One Day in New Braunfels, Texas

The city of New Braunfels, Texas is a fun place to visit. There is a proud German heritage present here. This is evidenced in various ways. The word Braunfels means brown stone in German, and there is a city called Braunfels in Germany. The city newspaper is called the Herald Zeitung and was originally two newspapers. The Herald was published in English and the Zeitung was published in German until the two merged in 1967. I like to come here to spend time in the water, either tubing down the river or boating on the lake. But for some real fun, I recommend coming in November which is when they hold the annual German-style festival called Wurstfest.

Dry Comal Creek Vineyards

I am fascinated with winemaking so I was excited to visit Dry Comal Creek Winery in New Braunfels. Once there, I realized how unique this particular winery is. It is fairly young, growing grapes and making wine only since 1992. Apparently, they had trouble with Pierces disease which wiped out their entire crop of grapes twice. Because of this setback, they found grapes that were resistant to that Pierces disease, called Black Spanish grapes, and that is all they grow now. I suggest calling ahead or checking their website to see if they have any special events going on. When I went, there were a few local chefs that were cooking dishes to pair with the wines. I had a ton of fun tasting wine and food for hours. I had enjoyable visits with some staff members, who were very friendly and informative about the winerys history.

Conservation Plaza

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed my visit to the Conservation Plaza in New Braunfels. I was expecting a boring and small exhibit. But, it is actually a replica of a German village from the 1800s which is operated and maintained by the New Braunfels Conservation Society. The 14 buildings in the village have all been restored and furnished with great attention being paid to the smallest details. The tour guide was very friendly and informative. He had no problem answering my numerous questions about the buildings and history. I highly recommend a visit here for anyone who enjoys history and antiques, but I think anyone will enjoy the character of the village.

Usually hotel TVs are older and dirty.

Faust Restaurant & Brewpub

The Faust Brewing Company is located inside the Faust Hotel in New Braunfels, Texas. It is the only microbrewery in New Braunfels, which was reason enough for me to want to visit, as I am a lover of microbrews. The atmosphere is really cool, with beautiful mahogany tables covered with granite tops and shiny copper fixtures. I tried a few different beers and recommend them all, but my favorite was Walters Brown Ale. I suggest calling ahead to find out about any special events going on. I thoroughly enjoyed myself here, but I was wishing that I went on a night when they had some live music playing. That would have added a lot to the whole personality of the place.

Hampton Inn

The Hampton Inn in New Braunfels had everything I could hope for from a hotel stay. The rates were cheap, almost half as much as other hotels I priced in the New Braunfels area. The room was even bigger than I expected, and furnished with a very nice flat-screen television, which was also unexpected. Usually hotel TVs are older and dirty. The continental breakfast was served in a great room with plenty of space, unlike some of the cramped breakfast areas in other hotels. I highly recommend a stay here and I will definitely return.

New Braunfels Smokehouse

The New Braunfels Smokehouse is an old German style smokehouse. They have been smoking meats since 1945. The restaurant was originally the tasting room for the smokehouse. Apparently it was so popular that they opened as a full time restaurant in the 1950s. My favorite thing about this place is the building it is in. The design was inspired by old Smokehouses from the Smoky Mountains and I understand it was moved twice from previous locations. The menu is your typical barbecue style plates. I had one of the gourmet hamburgers and it was delicious. I recommend going here for the atmosphere and the decent prices.

It is fairly young, growing grapes and making wine only since 1992.

Canyon Lake

I had a blast taking my family to Canyon Lake. It is located on the Guadalupe River and is the deepest lake in the state of Texas. We came looking for opportunities to be outdoors and were not disappointed. I was impressed by how few people there were on the lake. Usually I have found lakes in Texas to be crowded and dirty. Canyon Lake is not. The water is clean and blue. Make sure you have plenty of time to explore and enjoy all the area has to offer. There are cool campgrounds and trails in the area and I found myself wishing I was staying longer. When we went we only planned to stay for the day, but could have easily enjoyed an entire weekend there.

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About the Author

Ross Pincock

I love music! I have spent most of my life either playing and writing music or listening to a live performance. I also love the outdoors, particularly camping, hiking, bicycling and sitting around the campfire. I am a father and I love spending time with my kids.

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One Day in New Braunfels, Texas

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