Secret Sighting: Why Fredericksburg, Texas Is the Place To See the Solar Eclipse on April 8

Earlier this month, USA Today reported one of the best places to witness the Solar Eclipse on April 8 would be Fredericksburg, Texas, outside of Austin.

Fredericksburg is nestled in the stunning Texas Hill Country, just 75 minutes from San Antonio, along the path of totality for solar eclipse. Surprisingly, they’ve been keeping that tidbit under wraps for years, quietly planning for this epic event without drawing attention to their prime location.

Why was it kept a low profile? Although Fredericksburg is accustomed to having visitors come in droves to see its award-winning wineries and quaint shops and enjoy its excellent restaurants, it wanted to ensure this authentic German-american town had enough resources to manage an additional influx of visitors for the once-in-a-lifetime event.

“With 1.5 million visitors a year, we know many of our visitors return to see us,” says Brady Closson, President and CEO of the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We have left the planned events to each business.” City officials are more focused on the logistics of managing an estimated 50,000 – 100,000 visitors next week.

Fredericksburg, Texas: The Place To See the Solar Eclipse

According to NASA, on Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

The first location in continental North America to experience totality is Mexico’s Pacific coast at around 11:07 a.m. PDT.

The path of the eclipse continues from Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

In a Youtube video titled “Total Solar Eclipse: Expectations & Preparations,” Mayor Jeryl Hoover states, “With the anticipation of a massive wave of visitors, we want to encourage everyone to work together to make this a memorable experience for all.” He notes that the totality will hit Fredericksburg at 1:32 pm CDT and last for approximately 4 and a half minutes.

This city of 11,257 people takes skywatching very seriously.

An International Dark Sky Community, Fredericksburg is a great place for stargazing year-round. Every night, the city encourages residents, businesses, and visitors to respect its Dark Sky commitment by turning off unnecessary lights so that you can see the stars in the sky for all their glory.

The city hosts two International Dark Sky Parks: Enchanted Rock Natural Area and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Accommodations To Consider With a history of welcoming visitors, Fredericksburg has plenty of accommodations and activities