Fredericksburg Motels and Things To Do in the Texas Hill Country

The historic town of Fredericksburg,Texas lies in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. It is rich with the history of the German settlers who founded and tamed this beautiful land. The beautiful landscapes here were enough to attract me as a visitor while living in Austin and again after I moved out of state. It is abundant in activities whether you enjoy shopping, hiking, wine tasting, dining or visiting historical sites and museums. It is only 70 miles from Austin and provides the perfect location for those looking for a weekend getaway from Austin or San Antonio. While you won't find luxury suites here, you will find many quaint places unique to the area. Fredericksburg motels are affordable but are not your only options. You can stay at ranches that provide a unique farm setting, bed and breakfasts and of course, RV Parks and campsites depending on the type of vacation you are looking for.

Although you won't find the hustle and bustle of the city here you will find plenty of things to do while enjoying a more relaxed pace in Fredericksburg. It's downtown main street has many shops that sale antiques and other Texas treasures. If you are looking for a wood framed Texas Flag you will find plenty of options here. I found some great western style Christmas ornaments and some great decorations to remind me of the Texas Hill Country. Don't worry even if you don't love Texas (I don't know why you wouldn't though), you can find collectibles and trinkets of all sorts, including some that showcase the town's German roots.

Outdoor lovers will love the opportunities they have to enjoy this beautiful area. There are many parks, trails, and landscapes to discover. One of my favorite spots to explore is Enchanted Rock Natural State Park Area. It is a batholith dome in the middle of the hill country. While the trek to the top isn’t easy, it does offer amazing views of lush green that extends for miles and miles. There are plenty of hiking trails, campsites and even rock climbing areas.

You might want to spend one of your evenings viewing bats by going over to the Old Tunnel Management Wildlife area. This is an abandoned railroad tunnel that is home to over 3 million brazilian free-tailed bats. Between May and October you can watch them as they fly out from the tunnel each night.

Kids will loving seeing the Exotic Resort City Zoo in Johnson City. It is home to numerous endangered species and they encourage being hands on! It is located on 137 acres and tries to imitate the areas these animals natural habitats.

Fredericksburg is rich in history and offers history lovers many options. Some of these options are in town like the National Museum of the Pacific War and the Pioneer Museum Complex which exhibits displays based on the German roots of the town.

The most significant place you can visit near here is the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Johnson City. Here you can take a tour of the President’s childhood home, walk around the Johnson Settlement, visit his ranch and see the Texas White House.

This area has plenty of campgrounds nearby but if you aren't comfortable with just camping out with an air mattress there are hotels, motels, ranches and bed and breakfasts. It really all depends on what type of experience you want.

Last year I was able to stay at the Fredericksburg Inn and Suites which offered afforable prices and was really close to main street. I was able to walk to most of the dining and shopping. It was a perfect location. They also have a dining room and provide breakfast to you in what reminds me of an old German Farmhouse. I also like the outside look of the place. I expected the rooms to be a little more updated but I would stay there again. I really liked its proximity to things including the Subway next door. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

Other hotels include the chains you can find in a lot of places: Hampton Inn, Howard Johnson, Comfort Inn and Suites and La Quinta. I personally haven’t had experiences at these places though.

In my next visit I am thinking about checking out a guest ranch. The one I’d like to try out is Agarita Creek Farms they offer two log cabins and advertise themselves as giving you a farm stay. The have lots of trails to wander down and some wild turkey and deer. There are many other ranches and most of them allow hunting packages on them.