If you’re lucky enough to have a friend call San Antonio home, it’s a sure-fire way to guarantee a jam-packed adventure. Rule #1 - San Antonio weekends kick off on Thursday, so be prompt and come prepared for any and everything.
Day #1 - Baggage Claim and Rudy’s BAR-B-Q
Day #2 - The Shops at La Cantera, Eisenhower Park, Rosario’s, Southtown Village, King William Historic District, Blue Star Contemporary Art Center and River Walk after dark
Day #3 - Hill Country - Fredericksburg, Enchanted Rock, Boerne, New Braunfels’ Gruene Historic District
Day #4 - The Menger Hotel, The Alamo, River Walk, El Mercado and the Mission TrailDay #3 - Hill Country - Fredericksburg, Enchanted Rock, Boerne, New Braunfels and BackSaturday is yet another day of adventure. A trip to the Hill Country is reminiscent of those Sunday drives when your parents loaded all the kids in the backseat of the sedan. It’s off to Fredericksburg, Enchanted Rock Natural State Area, Boerne (pronounced Bernie) and New Braunfels, home of the Gruene (pronounced Green) Historic District.
Heading northwest on Interstate 10 into the Hill Country, San Antonio soon disappears in the rearview mirror. At U.S. Highway 87, we exit and travel north to
Fredericksburg the first stop of the day. The sign for Opa’s Smoked Meats is a clear indication that this is a town rooted in German heritage.
Main Street, also known as Hauptstrasse, is lined on both sides with parking, shops and restaurants. Fighting the urge to stop immediately, we continue north to the history museum, a replica of a Vierne Kirche (an octagonal-shaped building used in Germany for social functions) that sits in the center of the Marketplatz. It houses a permanent collection along with temporary exhibits - usually photos of Fredericksburg and earlier residents. The Gillespie County Historical Society also operates the nearby Pioneer Museum, comprised of a series of structures from the surrounding area, plus many artifacts tied to the homeland.
Downtown, the sidewalks are busy but not crowded even though there’s a steady stream of people in and out of the many shops - clothing, antiques, candles, canned goods, quilts, crafts, artwork and kitchen accessories. Restaurants range from German and Tex-Mex to pasta and brewpub. Amid the many plants on the sidewalk, find plenty of benches for those too tired to shop.
By late morning, it’s time to refuel. Our local guide who has been here many times before rattles off a long list of great restaurants. The goal is to narrow the selection to one that will offer enough nourishment so the group can hike up a massive granite rock that protrudes from the earth’s surface north of town.
Enchanted Rock is a geographic landmark and in considerable contrast to Texas’ flat land. Serious visitors rappel up the sides of nearby outcroppings while the average Joe or Jill makes their way from the parking lot through what appears to be a dry river bed, walking up the side. It has a pervasive yet not too steep a grade, making it challenging for some but easy for those in good shape. In mid-day, heat comes off the rock as it bakes in the Texas sun. After dusk it will cool, pop, crack and contract. Perhaps explaining why Native Americans thought spirits were speaking.
It’s a clear day, allowing for a panoramic view of the countryside. Many take photos to document the trek. Other hikers are heard telling stories about caves and local lore. The trip down takes little time at all.
Besides Fredericksburg, there are many small communities and attractions in the Texas Hill County worth exploring. Those remaining on the list for the next trip include Fredericksburg’s Wildseed Farm, the largest such business in the U.S.; Stonewall, the birthplace of former President Lyndon Johnson and home to the LBJ Ranch, now part of the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site; orchards, farms and roadside stands that seasonally sell strawberries, peaches and blackberries; and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on the southwest edge of Austin.
Because New Braunfels, home to the Gruene Historic District, is on the opposite side of the Hill Country, we head south to
Boerne for a quick windshield tour of the city before turning east. Between here and New Braunfels are miles and miles of country roads.
The historic district of
Gruene is named for the family that founded this area and their moniker is everywhere - painted on the water tower, on street signs and on the front of the dance hall, as well as etched into the building that once was the local mercantile and now is an antique store. Walk the small community and find shops of all types - wine, specialty, gift, clothing, signature Texas items, art and jewelry.
Dinner is scheduled at the famous Gristmill River Restaurant. Situated above the Guadalupe River (popular for water tubing), it occupies what remains of a mill. The food and the atmosphere, complete with stuffed animal heads over fireplaces, make this a perfect Hill Country evening.
A line of people already snakes outside the door at the adjacent Gruene Hall, the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas and a jumping off point for many musicians on the way to stardom. Tomorrow is just around the corner, so best be getting back to San Antonio for a few hours sleep. The music will have to keep for next time. Besides, you cain’t dance without cowboy boots.
