This Is the Unofficial Capital of Texas Hill Country—and It Has Log Cabins, Dozens of Wineries, and Epic Dining

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• Stay at The Albert for diverse dining options and elegant swims in the sunken limestone pool.
• Head to dozens of diverse area wineries for a taste of Central Texas vino.
• Visit one-of-a-kind shops like the 30,000-square-foot Carol Hicks Bolton Antiquities or San Saba Soda Company, which sells Texan pecan-based body care.
• Order a sophisticated cocktail from The Speakeasy for a taste of local produce and spirits.
• Feast on decadent dishes like lobster-topped chicken fried ribeye and bacon-wrapped grilled quail at Cabernet Grill.

About 80 miles west of Austin in Texas Hill Country, you’ll find Fredericksburg, a small town that serves as a gateway to the Lone Star State’s wine region. There are plenty of other towns along Highway 290 (known as the Texas Wine Road) boasting vineyards, restaurants, and accommodations in the form of bed-and-breakfasts and roadside motels, but Fredericksburg has some of the best of it all. From eclectic shopping and restaurants to a vibrant live music scene and, of course, wine, it’s undoubtedly one of the region’s best getaways. Many travelers often choose to stay in Fredericksburg while hopping around Hill Country to visit surrounding wineries and vineyards during the day. Then, for the evenings, it’s all Fredericksburg.

Even if you’re not into wine, Fredericksburg is full of options, from exploring nature at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area to a night of dancing in nearby Luckenbach or an afternoon spent shopping at the town’s numerous boutiques and mercantiles. In Fredericksburg, you’ll find plenty of history, charm, and adventures to keep you busy from dawn to dusk. Here’s everything you need to know about planning a visit.

Best Hotels and Resorts

Details inside The Albert.

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Hoffman Haus

A block away from Main Street on 5 acres of land, Hoffman Haus offers easy access to shopping and restaurants while providing a slice of solitude after a busy day. With rooms, suites, and even private houses, accommodations here are comfortable and spacious. Each morning, a chef-prepared breakfast is delivered to your door, and the private spa is available all day.

Trueheart Hotel

With just 13 rooms, the Trueheart Hotel is a boutique property full of color and life. Each room, cottage, and suite has a different atmosphere, and you’ll find vibrant walls, gingham decor, and touches of Western flair throughout each space. Sit outside on your private porch or gather around the outdoor fireplace with a glass of wine. There’s also a covered patio along the creek, and you can set up the signature biscuit breakfast basket to be delivered to your room each morning.

The Albert

With 105 guest rooms, four restaurants, two bars, a pool, and a pool bar, The Albert opened in January 2025. It welcomed guests with relaxing communal spaces and top-notch dining options, including Texas barbecue, a cocktail bar slinging Frito pies, a deli with scratch-made bread, and a gourmet restaurant with seasonal menus. Don’t miss the sunken limestone pool or the spa, which uses Texas wildflowers in treatments.

Barons Creekside

On 26 acres, Barons CreekSide has two creeks running through the property and a Swiss log cabin village with 12 handcrafted cabins and four family homes. Amenities include a community fire pit, hammocks and chairs along the creek, a nature trail, a fishing hole, and a bistro and wine bar with live music just a one-minute walk from the cabins. “We consider Baron’s Creekside a sister property to our own, in that the entire concept is so unique and welcoming that we share a lot of our guest visitors,” says Ross Burtwell, owner of Cotton Gin Village and executive chef and owner of Cabernet Grill restaurant. “I love the Swiss log cabins, as it truly reminds me of my past stays in Wengen, Switzerland. Daniel and Deborah, the owners, are the most friendly people you could ever meet. I also love that they have ‘The Club’ on property, where you can listen to live music and grab some drinks while just hanging out.”

Onera

Set among the trees, Onera Fredericksburg has 12 unique accommodations, including  a treehouse, bungalow, geodesic dome, safari tent, and container home. Each unit is different, but various perks include heated soaking tubs, a plunge pool, and fire pits. Efficiency kitchens make it easy to have simple meals, but the real pièce de résistance here is the solitude.

Best Things to Do

Petite Sirah Grapes Growing in a Fredericksburg Texas Vineyard.

FreezeFrames/Adobe Stock

Head to the Wineries

Fredericksburg is located right on State Highway 290, known as Texas’ Wine Road, where you’ll find plenty of wineries and tasting rooms. “Perhaps my favorite thing to do when I have friends or family visiting us in Fredericksburg is to take them out to visit the local wineries. There is such a diversity in wineries, be it the atmosphere, the architecture, the services, and, of course, the wine,” says Burtwell. “Texas winemakers use a wide range of grape varietals instead of just a few, so you can find all kinds of wine for every palate. Many of these wines are gaining high accolades and awards from various competitions. And, of course, we are in Texas, so the winemakers are just so friendly and welcoming to visit with.” In town, Pontotoc Vineyard Weingarten has a traditional “weinkeller” (wine cellar” in a stone-walled courtyard and serves wines made from grapes grown exclusively in the Texas Hill Country. Just outside of town, Signor Vineyards is a beautiful property with a patio, wine bar, “winestream” (a wine Airstream), market, and sprawling lounge. Augusta Vin, a 60-acre vineyard, also uses Texas-grown grapes and has a two-story tasting room. Numerous wine tours and shuttles are available to transport you to area wine spots.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

For a nature break, head to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, where you can hike to the top of a large pink granite dome for aerial views of Hill Country. It’s also a great place to stargaze, camp, rock climb, and go birding. Pro tip: Ask a park staff member about Enchanted Rocks’ fairy shrimp, which live in vernal pools on the rock, swim upside down, and somehow survive dry season.

Take a Trolley Tour

Get a good lay of the land with Fredericksburg Tours, a vintage-style trolley that takes you through town while you learn about the area’s German history, architecture, and vineyards and wineries. They also offer haunted history tours and tours of nearby L.B.J. Ranch, which was home to President and Texan Lyndon B. Johnson.

National Museum of the Pacific War

The National Museum of the Pacific War is a Smithsonian-affiliated museum with the nation’s most comprehensive account of World War II in the Asiatic-Pacific theater. The archives here hold thousands of manuscripts, photographs, documents, and interviews with Pacific War veterans. See exhibits on Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor, and the Medal of Honor, among numerous others.

Go to Luckenbach

About 15 minutes southeast of Fredericksburg is the tiny town of Luckenbach, where locals and tourists both head for pickin’ parties and live music every day. Check out the general store for souvenirs, grab a burger, and strap on your dancing shoes.

Best Shopping

Interior of BlackChalk Home and Laundry.

Catherine Sanderson/BlackChalk Home and Laundry

San Saba Soap Company

Texas is full of pecan trees, and the San Saba Soap Company takes full advantage with their line of fragrances, skincare, and hair care, all made from cold-pressed Texas pecan oil. Their Fredericksburg store sells all the goods—a perfect Texas souvenir that you’ll actually use. I recommend the Palo Santo Honey body oil.

Carol Hicks Bolton Antiquities

Step inside Carol Hicks Bolton Antiquities and you’re sure to find a memento to add to your home decor. The store is 30,000 square feet and contains antiques found across the world, including cabinets, farm tables, beds, linens, and textiles. Find antique paintings, pottery, taxidermy, mirrors, and more.

Das Peach Haus

Das Peach Haus was started as a roadside fruit stand in 1969, and today the company has more than 150 specialty products, all available here. Shop a variety of jams and jellies, salsas, sauces, dips, and other food items, plus enjoy lunch by the pond, orchard views, cooking classes, wine tastings, and seasonal live music.

Pottery Ranch

A quirky spot boasting everything you didn’t know you need, Pottery Ranch has all the home-design fixtures you could want. From Western and modern wall art to sculptures, statement chairs, lighting, and yard art, you’re sure to find something that catches your eye as you peruse. Of course, there’s lots of pottery, in the form of everything from birds and bugs to Texas armadillos and more.

BlackChalk Home and Laundry

Walking around BlackChalk Home and Laundry, you’ll find inspiration and pieces for every corner of your home. Items range from small gifts like candles and motivational signs and coffee table books to larger items like unique throw pillows, vases, and lighting. There’s also jewelry, bags, and beauty products.

Nightlife

Fredericksburg, Texas at night.

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The Speakeasy at Salvation Spirits

On a 10-acre orchard, The Speakeasy is Salvation Spirit’s cocktail lounge, were master mixologists are using fruit grown on site and their own spirits in elevated creations. You’ll find classic martinis, espresso martinis, negronis, old fashioneds, and fun original drinks like the watermelon crawl: cucumber gin, cold-extracted watermelon, lime, and watermelon pearls.

Brooke’s Bubble Bar

If Barbie opened a bar, it would look like Brooke’s Bubble Bar. Pink-tufted chairs and bar stools occupy the bubblegum-hued space, complete with bubble lighting and disco balls. Outside, the Pink Prosecco Playground has bean bags and swings, and photo ops are all around. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can reserve your spot online as well.

Cuvee Wine and Piano Bar

The birthplace of Chester Nimitz, who was the Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during WWII and one of the Navy’s foremost administrators and strategists, Cuvee is a wine and piano bar today. Order a wine flight and a charcuterie board, and make sure to stay for live music at the piano bar on Friday and Saturday nights.

Six Twists Wine Bar

Based in downtown Fredericksburg, Six Twists is the first dedicated sparkling wine tasting experience in Texas. Bubbles from around the globe complete the menu, and there’s caviar, charcuterie, flatbreads, and other bites to curb the appetite. Private rooms can be reserved for intimate toasting.

Best Restaurants

Dining room in Cabernet Grill.

Cabernet Grill

Eaker Barbecue

Central Texas “meats” the East at Eaker Barbecue, where local ‘cue is served alongside Korean sides such as kimchi fried rice and Korean cucumber salad. Of course, there’s also traditional Texas barbecue sides such as mac and cheese and potato salad, but the star of the show is the smoked meats, which include brisket, pulled pork, jalapeño-cheddar sausage, and gochujang pork ribs.

Vaudeville

The courtyard of Vaudeville is used for V Supper Club, which is a reservations-only experience with a seasonal, rotating menu. The menu is designed for adventurous eaters, with previous meals dedicated to the harvest, winter solstice, caviar, and even cherry blossom season.

Hill Country Herb Garden

Aside from lodging and a spa, Hill Country Herb Garden also has a restaurant, with fresh options like an ahi tuna salad, a seasonal roasted vegetable plate, and a teriyaki bowl. There’s also more Southern specialties, like shrimp and grits, a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, and chicken and waffles.

Cabernet Grill

At Cabernet Grill, Hill Country cuisine is the name of the game, and filet mignon, ribeye steaks, lobster-topped chicken fried ribeye, bacon-wrapped grilled quail, fried chicken thighs, and braised beef short ribs are all menu highlights. Start with Texas Twinkies—bacon-wrapped jalapeños stuffed with beer sausage and “redneck cheddar”—or chicken-fried deviled eggs. And don’t skip the wine list, which the restaurant says has the largest selection of Texas wines in the nation.

Hill & Vine

Texas fare and wines are the focus at Hill & Vine. The chicken schnitzel is a nod to Fredericksburg’s German heritage, while the pan-seared redfish honors the Gulf Coast. The bison bolognese comes from nearby Roam Ranch, and the smoked Santa Maria tri-tip comes from Texas Akaushi beef. If you’re not a wine person, there’s a lengthy cocktail menu, plus Texas-brewed beers.

Best Time to Visit

A field filled with bluebonnets.

Kanokwalee Pusitanun/Getty Images

Texas summers are hot and relentless, so it’s best to avoid Fredericksburg then. However, spring, fall, and winter are all more mild, and wineries are open year round. In the springtime, you’ll see pastures ablaze with colorful wildflowers.

How to Get There

Cars parked along Main Street in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Both Austin and San Antonio are about 75 miles away from Fredericksburg. Fly into either Austin-Bergstom International Airport or San Antonio International Airport and rent a car for the drive. The scenic drive west from Austin is ripe for pitstops, with a route passing through the Hill Country Wine Trail. If you’re focused on taking the most direct route possible, opt for a road trip from San Antonio, which will take you by a number of quaint country towns and generally involves less traffic.

How to Get Around

It’s best to rent a vehicle for your visit to Fredericksburg. Ride-share services are unreliable, and there are no public transportation options in the area. If you’re heading out to the vineyards, take one of the numerous wine shuttles available. The 290 Wine Shuttle, for example, stops at 15 wineries and leaves every 15 minutes. You can hop on and off at your leisure for $50 a day. For exploring the Hill Country on your own, outfitters like Ranch Road One Bike Rentals and Hill Country Bicycle Works provide traditional and E-bike rentals for the occasion.