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Tips for Fredericksburg TX – Plan the best Fredericksburg Winery Trip

June 7, 2020 by Jill 1 Comment

If you’re planning a visit to the Texas Wine Country – specifically the 290 Wine trail – I’ve got all the info to help you plan the best Fredericksburg winery trip. Like any successful trip, planning is everything. If you’re a wine lover and you need tips for Fredericksburg TX, I’m your girl.

Table of Contents

  • Tips for Fredericksburg TX – Plan the best Fredericksburg Winery Trip
  • 1. Consider a weekday visit, if you can
  • 2. Educate yourself on what a tasting includes/how much it costs
  • 3. Be careful with wine clubs
  • 4. Fredericksburg Texas wineries: For the best time, consider staying overnight in Fredericksburg TX
  • 5. Decide what wineries you’ll visit ahead of time
  • 6. Tips for Fredericksburg TX: Decide how many wineries you’ll visit each day
  • 7. Have a Sober Driver
  • 8. Tips for Fredericksburg TX – The surrounding area can be kid friendly
  • 9. Tips for the best Fredericksburg Texas Winery Trip – Just have fun…but plan

Tips for Fredericksburg TX – Plan the best Fredericksburg Winery Trip

Fredericksburg Texas and the surrounding area (Hye, Stonewall, and Johnson City) is one of my favorite Texas getaways. Fredericksburg is a wine lover’s paradise – although there are plenty of family friendly activities to be found there as well – and it’s a quick and easy trip from both San Antonio and Austin. I want to help you plan your very best winery trip so I’m pulling out all my best tips for Fredericksburg TX.

1. Consider a weekday visit, if you can

Weekdays are generally a lot less busy. Saturdays tend to be more popular with bachelorette parties. Sundays may be a little more sedate but most wine clubs close one Sunday a quarter for their wine club events. Don’t worry, there are a lot of wineries and they don’t all close for their club Sundays on the same day. One of my best tips for Fredericksburg TX is to call or check online before you plan your visit to make sure your choice wineries are going to be open.

2. Educate yourself on what a tasting includes/how much it costs

A wine tasting in Fredericksburg TX will run you anywhere between $10 and $25 and will include 4-8 tasting portions. There’s a lot of variation and the tasting pour…well, that depends on who is pouring. Some tastings will include a complimentary half glass or glass of wine so you can more fully enjoy your favorite. 

You’ll typically be offered a discount on your tasting if you purchase a certain number of bottles of wine. If you buy in to the winery’s wine club, your tasting will typically be free. Your mileage will vary so if you’re on a tight budget, do your homework and add up the costs of tastings.

 

3. Be careful with wine clubs

Wine lowers your inhibitions. We all know that, right? Whoever pours your tasting will try to sell you on a wine club membership in some way. It usually won’t be a hard sell and you probably won’t have a hard time saying “No thank you” but if you’re in a comfy, buzzy placed where you love the wine you’re drinking, the logical choice might be “join the wine club.”

Wine club memberships require you to commit to buying a certain number of bottles a year for a discounted price. There are usually levels of membership so you can control how many bottles you’re buying. Most wine clubs operate on a quarterly basis so you’ll be obliged to buy bottles of wine every three months. Not always a bad thing and buying a wine club supports a small business. 

Wine club members typically get free tastings or free glasses on return visits and admission to invite-only wine club events. How fun these events are will vary from winery to winery but they’ll usually include at least one free glass of wine, snacks, entertainment and extra discounts. 

Related: How to have an epic couple’s trip in Fredericksburg TX

If you live close enough to return to the winery at least a couple of times a year and you think you’ll drink that much wine at home, this might be a good deal for you. If you’re an out of towner who is not likely to return to the winery, the wine club may not be a great deal. Unless you can pick up your wine in person, you’ll pay extra shipping and you’ll probably have to be home to sign for an alcohol delivery.

A wine club might sound like a good deal in the moment but take a second to read the fine print. Some wine clubs require a certain number of months of commitment when signing up and you’re fessing up your credit card number when you sign up. 

Fredericksburg TX wineries

4.0 Winery on the 290 Wine Trail combines three different wineries and one cheese company under one roof

Wine clubs in general can be a great deal but just don’t get caught up in the buzzy “I LOVE THIS WINERY” feeling and commit yourself to spending that doesn’t work for you.

4. Fredericksburg Texas wineries: For the best time, consider staying overnight in Fredericksburg TX

While you can do a Fredericksburg winery trip as a day drip with a sober driver, you’ll have a much better experience if you stay overnight. An overnight stay will give you the chance to explore more wineries, explore more of Fredericksburg and the surrounding area and to do other activities in the area. 

Stonewall Motor Lodge on the 290 Wine Trail

The Stonewall Motor Lodge is a refurbished 1960’s motor hotel. Our favorite part was this lovely patio.

Our favorite place we’ve stayed in downtown Fredericksburg was the Hampton Inn. Hampton Inns are pretty similar across the board and like many other Hampton Inns, this one offers a pool, outside seating, inside corridor rooms and free breakfast. There’s not a lot of local flavor but it’s conveniently located on main street. It’s an easy walk to the wine shuttle pickup point and to shopping and dining in downtown Fredericksburg. 

We have also stayed in the Super 8 Motel in downtown Fredericksburg. I’m a little bit of a hotel snob and I wouldn’t usually stay in a budget accommodation like this one. We stayed during a peak time when there were a lot of events going on in the area and we took what we could get. The room was basic, although comfortable enough, and it included free breakfast. It was outside corridor, which I don’t love but Fredericksburg is pretty safe. It was close enough to walk to things in town and it was clean and comfortable enough.

We’ve also stayed at Stonewall Motor Lodge, which is a 1960’s style motel that’s been upgraded and remodeled. It’s got a cute, quirky and retro vibe and it’s a fun place to stay if you’re going wine tasting in Fredericksburg with a group. Read my full review of the Stonewall Motor Lodge here.

5. Decide what wineries you’ll visit ahead of time

There are lots of wineries in and around Fredericksburg and on the 290 Wine Trail and new ones are popping up all the time. Do a little research and make a list of what wineries appeal to you. 

Check hours (some wineries are closed Mondays and Tuesdays) and get a feel for what kinds of wine the different wineries serve. Some of the Fredericksburg TX area wineries are heavy on the reds (the growing conditions are similar to Spain and there are some awesome Tempranillo grapes) and some have more balanced menus with a selection of both reds and whites. Some wineries – like Fat Ass Ranch and Winery, and yes that’s a real place – feature delicious wine slushies.

6. Tips for Fredericksburg TX: Decide how many wineries you’ll visit each day

In general, I recommend four wineries a day, maybe five if you have an extended, booze-free lunch. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot but it can add up to a lot of alcohol. If have a tasting – usually equal to a full glass of wine – and a half glass of wine at each location, that’s six glasses of wine – almost two regular size bottles, depending on the pour – in a relatively short time. 

For most people, that’s a lot of alcohol. You also might be tempted to buy a bottle and share it with your friends and enjoy the ambiance of the wineries. Nothing wrong with that. 

I recommend picking three wineries that you really want to see and keeping two for your B List. I think it’s better to really savor a few wineries and have a great time than trying to power through and see as many as possible. If you do that, you’ll just be loopy, not remember it very well and have a headache the next day. No one likes that. 

7. Have a Sober Driver

It would be great if you could do a wine crawl on foot but Fredericksburg isn’t necessarily the place for that. The wineries in Fredericksburg, Stonewall and Hye aren’t super far apart but they’re definitely not within walking distance. You need a car to get from one winery to another and you’ll need a sober driver.

If you have a member of your party that can refrain from drinking, awesome. By the way, you owe that person big time. If you don’t have someone who is willing to take one for the team, you have options.

Take a shuttle or hire a private driver. You can check with the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for recommendations. Many shuttles and wine tours leave from downtown Fredericksburg near the visitor’s center.

I recommend hiring a private driver. Most shuttles will group your party with wine tasters. This is a fun way to meet new people but you’ll relinquish some control. Group shuttles usually take a predetermined route. You won’t get to pick the wineries you visit and you don’t have control over when you leave. The price is a splurge but if you can swing the cost, it will definitely enhance your experience.

Two shuttle services I have personal experience with are Stagecoach Shuttle Service and Cottonwood Wine Tours. I recommend either of these services.

8. Tips for Fredericksburg TX – The surrounding area can be kid friendly

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, the Science Mill in Johnson City, Wildseed Farms and more. Even though wine is king in Fredericksburg, there’s a lot in this area for kids to do. 

Also, many wineries in and around Fredericksburg are family-friendly. Call or read reviews before you visit a winery with kids. Generally, a winery with a robust outdoor area is considered kid-friendly (and also pet friendly) provided your kids are old enough to entertain themselves outdoors. Tasting rooms are generally not kid-friendly, although some may offer some seating. 

Check out this post on things to do with kids in and around Fredericksburg for more ideas.

9. Tips for the best Fredericksburg Texas Winery Trip – Just have fun…but plan

Fredericksburg TX is a pretty flexible place where you’re always going to find fun. That said, the stores, restaurants and bars in town – as well as the wineries – close down relatively early. 

Make a plan for the evenings where there’s not a lot open and have an idea of what kind of wineries appeal to you. If you only like dry whites, a visit to Messina Hof might not be your jam but whatever your wine taste, there is something in Fredericksburg that will delight you. 

Related: Wineries in Hye Texas – My Top Picks

 

 

 


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  1. Panjene says

    June 8, 2020 at 6:59 am

    Nice article, thanks for the tips.

    Reply

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All About Jill

I'm a digital content creator and essayist who copes with parenting and most other situations with humor and snark. Just so you know, if this weren't the internet, I'd be smiling awkwardly and answering simple questions like "How are you today" with gems like "I like pockets."

I really do love pockets, though.

I spent 26 years in the USAF, which went by really, really fast. I'm very proud of my service but I'm loving my second act even more. Writing gives me the opportunity to flex my creative muscles and that's what makes me happy. Welcome.

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Jill Robbins
Here’s something you’ve probably never seen be Here’s something you’ve probably never seen before: my bottom teeth.
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I always hide my crooked bottom teeth in pictures and I’m super self-conscious when I talk. So I did something about it.
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I wore braces as a kid and my top teeth are straight but my bottom teeth are shifting and one tooth is traveling into the back of my mouth and I have some crowding. My orthodontist said it’s very unusual to put braces on just half your mouth but my bite is still aligned so they didn’t have to put them on my top teeth - my wallet is thankful.
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Questions I’ve already been asked:
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1️⃣ At your age? Yes, at my age. I still care about my smile. 
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3️⃣ How long do you have to wear them?
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6-9 months.
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3️⃣ Do they hurt? 
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My teeth are sore and my mouth is tender but not to the Tylenol level so I guess the answer is “Not too much.”
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My husband gets up with our kids twice a week and does their breakfast and morning routine and takes them to school so I can sleep in. I don't laze away the morning in bed - it usually amounts to about an extra hour of sleep for me and a little more peace and quiet as I start my day. 

This probably seems like a little thing but this is huge for me. The mental benefits of not having to set my alarm on a schoolday is truly my love language. I would rather have sleep than flowers or presents. 

On those morning where my husband takes my kids to school, I will inevitably find the kitchen not "just so." There will be spills on the table or something that didn't get put away. I resist the urge to be sarcastic or to ask "Um, is there a reason we have four boxes of cereal just sitting on the counter?" or point out that it would take less than 30 seconds to wipe a tabletop or put a box back on the shelf. I resist saying stuff like "I guess if I want it done a certain way, I have to do it myself." I don't even say that to myself. 

My husband isn't "doing me a favor" by taking care of our kids. When I talked about being stressed and tired during an argument last year, he offered to take some things off my plate and giving me two mornings where I don't have to set an alarm was one of his ideas. It's part of the give and take of marriage and even though it makes me clench a little when I see spilled milk or stuff that hasn't put away, I appreciate having a partner who shares the load with me. 

My marriage definitely is not perfect and I'm in no position to give relationship advice. But for us, this one little thing is a really big deal. 

And, as I've recently discovered, a cereal box can sit on the counter for several days and the world doesn't explode. Who knew.

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We got our first Raddish Kids box right before the We got our first Raddish Kids box right before the holidays and finally dug into it this weekend. Our box had a cold-weather theme which was perfect for this cold weather we're having (flurries in San Antonio can you believe it?!)

Each box contains three recipe cards, a culinary tool, an iron-on patch and Table Talk conversation starter cards. A shopping list is included and also emailed to you in advance in case you want to be ready to cook as soon as your box arrives. You buy all the groceries yourself. 

We made homemade chicken and dumplings this weekend and they turned out amazing. If you need modifications (i.e. gluten or dairy free) you can hop on to the @raddishkids website and go to the "Bonus Bites" section. You'll find modifications, food videos, extra recipes, parent info and more fun stuff. 

The price ranges from $20-$24 per box depending on what type of subscription you choose. Boxes are designed for kids 4-14+ with varying degrees of supervision needed depending on your child's skills and age. Kyle and i have done two meals from this box - we still have cookies left to make - and worked together about 50-50. It was a lot of fun. 

To order yours, here's my affiliate link https://raddish-kids-monthly-delivery.sjv.io/edoAr or read my full review (link in bio)

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There's a reason animals are used in therapy - they are both comforting and fun. This picture was from our October outing to Wassermann's Wranch outside of Alpine (in West Texas.) I love my beautiful state and the landscape of West Texas fascinates me because it's so different than what I see every day here near San Antonio.

Wassermann's Wranch is located just a few miles outside the city. It's a private hobby farm that sees visitors by reservation. It's absolutely worth planning your day around and you can check out more in my blog post linked in my bio.

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I think I'm OK with that. 

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