Hills — lots of them. Hills and long, winding roads past fields of wildflowers. Cycling in Fredericksburg can be a meandering ride or a challenging endurance test; sometimes both. One thing’s for certain,
there’s no denying the beauty of the area. This is, after all, the Texas Hill Country.
Located about 70 miles west of Austin and 60 miles northwest of San Antonio, Fredericksburg is a popular destination. Filled with unique shops and boutiques, lots of restaurants, art galleries, wine tasting rooms, and B&Bs, this small town — founded in 1846 by German settlers — offers an entertaining variety of ‘things to do’ for all members of the family. There’s an inspiring art scene, and nearby (about 18 miles north) is the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area — the nation’s second largest batholith, second only to Stone Mountain in Georgia. It’s here, too, that the National Museum of the Pacific War is located.
For families or nonâ€ride time, there’re plenty of entertainment options to consider — the Pioneer Museum offers planned family activities. German bakeries tempt. Consider the horse races during the summer months. Or, test your skills with horse riding, miniature golf, and hiking along the Wilderness Trail at the Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park. Watch as over two million Brazilian freeâ€tail bats at the Old Tunnel State Park emerge from this abandoned train tunnel for their evening feedings — May through October. And there’s always a festival or two happening almost every weekend.
Nearby, the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (about 16 miles east of Fredericksburg) offers tours of LBJ’s ranch, the home he shared with Lady Bird and their daughters and private car collection. Kids of all ages can pet animals and learn more about the daily life of an early German settler at the Sauerâ€Beckmann Living History Farm at Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site.
Music is alive in these hills; on weekends at Rockbox Theater with its golden era of rock ‘n roll shows and throughout the year at concerts performing all genres — from German chorale music, country and blue grass, to opera. Or, just sit back and enjoy some of the live entertainment playing at the local Biergartens.
Over in Luckenbach Texas (of Waylon and Willie fame and just eight miles southeast of Fredericksburg) picker circles entertain almost daily in a laidâ€back kind of way, while weekend dances and country music
concerts provide lots of familyâ€friendly entertainment.
And, lest we forget, Fredericksburg is smackâ€dab in the center of the Texas Hill Country wine region. Wineries and wine tasting rooms line the corridor of U.S. Highway 290 leading in to Fredericksburg on the east, with one winery to the west, and several tasting rooms and custom wineries in town. Many restaurants offer local vintages on their wine list. Visit each on your own, or take a limousine/coach wine tour.
Wine is a feature at several of the festivals Fredericksburg hosts each year. Don’t miss the Hill Country Wine and Music Festival in the spring or the annual Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest each October showcasing some of the best of Texas wines.
In addition to Fredericksburg offering so much to do/taste/buy and enjoy during nonâ€ride times, Fredericksburg is one of Texas’ cycling nirvanas. Perched on U.S. Highway 290 and surrounded, for the most part, by privatelyâ€owned ranches, the area is pristine for riding. Paved roadways venture out in all directions where vehicle traffic is minimal and the scenery… simply amazing! To some, Fredericksburg is
considered to be the cycling capital of Texas.
Venture out on your own, or follow some of the routes mapped out by cyclists ahead of you. Local riders provide their favorite routes — from 19 to 88 miles — at www.cycletexas.com. This site is specifically for cycling in the Fredericksburg area, with available PDFs of routes, visitor resources, hazard alerts, times for weekly group rides open to the public, and more. So log on and check it out!
Or plan to attend any of the planned rides/tours and races held throughout the year. Cyclists converge on Fredericksburg for eight days each March for the annual Texas Hell Week. The Texas Bike Racing Association also holds sanctioned rides in Fredericksburg, as does the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club out of San Antonio. And just outside Fredericksburg the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park hosts an annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour. To find out specific dates and backgrounds for each, visit www.VisitFredericksburgTX.com/plan/events.
Should you need supplies or bike maintenance while in Fredericksburg, the Hill Country Bicycle Works on Main Street provides great assistance, products and local advice. The owners are avid cyclists.
To learn more about this thriving community, log on to the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau website at www.VisitFredericksburgTX.com. Learn why so many choose to spend time here relaxing, revitalizing, cycling, and embracing all that Fredericksburg and Gillespie County have to offer. And for a Fredericksburg area Attractions and Dining Guide with Maps, send a request via eâ€mail to Visitorinfo@fbgtx.org or call at 888â€997â€3600. Willkommen, y’all!