Want to visit a place that combines the old world charm of an Alpine German village with the rustic charm of the Old West? Throw in more antique and other quaint shops and restaurants than you can shake a stick at and some of the best “twisties” (that is motorcycle/sports car enthusiast speak for roads that bring out the best in the rider and machine) and you have Fredericksburg Texas!
Founded in 1846 by a real German baron - in land deep inside the Commancheria, where most Texicans had to shoot there way in and out, the original European settlers entered peacefully and lived in harmony with the local natives. The Easter celebration is a commemoration of that accomplishment. The town is alive with history. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz of WWII fame hales from hereabouts and you are within just minutes of Waylon Jennings’ forever immortalized Luchenbach. You can even stop by and watch an authentic blacksmith still plying his trade. The Bauer Toy Museum is an impeccable tribute to times of fancy gone past and sure to bring out the kid in every visitor. No fancy five star hotels, but numerous quaint B&Bs and national motel chains provide more than adequate and comfortable lodging. One unique establishment, the Fredericksburg Bed and Brew replaces breakfast with a 4 beer sampler for each night of your stay. A great jumping off point to tour the entire Hill Country, you can not come to Fredericksburg and miss the opportunity to tour the wildflower capital of the universe (well at least of Texas), Wildseed Farms, just 7 miles east on US 290. 18 miles North on FM 965 is Enchanted Rock, the nation’s second largest “batholith”, a round, red mass of solid granite rising some 500’ above the surrounding heights and covering more than 600 acres. Legends and lore abound.
Seems like every month there is some festival or another but the town and surrounding areas are probably best enjoyed in fall (can you say Octoberfest) and spring when the wild flowers are at there peak. Texanna, antiques, and Tuetonic heritage memorabilia are abundant in all the shops. Everything from unsurpassed Texas BBQ and down home cooking to authentic German faire can be found in abundance. Great outdoor adventures abound in the area from primitive and RV camping, hiking, biking, and canoeing to hunting and fishing. AND, if your preference of conveyance is one in which you like to feel the affects of gravity and acceleration as you negotiate the highways' curves and grades (at legally posted speeds of course), then Friend, this is the epicenter of THE place to be alive in Texas.
Y’all come; ya hear!
