It’s no secret that folks flock to Fredericksburg for the wine. As the epicenter of the Texas Wine Country, Fredericksburg’s Gillespie County is home to about three-quarters of the more than 100 wineries and vineyards sprinkled throughout the Texas Hill Country.
In recent years, Texas has become the second-most visited wine region in the country, trailing only Napa Valley. But in addition to sipping the award-winning wines being poured in and around this charming German town just an hour and a half west of Austin, you’ll find plenty of reasons to visit.
I recently returned to Fredericksburg for the first time in almost two years for an early Mother’s Day getaway with my mom and sister, swapping congested highways for rolling country hills blanketed in wildflowers and replacing jam-packed schedules with a few leisurely midweek days relaxing in the Hill Country.
Boasting a burgeoning wine and food scene, small-town Hill Country charm, Texas-sized adventures, and a shop-til-you-drop-worthy Main Street brimming with boutiques, galleries and unique spots to stay, Fredericksburg offers the perfect recipe for a good time. Whether you’re looking for a nearby mother-daughter escape or a fun girls getaway, here are a dozen Fredericksburg favorites we discovered on our recent trip.
Hands-on, chef-led cooking classes at Fischer and Wieser Farmstead offer the perfect recipe for fun. Photo by Andi Jo Richards
Take a cooking class & stay the night on a farmstead
If you’re a foodie (or an aspiring one), book a cooking class at Fischer & Wieser Farmstead. This historic family-run farmstead is a culinary oasis nestled in the heart of Fredericksburg that’s home to an on-site cooking school, the Das Peach Haus selling its homemade specialty jams, jellies, meal starters and more, a wine tasting room, and the Dietz Distillery. During a hands-on, chef-led Spanish tapas cooking class, we sipped sangria and cooked up a mouthwatering multi-course Spanish feast: Spanish arancini balls, bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with Manchego, Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish-style sizzling garlic shrimp), beef empanadas, and tarta de Santiago (Spanish almond cake).
The cooking school, featured on USA Today’s 10 Best List, offers a diverse array of themed cooking classes each week, focused on everything from pasta-making and French cuisine to Southern comfort foods and German classics. The best part? Each cooking class comes with a recipe book you can take home to recreate the same delicious meal in your own kitchen.
Enjoying front porch views of the serene pond, surrounding pines and family peach orchard from Fischer and Wieser’s tiny home, situated on the picturesque grounds of Das Peach Haus. Photo by Mauri Elbel
After our cooking class, we cozied up for the night inside a cute and comfortable tiny home right on the Fischer & Wieser Farmstead and awoke to serene views overlooking their picturesque pond and sprawling peach orchard. Guests can also glamp in one of three fully equipped silver airstreams on site. More at https://fwfarmstead.com/.
Petting Barney, named after The Flintstones just like his half-brother Fred, who weighs a little under 3,000 pounds.
Feed giraffes and pet rhinos
When you think of Fredericksburg, petting white rhinos and feeding vegetables to reticulated giraffes aren’t necessarily top-of-the-mind experiences. But at Longneck Manor, these memorable moments unfold on 100 sprawling Hill Country acres. We booked an ambassador tour ($95 per person) for an up-close animal encounter that included petting white rhinos like half-brothers Fred and Barney, feeding fresh vegetables to a family of giraffes, and learning how Longneck Manor supports on-the-ground organizations in Africa that are making a positive impact in wildlife conservation and their local communities.
Giraffes are the tallest species alive. Male giraffes can reach up to 18 feet tall with females up to 16 feet, and they have 18-22-inch-long bluish-purple tongues. Photo by Andi Jo Richards
Guests can also book conservation-focused stays at this luxury Fredericksburg destination while supporting global wildlife conservation efforts and enjoying private animal encounters (think private painting sessions with the giraffes and skin prints with the rhinos). Luxurious one- and two-bedroom villas accommodate four to six guests while the giraffe suite perched above the 10,000-square-foot giraffe barn offers a window into the lives of Kafele and Betty and her three calves –– Tana, Kili Rose and little Indy. More at https://longneckmanor.com/.
Sashimi blackened yellowfin tuna paired with Slate Theory’s 2023 Sangiovese Rosé. Photo by Mauri Elbel
Embark on an elevated wine journey underground
Wine production in this German town dates back to the original settlers, who used the native mustang grape to produce wine. But it goes without saying that a lot has changed since then. On our recent trip, we discovered a few wineries worth raising a glass to, each offering chef-driven bites that pair perfectly with their wines.
RELATED: Falling for Fredericksburg: Sample all this Hill Country haven has to offer
If you’re craving a truly stand-out wine and food experience, book the paired cave tasting at Slate Theory –– an elevated culinary and wine journey that unfolds in Slate Theory’s expansive underground cave cellar and includes four wine and plated food pairings culminating with a special barrel tasting and custom chocolate pairing. Think sashimi blackened yellowfin tuna paired with the 2023 Sangiovese Rosé; smoked salmon, Boursin cheese, capers and purple onion complemented by the 2021 Cinsault; and sliced prime beef tenderloin, gorgonzola and smoky bacon jam sipped with The Phobic, a blend of 75 percent Zinfandel and 25 percent Petite Syrah. It’s a wine experience for the books that’s completely worth the price ($145 per person) because it’s as delicious and educational as it is memorable, and substantial enough to suffice as your lunch or dinner for the day. More at https://www.slatetheory.com/.
Heath Sparkling will be bringing 100 percent of their sparkling wine production in house this year, with a brand new sparkling wine facility coming soon. Photo by Mauri Elbel
Head to Heath for bubbly and bites
If you love bubbly, head to neighboring Heath Sparkling. The first all-sparkling winery in Texas opened in 2019 and will be making 100 percent of its sparkling wine production in house this year. All of Heath’s wines are made using the traditional method with 18 months sur lie aging to offer a rich and complex flavor profile. Reserve a spring paired tasting ($40 per person) that includes four seasonal small-bite and sparkling pairings crafted by Heath’s in-house chef, such as the Blanc De Blancs with potato pave with rocket soup. Perfection. More at https://heathsparkling.com/.
Felt Boutique’s Ella customizes writer Mauri Elbel’s new hat at the shop’s hat bar. Photo by Mauri Elbel
Hit the (Felt Hat) Bar
Fredericksburg’s downtown Main Street is lined with more shops, boutiques and galleries than you’ll be able to visit in a single trip –– more than 150 and counting. But be sure to pop into the Felt Hat Bar, a cute and trendy shop that might make you pick out your own Mother’s Day gift like I did. I’ve spent the last decade searching for the perfect hat, and I found it at this girl’s dream shop filled with custom felt and straw hats in every color and style. Once you find the hat that suits your fancy, customize it with unique flair in the form of printed silk twillies, feather bands and jewelry. I even got my initials branded into my new purchase at the colorful hat bar. More at https://feltboutique.com/.
Swirl a glass at Ferris and Fletch Wine Co.
If shopping along Main Street makes you thirsty, stop into Ferris & Fletch Wine Co.’s tasting room (tastings are $30 per person) to sip the delicious wines they are making like their bold 2023 Tannat from the Texas Hill Country. Named after two of their sons, Ferris and Fletch, owners Rarig and Ellery Ross swapped their wine roots in California a few years back to plant boots in Fredericksburg and raise their growing family. Their third son, Fitz, has since entered the world, and the wheels are already in motion to build Fitzwilliam Sparkling Wines behind their tasting room. When the weather is nice, go out back to the Wineyard, which Rarig renovated himself. The relaxing outdoor space is dotted with shaded pergolas and picnic tables perfect for clinking glasses with friends. More at https://ferrisandfletch.com.
Trueheart Hotel is a boutique 13-room hotel in Fredericksburg, tucked just a few steps away from bustling Main Street. Photo by Mauri Elbel
Sleep sweetly at Trueheart Hotel
Home to hundreds of bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, and hotels and inns, you’ll find no shortage of spots to rest your head in Fredericksburg. But my favorite spot to sleep has to be The Trueheart Hotel in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg, just a block off Main Street. I’ve stayed there three times because I love it so much and no stay is ever the same. Each of Trueheart’s Texas-inspired rooms and cottages is as unique as its name. This time, I stayed in Mimosa, a cheery room with bright yellow walls, a brick fireplace, one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept in, and a dreamy clawfoot tub made for soaking. In the evening, my mom, sister and I sipped a glass of Texas wine on our private porches before walking around the corner to dinner. In the morning, we had the most heavenly warm biscuits and fresh-squeezed orange juice delivered straight to our door before shopping on Main. More at https://thetruehearthotel.com/.
The Quail Cushion is a signature dish at the Restaurant at Albert Hotel in Fredericksburg, featuring roasted quail served on a bed of black garlic and black rice. Contributed by Albert Hotel
Dine at The Restaurant at Albert
Tucked behind Fredericksburg’s bustling Main Street, you’ll catch an urban glimpse of the newest major development to come to town: The Albert Hotel. The long-awaited Albert Hotel, named after architect, historic preservationist and general man-about-town, Albert Keidel, is an urban-meets-Hill Country oasis hidden just behind Fredericksburg’s bustling Main Street that opened earlier this year. Featuring 105 guest rooms, multiple restaurants and bars, a full-service spa, sunken limestone pool, and versatile indoor and outdoor event spaces, the design intentionally preserves the town’s distinctive character by utilizing a row of existing historic buildings facing Main Street and seamlessly integrating the new design directly behind them.
RELATED: Fredericksburg’s new Albert Hotel keeps historic charm but brings modern style
While I haven’t gotten the chance to stay the night yet, we were invited to dine at The Restaurant at Albert, helmed by a Michelin-starred chef and boasting a seasonal menu that cultivates a connection to the land by sourcing ingredients from the surrounding community of farmers and ranchers. Highlights of our gourmet dinner included black butter and smoked mushrooms atop Enchanted mushroom gravy and yellow grits, the red snapper with smoked trout roe and the venison schnitzel with cabbage, caraway and mushroom demi-glace, and a decadent chocolate bourbon panna cotta for dessert. If you’re looking for a fine dining experience in Fredericksburg, this would be my top choice. More at https://alberthotel.com/.
Enchanted Rock sits just 20 minutes from Fredericksburg. Photo by Chase Fountain
Climb Enchanted Rock
Whenever I’m in Fredericksburg, I try to carve out a morning at Enchanted Rock. Gaze out on forever from the top of this awe-inspiring ancient pink granite dome rising from the heart of the Hill Country, accessed via the steep one-way Summit Trail, or explore the longer, lesser-trafficked 4.6-mile Loop Trail. Be sure to book a day pass because parking fills up and you could risk being turned away without one.
Get your Tex-Mex fix at Los Tios
Sometimes timing is everything. Just three days before our early Mother’s Day escape, Los Tios –– the Houston Tex-Mex staple that introduced the first frozen margaritas to the city 50 years ago –– opened a Fredericksburg restaurant just off of Main Street in the former location of August E’s. I’m not usually a fan of frozen margaritas because I find most too sweet, but the signature frozens served up at Los Tios strike the perfect balance with high-quality tequila and fresh lime. Food favorites included the guacamole, the SuperMex bowl, and the enchiladas verdes. Yum. More at https://www.lostiosrestaurant.com/.
Swirling a glass of wine with William and Chris Vineyards’ co-founder and owner, Chris Brundrett.
Stop to say “Hye” at William Chris Vineyards
On your way to or from Fredericksburg, stop off at one of my favorite wineries –– William Chris Vineyards in nearby Hye. William Chris has been on the “Top 100 list of World’s Best Vineyards” three years in a row –– and it’s the only Texas winery on the list. Founded by winemakers William “Bill” Blackmon and Chris Brundrett in 2008, the winery now makes wines using only responsibly grown Texas grapes from farms located in Texas’ American Viticultural Areas. Sample a procession of their lovely wines –– the playful white blend Mary Ruth, the smokey Mourvèdre and my personal favorite, their Bordeaux-style blend, Enchanté –– inside their lofty, light-filled contemporary tasting room or outside on their beautiful grounds (tastings start at $30 per person). Pair your tasting with a colorful spring charcuterie board. More at https://www.williamchriswines.com/.
Enjoy the blooms at Wildseed Farms March through October. Contributed by Visit Fredericksburg
Soak in the blooms at Wildseed Farms
Before heading home, pose with the poppies at Wildseed Farms, the nation’s largest working wildflower farm brimming with more than 200 acres of flowering fields in Fredericksburg. Wildseed Farms has been the trailblazer for the wildflower industry since it was founded in 1983 by John and Marilyn Thomas, and about a decade ago, the family planted their first vineyard and now has a tasting room. While bluebonnet season come and gone, you can still enjoy various blooms through October and purchase some wildflower seeds to plant back home. More at https://wildseedfarms.com.
If You Go
Getting there:
Fredericksburg is about 75 miles or an hour-and-a-half drive west of Austin.
Stay:
Rest your head at the charming rooms and cottages at The Trueheart Hotel, or get cozy in a tiny home on the family-run farmstead Fischer & Wieser.
Eat & Drink:
For a Texas-centric brunch, head to Hill & Vine. My very favorite Fredericksburg lunch spot is Vaudeville. Craving Tex-Mex? Los Tios has the best margaritas and enchiladas in town. For a gourmet dining experience, reserve a table at The Restaurant at Albert. On Main Street, swirl a glass of wine at Ferris & Fletch Wine Co. The top wineries on my ever-growing list of Fredericksburg favorites include: Slate Theory, Augusta Vin, Heath Sparkling, Kalasi Cellars and William Chris Vineyards (stop on your way to or from Fredericksburg).
Insider tip:
Weekends are busy in Fredericksburg and large groups on excursions or celebrating weddings and bachelorette parties often create traffic in the tiny town’s restaurants, wineries and shops. For a less crowded and more relaxed pace, plan your trip during the weekdays (Sunday through Thursday) when crowds are sparse, lodging rates are lower, and it’s not an issue reserving tastings or tables at the wineries and restaurants you want to visit.
