New Braunfels

As elsewhere in the region, English and Spanish are the primary languages. But if you're lucky, you might overhear the odd conversation in Texas German, a dialect brought here by 19th-century immigrants that's still today spoken by a few hundred New Braunfelsians. If you're keen on encountering the Texas German language in the wild, it's best to gravitate toward places where older people congregate, such as bowling alleys, hardware and feed stores, and the like.

Personal vehicle travel is the only effective motorized transportation in town. Print, download, or buy a local map and brave the roads. Traffic during summer weekends is very heavy. Prince Solms Park often has free parking after the for-pay lot is full. Parking costs $5-10 depending on location. Many tube rental shops offer free parking all day with rental.

With heavy traffic and crowded roads, bicycle and foot are appealing travel options. There are a few bicycle rental shops in town. Remember that bicycles are considered vehicles in the eyes of law enforcement, so obey all traffic laws.

The Comal and Guadalupe rivers offer beautiful sights.

A historic district. Visiting this little "town" situated along the Guadalupe River is like stepping back in time. Antique shops, restaurants, and niche retail stores make for unique shopping.

• 🌍 Gruene Hall, 1281 Gruene Rd, ☏ +1 830-606-1281 (general), +1 830-629-5077 (tickets). The oldest continually operated dance hall in Texas. (updated Jan 2022)
• Lone Star Music. A Texas music retail store which was started on the Internet by Chad Raney and grew into a bricks and mortar retail location. 
• NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Gruene General Store, 1610 Hunter Road, ☏ +1 830-629-6021, gruenegeneralstore@sbcglobal.net. The General Store has an ice cream bar; dozens of different salsas, jams, and butters; t-shirts; and lots of miscellaneous toys and gifts, all right across the street from Gruene Hall. (updated Jan 2019)

• 🌍 Schlitterbahn, ☏ +1 830-625-2351. Consistently called the best waterpark in the world. Complete with four parks, and the highest rated water ride in the country, this waterpark is an ideal tourist spot. See web site for various ticket prices, reserve rooms early to ensure availability. 

This seems to be what the Comal river was created for. People rent an innertube, hop in the water, and float a few miles down the river. The services of a tubing shuttle are often employed to get from the end back to the insertion point, but because of loops in the river it's a short walk. The anti-littering rules are strong and enforced; do not take anything disposable on the river, including beverages in disposable containers, plastic baggies, or anything made of glass or styrofoam. Coolers with a capacity over 16 quarts is prohibited in city limits on the river. It's okay to drink beer on the river, but consumption or carrying an open container of an alcoholic drink in city parks.

• City Tube Rental, Liberty Ave. (Liberty, between Common and South). Run by the city of New Braunfels. Tube rental also has a $10 deposit, returned when you return the tubes - you are asked to write your name on the receipt, which is kept on file for the day, and your deposit is returned when you provide the rented tubes and name on the receipt. Parking: $7/vehicle, Admission: $5 (not required for tubing), Shuttle: $10/trip, Tube rental: $7 (plus $10 deposit). 
• Felger's Tube Rental, Liberty Ave. (Liberty, between Common and South). Offers tubes, shuttles, and parking. 

• New Braunfels Folkfest, 1370 Church Hill Dr. Folkfest is an annual Family Heritage festival celebrating the German/Anglo/Spanish heritage of New Braunfels. Most activities take place at the Heritage Village, but there is a costumed children's parade (the Kindermaskenball Parade) that takes place in Downtown New Braunfels. This is generally held the second week of April, but check the website for more details 
• Comal County Fair, Fair Park - Common Street and the Guadalupe River, ☏ +1 830-625-1505, ccfa@nbtx.com. The Comal County Fair is one of the largest county fairs in Texas and is generally held the last week of September. The Friday during the Fair is a local holiday with a downtown parade and other activities Generally $3 for adults, children free. 
• Wurstfest, toll-free: +1-800-221-4369. German for "sausage festival", is held for ten days, beginning the Friday before the first Monday in November. Concessions are found throughout the grounds. Activities celebrating the German heritage take place throughout New Braunfels during Wurstfest (Heritage Exhibit) Admission: $8/person. 

• Landa Park, ☏ +1 830-221-4350, fax: +1 830-608-2162. A large park along the Comal river. It has lots of trails and open spaces, but is not very secluded. Landa Park also has new and improved playground equipment! 
• Panther Canyon Nature Trail, near 350 Aquatic Circle (in Landa Park), ☏ +1 830-221-4350, fax: +1 830-608-2162. Panther Canyon Nature Trail is a 51 acre wilderness area at the western edge of Landa Park that is excellent for hiking, geocaching, etc. 
• Fair Park, Common Street @ the Guadalupe River. On the Gaudalupe. This park also serves as auxiliary parking for Schlitterbahn during the summer months. 
• Cypress Bend Park. On the Guadalupe. 

• Natural Bridge Caverns, 26495 Natural Bridge Cavern Rd, ☏ +1 210-651-6101, fax: +1 210-651-6144, tickets@naturalbridgecaverns.com. Series of underground caverns west of New Braunfels. From $9.95 to $99.95.