Fredericksburg--Full of German Charm--Texas Style

Eat authentic German food, visit the Wildseed farm and pick your own wonderful wildflower bouquet, or just feast your eyes on the famous fields of bluebonnets, red poppies, larkspur, and phlox that appear each spring. Stay in a charming B and B. Climb Enchanted Rock. Shop for antiques, jewelry, and art. See the millions of Mexican freetail bats come out of the old railroad tunnel at dusk in summer. See Luckenbach, Texas (about 15 minutes away) if you can find it! People keep stealing the road sign.

Quick Tips:

Avoid the months of June, July, and August unless you plan to spend all your time either indoors or in the water. It's too darn hot for me even in May and September, but June, July, and August are just oppressive. Best time to come is when wildflowers are blooming and the weather is sweet from late February to late April. Winter is delightful, weather-wise, but, few wildflowers.

Best Way To Get Around:

Definitely by car. There isn't much in the way of taxi or public transportation here.

The Inn is sitting on 12 gorgeous acres near Fredericksburg. The log cabin home on the grounds was built by a local settler around 1860 and the property once served as the Luckenbach butchery. The original log cabin now houses two large bedrooms that share one bath and is good for families or two couples.

There is a smokehouse cottage that has a queen size bed and a rollaway bed. A new stone building constructed in the German Sunday House style has the Grape Suite, with a queen bed and full kitchen. The most private room available is the Coral Room, and it has a whirlpool tub, fireplace, and a queen size bed. The Cypress Room has a queen size bed, whirlpool tub, and limestone fireplace. The Peach room has a king-size bed and a private bath and is handicapped accessible.

You can bring your family and pets. Breakfast is served each morning in the dining room. Guests enjoy the covered porches and the creek that runs through the property attracts abundant wildlife and birds.

The on site restaurant serves from 5 to 9pm and features fresh shrimp from the Gulf, Texas barbecue, fresh fish, steaks, chicken, and delicious desserts.

The Full Moon Inn is one of the nicest of the many B and B's in this area.

A most breathtaking drive any time of year, but especially during wildflower season from March to April. About 12 miles North on Highway 16 from Fredericksburg, turn Right at 1323 to Willow City. Every year over 100,000 visitors drive around in the central Texas hill country to see these vast, colorful fields of blooms. It is a once in a lifetime sight, unless you're lucky enough to live nearby. Even seeing it every year, it never fails to move us. The light in springtime, especially in the morning, evening, or right before a storm can add such a dramatic touch to these painterly scenes that it's almost painfully pretty. It is very tempting to want to pick a bunch for your kitchen table. You should go to Wildseed Farms to do that, though. I'll talk about Wildseed Farms in another entry.

This Willow City Loop is a famous drive, yet I've never run into many other cars driving it. There are many opportunities to pull over and take photos. The terrain varies from vast, forever views across valleys, to creek bottoms. Don't miss this drive if you're anywhere near central Texas! It's marked "Willow City Loop" and you can also find various maps of it on the internet. One can be linked by going to this site.

The truly massive dome of solid pink granite is said to be the site of human sacrifices made by Indian tribes that feared to set foot on it. Indians thought that there were ghost fires flickering on the crest on moonlit nights, but there are shallow depressions on the dome that collect dew and reflect moonlight. Visitation is being limited to protect the area from soil compacting. Some very rare trees and other vegetation are becoming endangered.

Once the park reaches capacity during heavy use periods it will temporarily close for the day and then reopen at 5pm for those who have camping reservations. Call 915/247-3903 for information and reservations. There is a small admission charge. The reason this place is so fascinating is that the pink granite dome is so "suddenly there" as if it just landed from outer space or something. See it when the weather is not too hot, though, or be cooked.

Over 200 acres of wildflower varieties adorn the beautiful fields at this largest working wildflower farm in the United States. Admission is free - all you need is time and an appreciation of nature - and they open every day 9:30am to 6:00pm. This working wildflower farm is a native plant lover's dream come true. Breathtaking blankets of wildflowers - vast and varied - accent the views. You used to be able to pick your own bouquets, which are always glorious in an old pitcher, without being arranged at all. I imagine you can still do that, but call and ask. Their number is 830/990-1393. They have a website: click here. You won't be able to drive past these bright fields without stopping.