Things to do & places to visit in New Braunfels, Texas, United States

With German names on the street signs, summer bier gartens and the annual Wurstfest, New Braunfels blends the character of its German namesake with the charm and beauty of Texas Hill Country. Old World heritage is abundant in the Historic District of Gruene, featuring the ruins of the original Gristmill and live music at the Gruene Hall. Those in search of more modern fun can check out the Schlitterbahn waterpark, spelunk in the Natural Bridge Caverns or test the waters at Canyon Lake.

New Braunfels city in Texas, United States. Timezone: America/Chicago, current date and time: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 23:44.

Top things to do (22)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Wurstfest (9 reviews)
- Best Fest!
Spent 1-2 hours Cultural Events

My wife and I have been going for over 10 years now. We love the atmosphere, the performers, the strudel, and the BEER! We see the same folks and new people every year! If you didn't know, most booths have volunteer opportunities and we volunteer quite regularly with the CCSC. If you're looking for a perfect 10 day salute to sausage, look no further. This is the best "german" festival we've attended. Hope you love it as much as we do! See more..
4.5 Gruene Historic District (995 reviews)
- the is a must do!
Speciality & Gift Shops • Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas • Architectural Buildings • Ghost Towns

Originally settled over a century ago, Gruene is a snapshot of Texas culture and history come-to-life. With 15 walkable acres designated a National Historic District, visitors can shop, dine, and dance within the walls of the original township buildings. The ideal balance of preservation and progress, Gruene Historic District is a Texas travel industry darling for good reason. From tacos to onion rings, antiques to cowboy hats, and Americana music to blues, every doorway leads you to something unforgettable. Gruene is for people who love good music, fun times, and old things! See more..
4.5 Landa Park (699 reviews)
- Great hiking! Great bird watching!
Bodies of Water • Parks

Park that features paddleboats and train rides; great for families. See more..
4.5 Comal River (630 reviews)
- Yes, you can take your kids
Bodies of Water

A two-mile river (the world's shortest) that offers sites for family picnics and gatherings. See more..
4.5 New Braunfels (280 reviews)
- Watch Othello!
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks

Enjoyed the performance of “Othello” put on by Director Bridget Gates - performed at the Landa Slab Dance Park - and thought this free community experience was very enjoyable especially during COVID were people are hesitant to visit bars and restaurants. Chairs are there and snacks on sale. No alcohol, but you can bring your own drinks and snacks. See more..
4.5 Canyon Lake (256 reviews)
- Beautiful Lake!
Bodies of Water

One of the deepest lakes in Texas boasts more than 80 miles of scenic shoreline and is a favorite spot for outdoor activities year round. See more..
4.5 McKenna Children's Museum (168 reviews)
- Oh, how we LOVE this place!
Sunday: Children's Museums

We travel from Austin to visit the McKenna Children's Museum about once every quarter. My 4 year old LOVES it! It is full of pretend play opportunities--a hospital with an ambulance parked out front; a fully-stocked grocery store; a hardware store; a bank; camping site complete with tent, camp fire, cave, and kayak; an arts and crafts room always ready for painting at easels. We arrive at 11, play for an hour, eat lunch in their yummy cafe (DELICIOUS SALAD BAR FOR A LITTLE OVER $5), and then return for a couple more hours of play time. Beautiful building, beautiful museum, beautiful time! See more..
4.5 Dry Comal Creek Vineyards (134 reviews)
- Solo Wine Tasting
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Wineries & Vineyards

Vineyard and Tasting Room just outside of New Braunfels. Reservations needed for tastings. Life music and food trucks every weekend. All visitors must be 21 and up. See more..
4.5 Stars and Stripes Drive In Theatre (122 reviews)
- Great night
Sunday: 6:30 PM - 12:00 AM Spent More than 3 hours Theaters

Stars and Stripes New Braunfels is a brand new drive-in theater unlike any you've experienced before! Although our facility is modern, it's not lacking any part of the vintage drive-in experience that many of us hold dear. We show new double features year-round. For the full drive-in experience, visit our 50's Cafe to grab Rockin' Eats & Tasty Treats. Arrive about an hour early to skip the line! See more..
4.5 Faust Street Bridge (116 reviews)
- Interesting short touch point with history
Bridges

This bridge used to help overcome flooding of the Guadaloupe and is set high above the river so who knows how high it used to flood. In any case it is a piece of history and hard to imagine this was a highway crossing when now it lies at the end of a relatively quiet suburban street. Managing expectations whilst it has a great view down to the river there is a factory at the end but realistically people who built bridges also need to build things that created jobs not just pretty bridges for future Instagrams. This is an easy drop by whilst driving through New Braunfels See more..
4.5 Winery on the Gruene (109 reviews)
- Inexpensive Wine Option
Wineries & Vineyards

Here is some info for you I couldn’t find anywhere on their website: Currently, tastings are $6 for 4 pours of your choice with a glass to take home. Because of COVID restrictions, all wine must be consumed outdoors. Covered seating is available and there was a BBQ food truck on site. It really seems like they cater to sweet wine drinkers here. Their dry wines were fine but there wasn’t really anything I liked enough to buy a bottle of. It was something fun to do in the New Braunfels area and enjoy the Texas weather. See more..
4.5 New Braunfels Railroad Museum (83 reviews)
- The cutest little railway museum
Speciality Museums

My husband was keen to see the model railways so we popped in for a visit. It's a very small museum with three or four small rooms and a couple of train carriages outside. It's free to visit but they encourage a donation of $3 per person. What it lacks in size it makes up in character. Staff are very friendly and the whole place is quirkily lovable. There were two working model railways, one of them enormous and including a tiny replica of a portion of New Braunfels high street. In addition there were vintage suitcases, signage and the like. Outside you could visit the inside of an old-fashioned dining car and the inside of an old caboose, both very interesting to see. Very enjoyable little place! Worth the visit. See more..
4.5 Landa Falls (80 reviews)
- BEWARE AT THE END!!!!!
Nature & Wildlife Areas • Water Parks

My sister, brother in law. And myself went this past weekend. Had a blast. Except for the end. The stairs were slippery with algae. I jumped off my tube which was a big mistake. It was deep ( it’s 13 ft). and the current was strong ( very) . I struggled to get to the stairs. I can swim but the current was pulling me under swallowing water several times. Thank God a man grabbed my hand and pulled me up. They really need a worker there to assist the swimmers. The river ride was good… BEWARE OF THE EXIT!!!! I suggest to get off before you approach it. See more..
4.5 Sophienburg Museum (70 reviews)
- Worth A Stop
Sunday: Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • History Museums

Every story has a beginning and the saga of New Braunfels starts here! Take a journey to Texas with Prince Carl and his group of German colonists as they cross the ocean to establish a new colony at the edge of Indian Territory. Live their dream of freedom, adventure and prosperity. Exhibits rich in local artifacts, photographic images, maps and documents take visitors through the history and cultural heritage of New Braunfels and Comal County. The archives is one of the largest repositories of information chronicling the German immigration movement to Texas. The collection includes more than a million photographic images, newspapers, oral history recordings, government and church records, and genealogical information. Sophie's Shop, the museum store, carries the best in German collectibles, including nutcrackers, smokers, and Inge-Glas ornaments, as well as, books on New Braunfels, Texas, and regional history. Find New Braunfels souvenir t-shirts and decor to remember your trip. See more..
4.5 Prince Solms Park (60 reviews)
- Enjoyed a brief run alongside the river
Parks

An unexpected delight on my morning run through New Braunfels on New Years day there were quite a few people doing some lazy laps in the river and I'd imagine during the summer, indeed you can see all the tubing infrastructure that this place really comes to life. But even in the winter, the walk alongside the river is a delight - the river path is currently blocked going into town where it would pass under a bridge that's being reconstructed. It's also connected into Landa Park if you look on the map which is also really great to visit. See more..
4.5 Gruene Antique Company (54 reviews)
- A must In Gruene!!!
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Antique Shops

An experience that always has something you simply must have! A huge antique place inside a beautiful old building. Half the joy is just walking around the old place. Plenty of items to choose from. See more..
4.5 Texas Ski Ranch (46 reviews)
- Great for Wake Board Beginners
Sports Complexes

We take fun seriously! Texas Ski Ranch has over 70 acres of activities for action sports enthusiasts, as well as acres of beaches for the more relaxed enthusiast. Two Cable Lakes for wake boarding, one with a slider park, and one, "Little Bro" cableway just for beginners. A Private Lake provide ideal conditions for lessons behind a MasterCraft boat, or a more leisurely Stand Up Paddle session. Two skateboarding area's, a 16,000 square foot Indoor Trampoline Park, Rockwall and more ensure a fun filled day for all. The Boardshop at Texas Ski Ranch offers the largest selection of wake and skate gear in central Texas, along with TOMS shoes, bikini's and board shorts, denim and street wear from RVCA, Volcom, Reef, Vans, Nike, BIllabong, Rip Curl and more. Wahoo's Fish Taco has a fun menu influenced by the flavors of Mexico and Brazil, and a full bar, All with views of the beaches and lakes. The Wakezone at Texas Ski Ranch Features MasterCraft tow boats, and pontoons just for fun.Summer Camps, private lessons, day and weekly rates for visitors, party and meeting space and special event programs make TSR a true "Way of Life". See more..
4.5 The Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre (34 reviews)
- Beautiful theater
Sunday: Spent 1-2 hours Theaters

Opened in 1942 as a movie theatre, the Art Deco-styled Brauntex, located in the heart of historic downtown New Braunfels Texas (between Austin and San Antonio), now a restored 586 seat performing arts venue, provides an intimate setting to enjoy your favorite artists. The Brauntex is also home to a myriad of events including films, musical and theatrical productions as well as private and corporate events; thus, providing a stage to the community to experience live performing arts events, film screenings while serving as a desirable and stylish venue for other nonprofits to utilize. See more..
4.5 Guadalupe Brewing Company & Pizza Kitchen (33 reviews)
- Nice place and good variety of beverages
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Breweries

Large venue focusing on outdoor seating, great pizza and specialty craft beer brewed on site. Live music often. See more..
4.5 Water 2 Wine (26 reviews)
- Wine tasting
Sunday: Spent < 1 hour Wineries & Vineyards

Had a great time. Wine was good and affordable taste testing. Went in the afternoon and was not crowded at all. Would definitely recommend. See more..
4.5 Barn Pottery (25 reviews)
- Lovely Pottery Shop by local artisans
Spent < 1 hour Art Galleries

Beautiful pieces of pottery. Owned by a husband and wife who are very talented potters.. They also sell on behalf of other local artists. Interesting pieces with descriptions of how they are made. I bought a small dish that has a melted marble in the bottom giving it a pretty blue/green crackle look. Worth taking a look, Very friendly owners whose studio is on-site. See more..
4.5 Downtown Antique Mall (23 reviews)
- Not to be missed if you like antique malls
Antique Shops • Shopping Malls

This mall did not show up on a Google search, but we had heard it was good. It is easy to find on the main street in the city business district. We were able to find some excellent items at reasonable prices. The merchandise is mostly "smalls," but there are some lower quality furnitures items available. The rangs of items is huge there are dealers in the basements, but the quality is not as good as on the main floor. There are 60 dealers in this mall. The staff is helpful. We liked this stop! See more..
4.5 Fischer Park (21 reviews)
- Great place to walk!
Sunday: 6:00 AM - 12:00 AM Spent 2-3 hours Parks

Fischer Park, the largest park in the New Braunfels park system, offers a variety of amenities for discovery and exploration. Stroll or run around the park on over two miles of greenway trails, where fresh air, sunshine and nature are abundant. Relax at the two fishing ponds, look for butterflies at the Monarch Waystation, dig for dinosaur bones in the Archaeology/Paleontology Dig, splash at the sprayground, enjoy the playgrounds or take in the dramatic views of New Braunfels from the 62-acre hill top park. The Fischer Park Nature Education Center provides a variety of programs and events to ignite your interest and curiosity in the natural world. Click here to view the current issue of "The Fun Things in Life" program guide. Learn more about parks and recreation programs, special events and classes, including Fischer Park Nature Education Center programs. See more..
4.5 Museum Of Texas Handmade Furniture (21 reviews)
- Hidden Gem in Historic Town
Sunday: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Speciality Museums

We've been coming to New Braunfels for over 40 years and had never been here. Try to go on "Second Saturday"!! The house with no nails and vintage furniture and the surrounding out-buildings are really cool, but the best experience was by chance we attended on the 2nd Saturday of September. Every 2nd Saturday the area's living historians take over the out-buildings with demonstrations of life back then. Awesome experience for both adults and kids! See more..
4.5 New Braunfels Conservation Society (19 reviews)
- Enchanting!
Sunday: Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites

Progress has its cost. Like most places, many historic buildings and sites are destroyed to make way for new uses and purposes. But some places beg to be saved and that's how the New Braunfels Conservation Plaza & the New Braunfels Conservation Society was started. The Conservation Society was founded in 1964 to save the Lindheimer house-one of New Braunfels' historic homes. As IH-35 corridor developed through the community, the Conservation Society raised funds to save and move notable structures onto our 3.5-acre village. Over the years, our mission has grown to preserve and promote the history and heritage of New Braunfels, a mission that continues today. One-by-one, and over 50 years, historic German homes and businesses were donated & relocated to Conservation Plaza in order to save them. Private donations paved the way for the restoration of these historic structures. We have now created a Village: Old Town at Conservation Plaza. Many of these buildings also contain their original contents and furnishings like The Jahn Cabinet Shop, The Baetge Haus, Forke Store, Haelbig Music Studio and the Jahn house. A few have been preserved in their original locations like Ferdinand Lindheimier's House (the Father of Texas Botony), the Arnold-Rauch-Brandt 1853 Farmstead, the Gerlich-Wagenfuehr Haus, Church Hill Schoolhouse and The Buckhorn Barbershop. The New Braunfels Conservation Society is proud to be the custodian and caretaker of these historic buildings and sites that showcase both the lost German art of Fachwerk construction methods like the adobe brick, waddle & daub, rammed earth, fieldstone, and cut stone. Experience the craftsmanship, daily life and traditions at Old Town at Conservation Plaza. Tours available by appointment or during regular hours. No admission fees but donations are appreciated to help us keep the lanterns burning! Bring your kids and the Grandparents... It is a great experience for them to explore together with grandma and grandpa relatin... See more..
4.5 Landa Park Pool (16 reviews)
- Great fun!
Spent More than 3 hours Water Parks

A small access fee for a great day of fun! Olympic size pool, kiddie pool, and a natural swim area. The natural swim area has a fun rope swing, a large tarp slide, and a large floating mat. Spent all day there and had a picnic. I recommend for all ages! See more..
4.5 Circle Arts Theatre (15 reviews)
- Fabulous surprise in New Braunfels
Sunday: Spent 2-3 hours Theaters

My husband and I have seen several plays at this venue - We have never had a bad experience. It is truly a gem, right here in New Braunfels. We see at least 4 shows each year. It is great to see the talent and watch folks working hard and having fun. I don't know how they manage costume changes and set changes in such a small area -- what skill and talent. I recommend it for all families. See more..
4.0 Schlitterbahn Waterpark New Braunfels (2.301 reviews)
- Well worth the price!
Spent More than 3 hours Water Parks

Come explore over seventy acres of shared family fun, thrilling adventure, and relaxation! Schlitterbahn is nestled along the beautiful banks of the Comal River and features world-famous attractions, epic river adventures, kid’s water playgrounds, and beautiful spots to relax and share a picnic. See more..
4.0 Animal World and Snake Farm Zoo (377 reviews)
- Just keeps getting better
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Nature & Wildlife Areas

Two Attractions, One Admission:Exciting Croc & Alligator ShowPetting ZooWorld's Largest RodentEndangered PrimatesMost Dangerous Snake in the WorldBirds of the WorldCarnivore Feeding ShowRattlesnake PitConcession StandGift ShopAnd much more!!Check web site for showtimes, vary according to season. See more..
4.0 Bezdeks Rentals (214 reviews)
- Friendly staff
Bodies of Water

Texas river that is popular with inner tubers, rafters and canoeists. See more..