Exploring the Wineries in Fredericksburg

When I say, “the Hill Country,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? If you thought tubing down serene rivers with friends, hiking state parks, enjoying secluded waterfalls, and enjoying the United States’ fastest growing wine trail, you’d be correct. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Get me there now!” Well, you’re in luck! Fredericksburg is just a scenic four-hour road trip from Fort Worth, and it needs to be your next weekend getaway.  

Fredericksburg is a small town that sits deep in the Hill Country of central Texas that has remained true to its German roots over the years. Its unique and charming family-owned businesses started to draw a crowd to the town. What helps the town maintain its integrity is the lack of chain restaurants and stores, says Mike Kinchen, a local business owner.  

Historic downtown Fredericksburg is just that: historic. Established in 1846, Fredericksburg does not allow chain companies to occupy the city. With over 400 cozy, family-owned bed and breakfasts, this is one of the most charming small towns in America. Clearly, there are many attractions to this quaint town, but one of the locals’ favorites is the renowned wine trail.  

In 2013, Mike Kinchen and his wife started the 290 Wine Shuttle in Fredericksburg. Mike said that his business was really the solution to the biggest problem that people visiting the Fredericksburg wine trail face: enjoying all the wineries in a safe, efficient manner.  

Mike and his family have been in the retail business in Fredericksburg since 1992. To say that he knows and loves this town well is an understatement. His goal in creating this convenient and flexible shuttle was to help visitors see and experience all that this special place has to offer during their stay.  

Photo courtesy of Morgan Seminaro

When the wine trail first started to grow and develop, there was no safe way for visitors to tour the many wineries along Highway 290 by car. Mike began his company by renting two 15-passenger vans that ran from downtown Fredericksburg, where most people stay when visiting, to stops at all the wineries on the trail. In the beginning, he wanted “to see how it would go, and it started taking off pretty quickly,” Mike says. “After 2 months, we went and bought three 15-passenger vans of our own and it grew from there.” 290 Wine Shuttle went from renting two vans, to now owning a fleet of 22 30-passenger shuttle buses, with a regular shuttle schedule running from 10 am to 6 pm every day.  

Often, travelers on a road trip only pass through Fredericksburg or stay for a weekend. In this short time, they want to maximize their itineraries to be able to hit all the hot spots in town. 290 Wine Shuttle allows guests to book private tours or just hop on and hop off the shuttle for convenient stops at every winery along the wine trail.  

All-inclusive private tours are a popular option that they offer for bachelorette parties, birthdays, and all types of private events. This all-inclusive option includes a stop at three of the 16 wineries on the trail of the guests’ choice, plus a stop for lunch at one of Fredericksburg’s many iconic restaurants. The most common private tour will last about 5 hours and allows guests to fully enjoy every stop along the way.  

COVID-19 protocols and restrictions have changed almost every aspect of our lives over this past year, and wine tours are not an exception to this. 290 Wine Shuttle is taking the necessary precautions to keep their guests safe while aboard their shuttles, such as limiting the number of passengers on the shuttles at one time and requiring masks to be worn while on the shuttle. These protocols are in place in order to protect guests and staff, but they have not changed the 290 Wine Shuttle experience in the slightest.  

Mike says he plans to expand his business within the next year. He wants to “add an additional shuttle route to include wineries that are not currently on our route,” creating two options for guests’ shuttle tours. 290 Wine Shuttle is constantly expanding their fleet to further accommodate special events and wedding transportation.  

Fredericksburg is the perfect, coronavirus-conscious road trip from Fort Worth, or really anywhere in Texas. When you and your friends, family, or significant other are tired of the “same old, same old,” take a ride through Texas’ favorite wine country with Mike Kinchen on 290 Wine Shuttle.  

When Morgan Seminaro wrote this article for Madeworthy in conjunction with Sarah Angle’s Featured Writing class, she was a senior at Texas Christian University pursuing a degree in Public Relations and Advertising. She aspires to work in a field of editorial or content creation. One day, in the distant future, she would love to write a fiction novel.