We went to Hill Country and glamped in Mason, TX for the Memorial Day weekend. Much of our time was spent in Fredericksburg seeing the sights. It is an historical small town about an hour north of San Antonio. It is especially known for its wineries and the many bed and breakfasts in the area. We were camping and had three small kids in tow, so we didn’t visit any wineries, nor did we stay at a bed and breakfast, but we did experience a lot of great sights in Fredericksburg. I do recommend checking out the Fredericksburg website for listings and descriptions of both the bed and breakfasts and wineries. https://www.fredericksburgtexas.com

Here are the activities we did while there that I can recommend, along with additional recommendations from Trip Advisor (that we hope to hit next time we visit this interesting and fun town).

Enchanted Rock

Enchanted Rock is a state park in Fredericksburg. It is a giant granite rock that you can hike up to the very top. It is a great climb and the views from the top are spectacular. I wrote an ariticle about our visit to Enchanted Rock with tips for your visit there: Tips for Your Visit to Enchanted Rock

Wildseed Farms

Wildseed Farms is the largest working wild flower farm in the country. It is 200 acres of wild flowers. They have a shop, winery, and beer garden on the property. They also have some trails for viewing the flowers. Located in Fredericksburg, it is a pretty stop on your trip to the area. https://www.wildseedfarms.com/

Main Street

Main street in Fredericksburg is an historic small town street with dozens upon dozens of old building with beautiful architecture that make it an interesting place to visit. Main street has many shops, boutiques, wineries, chocolate shops, and restaurants. It is a great place to spend a day. I did a bit of shopping there myself and we also attending their Crawfest on Main Street this past weekend. It was a great time!

Here are some random photos I took while on main street. I wish I could have taken an aerial photo because it is truly a beautiful and historic street. 

Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve

This was hands down our favorite part of our trip. It was such an authentic and unique experience we will remember for years to come. It was an up-close viewing of millions of bats emerging from the Eckert James River Bat Cave in the evening. It is something you can do as well, from mid May through September. I wrote about our fantastic experience here: Hill Country Must See- The Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve

Pioneer Museum

The Pioneer Museum is located on Main Street in Fredericksburg, so it’s easy to find. It is almost 4 acres of history that allow you to step back in time and experience this town from the perspective of the pioneers who settled here. You can learn more from the info below which is from their website, which you can also visit via the following link: http://www.pioneermuseum.net

Pacific War Museum and Admirl Nimitz State Historic Site

I had these museums scheduled to visit on our last day. They are housed next to one another on Main Street in Fredericksurg. The site is the Old Nimitz Hotel. This was Admiral Nimitz’s family hotel and he is local World War II war hero. I was looking forward to visiting these museums because they have rave reviews on trip advisor. Also ranked as #7 of things to do in Fredericksburg. However our kids were tired from the activities the previous days and I knew they wouldn’t be as patient as I would like them to be in a museum. Also, some reviewers said that it is boring for small kids, because it is a lot of reading. We will definitely visit these museums next time we are there. Especially since they are located convienently on Main Street. Below is info and photos from the museums’ website: http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/your-visit/admiral-nimitz-museum/

 

Camping and The Rivers

We camped just north of Fredericksburg at Dos Rios campgrounds in Mason. http://dosriosrvpark.com

Dos Rios  is located where the James and Llano rivers merge together.   It is a beautiful location and I do recommend this campground. Especially the lower RV spots, as they have great views of the river. Our kids swam (us too) and  kayaked every day on these rivers. Such stunning views!

Dig for Gems and Fossils

This is an activity that is also located in the Mason area. There are private ranches where you can dig for Topaz, Quartz, arrowheads, fossils, and other interesting rocks. The rocks and fossils that you find are yours to keep! We found lots of Quartz and a bunch of pretty rocks we need to look up to identify. We filled four children’s sand buckets and one larger size bucket with rocks from our dig at the Sequist Ranch. I found this ranch on a simple google search. You must make reservations at least several days in advance by calling the Ranch owner. Go to their website for contact information and additional details: http://www.masontexastopaz.com/

We spent a total of four hours on the ranch property. Even Justin and I got into digging with the kids. It was a great time, especially for the kids! Be sure to pack plenty of water, snacks, and a lunch. We also brought camp chairs, which came in handy for me to lounge while the kids kept digging. I recommend this dig experience, especially if you have small kids who like to dig in the dirt. We didn’t find any topaz, but another family that came out to dig at the same time as us were lucky to find some.

Fredericksburg and the Hill Country area of Texas is a beautiful and fun place to visit. It is great for a couple’s getaway or a place to take the family for some adventure. There is so much to do you can spend three or four days there and not run out of neat and interesting things to do. Check out trip advisor for more information and even more activities to do in the area: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g55863-Activities-Fredericksburg_Texas.html