Off to a Texas adventure: Our trip to San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Bandera - Part 1

7 days in Texas: The must-see places

A little tired, we arrived at our first destination, San Antonio, after a 12-hour flight. We flew with United, which was super uncomplicated. And lucky for interested travelers from Germany, traveling to San Antonio will be even easier as Condor will start offering direct flights from Frankfurt a.M. starting in May 2024. (That means our next trip will be coming up soon).

The fatigue quickly fades, as we are immediately greeted by warm rays of sunshine as we leave the airport. Texas is perfect, especially for the autumn and spring months, and even in winter, you can have a good holiday here at a mild 18 degrees. After checking into our hotel rooms at the Holiday Inn on the Riverwalk for a little nap, it was finally time to venture out into the city.

Day 1 & 2 in San Antonio

Our Texas program begins with our first evening, which should get us in the mood for the coming days. Our first stop is the Tejas Rodeo, a 30-minute drive from downtown. And what can you say, it couldn’t get off to a more authentic start. North of San Antonio, a cozy arena awaits us, where bull riding, synchronized horse performances, and the well-known barrel racing take place every Saturday during the months between March and November. Next door is a wonderful steakhouse that served us one of the best meals of our trip (yes, we had many steaks on our bucket list), and features a stage, a covered lounge, a shop, and a children’s rodeo area.

We start Sunday a little more comfortably with breakfast at the Guenther House. The Guenther House is located in the beautiful Kings William District, so it’s worth a trip there just to see the impressive houses. But that’s not all, as is typical in Texas, everything is bigger here, and that especially applies to the baked goods at Gunter House. Can you guess how many of those massive cinnamon rolls we managed to devour?

After a good meal, we set off on our bike tour. To those in the know, we don’t have to explain, enthusiasm for art is at the heart of our identity at MyPostcard and above all, there is a strong connection between us and our founder Oliver with graffiti art. So it’s not surprising that this guided tour on electric bikes is one of our highlights. Why? Bryan is a real connoisseur of San Antonio’s art scene and has known the city since his childhood days. Moreover, cycling through San Antonio is super relaxing because there’s much less traffic and you can pass through many car-free zones. Rarely have we cycled through a city so relaxed, and even rarer have we seen so much impressive street art just on the walls of buildings in the most unassuming places. Truly impressive and a great activity for every budget!

Since we started our tour with Bryan early in the morning, we still had time before our midday snack for a UNESCO World Heritage Site in San Antonio – the Alamo. The Alamo is one of the 5 so-called “Missions” in Texas and is therefore a World Heritage Site. We booked a guided tour in advance to get the most important historical highlights. For history enthusiasts, this is an absolute must, as the Alamo was a pivotal point in the Texas War of Independence. An impressive detail for us, and perhaps also for those not so interested in history: in 2014, British musician Phil Collins donated his invaluable collection of artifacts to the Alamo monument in San Antonio. In honor of him and the history of the Alamo, there is now a huge new building at the Alamo, filled with items that Collins either purchased or discovered just a few steps from the Alamo itself. This passion of Phil Collins, who even narrated the history of the Alamo in the museum, is almost as impressive as this historically significant spot in Texas.

For lunch, we all met up at the bustling Market Square. The square is lined with small, local stands offering souvenirs and tiny snacks. Perfect for our little hunger in between! Afterwards, our must-do in San Antonio was up next – of course, a boat tour on the city’s river. The route, called the Riverwalk, winds its way through the city. Especially on hot days, one can feel the cool breeze blow over you with large trees providing necessary shade away from the sun. It’s super easy to hop on a boat at various stops, as tour guides divulge interesting facts about the city’s history, notable buildings, and attractions. On our tour, the little ones especially had fun, as there’s always something to see, as our quick-witted guides crack one joke after another for the duration of the 30-minute ride.

After this truly eventful afternoon, we headed to Fredericksburg with our rental car, located just over an hour north of San Antonio.

Day 1 & 2 Activities:

Tejas Rodeo (2 hours – $27 (discounts for children available) – 401 Fruit Road, Bulverde, TX)
Mural Ride E-Bike Tour (2 hours – $60 – 503 Chestnut St, San Antonio, TX)
Alamo Tour (1 hour – $45 (discounts for children available) – 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX)
Market Square (514 W Commerce St, San Antonio, TX)
Go Cruise Riverwalk (approx. 35 min – $14.50 (discounts for children & seniors) – 849 E. Commerce Street, San Antonio, TX)

Food recommendations San Antonio:

Dinner at Tejas Steakhouse – 401 Obst Road, Bulverde, TX
Breakfast at Guenther House – 205 E Guenther St., San Antonio, TX
Lunch/Dinner at Market Square – 514 W Commerce St, San Antonio, TX

Day 3 in Fredericksburg

Once we arrived in Fredericksburg, we checked into an incredibly cute bed and breakfast, the Trueheart Hotel. This small boutique hotel with 13 rooms we can’t recommend enough! Comfortable beds, Jacuzzi bathtubs, outdoor showers, and a beautiful outdoor fireplace, as well as being within walking distance of restaurants, shops, and breweries. You can imagine how difficult it was for us to leave this quiet oasis in the morning. Despite the comfort of the hotel, we couldn’t resist exploring Fredericksburg. We had read that it is considered the most German city in Texas, and this was clearly evident from our first stroll along Main Street. Numerous breweries and beer gardens, restaurant names, and street signs in German, and even a notable Oktoberfest (which, we heard, is the event of the year and a source of pride for all residents) served as examples showcasing the city’s Germanic influence dating back several generations. Particularly in the 19th century, many Germans emigrated to the southwest USA, with a significant number choosing Fredericksburg, sometimes referred to as “Fritztown.” We were even fortunate enough to meet a local couple during our stroll who still spoke “Texas German”, the region-specific dialect of German. Now, you might think that Fredericksburg might not necessarily be the top travel destination for Germans. However, the town convinces us otherwise and we feel right at home, just because of the great activities here.

Early in the morning of our first day in Fredericksburg, we set off for Enchanted Rock, which as hiking fans we were particularly excited about. We can only recommend that you visit the state park either in the morning or evening or wait until the cooler months. We parked around 9:30 a.m., just in time for the first brisk hours of the day. At the entrance, you can grab maps for the various hiking trails or just start walking yourself, since the top can be seen from the beginning of the trail. When we got to the top, we knew that the half-hour hike was so worth it. Bright blue skies and an indescribable view as far as the eye can see. If you feel like it, you can even have a picnic here, watch birds, or admire an unobstructed starry sky in the evenings (of course we immediately toyed with the idea of camping here for another night). Afterwards, we headed back into the town of Fredericksburg to explore the wide main street where the town’s events take place. We only went out for one beer because we had already planned to visit one of the wineries near Fredericksburg. After viewing our options, our top choice became Becker Vineyards. The wine from Becker Vineyard has gained some notoriety in recent times and, according to our guide during our wine tasting, has even been enjoyed by both former presidents Bush and Obama at state dinners. After some relaxation and stocking up on all sorts of great wine for friends and family back home, we make a quick stop on the way back at Luckenbach, a quaint attraction boasting a saloon, shop, and an outdoor stage where country singers perform several times a day. It is a place that harkens back to the old days and where old-timey traditions still are celebrated and maintain their foothold within the hearts of its people, young and old.

Day 3 Activities:

Visit Enchanted Rock State Natural Area ($8 – 16710 Ranch Rd 965, Fredericksburg)
Stroll and store on Main Street in Fredericksburg (126 W Main St, Fredericksburg, TX)
Visit a winery (e.g. Becker Vineyards – 464 Becker Farms Rd, Fredericksburg)
Stop at Luckenbach Texas (412 Luckenbach Town Loop, Fredericksburg, TX)

Food recommendations Fredericksburg: