Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg, TX Travel Guide

February 4, 2021

Are you headed to Fredericksburg, TX or as like to call it, The Napa of the South? 🙂 First off, I’m jealous. Second off, I have been a few times now and thought it was about time for an updated travel guide as their are SO many new and cute spots in town!

If you’ve never been to Fredericksburg you are in for a treat! It has quaint small town vibes but with so much to do and see! Obviously most people come for the wineries, but honestly you’ll want to stay for more than just that! While it’s a great weekend getaway, I would highly recommend it for a bachelorette party, girl’s weekend or low(er) key birthday trip.

WHERE TO STAY

Most places are between $4-$600 a night (cheaper during the week) so split between multiple people, it is well worth it! Our house slept 12 plus came equipped with a huge outdoor area, corn hole, a fire pit, hot tub and a whole cupboard of games which we used the entire weekend. The owner has several other properties (found here), all with different colored front doors, that are perfect for your next girls weekend, bachelorette party, or couples retreat. I cannot say enough great things about the owner, all of her recommendations, attention to little details, and the overall house aesthetic. Just look what I mean- SO CUTE! In fact, many of you messaged me while I was there telling me you had stayed in one of her properties as well!!

WINERIES

Aka the reason you are probably headed to Frederickburg! I’ve tried several but this past trip was by FAR my favorite wineries that I have been to yet! While Grape Creek, Becker Vineyards and 4.0 Cellars are all highly recommended and fantastic options, these next 3 will blow them out of them water!

Signor Vineyards–This was our first winery of the day and talk about GORGEOUS. I’m telling you right now that you’ll want to stay at this outdoor space for hours! Our group was too big for a tasting so we bought a few bottles and did our own tasting at one of the picnic tables. They are known for their chardonnay and pinot but the cab was my personal fav!

Baron’s Creek– Out of the 3 we went to this one was probably my least favorite just because it didn’t have the WOW factor that Signor and Augusta Vin had but I enjoyed the wine, outdoor music and the wine was actually one of my favorites from the day!

Augusta Vin– Talk about a little piece of California in Texas. With the floor to ceiling windows and hilly views, it’s hard to believe you are in Texas! Check out the picture below. If you can request a tasting on the second floor- highly recommend. Also highly recommend the bread and olive oil pairing with your tasting 🙂

If you want to really take your weekend up a notch and not have to worry about getting transportation in between wineries (Ubers are V scarce), I recommend looking into a winery tour/shuttle. We used Texas Wine Tours and our driver was a freaking hoot. His name was Darrell and if you can request him- DO IT- you’ll be laughing for hours. Not to mention he brought us donuts and kolaches which came in clutch after 3 wineries if you know what I mean.

The way the winery tour works is that they handle all of your winery tasting reservations and fees in the price which is actually incredibly convenient if you have a big group (especially during COVID) because making reservations for big groups actually proved to be really hard when I was trying to do it!

WHERE TO EAT

Granite House Lounge– Hot of the press! The food was AMAZING. Just take my word for it. This place had only been open 3 weeks when we went and it was hip hop happenin to say the least. It’s pretty small so expect to wait but you can grab a cocktail and hangout outside while you do! I also would suggest hopping on the online waitlist!

The Auslander- If you are wanting a cheap, authentic German meal, this is the place! If the weather is nice enough, there is usually a pretty good sized crowd enjoying live music and throwing back oversized beers.Sozial Haus– A quaint spot that has great pizza. Monday nights they have half price pizzas and bottles of wine.

Hondos– An old spot where you will find many locals. The food is nothing extraordinary but the atmosphere is fun!

Vaudeville– This is a nicer place and reservations are recommended. Even if you don’t get a chance to eat here, I suggest checking out the courtyard and little shop that is attached to it. Both are amazing! I have heard the restaurant is a must do if you have the time (and money!) to do so.

August E’s– Another great fine dining experience. We were there during the week and attended “Thai Tuesday” night. While the price is a little high for thai, the portions are HUGE and easy to share. They also have sushi and steaks.

Prometheus Pizza-This food truck came highly recommended to us if you are wanting something quick, easy and GOOD. They deliver too!

WHAT TO DO (besides the obvious)

Besides visiting wineries, there are plenty of other things to do in Fredericksburg! It is such a cute town to explore and small enough to walk most places if you are staying at a house that is close to the main strip (which I highly recommend!).

Tasting rooms– If you are just wanting to grab a drink before dinner or do not want to drive out to the wineries, several of the vineyards have tasting rooms on the main strip.

Lincoln St.– A cute indoor/outdoor bar that is perfect for drinks before or after dinner and one of the only places that stays open later.

Fredericksboards– We did this one night for a happy hour at home! Highly recommend grabbing a charcuterie board from them. They are beautiful and will save you a trip to the grocery store!

Yellow Door Studio– If you have already done a wine and painting class, then you know how fun they are. If you have not, now is your time! The art class is BYOB and is so much fun! These classes run about $45/person and are a great keepsake for a girls or bachelorette weekend!

I have a Frederickburg highlight saved to my Instagram with more visuals and fun happenings from our weekend but if you have any questions please feel free to comment on this post or email me at itsallchictomeblog@gmail.com. I hope you enjoy your stay!

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Life, Travel

Girls Weekend in Fredericksburg, TX

September 4, 2017

Theres no hiding what a huge wino I am on my little corner of the internet. I’m not one to shy away from a glass (er, bottle) of cab any given night of the week. So when my college girlfriends talked about getting together for a reunion, Fredericksburg (aka Texas wine country) was at the top of our list. I’ve been to the “real” wine country, but this was my first time to experience Texas wine country and all of it’s glory. By the end of the trip, we all agreed that it would become an annual trip as we fell in love with the little city and of course, the endless amounts of wine and girl talk.

Where to Stay

I highly suggest renting a house for the weekend. If you are heading up for a girls weekend or wanting to go in on a place with multiple people, a house is the way to go. Fredericksburg offers many cute options that make the trip so much more enjoyable than staying in a hotel. We stayed at “The Aqua Door“ which proved to be everything we hoped for and more! We were able to spread out comfortably and truly felt like we were at home. Most places are between $4-$600 a night (cheaper during the week) so split between multiple people, it is well worth it! Our house came equipped with boardgames, a hot tub, outdoor games, cable, a piano, and several other amenities that made it a home away from home and a real treat. The owner has several other properties (found here), all with different colored front doors, that are perfect for your next girls weekend, bachelorette party, or couples retreat. I cannot say enough great things about the owner, all of her recommendations, attention to little details, and the overall house aesthetic. Just look what I mean 🙂

Favorite Wineries

There are several tasting rooms on the main strip but if you are wanting to go to some of the wineries a little bit further out, I suggest taking the Wine Shuttle that runs to all of the wineries and picks up every 15 minutes. It is just $24.99 and well worth the money to not drink and drive. Our shuttle driver cranked up the music and we had a grand old time!

Grape Creek Vineyard– Our personal favorite! A tasting is $18 and you get to pick out 6 wines. The majority of us are red wine lovers, and enjoyed the Viognier and Bellissimo wines. We also stayed for lunch in their dining room and split a bottle of wine. We were given several free glasses of wine which might have been why it was our favorite 🙂
Becker Vineyards– A beautiful vineyard that also has lavender fields. Perfect for that vineyard Instagram picture (see below). There is normally live music on the weekends with a gorgeous area that overlooks the vineyard. Perfect area to split a bottle of wine. My personal favorite was the Reserve Malbec.
4.0 Cellars– Calling all wine and cheese lovers. This winery offers a wine and cheese pairing tasting for just $25. If you want to cut the cheese (hehe), a wine tasting is just $15. Friday evenings offer live music and you are welcome to pack snacks to enjoy on the patio.

Where to Eat

Fredericksburg has a lot of German history and heritage, which makes for great dining! Several of our meals were German because who can pass up a schnitzel and beer to combat all of the wine? Not us!

Otto’s– If you are looking for a really good German inspired meal, all 6 of us LOVED this place. Each one of us got something different and ended up sharing everything because every dish was out of this world! Some of our favorites included the Ricotta Gnochi, Wurst Platte, and Pork Shank. The prices are reasonable for a nice dinner. They are also open for Sunday Brunch. I do suggest arriving early or making a reservation as the place is very small.
The Auslander- If you are wanting a cheap, authentic German meal, this is the place! If the weather is nice enough, there is usually a pretty good sized crowd enjoying live music and throwing back oversized beers.
Sozial Haus– A quaint spot that has great pizza. Monday nights they have half price pizzas and bottles of wine.
Hondos– An old spot where you will find many locals. The food is nothing extraordinary but the atmosphere is fun!
Vaudeville– This is a nicer place and reservations are recommended. Even if you don’t get a chance to eat here, I suggest checking out the courtyard and little shop that is attached to it. Both are amazing! I have heard the restaurant is a must do if you have the time (and money!) to do so.
August E’s– Another great fine dining experience. We were there during the week and attended “Thai Tuesday” night. While the price is a little high for thai, the portions are HUGE and easy to share. They also have sushi and steaks.

What to Do

Besides the obvious, there are plenty of other things to do in Fredericksburg! It is such a cute town to explore and small enough to walk most places if you are staying at a house that is close to the main strip.

Walk/shop the main strip- There are over 100 small shops, tasting rooms, markets, and restaurants along the main strip. Be aware that almost everything closes down early in Fredericksburg so to do this earlier in the day. Most place close by 6.
Tasting rooms- If you are just wanting to grab a drink before dinner or do not want to drive out to the wineries, several of the vineyards have tasting rooms on the main strip.
Lincoln St.- A cute indoor/outdoor bar that is perfect for drinks before or after dinner and one of the only places that stays open later.
Yellow Door Studio– If you have already done a wine and painting class, then you know how fun they are. If you have not, now is your time! The art class is BYOB and is so much fun! These classes run about $45/person and are a great keepsake for a girls or bachelorette weekend!

*Thank you Colored Door Properties for our complimentary stay. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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Life

Hurricane Harvey Update

August 28, 2017

It feels wrong posting about anything fashion or otherwise “normal” blog related topics when so many of my loved ones and neighbors are losing their homes. The amount of destruction that Hurricane Harvey has already done is unfathomable and we aren’t out of the woods anytime soon. Since last Friday afternoon, Houston has been hit with over 40″ of rainfall in such a short amount of time. Even with breaks in the rain, it is not enough to let the city drain. There have been at least 12 tornados touch down and thousands of people who have already lost their homes. We need a miracle and fast.

For the past few days I have been glued to my phone waiting for friends and family to give me updates on the rising waters. Checking social media and news outlets constantly to see the damage. Every new picture that I came across more shocking than the one before. We knew this storm would be bad but seeing each and every person that I personally know go through losing their home and their belongings is absolutely heart breaking.

My sister and I do not know how our townhouse is faring in the Heights as both of us fled to higher ground on Friday. Surrounding areas are completely flooded but we are hoping for the best. I am thankful to report the rest of my Houston family (parents, aunts, uncle) have not had any water in their homes. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for SO many of my childhood friends. My parents are having to rescue people from our old neighborhood on jet skis as their homes are taking on so much water.

I made the tough decision Friday to continue on with my girls weekend reunion trip to Fredericksburg, Texas (aka Texas wine country) knowing there was a good possibility that we could get stuck here. Welp all of my wine dreams came true and we are officially stuck here for the foreseeable future as the majority of Houston including all of the major roadways are flooded under several feet of water. I am forever thankful to the sweetest AirBNB host for allowing us to stay well beyond our intended stay free of charge. As much as I wish I was in Houston able to help those in need, I am thankful for a dry place to stay until the weather and flood waters calm down and even more thankful for sweet souls that are wiling to help in any way possible.

People from all over Texas are coming together to help one another and as bad as things are getting in Houston, it is heart warming to see. There are strangers helping complete strangers through rescue boats, donations and offering up their homes for safe refuge. Houston will rebuild but we have a long road to get there. If you are wondering how you can help, there are a few ways.

Monetary Donations
- American Red Cross – Text HARVEY to 90999 and you’ll have made a $10 donation, which you’ll see on your next phone bill.
- Salvation Army – The Salvation Army has been responding to the storm to help those in need and is accepting donations specifically for Harvey victims here.
- JJ Watt Houston Flood Relief Fund – There is already over 500k raised. Donate here.
Physical Donations
- Local food banks: Affected areas include Houston Food Bank, Galveston County Food Bank, Corpus Christi Food Bank, Southeast Texas Food Bank, and more. They recommend contacting a food bank directly about their need and what you can do. Find the closest one to you here.
- There are so many organizations that will be accepting clothing and other necessities. If you are stuck inside with nothing to do, now is the perfect time to gather up and donate old clothing, unused toiletries and canned food.

Continue to pray that the rain stops, flood waters recede, and for everyone affected. Hurricane Harvey is still very much a threat for the next few days. It might not seem like we can do much but what we can do is pray and donate to the disaster relief.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out checking on my family and I. We are so thankful for such a supportive community and are trying to help in any way that we can. If you are or your family have been affected by Hurricane Harvey, please let us know how we can help whether it is through prayers, a dry place to stay or donations.

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