Areas & Neighborhoods in Fredericksburg
The center of town is home to the Fredericksburg Historic District, laid out along the original city lines with a vibe that hearkens back to the old country. Bakeries, boutiques, restaurants, and beer gardens fill the storefronts off Main Street, along with rustic bed-and-breakfasts.
To the south, the town’s newer neighborhoods feature suburban-style developments on quiet, winding roads, along with motels and RV parks that follow State Highway 16. The Gillespie County Fairgrounds stand alongside the small local airport and Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, which features a swimming pool, tennis courts, and golf course along Live Oak Creek.
What to See in Fredericksburg
The homes, churches, and historic buildings along Main Street show off a unique architectural style, giving the Historic District a special version of Old World design adapted to life in the Hill Country. Landmarks from the old water wheel in the Marketplatz to Gothic and Romanesque stone-brick façades fill the spaces between peach trees and wide-open Texas skies. At the edge of town, limestone hills offer an excellent place to go for a hike or snap dramatic sunset photos.
Sightseeing in Fredericksburg
History is everywhere you look in Fredericksburg. A thatched-roof replica of the town’s first public building hosts the Vereins Kirche Museum, where you get a great look back at the city’s early days, and the Pioneer Museum has preserved whole buildings filled with period artifacts used by the original German settlers. Just a few blocks down the street, you’ll find the childhood home of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz and the National Museum of the Pacific War, and if you head farther out you’ll find the grounds of Fort Martin Scott, a restored Army outpost that dates back to the 1850s.
If you’re up for sightseeing in the open country, you can follow the Cross Mountain nature trail to get a look across the whole city from atop the lone conical hill, or gofarther afield to explore the pink granite of Enchanted Rock. You can pick your own peaches or berries in Marburger Orchard or take a guided tour to visit the Hill Country’s wineries if you’d like to get to know the tastier side of town.
