DAY TRIP FROM SAN ANTONIO · 45 MIN
Gruene & New Braunfels. Texas tubing and America's oldest dance hall.
45 minutes from SA — the easiest Hill Country day trip. Gruene Hall, the Comal River, Schlitterbahn, and a historic district that hasn't changed much since the 1870s.
Book a Gruene Day Trip Concierge →WHEN TO GO
Best months: April–October for tubing and water activities. Gruene Hall is year-round — live music every weekend. Schlitterbahn: open spring through fall, peak summer gets crowded. Weekdays are significantly less crowded than weekends in summer.
GRUENE & NEW BRAUNFELS
What to do
Oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas. Built in 1878. Live music every weekend — country, Americana, Texas originals. Cold Lone Star on tap. No attitude. Genuinely one of the best places in Texas.
Best for: Music lovers, couples, authentic Texas experience
Consistently rated one of the best waterparks in the country. Tubing rivers, slides, wave pools. Go early — lines build fast. The original location is better than the Galveston one.
Best for: Families, summer
The Comal is spring-fed and stays cold even in summer heat. Rent tubes locally — several outfitters on the river. Pack a cooler. Float time is 1.5–3 hours depending on the launch point.
Best for: Summer essential
Longer, wilder, more scenic than the Comal. Better for experienced tubers who want more of an adventure. Outfitters on Gruene Road.
Best for: Adults
The original 1870s cotton gin town — boutique shops, Grist Mill restaurant, antiques, and the Gruene General Store. Walk it all in under an hour.
Best for: Couples, shoppers
Spring-fed swimming pool, paddleboats, miniature train, golf. Easy family add-on if Schlitterbahn is too much.
Best for: Families, kids
Canyon Lake is 20 minutes from Gruene — easy add-on for a longer day. Swimming, kayaking, scenic Hill Country drives.
Best for: Add-on
LUNCH PICK
Grist Mill Restaurant in Gruene is the move for lunch — old cotton gin building on the Guadalupe, outdoor deck over the river, fried catfish, cold beer. Arrive before noon on weekends or expect a wait.
DAY TRIP TIMING
PRIVATE CONCIERGE
Let Willie plan the whole Gruene day.
Half-day or full-day · 4–8 hours · $600–$900
Book Concierge →NOT SURE WHAT FITS YOUR NIGHT?
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Hotel, group, timing, what you want to do — the more context, the better.
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