5 Things to Do in Fredericksburg That Aren't on Main Street

Main Street gets all the attention in Fredericksburg, and most of it is deserved. The shops, the tasting rooms, the limestone storefronts, the way the light falls across the sidewalks in the late afternoon — it's the postcard version of the town and it earns the postcards. But if you've already done Main Street, or if you want to feel like you found the version of Fredericksburg most visitors miss, there's a whole other town a few blocks and a few back roads in any direction.

This is the list of places locals send people when they want them to come back. Five things to do in Fredericksburg that aren't on Main Street — and the kind of stops that turn a first trip into a regular one.

1. The Opa's Deli on Washington Street

A few blocks off Main Street, on Highway 87, sits a limestone building with wood double doors and flower pots out front. From the parking lot, it doesn't look like much. Walk inside and you understand why people drive to Fredericksburg specifically for this spot.

Opa's has been family-owned here since 1947, and the Deli & Market is where you taste what it makes. The case runs the full sausage lineup behind the counter. The tasting station has four sausages on the griddle at any given time — the move that turns most first-time visitors into customers for life. There's a butcher counter with fresh cuts for the grill, prepared sides made in-house daily, and a market side stocked with specialty cheeses, German mustards, Texas beverages, and the kind of pantry items you'd actually want in your pantry.

Most visitors who find Opa's say the same thing on the way out: how did we not know about this? That's the answer to why it belongs on this list. It's two blocks from the most-walked street in town, and most people miss it entirely. Don't be most people.

The deli is at 410 S Washington Street. Open Monday–Friday 8 AM–5:30 PM, Saturday 8 AM–4 PM.

2. The National Museum of the Pacific War

Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Admiral Chester Nimitz, the commander of U.S. naval forces in the Pacific during World War II. That fact — combined with the Nimitz family hotel that still stands at the heart of the museum complex — is why one of the most significant World War II museums in the country sits in a small Hill Country town instead of Washington or San Diego.

The National Museum of the Pacific War is much larger than first-time visitors expect. More than 55,000 square feet of exhibits, immersive recreations, restored aircraft and vehicles, and a level of historical depth that rewards anyone willing to give it three or four hours. It's a serious museum doing serious work, and it's one of the most highly rated attractions in the entire Hill Country.

If you've been to Fredericksburg and only walked Main Street, you've missed one of the best things in town.

3. The Wildflower Drives — The Ones That Aren't the Loop

Everybody who visits Fredericksburg in spring knows about the Willow City Loop. Fewer visitors know that the Hill Country has dozens of equally beautiful drives, with a fraction of the traffic, on roads that locals have been quietly enjoying for years.

Highway 16 south toward Kerrville cuts through some of the most reliably scenic wildflower country in the region. RR 965 toward Enchanted Rock offers wide-open Hill Country scenery and connects to one of the best hikes in Texas if you want to make it a full day. The smaller farm roads north and east of town — the ones without numbers most visitors recognize — reward anyone willing to explore without a destination. Roll the windows down. Drive slow. Stop when something catches your eye.

The locals' rule: skip the Loop on a Saturday afternoon in peak bluebonnet season. Take one of these roads instead.

4. Enchanted Rock — The Whole Park, Not Just the Dome

Enchanted Rock is one of the most visited state parks in Texas, and the dome is the reason — a 425-foot pink granite mountain rising out of the Hill Country, visible from miles away, and one of the great Texas hikes. But the park is more than the climb.

Several miles of hiking trails run through the property beyond the Summit Trail. The Loop Trail circles the base. The Echo Canyon Trail and the Turkey Pass Trail offer different terrain and scenery. There are picnic areas, primitive camping for the people willing to pack in, and some of the darkest skies in the Hill Country once the sun goes down.

The locals' move: do the summit early, then spend the rest of your visit on the lower trails. You'll see a side of the park most day-trippers miss entirely. Reservations are required and book up fast — plan ahead.

5. The Side Streets and Quiet Corners

This isn't a single attraction. It's a way of using the town. Fredericksburg is small enough to walk completely off Main Street in any direction and find something interesting — a restored historic building, a courtyard garden, a quiet patio belonging to a B&B that doesn't advertise much, the back of a German limestone church, a Sunday house tucked between newer construction.

The town's side streets are where you see how Fredericksburg actually lives. Walk the residential blocks east of Main Street in the late afternoon. Wander the area around Marktplatz and the Vereins Kirche when the tour groups have moved on. Take a side street you've never been on and see where it goes. The discoveries are small, but they're the kind that make a trip feel personal — the kind of memories that don't fit on a postcard but stay with you longer than the ones that do.

This is how repeat visitors fall in love with the town. Not by checking off a list, but by letting it surprise them.

The Pattern

There's a thread running through all five of these. They're all places where the town is being itself, rather than performing for visitors. The family business that's been here since 1947. The museum built around a real piece of the town's history. The drives that locals take when they want the Hill Country without the crowd. The state park that rewards staying longer. The side streets that show you how people actually live here.

That's the version of Fredericksburg worth coming back for. The version of the town you find when you stop trying to see all of it in one weekend.

Small Batch. Craft Made. Texas-German tradition — since 1947.

Visit Opa's Deli & Market at 410 S Washington St in Fredericksburg — open Monday–Friday 8 AM–5:30 PM, Saturday 8 AM–4 PM. Call 830-997-3358.

Can't make it to Fredericksburg? The full Opa's lineup ships nationwide at opassmokedmeats.com/collections.

Live somewhere where Opa's is on the grocery shelf? Find your store at opassmokedmeats.com/pages/retail-locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to do in Fredericksburg besides Main Street?

Some of the best things to do in Fredericksburg are off the main strip: the National Museum of the Pacific War, the Opa's Deli & Market on Washington Street, scenic Hill Country drives like Highway 16 and RR 965, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and the side streets and historic neighborhoods around Marktplatz.

Where is the Opa's Deli in Fredericksburg?

The Opa's Deli & Market is at 410 S Washington Street, a few blocks off Main Street, on Highway 87. Open Monday–Friday 8 AM–5:30 PM, Saturday 8 AM–4 PM. Call 830-997-3358.

Is the National Museum of the Pacific War worth visiting?

Yes. It's one of the most significant World War II museums in the country, located in Fredericksburg because the town is the birthplace of Admiral Chester Nimitz. Plan for at least three to four hours — it's much larger and more substantial than first-time visitors expect.

What are the best scenic drives near Fredericksburg?

The Willow City Loop is the most famous, but locals also recommend Highway 16 south toward Kerrville, RR 965 toward Enchanted Rock, and the smaller farm roads north and east of town. Spring brings wildflowers; fall brings cooler air and beautiful light.

This post is part of The Fredericksburg Guides — Opa’s local guide to visiting Fredericksburg, Texas.