National Historic District
You can’t throw a bratwurst without hitting a historic building in Fredericksburg. The town’s historic district encompasses 40 blocks of architecturally significant structures, many made in classic Germanic timber framing style, with heavy posts and beams and whitewashed limestone. The Pioneer Museum, operated by the local historical society, offers a two-hour evening walking tour for a fee, or you can simply stroll along Main Street, which is lined with lovingly cared-for examples of 19th-century architecture.
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
The star of this park, located 17 miles from downtown Fredericksburg, is its namesake, a 425-foot-high pink granite dome that towers over the landscape like a giant piece of cotton candy. A steep climb to the top rewards hikers with jaw-dropping views. Enchanted Rock is also an International Dark Sky Park, where you can spot the Milky Way on inky-black nights.
Wild Seed Farms
Texas Hill Country is famous for its annual explosion of wildflower blooms, and Fredericksburg is home to the nation’s largest wildflower farm. Visitors to Wild Seed Farm can traverse trails in the more than 200 acres of flower fields — which include vibrant red corn poppies, bobbing sunflowers, and bright azure Texas bluebonnets — which bloom March through October. Admission is free, although you will probably be tempted to open your wallet at the Brewbonnet Biergarten, or spring for a glass of wine made from grapes grown on site.