Fredericksburg (Texas)

Fredericksburg is a city of 10,500 people (2010) in Texas, west of Austin and north of San Antonio.

Understand
Fredericksburg was settled by immigrant families from Germany in 1846, led by John O. Meusebach. Although settlement was on Comanche frontier, the Meusebach-Comanche Treaty of following year established lasting peace. Many older buildings retain traditional German styles; several units comprise the National Historic District. German is still spoken occasionally, and old customs are regularly observed: Schuetzenfests (marksmanship tournaments), Oktoberfest, Weihnachten, and Kinderfest. Visitors are attracted by the scenic beauty, European atmosphere, historic landmarks, excellent fall and winter hunting, and famous bread and pastries. It is the birthplace of Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet during World War II.



Get in
Primary access to Fredericksburg is by private car. It's about 40 miles north of IH-10 on US-87, north west of San Antonio (71 mi total drive), or about 80 miles west of Austin on US-290.

The closest commercial airport is San Antonio International. Fly in there and rent a car.

However, if you have access to a small plane, you can fly into Gillespie County Airport which is right outside of town. There is a restaurant and very nice hotel at the airport.

Get around
Most of town is along Main Street and is easy to see on foot. Some of the attractions are just a little past walking distance.

See

 * Fredericksburg is a quaint town with many stone buildings and pretty views.



Hunt
Fredericksburg is an outstanding spot for sportsmen to find year-round opportunities to hunt native and exotic species of animals. Fall hunting leases are available on many ranches throughout the area, and the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce offers a brochure on leases that is available at the Visitor Information Center.

Wine
There are also a number of wineries in the area that offer free tours and tastings.

Buy
Fredericksburg has many unique and distinctive gifts and handcrafted items. Stroll down Main Street to take it all in, but allow yourself at least 3-4 hours for the experience!

Eat
You can stay a week and probably not have time to see all the local restaurants. German cuisine with a hill country flair is what you'll most often see. Most local places close at 9PM unless otherwise noted. A surprising number of places do not take credit cards, so check for a logo or a sign, or carry some cash.



Drink
Drinking in public areas such as on sidewalks is allowed provided the drinker remains well behaved.



Connect
As of Dec 2021, Fredericksburg has 5G from AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile / Sprint.

Go next

 * Enchanted Rock State Natural Area Offers views, trails, and camping around a huge pink granite exfoliation dome believed by the Tonkawa Indians to be haunted by spirits.
 * Hill Country a more general overview of the area, most destinations are an easy day trip.
 * New Braunfels - 72 miles southeast of Fredericksburg, this town is best known for its German culture and heritage, not to mention the Schlitterbahn, persistent in being voted the world's best waterpark.
 * San Marcos - 70 miles southeast of Fredericksburg, San Marcos is the home of Texas State University and its Aquarena Center, as well as two massive outlet malls that have more than 350 shops.
 * Pedernales Falls State Natural Area
 * Stonewall about 15 minutes east of Fredericksburg.