Last week I went to Fredericksburg, Texas for the first time and I have no idea why I waited this long to check out this charming little town. It’s only about 2 hours from Austin and it’s an easy, scenic drive on Highway 290. There are plenty of vineyards, restaurants, and gift shops sprinkled in along the way to stop in at as well! Read on for all of my favorite places.
Master bedroom in the Basse House at Hoffman Haus Bed & Breakfast.
Hoffman Haus bed & breakfast.
Breakfast at Hoffman Haus bed & breakfast.
Where to Stay:
Hoffman Haus: I love a cute bed and breakfast, but to be completely honest… I hate making small talk with randos I’ll never see again. Thankfully I didn’t have to worry about that here! Hoffman Haus combines all of the best things about a bed and breakfast, air bnb, and a hotel into one amazing place. Rather than having a room inside of a house, this property has an array of different spaces you can stay in. My mom and I stayed in Basse House which had two bedrooms, a kitchen, and living area. It was really spacious and comfortable and I was really happy to have my own room! The best part about Hoffman Haus though is definitely the breakfast. They bring it straight to your door in a basket and it was incredible. The first day they brought *the best* biscuits and eggs and just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, the next day they served a breakfast quiche casserole (tbh I really don’t know what it was exactly, just that it was awesome) and a seriously life changing cranberry and white chocolate scone.
Sipping on rosé at William Chris Vineyards.
Having a malbec at Hilmy Cellars.
Riesling with a view at Grape Creek Vineyards.
The best tempranillo at Becker Vineyards.
Rosé at Lost Draw Cellars.
Fat Ass Ranch & Winery entrance.
Where to Drink:
William Chris Vineyards: This was the first vineyard we hit but I wish it had been the last because it was my favorite! The grounds were so beautiful. It had such a peaceful atmosphere and the rose I had was amazing. Since I knew I’d be going to several more places that day, I only had a glass but I wish I had done a tasting! Needless to say I will most definitely be coming back.
Hilmy Cellars: Another great one! This was probably my second favorite spot and I did do a full tasting here. It was extremely well done and very informative! For $20 you get to taste 6 wines (although I got to do 8 because they had two different kinds of rosé out too) and that 20 bucks goes towards any 3 bottles of wine. My favorites were the 2015 Doo.Zwa.Zo (a combo of viogner and chenin blanc), 2015 Politics & Religion (a blend of mourvedre and merlot), and the malbec.
Fat Ass Ranch & Winery: Tbh I came here because of the name, but I stayed for the wine. This is such a fun spot! Again, I wish I had done a tasting but I just had a glass of the malbec (my go-to). They have some other unique fruit wines like strawberry and peach as well as sangria that I would’ve liked to have tried.
Lost Draw Cellars: Most of the wineries in Fredericksburg are located along 290, but Lost Draw Cellars is closer to the downtown square. They actually grow their grapes in the high plains region of Texas, but have their tasting room in Fredericksburg. I came here after lunch and sat outside on their patio with a nice glass of rosé.
Grape Creek Vineyards: Grape Creek is one of the largest vineyards in Fredericksburg and because of this it felt kind of touristy to me. It was more crowded than the rest of the places despite it having been a week day when I was there. However, it is a spot worth hitting especially if you’re interested in doing a tour and/or barrel tasting. I had a riesling here to mix things up and I really enjoyed it!
Becker Vineyards: Another bigger vineyard but oh my God their tempranillo… This was our last stop and I’d already bought quite a few bottles so I didn’t buy this one and I’m kicking myself! If you like reds, I highly recommend this one. It was probably my favorite wine out of the entire trip!
The wurst plate and duck schnitzel at Otto’s German Bistro.
Quiche of the day at The Peach Tree.
Iced coffee at Java Ranch.
Jager schnitzel and beer flight at Fredericksburg Brewing Co.
Where to Eat:
Otto’s German Bistro: German inspired gourmet food tucked away in a cute little house. Otto’s has great reviews, and with good reason! The food here was excellent. They do have a pretty small menu with no sides listed (I love my sides), which had me a little worried when we first sat down – but I ordered the duck schnitzel and it seriously blew my mind. I ate all of it and reluctantly agreed to share a bite with my mom. Highly, highly recommend for anyone who’s a foodie or just loves German food! It’s a pretty small space and it’s very popular so you’ll definitely need a reservation, especially over the weekend.
The Peach Tree: An adorable spot for traditional lunch food such as quiche (my favorite), sandwiches, and salads. It does get pretty crowded though so either be prepared to wait a bit and mill around their gift shop, or make a reservation. The service is also a bit slow at peak lunch times, but if you’re not in a huge rush the food is great!
Java Ranch Roasters: A fun coffee shop conveniently located on the main thoroughfare. I had already eaten breakfast when I came in to grab some mid morning coffee, but I wish I’d saved room for one of their pastries! I saw a huge cinnamon roll that someone in front of me ordered and it had my mouth watering.
Fredericksburg Brewing Company: When in Fredericksburg, you’ve gotta get German food. If you’re a beer lover this is the spot for you! I had a flight with a pretzel and jager schnitzel with sauerkraut and German potato salad. So, so good!
Clear River Ice Cream & Bakery: A must-do for dessert or an afternoon sweet treat! There are tons of different flavors to choose from (highly recommend the chocolate peanut butter) and they’re all homemade. They’ve also got cookies if you want to build your own ice cream sandwich!
Hye Market
Snacking on peach cobbler at Vogel Orchards.
Luckenbach post office.
Luckenbach post office.
Wildflower Ridge Alpaca Ranch.
Feeding the alpacas at Wildflower Ridge Alpaca Ranch.
Wildflower Ridge Alpaca Ranch.
What to Do:
Hye Market: If you’re heading to Frederickburg on 290, Hye Market is on your way and a quick stop worth making. Grab a sandwich at the historic post office turned cafe and be sure to snap a pic outside. There’s plenty of parking, the people who work here are super friendly, and it’s conveniently located right across the street from my favorite winery, William Chris.
Fredericksburg peaches: Fredericksburg is known for its peaches! We are getting right into peach season so it’s prime time to grab some fresh ones to take home. There are several orchards on 290 sprinkled in between vineyards, but I recommend Vogel Orchards. In addition to fresh peaches, they also sell homemade ice cream and peach cobbler. I had the peach cobbler a la mode and it was so good! It’s more like a peach butter cake in my opinion than traditional cobbler like I’m used to, but it was delicious.
Luckenbach post office: You know what they say – everybody’s somebody in Luckenbach! Located about 15 minutes outside of Fredericksbug this little town is worth stopping at for a quick photo opp. You can eat there at their cafe/bar and they also have live music! They don’t appear to have a website but Google maps will take you right to it.
Wildflower Ridge Alpaca Ranch: If you like animals then you will love Wildflower Ridge. I have a weird obsession with alpacas and llamas ever since my trip to New Zealand a few years ago so when I found this place I knew I had to go. It’s owned by a really sweet retired couple so you just call and make an appointment with them and the best part is, it’s free! They give you a little tour with some info about alpacas, then they let you pet and feed them!
