Located right between Austin and San Antonio, just off I-35, is the town of New Braunfels. Long a weekend getaway for residents of both cities, New Braunfels was originally settled by German immigrants in the mid-1800’s. New Braunfels’ main attractions depend on the two rivers running through the town, the Comal and the Guadalupe. For decades, weekenders have flocked to New Braunfels to go tubing down the rivers or to visit Schlitterban, an impressive water park located just off the banks of the Comal. My first trip to Schlitterban was as a 16 year old with the family, but eight years of schooling in San Antonio provided ample opportunity to go tubing more times than I can count after that. Other attractions that we visited were Oma’s Haus, a German restaurant and bakery (closed in 2015), and Wurstfest, the annual German tribute to beer and sausage.
Over the years, New Braunfels has grown from a sleepy town with a few good German restaurants and the river tourism to one of the most booming areas in the country in terms of population growth. In 2014 it was ranked the second fasted growing area in the country. Strip malls and suburban developments are now more common than not, but the town and more importantly, the rivers, still maintain their charm. The Comal is a gorgeous, spring fed river that runs right through downtown New Braunfels. It is cool and clear all year round, and I remain impressed with the anti-littering efforts that have kept the waters so pristine. The Guadalupe River emerges from Canyon Lake and winds its way to the town passing under several bridges along the way. Both the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers are graced with beautiful old growth trees providing much needed shade in the summer months and a lovely scenery to witness while floating by in a tube, beer in hand.
After a several year hiatus from the area, my husband and I packed up with two of our best friends and made the hour and twenty minute drive from Austin this past Friday. We got a little two bedroom house (The Escape) right on the river with a dock and access for swimming. Massive live oaks shaded the back yard, ducks were our morning greeters and deer were our afternoon animal friends. It was truly a tranquil place to recharge, make some good food on the grill and float in the river. Only one of us actually floated any distance, while the other three simply sat in tubes right near our dock so that we could hear our preferred tunes from the deck. We did have an ulterior motive for the location though. Every summer, Whitewater Amphitheater hosts a variety of concerts, from country to hip hop. Whitewater Amphitheater is a stunning venue that sits right on the banks of the Guadalupe, with massive trees forming the backdrop to the main stage. It’s a well run place with ample picnic table seating to enjoy a beer or a snack (the Cajun fries rock) and a sloped standing room area in front of the stage. The bars and bathrooms are adequate enough to spare concert goers the lines normally found at a big show. Once every summer for many years running, Ghostland Observatory, an electro-funk-disco duo out of Austin, plays a show that one doesn’t easily forget. Ghostland shows are a sonic and visual delight, with frontman Aaron Behrens belting out high pitched rock vocals and prowling the stage like a cat while his partner, Thomas Ross Turner, backs him on keyboards, normally sporting a voluminous vampire style cape. The stage show relies heavily on laser effects which are mesmerizing at Whitewater. Huge cypress trees were lit a bright crimson behind the stage and lasers cut through the smoke machines above the crowd to create lava lamp like patterns in the air. The laser beams extend to the trees opposite the stage, forming a dancing pattern of light high up in the branches and leaves. It was my second Ghostland show at this venue and I kicked myself for having missed that last five years worth. Put it on the agenda for next year, you won’t regret it. Ghostland closed out our Saturday night and we were sad to leave The Escape in the morning, but the area had a bit more fun in store.
In the area surrounding New Braunfels are a few tasting rooms and vineyards. We were fortunate to visit two just a stone’s throw off the route back to Austin. The first stop was to Wimberly Valley Winery, just outside the little town of Wimberly. None of the wines are sourced from Texas, they instead get most of their grapes from California. The list is heavy on sweet wines, but there were at least a few good dry wines and an offering of sparkling wines from Italy and Spain. They also feature additional wineries from out of state on their tasting list. In general, I wouldn’t send you there for seriously high quality wine, but the space is gorgeous, the tasting fees are reasonable and the service staff was excellent. After a tasting, we bought a bottle of the White Reserve (French Colombard from California) and headed out to the patio with a picnic box of cheese and crackers. The property is a fantastic place to while away a few hours on a summer weekend with comfy furniture and ample shade from the large trees. Smaller patio areas are scattered about with Adirondack chairs, games of cornhole, and just beyond was our favorite attraction, a pen of miniature horses! They were super cute, friendly and happy to accept a few of our crackers.
After Wimberly, we moved on towards Austin to Driftwood to visit the Duchman Family Winery. Duchman is one of the more successful wineries in the area immediate to Austin, being only a 40 minute drive in decent traffic. Duchman was started in 2004 by two doctors, Stan and Lisa Duchman. They source only from Texas, and concentrate on quality Italian varietals. While they have produced from the Hill Country and the Texas High Plains, the tasting room staff indicated that the most recent vintage comes entirely from the High Plains AVA. You will find the Vermentino, a snappy white with notes of citrus and white flowers, on many Austin area restaurant menus. It remains one of my favorites, vintage after vintage. The standout red for me was their Aglianico, a varietal common to southern Italy. The Duchman bottling had smooth, integrated tannins and stewed red and black fruits with earthy notes. Their tasting room is welcoming and the staff is knowledgeable. Additionally, the grounds are yet another beautiful spot in the Texas Hill Country to spend an afternoon looking over the vines.