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Fredericksburg is a charming historic town nestled in beautiful Texas Hill Country where wineries and orchards sprawl across beautiful rolling hills. The city has a rich German heritage having been established by German pioneers in 1846.
There’s no shortage of popular historic sites, wine-tasting rooms, and interesting museums to visit in Fredericksburg, but the city also has a host of hidden gems to explore — some of which often go undiscovered by tourists. Here are 15 of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County’s lesser-known attractions and activities to add to your bucket list.
1. St Mary’s Catholic Church
Photo Credit: JustPixs
- Website: stmarysfbg.com
- Address: 304 W San Antonio St, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 8 am – 5 pm daily
St Mary’s Catholic Church has been an integral part of the Fredericksburg community for generations. It was finished in 1906 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Constructed from native stone and inspired by Gothic architecture, it forms an imposing figure at the heart of the city and is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. Drop in during opening hours to admire it, or join a public guided tour on a Sunday morning after mass.
2. Das Peach Haus
Photo Credit: Moab Republic
- Website: jelly.com/fw-farmstead/das-peach-haus
- Address: 1406 S US Hwy 87, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 10 am – 5.30 pm Monday to Thursday / 10 am – 6 pm Friday & Saturday / 10 am – 5 pm Sunday
Das Peach Haus is a roadside cabin that sells delicious jams and sauces made with locally grown fruit. It has evolved from a roadside produce stand that opened in 1969 to sell peaches grown in an orchard which dates back to 1928.
Today it forms part of the Fischer & Wieser farmstead which has a variety of historic buildings on-site, including a distillery and a wine tasting room. Drop by to pick up some delicious preserves, or spend a few hours here admiring the orchards and buildings.
3. Historic Sunday Houses
- Website: pioneermuseum.org
- Address: 325 W Main St, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 10 am – 5 pm Monday to Saturday
Sunday Houses were small, single-room properties built in the 1800s to allow people who lived on remote farms to stay in town on Saturdays in readiness for Sunday church services.
Many of them have since been renovated to serve as restaurants, gift stores, and other businesses, but one preserved example remains in the Pioneer Museum to demonstrate what a typical Sunday House would look like.
You can learn about some of the city’s other Sunday Houses when you take a Fredericksburg History Tour.
4. Rockbox Theater
- Website: rockboxtheater.com
- Address: 109 Llano St, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: Performance times vary
Rockbox Theater is one of Fredericksburg’s best live music and entertainment venues. It regularly showcases tribute bands that cover the hits of popular artists such as Elvis, the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, and the Eagles. Rockbox lies just off Main Street where there are plenty of fantastic eateries and bars so you can easily make an afternoon or night of it no matter if you’re planning to see a matinee or evening performance.
5. Japanese Garden of Peace
Photo Credit: ShengYing Lin
- Website: pacificwarmuseum.org/visit/campus
- Address: 340 E Main St, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily
The National Museum of the Pacific War is one of Fredericksburg’s biggest and most popular attractions because it displays a large collection of artifacts related to the Pacific War. One of its lesser-known highlights is the Japanese Garden of Peace.
It was gifted to the city to honor the friendship between America and Japan in the years following the end of World War II. It’s a wonderfully serene green space with symbols and features typical of Japanese peace gardens, such as a water feature and raked gravel.
6. Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm
Photo Credit: EWY Media
- Website: tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/lyndon-b-johnson/sauer-beckmann-farm
- Address: 501 State Park Rd 52, Stonewall, TX
- Opening hours: 9 am – 3 pm daily
Lyndon B. John State Park and Historic Site is a popular attraction, but when you visit, be sure you don’t miss the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm. This open-air museum operates as a fully functional farm, with interpreters growing produce, shearing sheep, and raising and butchering animals just as farmers did in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
7. Trade Days
- Website: fbgtradedays.com
- Address: 355 Sunday Farms Rd, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 9 am – 5 pm Friday & Saturday / 9 am – 4 pm Sunday every third weekend of the month
Trade Days is a sprawling monthly market that lasts an entire weekend and allows shoppers to find a wide variety of products, including antiques, jewelry, crafts, food, tools, collectibles, clothing, gifts, and more. There are over 400 vendors, so plan to spend several hours here hunting out treasures. If you’re looking for some quirky souvenirs to take home, this is where you’ll find them.
8. Bankersmith
- Website: bankersmithtexas.com
- Address: 7905 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 5 pm – 9 pm Wednesday & Thursday / 12 pm – 10 pm Friday & Saturday / 11 pm – 7.00 pm Sunday
Bankersmith is a historic Texas Railroad Town turned ghost town turned live music venue. It contains a saloon with a full bar, a dance hall, a grill, and even a post office. This is a fun spot for a taste of good, old-fashioned Texan hospitality.
Music performances take place most days with local bands and artists on the bill. Bankersmith is popular with locals and tourists alike so this is a great spot to get chatting with residents of Fredericksburg and nearby Comfort.
9. Willow City Loop
Photo Credit: Ricky Lynn Harris
Willow City Loop is a scenic 13-mile road that passes through rolling hills and over pretty creeks, giving you fantastic views of meadows and valleys. It’s particularly beautiful during wildflower season, which runs from March to May.
Keep in mind that the road is private so you shouldn’t stop, but a leisurely drive will let you take in the views with ease. If you’re interested in seeing more wildflowers, head to Wildseed Farms where the likes of bluebonnets, winecups, and Indian paintbrushes thrive.
10. Fredericksburg Festivals
Photo Credit: CL-Medien
More than 400 special events and festivals take place every year in Fredericksburg, so look out for what’s on during your stay for a chance to take part in some festivities. Highlights include:
- Oktoberfest – a celebration of the city’s German roots with traditional German food, drink, music, and games.
- Food & Wine Fest – a gathering of more than 50 winemakers and dozens of food stalls from throughout Texas Wine Country.
- Hill Country Film Festival – a celebration and showcase of Texan and international filmmakers.
11. Christmas Festivities in Fredericksburg
Photo Credit: kbrandau
The holiday season is an important time in Fredericksburg, where German tradition meets Texas Hill Country hospitality, and the city center becomes decked out with impressive decorations and lights.
Marktplatz becomes home to an ice skating rink, an enormous Christmas tree, and a huge German Christmas pyramid, and there’s a celebratory switching on of the lights in the square at 6 pm sharp every evening. Local wineries and breweries also often host seasonal events with festive food and drink, so this is a wonderful time to embark on a Hill Country wine tour.
12. Art Galleries and Art Walks
Fredericksburg is considered one of the best art towns in Western America thanks to its long-served reputation as a gathering place for artists. Two of the city’s earliest German pioneers, Friedrich Richard Petri and Hermann Lungkwitz, were classically trained artists, and their legacy lives on in the galleries and art events that continue to thrive here.
You can wander through downtown at any time of day to discover the city’s copious art galleries and studios, but for a true celebration of the artist community, attend the First Friday Art Walk. This monthly event sees galleries and studios stay open until 8 pm so that residents and tourists can meet local artists, discover new work, and socialize with like-minded art lovers.
13. Hygieostatic Bat Roost
- Website: texashillcountry.com/hygieostatic-bat-roost-comfort-texas
- Address: 109 Ranch to Market Rd 473, Comfort, TX
- Opening hours: 24/7
The Hygieostatic Bat Roost is an important piece of Texan bat conservation history. It was constructed more than 100 years ago to support a large colony of Mexican free-tailed bats with the goal of curbing the spread of malaria (bats consume large volumes of mosquitos which are the main carriers of the disease).
Today, the unusual 30-foot pyramid-style structure remains an important home for bats. Swing by to admire it if you’re driving south towards San Antonio.
14. Eaker BBQ
- Website: eakerbarbecue.com
- Address: 607 W Main St, Fredericksburg, TX
- Opening hours: 11 pm – 3 pm Wednesday & Thursday / 11 pm – 7 pm Friday & Saturday
Texas Hill Country is one of the best places to eat Texas-style barbecue, and there is no shortage of incredible barbecue restaurants in Fredericksburg. However, Eaker is different. It combines Texas-style BBQ with Korean cuisine, so you can expect succulent meats with flavorful Korean dishes on the side, such as homemade kimchi and cucumber salad. Be sure to try the famed gochujang pork ribs.
15. Day Trips from Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg is perfectly positioned for visiting several other traditional small towns such as Luckenbach, Stonewall, and Johnson City, but it’s also within driving distance of three major cities. If you’re looking for a total change of pace from traditional Hill Country, consider taking a road trip to one of these bustling destinations:
Austin
Austin lies 80 miles north of Fredericksburg and is renowned for its music scene and nightlife. It also has fantastic parks and lakes for hiking, boating, and swimming. As the state capital of Texas, Austin is home to a huge array of museums and cultural attractions, so you won’t have trouble finding fun things to do.
San Antonio
San Antonio is around 70 miles south of Fredericksburg and it’s home to some of the USA’s most important historical sites, such as the Alamo: an 18th-century mission that was the site of the 1836 battle for independence from Mexico. There are lots of excellent museums and charming heritage properties in San Antonio, so this is a great destination for those who want to learn more about American history.
Dallas
Dallas is around 250 miles north of Fredericksburg, so it’s more suited to a weekend getaway than a day trip. It’s an ultramodern metropolis known for its excellent shopping scene, but there’s also plenty of culture to take in. Head to the Arts District to see some incredible international artworks across multiple museums.
Discover Fredericksburg’s Top Hidden Gems
These are some of the best sights in Fredericksburg for those who want to venture off the beaten path, but you’re bound to discover more when you set out to explore this region of Texas Hill Country. Where will your next trip to Fredericksburg take you?
