New Braunfels for spring break and beyond
Rides such as the Hillside Tube Chute have kept Schlitterbahn popular for decades. This year, for the first time, the New Braunfels park is open for spring break March 8-16, thanks to a new water heating system.
For decades many Houstonians have turned to New Braunfels as an easy escape, especially for occasions such as spring break. Major attractions were, and remain, small town charm, water play in two Texas Hill Country rivers and music, all with a tinge of central European culture.
These days you have to look a little deeper for the small town feel — New Braunfels had boomed to almost 61,000 residents by 2012, more than double its size in 1990 — but quaint flavor still is here, nestled downtown and in other areas lovingly nurtured by dedicated local groups. Here are five things to do:
Soak under the sun
Little wonder German Prince Carl Solms-Braunfels picked this spot for his all-German settlement in 1845; it has lovely rolling countryside, blessed by the Guadalupe River and, a bonus, the Comal
River. At only 2½ miles, the Comal is touted as the shortest river in the world. Those flows have long attracted summer “toobers” — that’s the preferred local spelling — eager to cool down and frolic.
Do your own wet thing; dozens of big and small local operations rent inner tubes, oops, toobs, or bring your own and jump in from spots in the municipal parks. To get started, look under the links “Play” and “Water Recreation” at innewbraunfels.com/visit.
A more controlled way to splash is Schlit
terbahn, situated in town alongside the Comal River near its merger with the Guadalupe (400 N. Liberty, schlitterbahn.com/ nb). Since it opened in 1979, family-owned Schlitterbahn has bloomed into a giant water park — and spawned four other locations — more distinct than other water parks in the almost organic style of its many popular water slides and rides. It lands near the top of many “best water park” lists, including being named second best in USA Today in 2013.
This year, for the first time, the New Braunfels Schlitterbahn is open for spring break, March 8-16, thanks to a new heating system that can raise water temperature several degrees. For guests staying at one of the Schlitterbahn resorts, there also are family activities, such as s’mores night, a volleyball tournament, movie night, exclusive ride times and access to five heated pools.
Soak up history and culture
Since 1999, the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program has saved and restored dozens of these great buildings. The painstaking and lovingly done restoration of the 1898 Comal County
Courthouse was finished in 2013. It is a must-see for anyone interested in historic buildings. Head up South Sequin to the center of town — the Main Plaza roundabout — and you can’t miss this solid native limestone Romanesque structure. If you’re there on a weekday, take time to check out the two beautiful courtrooms.
The Sophienburg Museum and Archives (401 W. Coll, sophienburg. org) has a fun, detailed display of the area’s early history and culture. Train fanciers will like the Rail
road Museum (302 W. San Antonio, newbraunfelsrailroadmuseum.org), complete with memorabilia, a restored caboose and locomotive you can explore, and two large working train-scapes, all at a 1907 depot. Other historic sites and buildings include Conservation
Plaza (nbconservation. org) and Heritage Village (nbheritagevillage.com).
Meander through Gruene Historic District
Gruene
(“Green”) was once a quaint little town near New Braunfels. Now city surrounds town with both suburbs and countless cutely named businesses (Gruene with Envy, Tavern on the Gruene, etc.). Fortunately, the core of the old town remains, a bit gussied up, but still boasting many fun shops of knickknacks and antiques and clothes and tempting junk (gruenetexas.com).
The real heart of Gruene, at least for music fans, is the historic and really cool Gruene
Hall (gruenehall.com), Texas’ oldest continually operating dance hall, built in 1878. There’s live music every night, plus weekend afternoons, and frequent appearances by big name performers (Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Emmy Lou Harris). Most nights except Friday and Saturday are free. But any time is a good time to wander in, sit back, have a drink and enjoy the agedin-wood atmosphere.
Do up downtown
Despite its growth, downtown New Braunfels still feels like small-town Texas. Park your car and mosey around. Ask at the Visitor’s Center for the brochures “Footprints in Time Historic Walking Tour” and “New Braunfels Downtown.” You’ll find numerous fun shops, many eateries, several intriguing bars, side by side local coffee hangouts, plus history and museums. The large Antique
Mall (209 W. San Antonio) has dozens of booths with all those strange and nostalgic odds and ends you don’t need but suddenly must have; Henne
Hardware (246 W. San Antonio) is Texas’ oldest continuously operating hardware store; and Once in a Blue Moon Consignment Resale Boutique (207 E. San Antonio) is like stumbling into an eccentric old aunt’s attic. You’ll also encounter three of the seven colorful wall murals that make up the Historic Outdoor Art Museum (nbmurals.org).
Don’t forget to eat
There are scores of restaurants, from Asian to barbecue, but the first most folks mention is the Huisache Grill and
Wine Bar (huisache.com), named for the fragrantly flowered Southern shrub. It is two blocks from the Main Plaza, and tantalizingly hidden a few steps off West San Antonio Street. Huisache’s ambiance is unpretentious with a muted elegance, and multiple additions have created a labyrinth of cozy small rooms. Service is good, presentation is beautiful and the menu includes dishes such as shrimp cakes, a three salad sampler, and farmraised rainbow trout.
For a meat-centric meal that gets your fingers juicy, hit Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que (1125 N. Loop 337, coopersbbqnewbraunfels.com), on the northeast side. The extensive meat selection includes beef, pork (both several ways), chicken, turkey and sausage. Beans and napkins are free.
If your craving is seafood, especially fried, or foot-high piles of fat onion rings, served in the come-as-you-are party atmosphere of a big ol’ funky warehouse, trot 3 miles south of I-35 on Texas 46 to Clear Springs Restaurant (clearspringscafe.com/ newbraunfels).
Fitting New Braunfels German-Austrian heritage, bakeries are plentiful. The most famous is 146-yearold Naegelin’s (129 S. Seguin, naegelins.com), across from the County Courthouse. Nothing fancy, just shelves packed with sweets. The local award-winner for best desserts is 2tarts, also downtown (139 N. Castell, 2tarts.com). Try the dense dark-chocolate cake truffles and the killer peanut butter cup that’s like Reese’s on steroids.
The prayers of glutensensitive pastry lovers are answered at Red Oak
Bakery, (596 S. Castell, redoakbakery.com). They mix their own gluten-free flour and make lovely desserts, mostly delicious. Their baguettes won’t fool a Frenchman, but they sell out fast each day.