With southern charm and abundant hospitality, Fredericksburg is a must for any girl gangs out there looking for a casual weekend getaway.
Situated in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg is known for its authentic German Heritage, sprawling vineyards, and local shops, restaurants and art galleries. The city is an hour and forty-five minutes from downtown Austin which, in Texas standards, is pretty much in our backyard. So gather up your friends, turn up those road trip tunes (Walk 500 Miles, anyone?) and head over to Fredricksburg for a small town getaway that packs some big Texas charm.
STAY:
For this trip, my friend Brittany and I opted for an Airbnb instead of a standard hotel. We heard that independent cottages and B&B’s were the town’s bread and butter, so we scoured Airbnb in hopes of finding the perfect place!
We booked La Paloma, a one bedroom bungalow located 6 blocks from town in the coziest little neighborhood. We weren’t sure what to expect (first time B&Bers here), but as soon as we pulled up and saw the pastel egg chairs on the front porch, we knew we made a good choice.
This Airbnb was serious vacation goals and exceeded our expectations at every turn. The home was small, but perfect for two, well decorated and had a 70’s look to it that still felt modern.
The fridge was stocked with waters, juice and yogurts for breakfast and the bed may have been the most comfortable fleathery piece of heaven that I ever laid my head upon. There was a backyard with additional seating and a shed that housed 2 bikes for a casual ride to town.
TO DO:
Hang at Home: I don’t typically include this as a “thing to do” when creating a travel guide, but it’s actually perfect for this little town. Everything here closes down pretty early–by 9pm you’ll be hard pressed to find an open shop or restaurant, so if you’ve opted for a B&B or a cottage, spend some time there! Our first night in Fredericksburg was one of my favorites and we spent a majority of it snacking on a homemade charcuterie board, drinking champagne and hanging out in our cute little kitchen!
Main Street: The town’s main strip reminded me so much of the whimsical Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. I was convinced that I would see Rory and Lorelai strolling down the street to Luke’s, discussing coffee and Max Medina.
Main Street is an easy walk from almost all hotels and B&B’s and you can easily spend hours popping in and out of shops and snacking on local baked goods. The streets are lined with beautiful greenery and old school cars fill up a majority of the aligning spots.
Spa: While we didn’t do a spa this time around, I did some research just in case we could squeeze it into our schedule! I mean, what’s a girls weekend without a little spa action? Two of my favorite finds were Nature’s Spa at the Fredericksburg Herb Farm and The Spa at the Inn on Baron’s Creek.
290 Wine Shuttle: You can’t visit Fredericksburg and not visit one of the many surrounding renowned vineyards: Becker, Inwood Estates, Fat Ass Ranch, Fiesta Vineyards–the options are endless and each winery offers tastings, tours and snacks.
290 Wine Shuttle is a must for anyone looking to explore multiple vineyards. For only $29.99 per person, you can get a hop-on hop-off ticket that starts at 10am and goes until the wineries close at 6pm. The shuttle hits each winery every 15 minutes for pickups and dropoffs and if you end up purchasing wine or getting free glasses from a tasting, the staff will tag the items and bring it back to town for you. Haleluya for not having juggle an array of free glasses all day!
The shuttle stopped at the following locations and I’ve made some notes on ones that stood out! While we had high hopes at stopping at them all, it’s really not possible unless you want to be on the move all day. I would research them ahead of time, pick a few favorites and hit those!
Barons Creek Vineyards
Note: If you take the bus, I would skip this vineyard. Nothing against it, it’s lovely, but everyone gets off at the first stop which means there’s a big crowd. And a big crowd means you have a wait a while for vino.
Mendelbaum Cellars
Inwood Estates
Grape Creek Vineyards
Note: Grape Creek has some delicious wine and is located on a beautiful 100 acre estate, but at the end of the day it was my least favorite stop. I just felt a little uncomfortable there; it was one of those Vineyards where you never seem to be classy enough, no matter how cute your wedges are or how sophisticated your wine lingo is. If it helps, their slogan is, “where wine is a pleasure, not a party.” Now we weren’t looking for a party, but we were looking for a more relaxed and laid back atmosphere.
If you’re a fan of their wines or interested in joining their wine club (great perks), then I would stop, but if you’re just looking to kick back and enjoy a glass of wine with friends, I would skip to the next one.
Torre Di Pietra
Becker Vineyards
Note: One of my favorites–it’s classy and fabulous and oh so beautiful. Becker is one of the more well known vineyards and it’s definitely worth a stop. The front entrance is picturesque and the outdoor seating area will have you kicked back and relaxed in no time.
Woodrose Winery
Fat Ass Ranch & Winery
Note: Hands down my favorite winery! The name sets the precedent for how fun this place is and the atmosphere truly can’t be beat. They usually have live music outside, a food truck on-site and, bonus, frozen peach wine in the summer! Plus, Frito the donkey is their mascot and he can be found year round out in his pen–he’s sweet, enjoys his hay and loves a good photo opp.
Messina Hof
Wedding Oak Winery
Note: This is a cool winery, but if I could go back I probably would have skipped it. The wine was good, but the tasting room was tiny and there was no indoor seating. It’s not a problem throughout the entire year, but in the summer months it makes it hard to enjoy your glass of wine!
Fiesta Winery
Note: Another one of my favorite spots-their slogan is “come on in, let’s fiesta” which just speaks to my soul. This is another laid back spot and a perfect place to sit back and sip on one of their clevary named wines–Tex Way Rose anyone?
The Vintage Cellar
Six Shooter Cellars
EAT:
Vaudeville: This building is stunning and screams *southern* with white paint, subtle black lanterns and tall decorative columns climbing up the front of the building. Inside there are three floors and two unique dining spaces, both of which serve up beautifully crafted dishes.
Depending on what you’re in the mood for, you can do dinner in the Bistro (located on the lower level) or take part in the Supper Club (located on the top floor), which is a pre-fix menu and a little pricerer. We were looking for a more casual dining experience, so we opted for The Bisto and it was fantastic! We split a bottle of rose and a few apps and just spent hours chatting and enjoying the night. If you go, make sure to get the Beef Carpaccio and Burrata, you won’t be disappointed!
Rathskeller: Perfect for breakfast or lunch and the food is so simple and delicious. Rathskeller serves up all the basics in a cozy spot on Main Street. The pancakes are a must for breakfast and don’t forget to order a mimosa!
Austin Java and Muffin House: This coffee shop is hidden under overgrown greens and ivy and is surrounded by a mix match of rustic furniture that sprawls over the porch and grass. Don’t be fooled by the exterior though, it’s a sweet little coffee house that the locals love. The owner knows everyone by name and makes a mean french vanilla latte.
Ottos: A must for Sunday Brunch, dinner or just drinks on the patio. Otto’s serves up farm-to-table German cuisine and local beer, wine and handcrafted cocktails!
Cousins Maine Lobster: I’m typically a fan of all things featured on Shark Tank, so I was excited when we stumbled across this food truck! Brittany and I got hungry while on our wine tour and this little lobster truck was parked conveniently outside of Becker Vineyards (well played Cousins Maine Lobster, well played).
Now I’ve had food truck lobster before, but I never felt like the price matched the quantity or quality. This truck was ah-mazing though–you get mounds of food for a *relatively* affordable price in lobster standards. If you make your way there, get the lobster tots and lobster quesadilla. Yum!
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I’m sure there’s a ton of other hidden gems throughout the town and I would love to hear about any that you know about or come across in your travels. Overall, I loved our little weekend trip and would do it again in a heartbeat. The people were sweet, the accommodations were beautiful and the wine was delicious!
