Day Trips from Austin: Four Hill Country Towns, Ranked

Four easy day trips from Austin are Fredericksburg (just over 1 hour), Gruene in New Braunfels (about 1 hour), Johnson City (about 50 to 60 minutes) and Dripping Springs (about 40 minutes), per Visit Austin. Fredericksburg earns a full day, Gruene earns an afternoon and evening, and Johnson City and Dripping Springs each fit into a half day. All four are outside Austin by design, so check the weather first and the official site of each stop before you leave. For the in-town list, see the best things to do in Austin.

How we chose

We started from four towns that Visit Austin lists as day trips, then confirmed each stop below against its own official page: open, address, and a specific detail. Drive times are the ones Visit Austin gives from Austin and assume light traffic, so add time on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Rankings are our opinion, based on how much of a full day each town fills. Hours change, so treat every hour below as typical and check the official site.

1. Fredericksburg: the full day

Fredericksburg is the fullest day trip from Austin, about an hour and a bit west on US 290, and the only one of the four that can fill 8 hours without repeating itself. Start at the museum or the rock, eat German food at lunch, and finish with a tasting.

National Museum of the Pacific War

The National Museum of the Pacific War, 311 E Austin St, Fredericksburg, typically opens 9am to 5pm Wednesday through Monday and closes Tuesdays. The Pacific Combat Zone, an outdoor section, typically runs 9am to 3pm. Ticket prices are on the museum's official pricing page, so look before you go. Allow 2 to 3 hours.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, 16710 Ranch Rd. 965 north of Fredericksburg, is a granite dome with open trails. Texas Parks and Wildlife lists adult entry at $8 and free for ages 12 and under, and advises reserving a day pass online, especially from September to May. The park typically opens 6:30am to 10pm, with the gate closing at 8pm. Go early; it fills.

Altdorf Biergarten

Altdorf Restaurant and Biergarten, 301 W Main St, Fredericksburg, serves Jägerschnitzel, Wurst Platte, currywurst and apple strudel. It typically opens Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 9pm and Sunday 11am to 3pm, and is closed Monday and Tuesday. Order the Wurst Platte if you cannot choose.

Wildseed Farms

Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Dr, Fredericksburg, is a wildflower seed farm that typically opens daily 10am to 5pm, with a tasting room that typically opens at 11am Monday through Saturday and noon on Sunday. The fields are most colourful in the spring bloom, but the farm keeps daily hours outside it too.

Das Peach Haus

Fischer & Wieser's Das Peach Haus, 1406 S US Highway 87, Fredericksburg, typically opens 10am to 5:30pm Sunday through Thursday and until 6pm Friday and Saturday. Its page states peach picking is not allowed, so come for jams, sauces and preserves, not to pick fruit.

Becker Vineyards

Becker Vineyards, 464 Becker Farms Road, east of Fredericksburg toward Stonewall, is an easy stop on the drive back to Austin. Its site says walk-ins are welcome at both tasting rooms, with hours typically 10am to 5pm on weekdays and 11am to 6pm on weekends. Reservations can be made online.

When not to go to Fredericksburg

Skip Tuesdays if the museum is the plan, and avoid weekends in spring and fall if you hate crowds. Enchanted Rock is far busier on those days.

2. Gruene (New Braunfels): the afternoon and night

Gruene is a historic district of New Braunfels, about an hour south of Austin, and the best day trip for live music. Arrive for a late lunch, walk the river, and stay for a show.

Gruene Hall

Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Rd, New Braunfels, was built in 1878 and calls itself Texas' oldest continually operating dance hall. Live music is typically listed daily, with door times on the official site, so check the calendar rather than guessing.

Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar

Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar, 1287 Gruene Rd, New Braunfels, typically serves 11am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10pm Friday and Saturday. The Peppered Filet, an 8-ounce bacon-wrapped cut with lime herb butter, is the dish on its site. The restaurant offers a waitlist, which helps on weekends.

Gruene General Store

Gruene General Store, in Gruene, has a soda fountain with Blue Bell ice cream, free samples of Uncle Otto's homemade fudge, candy sold by the pound and fresh-ground coffee. Hours are typically 9am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday, until 10pm Friday and 10:30pm Saturday. The site lists 1610 Hunter Rd, so confirm your navigation lands you in Gruene.

Naegelin's Bakery

Naegelin's Bakery, 129 S Seguin Ave, New Braunfels, calls itself the Oldest Bakery in Texas, since 1868. It is a few minutes from Gruene. Call (830) 625-5722 or check its Hours & Location page before you go, since the main page does not list hours.

When not to go to Gruene

Skip summer weekends if you dislike crowds, and plan a designated driver if you are going for the music.

3. Johnson City: the history half day

Johnson City is about 50 to 60 minutes west of Austin and suits a half day built around Lyndon B. Johnson's early life.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park's Johnson City district typically opens daily 9am to 5pm, with no entrance fee, and is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Free guided tours of the Boyhood Home leave from the visitor center several times a day, so check the National Park Service page for times. In the separate LBJ Ranch district near Stonewall, the Texas White House, Hangar Visitor Center and Lockheed JetStar are closed for rehabilitation.

Pecan Street Brewing

Pecan Street Brewing, 106 East Pecan Drive, Johnson City, typically opens 11am to 8pm most days and until 9pm Friday and Saturday. Its menu includes brick oven pizza, a smash burger and Pecan Sweet Chicken. Live music typically runs on Sundays from 5pm to 8pm, and reservations are recommended.

Pedernales Falls State Park

Pedernales Falls State Park, 2585 Park Road 6026, Johnson City, charges $6 for ages 13 and over and is free for 12 and under. The park often reaches capacity, so reserve a day pass online. Swimming and wading in the falls area are not allowed, so come for the river views and trails, not a dip.

When not to go to Johnson City

Skip it after heavy rain. Pedernales Falls has flood risk, so check the park page before driving.

4. Dripping Springs: the quick half day

Dripping Springs is about 40 minutes west of Austin, the closest of the four, and works as a half day or a late-lunch run.

Hamilton Pool Preserve

Hamilton Pool Preserve, 24300 Hamilton Pool Road, Dripping Springs, requires reservations every day. Travis County Parks lists a $12 online fee per vehicle (up to 8 people), plus a cash-only gate fee of $8 per adult, $3 for seniors 62 and over, and free for ages 12 and under. Swimming is often closed after rain, and the trail beneath the cliff has been closed for falling rocks, so check the county page for current conditions before booking.

The Salt Lick BBQ

The Salt Lick BBQ, 18300 FM 1826, Driftwood, has smoked meats over its pit since 1967. It typically opens 11am to 9pm Sunday through Thursday and until 10pm Friday and Saturday. It is BYOB, and Salt Lick Cellars next door sells wine and Texas beer.

Treaty Oak Distilling

Treaty Oak Distilling, on a 28-acre ranch in Dripping Springs, typically opens Wednesday and Thursday noon to 8pm, Friday and Saturday noon to 10pm and Sunday noon to 7pm, with no Monday or Tuesday hours listed. It offers whiskey flights, distillery tours on Friday evenings and weekend afternoons, and live music on a stage built from an old Pearl Brewing truck, so check its events calendar.

When not to go to Dripping Springs

Skip Hamilton Pool without a reservation, since entry is not available otherwise.

Save this: a one-day route

• Leave Austin by 8am for Fredericksburg (just over 1 hour).
• Reserve an Enchanted Rock day pass first, or start at the National Museum of the Pacific War.
• Eat lunch at Altdorf Biergarten (closed Monday and Tuesday).
• Pick up peach preserves at Das Peach Haus before 5:30pm on weekdays.
• Taste at Becker Vineyards on the way back.
• For a second trip, book Hamilton Pool, then eat at The Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood.

Which one should you pick?

Pick Fredericksburg for a full day, Gruene for an afternoon that ends with live music, Johnson City for history and a relaxed lunch, and Dripping Springs for the shortest drive. If you only have one day, Fredericksburg gives the most for the drive. The shorter trips pair well: Johnson City and Dripping Springs are both on the same side of Austin, so one can follow the other on a long weekend.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best day trip from Austin?

Fredericksburg is our pick, about an hour and a bit west of Austin, because it fills a whole day with a museum, Enchanted Rock, German food and tastings. Gruene is the best choice if live music matters more.

How far are the closest day trips from Austin?

Dripping Springs is the closest at about 40 minutes, per Visit Austin. Johnson City is about 50 to 60 minutes, Gruene about 1 hour and Fredericksburg just over 1 hour.

Do you need a reservation for Hamilton Pool Preserve?

Yes. Travis County Parks requires reservations every day, with a $12 online fee per vehicle plus a cash gate fee per adult. Swimming is often closed after rain, so check the official page.

Is Enchanted Rock worth the drive from Austin?

Yes for hikers. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area charges $8 for adults and Texas Parks and Wildlife advises reserving a day pass, especially from September to May.

Can you swim at Pedernales Falls State Park?

Not at the falls. Texas Parks and Wildlife says swimming and wading in the Pedernales Falls area are not allowed, so plan to hike and view the river instead.