INFORMATION: WWW.WESTINLACANTERA.COM; (210) 558-6500 WWW.VISITFREDERICKSBURGTX.COM; (888) 997-3600 WWW.MAGNOLIA-HOUSE.COM; (830) 997-0306
BLAKE MISTICH
Wine tasting is a given. To check out the rapidly exploding winery story in these parts – the current tally is 20 in town and some three dozen in the region – set sights on Wine Road 290. When feet fail, lunch beckons at fun stops such as Wildseed Farms, home to acres of blooms, and The Pink Pig, down home and delicious. Come dinner, make it August E’s, or the Farm Haus Bistro, part of a complex with its own cottages and spa. Don’t let the captivating small-town vibe fool you. Along with the low-key lures you get two attractions of national note and justifiable local pride. One is right in town: the outstanding National Museum of the Pacific War, inspired by respect for Fredericksburg’s native son, World War II Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. The other, nearby at Stonewall, is the LBJ Ranch at Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Known as the Texas White House during the administration of the 36th president, it’s an intimate look at Johnson family life, operated by the National Park Service. Meander in your car along the Pedernales River and you’ll see the reconstructed birthplace of the president, the one-room schoolhouse where he learned to read, and the comfortable, modest home that was opened for public tours after the 2007 passing of Lady Bird. With the region’s year-round calendar of kickup-your-boots events, it’s hard to settle on the ideal season to head for the hills. But my vote goes to the state’s wildflowering springtime – and its magical bonus of bluebonnets.
© NATALIA BRATSLAVSKY | DREAMSTIME.COM
KEN MAXWE
Torre di Pietra Vineyards in Fredericksburg.
SOUTHERN SEASONS MAGAZINE
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