Fredericksburg was named No.1 in a ranking of the 120 Most Picturesque Small Towns in America compiled by travel experts at North Carolina Travel Guides.
Nestled in the Texas Hill Country an hour and a half west of Austin, Fredericksburg was featured by the publication as a quaint escape with mesmerizing landscapes and unique German-inspired architecture.
Brimming with vintage shops and delectable eateries, the downtown area in particular shows off the town’s German roots.
@texas_explorer All of the spots I visited on my most recent trip to Fredericksburg! #texas #fyp
For nature enthusiasts and Instagram aficionados, the Enchanted Rock located roughly 17 miles north of town offers a distinctive pink granite mountain that promises an invigorating hike and unparalleled photo opportunities.
@travelynnwithb Let’s #hike 🌵 #enchantedrock #enchantedrockstatepark #enchantedrocksummit #fredericksburg #fredericksburgtx #hikingadventures #hiketexas #texashikes
Moreover, the town’s prominence in the Texas wine scene is undeniable. Boasting over 60 wineries, visitors are treated to panoramic views of sprawling vineyards.
One wine tour called the Taste of Fredericksburg Small-Group Wine Tour from San Antonio recently placed No.11 in Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Wine Experiences category, as reported in The Dallas Express.
North Carolina Travel Guides underlined how this alluring mix of natural beauty, a rich German heritage, and a classic small-town atmosphere made Fredericksburg stand out among the competition.
To compile its list, the team of travel experts compared how 500 small towns across the country measured up in terms of “search trends, popularity with photographers, and popularity for photography with the general public.”
While Fredericksburg topped the list, other small towns appearing in the top five include Wisconsin’s Cedarburg (No.2), Alabama’s Orange Beach (No.3), New Hampshire’s Portsmouth (No.4), and Georgia’s Madison (No.5).
Overall, a total of 15 Texas small towns made the North Carolina Travel Guides’ list — the strongest showing by state, followed by New York and Georgia with 10 and seven listings respectively.
Here’s a rundown of those in the Lone Star State that captured the travel experts’ attention:
- Fredericksburg (No.1)
- Nacogdoches (No.19)
- Boerne (No.36)
- West (No.43)
- Dripping Springs (No.46)
- San Elizario (No.49)
- Bandera (No.67)
- Rockport (No.68)
- Brenham (No.71)
- Gruene (No.81)
- Wimberley (No.89)
- Granbury (No.97)
- Round Top (No.106)
- Driftwood (No.109)
- Port Aransas (No.111)
