New Braunfels

New Braunfels is a resort town in the Texas Hill Country. As the name implies, it has a German heritage, and many of the local attractions capitalize on this.

Understand
New Braunfels is usually considered a vacation destination. While it has no university of its own, it has a distinct college town feel, probably due to the huge numbers of students from universities in nearby San Antonio and San Marcos. Most of the town's revenue comes from tourism drawn by the incredible rivers, including the Comal River, which is the world's shortest, entirely located within the city limits.

New Braunfels is also the home of several other smaller "towns" within the city. One of these "towns" is Gruene, TX, home of the Gristmill Restaurant and Gruene Hall.

Talk
As elsewhere in the region, English and Spanish are the primary languages. But if you're lucky, you might overhear the odd conversation in Texas German, a dialect brought here by 19th-century immigrants that's still today spoken by a few hundred New Braunfelsians. If you're keen on encountering the Texas German language in the wild, it's best to gravitate toward places where older people congregate, such as bowling alleys, hardware and feed stores, and the like.

Get in
New Braunfels is situated on IH-35 at SH-46, near the Comal and Guadalupe rivers. Access to New Braunfels is accessible via private plane charter, highway access, and the Greyhound Bus Line. Airport shuttles from Austin and San Antonio are available. From San Antonio, head north on IH-35 about half an hour (30 miles) until you reach the SH-46 exit. From Austin, head south on IH-35 for about an hour (60 miles), past San Marcos, and exit SH-46. From Houston, head west on IH-10 about two and a half hours (150 miles), exit SH-46, and head north for about 15 minutes (14 miles more).

By car
Personal vehicle travel is the only effective motorized transportation in town. Print, download, or buy a local map and brave the roads. Traffic during summer weekends is very heavy. Prince Solms Park often has free parking after the for-pay lot is full. Parking costs $5-10 depending on location. Many tube rental shops offer free parking all day with rental.

By bicycle
With heavy traffic and crowded roads, bicycle and foot are appealing travel options. There are a few bicycle rental shops in town. Remember that bicycles are considered vehicles in the eyes of law enforcement, so obey all traffic laws.

Rivers
The Comal and Guadalupe rivers offer beautiful sights.

Gruene
A historic district. Visiting this little "town" situated along the Guadalupe River is like stepping back in time. Antique shops, restaurants, and niche retail stores make for unique shopping.



Tubing
This seems to be what the Comal river was created for. People rent an innertube, hop in the water, and float a few miles down the river. The services of a tubing shuttle are often employed to get from the end back to the insertion point, but because of loops in the river it's a short walk. The anti-littering rules are strong and enforced; do not take anything disposable on the river, including beverages in disposable containers, plastic baggies, or anything made of glass or styrofoam. Coolers with a capacity over 16 quarts is prohibited in city limits on the river. It's okay to drink beer on the river, but consumption or carrying an open container of an alcoholic drink in city parks.

Buy

 * See Buc-ee's in "See" section above.
 * See Buc-ee's in "See" section above.
 * See Buc-ee's in "See" section above.
 * See Buc-ee's in "See" section above.

Sleep
In high season, hotels can fill. If this happens to you, consider a hotel in nearby Seguin or San Marcos.



Go next

 * San Antonio is a nearby city with a lot of history and attractions.
 * San Marcos - 18 miles northeast of New Braunfels, San Marcos is the home of Texas State University and its Aquarena Center, two massive outlet malls that have more than 350 shops, as well as stretches of river in a more natural state.
 * Austin is the capital of Texas, has endless quirks and is definitely worth a visit.