Saturday, December 19th, 2020

In the heart of the Texas Hill Country, lies Fredericksburg, founded by German immigrants in 1846, and this is where Salty Dog and I decided to take a holiday vacation with our two doggies. Located just a little over an hour outside of Austin and San Antonio, Fredericksburg is known for its shopping, wineries, and German heritage. It is a popular destination for many because it maintains a small town feel while having lots of things to see and do. It’s the perfect weekend getaway from just about anywhere in the country. Here’s a look at some of the fun things to do in Fredericksburg, Texas and the surrounding nearby towns.

Fredericksburg

Shopping is unquestionably one of the most popular things to do in Fredericksburg. The notable historic buildings along Main Street are home to over 150 shops selling pretty much anything you need or don’t need! We found lots of antique and art shops not to mention clothes, soaps, candy, jams, and home goods!

While walking the main street in Fredericksburg, you will definitely come across the MarketPlatz which is the town square that sits right in the middle of the town. The park surrounds a white octangular building. This unique building is the Vereins Kirche and was the setting of the first school and church in Fredericksburg. I loved visiting the MarketPlatz because at 6:00 pm is when all the magic happens. Both Salty Dog and I marveled at the beautiful 30 foot lighted community Christmas tree. But the real sight to see is the 26-foot tall German Christmas Pyramid.

Das Peach Has

The area around Fredericksburg produces 40% of the peaches in Texas and there are lots of stores and roadside stands that carry peaches and peach products. But the most famous one is the Das Peach Has known for their peach cobbler and the roasted raspberry chipotle sauce. Not to mention their large selections of wines! You can take your glass of wine and stroll through Das Peach Has’ interesting backyard.

Circle E Candles

Salty Dog and I (and the doggies) drove right outside the town of Fredericksburg and found the famous Circle E Candles facility. I was so excited to go because I’ve used these candles and love them.

Circle E Candles are not your typical candle. The signature candles are known for the longest-burning and most enjoyably fragrant candles on the market. They combine the finest fragrances available with their own exclusive blend of the highest-quality waxes.

I just couldn’t help myself to a couple of new purchases!

LBJ’s Ranch

If you drive just east of Fredericksburg on Hwy 290, you will find the town of Stonewall, home of the Lyndon B. Johnson ranch. LBJ served as 36th president of the United States. This ranch includes important places from LBJ’s lifetime such as the home and ranch he owned during his presidency, the one room schoolhouse where he learned to read, his birth home and the Johnson family cemetery. It is still a working ranch today.

This ranch, known as the Texas Whitehouse, is where Johnson spent a good amount of time during his presidency.

Nearby to Stonewall is Johnson City, the location of LBJ’s boyhood home. Salty Dog and I decided to make the 15 minute drive on over to check out the house. Along the way we stopped by one of the many wineries that this region has to offer.

Johnson City

Lyndon Johnson lived in his “boyhood home” from the age of five until his high school graduation in 1924. The family life that the President experienced here as a child strongly influenced him. Most people ask if the town is named after LBJ, the answer is “no”, it is named after one of his cousins.

Johnson City, Texas comes vibrantly alive at night during the holiday season. The historic Blanco County courthouse is draped in thousands of twinkling lights and has been done for over 30 years. The surrounding shops are lit up marvelously also.

Just a short walk, over 3 blocks, is the town’s electric company building and what a treat it was to see this! Towering old oak trees are draped with over two million twinkling white lights but only one tree is done in standout blue lights. An entire block of magnificent old oak trees strung with lights from trunk to canopy tops! It’s been dubbed the “twinkliest town in Texas,” and NASA has even reported in the past being able to see the Johnson City Lights Spectacular from the International Space Center.

Salty Dog and I spent 3 days up in the Fredericksburg area and enjoyed our vacation away from home. We are planning to go back in the summertime because there is an old train tunnel where bats breed. At dusk you can see millions of bats fly out of the tunnel.

One thing I noticed about the adorable town is that people recycle their old trucks as an architectural element. So cute! See what I mean: