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The Perfect Escape in the Heart of the Hill Country
Looking for a weekend away without the hassle of navigating airports with your kids? New Braunfels checks every box for a great weekend away. It’s close enough for an easy drive, far enough away from home to feel like a real escape, and full of the kind of charm that makes you start planning your return trip before the weekend is over.
The drive from Fort Worth drops you straight into a different rhythm of living — one filled with river floats, historic buildings, live music, and that Hill Country charm. For accommodations, I always try to find a cute rental tucked away along the Comal River or the Guadalupe River. There are charming little container homes and cozy cabins nestled into wooded properties, where mornings are peaceful and untroubled, beginning with coffee on the porch and deer wandering through the yard.
From your rental, head straight to the historic district of Gruene, the iconic heart of New Braunfels and an essential stop for any first-time visitor. Gruene feels like old Texas at its best — preserved but not precious, welcoming but never touristy. Its historic buildings are a reminder of the area’s German heritage, and its walkable layout makes for an easy afternoon wandering from shop to shop before settling in for dinner and an evening of live music.
At the heart of Gruene is the legendary Gruene Hall, the oldest dance hall in Texas and one of the best places to get your two-step on. Gruene Hall is not just a place to listen to music; it is a place to experience some of the best musicians Texas has to offer. The rustic, sawdust-covered wooden floors just beg to be danced on. You can catch country music superstars and bands that are just beginning their careers. If your two-step or polka needs a little help, you can take an afternoon class before boot scooting the night away.
Located next door to Gruene Hall, the Gristmill River Restaurant is a must. Built into the remains of an old cotton gin built by the original settlers of Gruene overlooking the Guadalupe River, it is one of the most scenic dining spots in the area. I can’t imagine a better place to spend a lazy lunch, watching the river slip by.
Beyond the historic Gruene district, downtown New Braunfels is well worth exploring. Old buildings have been thoughtfully repurposed into locally owned restaurants and charming boutiques, but the town feels lived in, not just a place for tourists to buy souvenirs. McAdoo’s Seafood Company is one of our favorite restaurants, set in the city’s former Post Office and serving a contemporary take on fine Texas cuisine.
While the restaurants and the boutiques bring plenty of people to New Braunfels, it is the music that gives the town its soul.
New Braunfels, like Gruene, is famous as a center of country music, and one of the best places to enjoy it is the Redbird Listening Room. If Gruene Hall is where you go to spend the night on the dance floor, “The Redbird” is where you go to get up close and personal with the musicians. The Redbird’s single room is set up with church pews that encourage the audience to settle in and focus on the artist, the lyrics, and the stories being told between songs. Even better, The Redbird’s BYOB concerts bring music lovers together for an evening of community, fun, and great music. Bring a cooler and some friends, and enjoy one of the most intimate live-music experiences in Texas.
Of course, there would be no New Braunfels without the water. The first German immigrants to the area settled near the freshwater Comal Springs, establishing farms and building the town. Fast forward to the 21st century, and floating down the Comal or Guadalupe Rivers on innertubes is a Texas summertime tradition. Whether you go tubing with a group, canoeing with your sweetie, paddleboarding with the family, or simply picnic near the water, I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer afternoon in the Hill Country.
New Braunfels is my happy place. I love that my family and I can be there in less than four hours. We can leave the stress of jobs and school and Fort Worth traffic behind and just be together. Whether we spend a day on the river or a night dancing our boots off, it’s an easy trip that’s distinctly Texan.
