A 26-foot Christmas pyramid spins on Marktplatz. Pam LeBlanc photo
If you’re looking for Old World charm this holiday season head to Fredericksburg.
The town, located about 75 miles west of downtown Austin, leans into its German heritage especially hard this time of year. From a nightly tree lighting ceremony to German-themed baked goods, decorations and activities, it stands as a reminder that bigger isn’t always better, even in Texas.
Here are our top 10 suggestions for what to do in Fredericksburg this holiday season…
1. Book a room at the Albert Hotel, which opened in January 2025 and blends in with the city’s historic charm. Besides hotel rooms, you’ll find a coffee shop housed in a historic pharmacy, an onsite restaurant, a swimming pool and spa.
2. Head to Marktplatz for the nightly festivities. At 6 p.m. nightly through Jan. 5, visitors can hear a 10-minute audio presentation that explains Fredericksburg’s German heritage and wraps up with a countdown to the lighting of the outdoor plaza. Don’t miss the 26-foot spinning Christmas pyramid, hand-carved in Germany and transported to Texas.
3. Rent a pair of skates and take a spin on the Eisbahn Outdoor Rink at Marktplatz. Admission is $15 (including skate rental) or $10 on Tuesdays. The rink is open until Jan.
4. Climb aboard a red trolley for a history tour with Fredericksburg Tours. You’ll learn about the Germans who settled this area, the peace pact they made with Native Americans, the historic Sunday houses and more.
5. Visit the National Museum of the Pacific War. The 55,000-square place museum honors Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief of Allied Forces in the Pacific, but provides a deeper general understanding of the struggle between Allied and Japanese forces in the Pacific. The museum’s George H.W. Bush Gallery just reopened after a major renovation. Besides the casing of a Fat Boy atomic bomb, you’ll see video interviews with soldiers, the hatch of the USS Arizona, planes, a submarine and more.
The Saur-Beckmann Farm is a living history museum set in 1918. Pam LeBlanc photo
6. Visit the Sauer-Beckmann Farm, a living history museum that’s part of the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site east of Fredericksburg. There, you can see how families celebrated Christmas in 1918, with a simple tree, traditional German springerle and more. You can also watch the blacksmith at work and see sheep, chickens and a pig the size of a loveseat.
7. Drop by the Pioneer Museum, where you can walk through a collection of buildings that date to the 19th century German Pioneer Days. The museum store offers a good selection of gifts, too.
8. Stop by Fischer & Wieser, which started as a roadside fruit stand more than 50 years ago. Today you can sample and buy jams, jellies and sauces, grab a cocktail at the neighboring bar, or take a cooking class.
9. Taste some wine. My favorite is the Pontotoc Vineyard Weingarten on Main Street, nestled in a historic cottage, where I sipped a glass of the best sangria I’ve ever had. If the sun’s out, sit at a table in the stone-walled courtyard.
10. Grab a beer at the Fredericksburg Brewing Company, the state’s oldest operating brew pub. It opened in 1994, just after the state legalized brewing operations here.
