops in this part of the Texas Hill Country to explore.
As native Texans, we have been visiting Fredericksburg for years.
It consistently ranks as one of the best places to visit in Texas, and one of the most romantic getaways in Texas, so we continue to go back to it year after year.
So, grab your best friends or that special someone and head out on an awesome weekend getaway or fun Texas road trip to Fredericksburg, TX!
Fun & Unique Things to Do in Fredericksburg, TX
1. Old Tunnel State Park
For a unique experience while visiting Fredericksburg, head to the Old Tunnel State Park just before sunset to witness the Mexican free tailed bats take flight for their nightly feeding.
The park, which is located on Old San Antonio Road, is home to an old abandoned railroad tunnel which has now become the home to over three million Mexican free tailed bats!
When the bats emerge, they spiral upward in a counter-clockwise motion, sometimes as high as 10,000 feet!
This is truly quite an amazing site, and should definitely be on you list of things to do in Fredericksburg, TX, if you are visiting between May and October.
It’s no wonder that Old Tunnel State Park is considered one of the best state parks near San Antonio. It is just so unique.
While visiting Old Tunnel State Park, you are not allowed to go inside of the tunnel.
This helps to ensure that the bats are not disturbed in their natural environment.
Pro Tip: You do have to buy a ticket in advance online.
You can purchase your ticket up to 60 days in advance by visiting the Texas State Park website.
Read Next: 12 Cool Things to Do in Alpine, Texas (& the Big Bend Region)
2. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
For some time outdoors, head to Enchanted Rock State Park during your Hill Country escape.
Enchanted Rock State Park is home to a large pink dome shaped granite boulder that has been drawing visitors to it for generations.
It is said that Native Americans believed that Enchanted Rock was a place of spiritual importance, so they would visit the rock to perform important ceremonies and rituals.
Rising 425 feet above the base elevation of the park, climbing Enchanted Rock is equivalent to climbing a 30- to 40-story building!
In the spring, you have a great view of the surrounding hill country dotted with Texas wildflowers as you ascend to the top of the rock.
In addition to hiking Enchanted Rock, you can also explore the many other hiking trails found on the property or find the perfect spot for a picnic lunch.
Pro Tip: Enchanted Rock State Park is a popular place. Be sure to make your reservations in advance for this Hill Country gem!
3. Learn About History at the Pioneer Museum
For a dive into the history of the town, be sure to add a visit to the Pioneer Museum to your list of things to do in Fredericksburg, TX.
The Fredericksburg Pioneer Museum is a 3-acre historic site that is home to 11 historic buildings from the original German immigrants that first settled here.
The homes of these German settlers are just some of the buildings that you can see while visiting the Pioneer Museum.
In addition to the home of the German immigrants, there is also a church, a barn, a schoolhouse, and more. All of these can be seen when you participate in a self-guided tour of the museum.
You can get a combo ticket that includes entrance to the Pioneer Museum and the Vereins Kirche Museum at either of these locations.
4. Enjoy Wildflowers at Wildseed Farms
Lovers of Texas wildflowers will not want to miss visiting Wildseed Farms during their time in Fredericksburg, TX.
Home to numerous Texas flower and plant species, Wildseed Farms offers visitors the opportunity to walk through their vast gardens of wildflowers.
In the spring, the gardens come alive with beautiful Texas bluebonnets and bright red poppies.
Of course, you can also purchase seed to plant your own Texas wildflowers. They even have a winery on site that offers tastings and wine for sale!
5. Enjoy Live Music on Main Street
Finding live music in Fredericksburg, TX is easy and should definitely be on your list of things to do in Fredericksburg, TX.
Whether you are into country music or rock music, you are sure to find something you like in this Texas Hill Country town.
Check out Hondo’s on Main on Thursday nights to enjoy live music, or head out to Crossroads Saloon & Steakhouse on a Saturday evening to enjoy live music with load of dancing.
Of course, live music also includes concerts, and Fredericksburg has you covered there as well thanks to The Backyard Amphitheater.
6. Go Shopping in Fredericksburg, Texas
Another one of my favorite things to do in Fredericksburg, TX is to go shopping, especially in the beautiful historic buildings in town.
Fredericksburg’s Main Street area is lined with fun boutique shops selling everything from custom jewelry to home furnishings.
Grab a glass of wine from a wine tasting room to drink as you stroll down Main Street browsing the 150+ shops, art galleries, and wine tasting rooms that call this area home.
Spend the day looking for a fabulous Texas souvenir t-shirt, or enjoy choosing the perfect leather handbag, the choice is yours and the selections are endless on Main Street!
When you think you’ve seen it all, get off of Main Street and head to explore other areas of Fredericksburg.
The side streets are also full of great art galleries and fun shops, many housed inside historic buildings, just waiting to be explored.
7. Visit the Many Vineyards & Wineries in Fredericksburg
There is no denying that Fredericksburg, Texas is Texas wine country!
It seems like every time we visit this area of the hill country, there are more and more wineries popping up (which is fine with me).
Driving on Highway 290 (also known as Wine Road 290) from Johnson City to Fredericksburg, wineries line both sides of the highway.
These Fredericksburg wineries and vineyards are some of the best in the state and should definitely be part of your list of things to do in Fredericksburg, Texas.
A visit to Becker Vineyards allows you to enjoy sipping wine while looking over a beautiful Texas lavender field.
In addition to this, Becker Vineyards also hosts special events, making this a fun and unique venue.
Another popular place to enjoy hill country wines is Grape Creek Vineyards. Grape Creek Vineyards makes me feel like have been transported to Tuscany.
I just love sipping Grape Creek Vineyards’ delicious wine while enjoying one of their brick over pizzas!
In addition to all of the vineyards that line Highway 290 from Johnson City to Fredericksburg, TX, there are also numerous tasting rooms in Fredericksburg proper.
As I mentioned above, Main Street is lined with great wineries that allow you to take your way to go while strolling on Main Street!
8. Check Out the Local Breweries
You can’t visit a town with the German heritage that Fredericksburg, Texas possesses and miss checking out their breweries.
Fredericksburg’s Main Street contains the Fredericksburg Brewing Company.
They serve up their delicious beer accompanied with some awesome pub style food in one of the historic buildings on Main Street.
For a completely different experience, head to Altstadt Brewery on Highway 290.
This brewery is showing off their German heritage with some of the coldest Hefeweizen you will find in town.
Combine that with their fabulous outdoor beer garden and you have the perfect place to spend an afternoon in Fredericksburg, Texas!
9. Enjoy the Fredericksburg Distilleries
If liquor is more your style, then the Fredericksburg area has you covered there as well.
The Elk Store Winery & Distillery is located in the heart of Fredericksburg on Main Street.
The Elk Store Winery & Distillery serves up handmade small batch premium spirits that include gin, moonshine, rum, and whiskey.
Of course, the Elk Store Winery also sells wine (hence their name).
A little outside of the downtown area you will find Dietz Distillery.
Dietz is a pretty new to the scene, and at the time of publication, was only offering up Five Judges Gin, with plans to bring more flavors in soon.
One of my personal favorites in this area, Garrison Brothers Distillery, is actually outside of Fredericksburg in a small town named Hye, Texas.
As one of the first bourbon distilleries outside of Kentucky, Garrison Brothers has mad a name for itself.
Serving up delicious bourbon whiskey, Garrison Brothers Distillery offers fun cocktails along with a tour of their facilities when you visit the ranch.
Garrison Brothers Distillery is a fun place to add to your list of things to do in Fredericksburg, TX!
This is truly one of my favorite stops when road tripping from San Antonio to Fredericksburg.
10. Visit the National Museum of the Pacific War
You might be wondering how a national museum like the Pacific War Museum wound in on Main Street in Fredericksburg, Texas?!
I wondered the same thing. How did a national World War II museum wind up in the Texas Hill Country?
Especially when I learned that the Museum of the Pacific war is considered the fifth best history museum of the pacific in the United States! Why is it in central Texas?
Well, you see, Admiral Nimitz, one of the leaders of the US Pacific fleet in the battles of the Pacific War was from Fredericksburg, TX.
The Main Street property that now houses the National Museum of the Pacific War was once home to the Nimitz Steamboat Hotel.
This hotel was owned by Admiral Nimitz and operated by his family during his absence.
The National Museum of the Pacific War focuses on the battles associated with this part of World War II.
While touring the national museum, you can read first count stories and see numerous artifacts associated with the war.
One of my favorite areas of the National Museum of the Pacific War is the memorial and Japanese Garden of Peace.
The Japanese Garden of Peace was a gift from Japan to offer peace and forgiveness for al that happened during the Pacific War.
The Japanese Garden is truly a place of solace and reflections and shouldn’t be missed during your visit to the Pacific War Museum.
11. Fredericksburg Theater Company
The Fredericksburg Theater Company is proud to bring live theatre performances to the Texas Hill Country.
Having served this area for over 20 years, the Fredericksburg Theater Company has a long standing tenure in Fredericksburg, TX.
Check out the Fredericksburg Theatre Company and their schedule of events for a complete line up of performances.
Acts include everything from live music to full scale Broadway style productions.
12. Vereins Kirche Museum
The Vereins Kirche Museum showcases more of the stories of the German Settlers that first settled this area.
The octagonal building located in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, TX now serves as the Vereins Kirche Museum.
The original Vereins Kirche building served many purposes in Fredericksburg’s history, but was demolished in 1897.
The new building you see today serves as a museum, a Pioneer Memorial Library, and the Fredericksburg, TX Chamber of Commerce.
Step inside to learn more about this fun town and don’t forget to visit its sister property, the Pioneer Museum.
13. Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site
Granted, the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site is located outside of Fredericksburg, TX in Johnson City, but I just had to put it on our list!
This is just one of those Texas historic sites that you have to visit!
Visiting the Johnson National Historical Park allows visitors to see where President Lyndon B. Johnson was born and raised.
You can tour the boyhood home of Johnson during your time on the Johnson National Historical Park, and see the ‘Texas White House,’ the home that Johnson continued to own and visit during his presidency.
After stopping at the park’s visitor center, you can take a self-guided tour to see the beautiful ranch grounds and the Texas White House.
There are several historic sites on the site including an old schoolhouse, parks, a church, and the Lyndon B. Johnson family cemetery.
Visit the National Park’s website for more information.
14. Enjoy Some German Restaurants and a Biergarten
You can’t visit Fredericksburg, TX and not eat German food. That would just be wrong!
Lucky for you, Fredericksburg has several German restaurants to choose from thanks to its German heritage.
These restaurants serve up everything from traditional German cuisine to beer and pub style food, so you are sure to find one that you will love.
The best part, some of them even have amazing beer gardens to enjoy!
Some restaurants to check out include Altdorf Restaurant, Altstadt Brewery, The Auslander Restaurant, Otto’s German Bistro, Der Lindenbaum, and the Old German Bakery and Restaurant.
15. Das Peach Haus
Das Peach Haus is a cute little store in Fredericksburg, TX that specializes in gourmet food items, especially those made with peaches.
Here you can find everything from peach jam to peach ice cream.
One of my favorite things about Das Peach Haus is that you can sample almost everything they sell!
Offering up over 150 sauces jams and jellies, Das Peach Haus is sure to have one that you love.
During your visit, you can also enjoy a glass of wine in the wine tasting room or outside by their beautiful pond.
16. Texas Rangers Heritage Center
The Texas Rangers Heritage Center is a 12 acre site dedicated to showcasing and honor those that have served the Lone Star State.
A visit to the heritage center allows you to learn more about the role that the Texas Rangers have served throughout the history of Texas.
The center sponsors events that are open to the public and include things like campfire storytelling, live history reenactments, and walks with a Ranger.
If you are a history lover, the Texas Rangers Heritage Center should definitely be on your list.
17. Historic Fort Martin Scott
The historic Fort Martin Scott is located just east of town on Highway 290.
Fort Martin Scott is a historic army outpost which was in operation from 1848-1853.
The fort played an important role not only in the history of Texas, but also in that of the United States during the Civil War.
When you visit Fort Martin Scott, you can take a self-guided tour to see the original buildings that were used by the settlers.
Fort Martin Scott showcases an original garrison building and three reproduction garrison buildings for visitors to see.
There is also a late 1800s farm shed on site.
Twice a year, this Fredericksburg, TX historic site also puts on live historical reenactments.
18. Willow City Loop
For one of the most beautiful drives in the Texas Hill Country (in my opinion), head to the Willow City Loop.
Located just outside of Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, the Willow City Loop showcases gorgeous Texas terrain.
From gentle rolling pastures to dramatic canyon, driving the Willow City Loop is what Texas is all about.
My favorite time to drive the Willow City Loop is March-May when the Texas wildflowers, and more specifically, the Texas bluebonnets are in bloom!
Fredericksburg, TX and the loop are one of the best places to see bluebonnets in Texas.
19. Fredericksburg Herb Farm
One of the hidden gems in Fredericksburg, TX is the Fredericksburg Herb Farm.
Judging by its name, you would thing that this is just a place that grows herbs, but don’t judge a book by its cover.
While the Fredericksburg Herb Farm does grow its own herbs to use in its restaurant, there is much more to it than that.
This hill country destination is also a wonderful spa facility that is perfect for a relaxing day while visiting Fredericksburg, Texas.
The Fredericksburg Herb Farm also has a great little gift shop where you can find the perfect gift or souvenir to commemorate your visit.
20. Fredericksburg Trade Days Sunday Farms
If you find yourself in Fredericksburg, Texas the third weekend of the month, then take time to check out the Fredericksburg Trade Days Sunday Farms.
The trade days are located on Highway 290 near Wildseed Farms.
Offering up over 350 vendor selling everything from boutique clothing to home furnishings, the Fredericksburg Trade Days is a fun, outdoor shopping event.
When you need a break you can visit the outdoor Biergarten and enjoy some fair style food and a nice cold beer or glass of wine.
21. First Friday Art Walk
The first Friday of every month, the small town of Fredericksburg, Texas comes alive as participating art galleries in the area open their doors for the First Friday Art Walk.
The art galleries stay open until 8 pm for the art walk to allow visitors to enjoy viewing the art and visiting with the artists.
Many of the galleries also host special events, making a visit to this small town even better!
22. Texas Oktoberfest
The German culture that Fredericksburg, Texas is so proud of is honored every years with their annual Oktoberfest celebration.
The first German settlers to this area would be proud to see that the Fredericksburg, Texas Oktoberfest has been going strong for over 40 years!
The Oktoberfest celebrations means lots of beer, brats, and oompah music! Fredericksburg, Texas offers up three days of celebrations in the Texas Hill Country that is truly a great time!
You can watch keg tapping, do the chicken dance, and participate in a 5k all while donning your best dirndl or lederhosen.
Find the most up to date information on the Oktoberfest website.
Fredericksburg is one of the best places to spend fall in Texas!
23. Painted Churches of Texas
The historic painted churches of Texas were originally built in the early to mid 1800s.
They are called the “painted churches” because of the uniquely designed and artistic interiors that each of them contain.
Granted, the painted churches aren’t in Fredericksburg proper, but they are nearby in the surrounding hill country, so if you have time, be sure to check them out.
There are 20 painted churches throughout the area and all are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
24. Go Peach Picking
If you find yourself in Gillespie County during the summer months, then you have to visit the many peach orchards that call this area home.
Not only can you purchase peaches and peach products from the many roadside stands in Fredericksburg, Texas, but you can also pick your own peaches!
There are numerous orchards in the area, many of which allow you to pick your own peaches.
This is one of the unique things to do in Fredericksburg, TX!
25. Fredericksburg Visitor Center
I don’t usually include a visitor center on my list of things to do, but the Fredericksburg Center is an exception to this rule.
Here you will find loads of information on some of the best attractions in Fredericksburg.
Whether you want to learn more about Pearl Harbor at the Museum of the Pacific War, find out where to see some live country music, discover the Hill Country herb garden, learn more about the Vereins Kirche Museum, or maybe chat about the Gillespie County Historical Society, the center has you covered!
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About The Author
Tiffany Ditto is a marketing specialist and content creator in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Ditto holds a Master of Science in Digital Communication Analytics and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism both from the University of North Texas. When not working, she enjoys spending time with my spunky Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Riley, and rambunctious Bengal Cat, Lilura.
Jenn Record
Tuesday 4th of April 2023
WOW! I had no idea this part of Texas is so rich with outdoor fun and interactive history... adding it to the list for a 2024 visit... the parks look especially inviting.
texasonly
Tuesday 11th of April 2023
It is! We love Fredericksburg so much. I hope you have a great time when you visit!
Hege
Monday 3rd of April 2023
I had no idea Texas was wine-country! Looks awesome!
texasonly
Tuesday 11th of April 2023
It is for sure! 4th largest producer in the United States! :)
Bre
Sunday 2nd of April 2023
Wildseed Farms looks beautiful!! I've always wanted to roam through a field of beautiful flowers!
texasonly
Sunday 2nd of April 2023
Yes, Wildseed Farms is a great place for sure!
Goya Galeotta
Saturday 1st of April 2023
Fredericksburg keeps popping up on all my social feeds with its beautiful vineyards and wildflowers.. but I didn’t know there is so much more to it! Thanks for sharing - great post as always!
texasonly
Sunday 2nd of April 2023
It's a great city! Thank you for checking it out and taking time to comment!