New Braunfels in 4 Days

Day 1

Your first full day in New Braunfels you gotta tube one of the two rivers that flow through town. Trips range from 90 minutes to six hours and there a number of river outfitters in town renting tubes and equipment.
A fitting first dinner in New Braunfels would be at Oma’s Haus or Friesenhaus, with a wide range of traditional German dishes. The accompanying gift shop at Oma’s Haus boasts a huge collection of German beer steins. Be sure to check out the “to-go” bakery and dessert items at Friesenhaus.
For nighttime fun, check the schedule at Brauntex Theatre downtown. New Braunfels has four professional theaters. If you missed curtain call, head to the Uptown Piano Bar in the cellar of the historic Prince Solms Inn.

Day 2

Fuel up for breakfast; it’s going to be a wild day. Friesenhaus features a menu with traditional German breakfast.
Schlitterbahn is routinely voted the world’s best waterpark, with 40 water features including daredevil water slides, uphill water coasters, a surfing machine and a whole lot more.
It’s safe to assume you’ll spend your whole day at Schlitterbahn. For dinner afterwards, refuel with some Texas barbecue. A few great options are Granzin’s Bar-B-Q, Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, and Rudy’s Country Store.
If you still have some energy for late night, check out Gruene Hall, the oldest dancehall in Texas. They have live music pretty much every night of the week.

Day 3

Go to Gruene. Technically within New Braunfels, but retaining its distinct charm is this ghost town that came back to life. Shopping, antiquing, lounging, and examining the old buildings can fill up an afternoon. There are a few standout lunch and dinner options, with the picturesque Gristmill clearly being the busiest. One weekend every month (except January) is Gruene Market Days.
Shift gears a little bit and head about ten miles outside of town to Dry Comal Creek Vineyards. The tasting room in the beautiful Hill Country is open seven days a week from noon to 5pm.

Day 4

Enter a different world, literally, by visiting Natural Bridge Caverns. With several cave-exploring tours in what is regarded as one of the most beautiful natural treasures in Texas, Natural Bridge Caverns is a mind-boggling experience.
Then head next door for another otherworldly adventure, this time an African safari. The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch allows you to view, photograph, and feed exotic animals (rhinos, zebras, giraffes, oh my) from your car, safari-style.
Make a pit stop at Animal World & Snake Farm (5640 I-35 S). Be sure to check out feeding time for the crocodiles and alligators.

Greater New Braunfels