You can find a little piece of Germany in Texas in the two towns of Fredericksburg and Luckenbach, which are about an hour’s drive north of San Antonio. We find it exciting that around 2.3 million of the 30 million inhabitants of Texas have German roots. And we sensed this during our tours of the two towns, because no matter who we spoke to… they all had acquaintances or ancestors with German roots. Crazy!
Table of contents
Things to know about Fredericksburg in Texas
The small town of Fredericksburg is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, which is known for its rolling hills, limestone cliffs and dense oak and cedar forests (location in Google Maps). The town has just 11,500 inhabitants. Due to its attractiveness as a tourist destination, however, the number of visitors who want to immerse themselves in the German-American history of the city increases daily. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by German settlers, led by Otfried Hans Freiherr von Meusebach. The town was named in honor of Prince Frederick of Prussia. The settlers brought their language, culture and architecture with them, which can still be seen in the cityscape and traditions today. For example, the city’s German origins are celebrated at the Oktoberfest and the Market Square Music Festival. There are also several restaurants serving typical German dishes and bakeries offering German delicacies such as strudel, pretzels and gingerbread.
Fredericksburg is considered a center of the Texas wine industry, with over 50 wineries producing the finest wines in the area. Fredericksburg is also famous for its peaches. In season, fresh peaches and products such as jam and wine are available in abundance.
The city of Fredericksburg in Texas
A map of Fredericksburg (Texas)
On the following map you can see that quite a lot is located around Main Street, which runs straight through the town. But it’s definitely worth going into some of the side streets every now and then to discover something new.
Map of the city of Fredericksburg in Texas
Sunset Inn & Suites Fredericksburg
We stayed at the Sunset Inn & Suites Motel in Fredericksburg for two nights. We had a whole apartment to ourselves here, which consisted of a super-equipped kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. A free parking lot and free WLAN were also included. From the motel you can reach the marketplace on Main Street within 20 minutes on foot. It only takes two minutes by car.
The price for 2 nights was US$185.
Fredericksburg – Tour of the Historic District
We had planned a whole morning for sightseeing and exploring Fredericksburg. We parked our rental car in the free parking lot of the tourist information office and could easily reach Main Street from here in just a few meters.
Tourist information
At the entrance to the tourist information office, we immediately noticed the German flags that remind us of the city’s German heritage. Inside, everything looks very new and modern. There are countless brochures and leaflets about activities and experiences in Freidericksburg and the region. The employee, who immediately told us that she has German roots but unfortunately cannot speak German, gave us some valuable tips for our city tour and recommended a short intro film about the city in the in-house theater room.
National Museum of the Pacific War
The National Museum of the Pacific War is located directly between the tourist information center and Main Street, so we made a quick stop here. The museum illustrates the role of the USA in the Pacific War and is Fredericksburg’s most important cultural institution. It was originally opened in 1969 as the Admiral Nimitz Museum in honor of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who was born in Fredericksburg and served as a major commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific. The museum extends over several buildings and outdoor areas, offering a comprehensive presentation of the Pacific War and its effects. We took a closer look at the exhibition in the freely accessible outdoor area, but didn’t go inside the buildings.
Japanese Garden of Peace
The Japanese Garden of Peace is an important part of the National Museum of the Pacific War. The garden was donated to the museum facility by the Japanese government to honor the historical connection between the two nations and as a symbol of reconciliation & friendship. The garden is accessible free of charge and is intended as a retreat for rest, reflection and peace.
Main Street
Main Street in Fredericksburg is the city’s main shopping street. It is lined with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and historic buildings. German names appear again and again on the buildings and signs: for example, you can stay overnight in the ‘Gästehaus Schmidt’, eat pastries in the ‘Old German Bakery’ or go shopping in the ‘Küchen Laden’. That’s really funny.
We walked from the corner of Washingston Street down Main Street to the corner of Edison Street and then walked back on the other side of the street. There was something to discover everywhere.
Marketplace & Pioneer Memorial Library
The large market square with its Vereins Kirche church is located directly on Main Street and is the heart of this charming little town. Both in the past and today, the square plays a central role in community life. It originally served as a meeting place for the inhabitants. Today it is a popular place for events (Oktoberfest, Christmas market, etc.), leisure activities and recreation and attracts both locals and tourists. We particularly liked the playground, which is located under a huge awning and therefore offers a sheltered place for children even on hot sunny days.
The current building of the Vereins Kirche is a replica of the first church and community center in Fredericksburg. Today there is a museum inside that documents and illustrates the history of the town.
On the other side of Main Street is the Pioneer Memorial Library building. When our little daughter had just had her midday nap in the baby carriage, we went to the library and looked at books and played games with our older daughter. The perfect place for a cool break!
Town Pool Splashpad
The absolute highlight for our children was the Town Pool Splashpad, which is located at 105 W. Travis St. directly behind the Tony Knopp Town Pool (location in Google Maps). It is usually only open during the season, from May to September, and is accessible free of charge. The respective opening hours vary every month. We were there one afternoon and were completely alone. Our kids had so much fun and the splash pad is the perfect way to cool off on these hot Texas summer days.
Activities around Fredericksburg
There are numerous activities around Fredericksburg, so a stay in the city for one or two nights is definitely worthwhile.
Tickets and activities for Fredericksburg at GetYourGuide
Old Tunnel State Park
One evening we visited the Old Tunnel State Park. It’s a small state park about a 20-minute drive from Fredericksburg that offers a unique and fascinating attraction: a disused railroad tunnel that is now a major habitat for over three million bats.
In the summer months (May to October), a real spectacle takes place here every evening. This is when the bats fly out of the tunnel in search of food. The park offers special viewing areas for observing this spectacle, for which tickets can be purchased on the official website of the state park. Unfortunately, on the day we visited, only the upper platform was open, for which you pay 2 USD per person. Unfortunately, the lower platform was closed.
We were there about 30 to 40 minutes before sunset to get a good spot. And shortly after sunset, the action started: a huge swarm of bats left the tunnel and set off in search of food. What an experience!
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
The Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is an impressive natural area about 24 kilometers north of Fredericksburg. The park is best known for its huge granite monolith, which is one of the largest rock formations of its kind in the United States. With a height of around 130 meters above the surrounding landscape and a total area of more than 2.6 square kilometers, Enchanted Rock is a landmark of the Texas Hill Country. Unfortunately, we didn’t visit Enchanted Rock ourselves due to time constraints.
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
On our way from Austin to Fredericksburg, we made a stop at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. The park provides an insight into the life and legacy of the 36th President of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson. The park includes several sites near Stonewall and Johnson City that provide information about Johnson’s life, from his childhood to his presidency.
These are in particular:
(1) The Lyndon B. Johnson Boyhood Home in Johnson City, where Lyndon B. Johnson spent most of his youth.
(2) The Johnson Settlement in Johnson City shows what life was like in Texas in the 1860s and 1870s. This historic ranch belonged to Johnson’s ancestors and includes a reconstructed log cabin, a barn and a number of exhibits from the pioneer era.
(3) The Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch in Stonewall is located about 23 kilometers west of Johnson City.
(4) The LBJ State Park and Historic Site is located near the LBJ Ranch and offers hiking trails, a replica of a German settler farm and a visitor center.
We were particularly impressed by our visit to the LBJ Ranch, which has been owned by the Johnson family since the early 20th century. It was Johnson’s birthplace in 1908, later his retreat and during his presidency (1963 to 1969) known as the “Texas White House”. Here he often made important political decisions and received international guests of state. You can easily drive through here in your own car and stop and get out at the ‘sights’. The ranch’s main building, known as the Texas White House, is located on the grounds. It was Johnson’s home and office, but is unfortunately not currently accessible due to renovation work. The ranch is also home to his birthplace, a family cemetery, a school building, a cattle barn and a landing strip for Johnson’s presidential airplane, which is also on display on site.
All in all, a worthwhile stop: very informative and lots to discover.
Luckenbach
If you are in Fredericksburg, you should definitely take a trip to the small village of Luckenbach, which is around 13 minutes’ drive from Fredericksburg.
Luckenbach was founded in 1849 by German settlers and named after Jakob Luckenbach, an early resident of the region. For a long time it was a small, inconspicuous place with a school, church, dance hall and a general store. In the 1970s, Luckenbach was revitalized by Hondo Crouch, a humorous businessman and self-proclaimed mayor. He bought the village for USD 30,000 and transformed it into a cult place for music and socializing with the motto ‘Everybody’s Somebody’. The town became particularly famous thanks to the hit ‘Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)’ by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in 1977. The song brought the town worldwide fame and attracted musicians and fans from all over the world.
Today, the village consists of three inhabitants and a handful of historic buildings. In the historic Post Office and General Store, visitors can find souvenirs, drinks and lots of charm from days gone by. The Luckenbach Dance Hall is a venue for live music. Artists from all over the world perform here and there are regular dance events and concerts. When we were here, musicians were playing country music on the small outdoor stage. It was a really cool atmosphere.
Round trip through Texas - Our travel route & reports
We did a lot of research for our round trip through Texas and in the end we probably put together a "typical" round trip where you explore the best-known cities and regions. We started our trip in Dallas and Fort Worth, then went on to the capital Austin, then to Fredericksburg and San Antonio, from there to the Gulf Coast to Galveston and finally we visited Houston. All in all, a really beautiful and varied route that you can do very well in 3 weeks with 2 small children 🙂
Our itinerary & travel reports:
➥ Dallas - Sights, Attractions & Photo Spots
➥ Fort Worth - Cowboy feeling in the Wild West
➥ Fossil Rim Wildlife Center - A safari in Texas by car
➥ Austin - Sights of the Capital of Texas
➥ Fredericksburg - The most German city in Texas
➥ San Antonio - Top 10 attractions: River Walk, Alamo & more
➥ San Antonio - SeaWorld & Aquatica Water Park
➥ San Antonio - Mission (UNESCO World Heritage)
➥ Galveston Island - relaxing on the Gulf Coast
➥ Houston - Our highlights and activities
➥ Houston Space Center - Dive into the world of space travel