Thank you so much to the New Braunfels visitor center for sponsoring this trip for my family and me. We had a great time! My opinions and any tips and tricks are all my own!
Happy Monday, friends! There are only two weeks left of school for me this year (and one extra week following for administrative stuff, boo) and I am counting down the days until I get to be home for the summer. The heat is hard to beat in Texas, which is why the majority of my summer plans include water. I was so excited when my family (me, my daughter, Addie, my mom, my sister and her daughter) was invited on this trip for a fun weekend in New Braunfels, Texas. I hadn’t been to NB since I was in Elementary school, so it was fun to actually visit again and enjoy this little town with so much to do!
We had a jam packed weekend of fun. The majority of our fun consisted of eating (and enjoying the surrounding areas) and enjoying Schlitterbahn and its resort! There was a lot that we didn’t get to enjoy while we were visiting, but I will share all of that here for y’all to make note of if you’re planning a trip to NB for the summer months.
Where We Stayed:
The Resorts at Schlitterbahn: First of all: did you know that Schlitterbahn has on-site resorts for you and your family to stay at? We stayed at the Resorts at the Bahn which gave me all the Texas Hill Country/camping vibes. Immediately upon stepping onto the grounds (which is a short walk from the East Side of the park + a shuttle stop to get you to the West Side), I thought, “This would be a great spot for a family reunion.” As y’all know, I come from a HUGE family on both sides and my husband’s immediate family is pretty extensive as well. All of my families love traveling together and the Resorts at the Bahn are affordable AND adaptable for various age groups in your party.
Right outside our room, we had our own little outdoor dining area and the pool was a mere few feet away! Near the pool was a grilling area and toward the resort lobby was a projector/screen area with seating and set up for s’mores. I would definitely take a moment to enjoy these amenities. They really do give the resort feel and allow for you to be with multiple parties/families at the same time.
There are various levels to the resort options available, but they all allow you to purchase a “Stay and Play” Package where you pay for your waterpark tickets and your stay at the park. There is also an option to book a room at a discounted rate for season pass holders. With the basic pass, you receive access to Schlitterbahn NB all year long, but there are more deluxe passes that allow for all year access to Schlitterbahn Galveston and even the Cedar Fair parks! I’ll go over what the park is like in another section below!
What We Did:
Like I said before, we had a JAM PACKED WEEKEND! New Braunfels has so much to do aside from Schlitterbahn (which is a must do, honestly!) The New Braunfels Visitor Center website is a great place to refine the details of your stay, but some ideas I recommend:
- Schlitterbahn (of course! It’ll be open full time starting May 26th!)
- Natural Bridge Caverns/Wildlife Ranch (I did the caverns/ranch as a kid and the caverns again as an adult. Such an adventure for those who love to learn!)
- First Fridays in Downtown NB (Adorable way to spend the first Friday evening of every month)
- McKenna Children’s Museum
- Tubing (If you don’t have any little ones, there’s nothing like keeping cool on the Comal or Guadalupe Rivers!)
These are just a few ideas, but I want to give you a little heads up about some of the best parts of this visit and things I will make sure to do on my next visit!
I was a little hesitant to head to a waterpark with my infant (4 months at the time), my mother (a grandmother of two), my sister and my 10-year-old nice. There are a lot of variations in age and I wasn’t sure what would be the best set up for us. We easily found our home at a picnic table (yours to reserve with your bags- get there early to get a great spot) by one of the kiddie pools. From here, my niece and I were able to walk away and race on the nearby waterslides. My sister and mom were able to stay cool in the shade and by the kiddie pool while enjoying a margarita or two. Addie was also able to have her first swimming experience without being too overwhelmed! My niece also enjoyed entertaining her in the kiddie pool for a good while!
Something I wish we would’ve done while there, is bring our own cooler. Mind you, we knew our stay would be shorter than usual since our itinerary included other activities, but if you have plans to enjoy the park for multiple hours, you should take advantage of the ability to bring your own ice chest/picnic in to the park. Alcohol and glass are not allowed but any other food IS! This is awesome for big families or picky eaters.
Where We Ate
The food options given to us were TOP NOTCH. I cannot recommend each place enough. The majority of these spots were right next to one another, so you can kind of walk around to see what calls your attention.
This adorable little burger restaurant actually shares a space with Rhea’s Ice Cream. We got in late Friday evening and picked up dinner here. Had we gotten there little earlier we would’ve loved to eat in and pick up some ice cream on the way out! The burgers were amazing- I enjoyed the Bacon Mushroom Swiss Burger! I loved that this spot had Curbside, pick up, and delivery available. When you’re traveling with little ones, this option is sometimes the most convenient.
Hot tip: Schedule delivery for mid day and head back from Schlitterbahn park for a nap and cool down in your room!
We are big on breakfast. Nothing ruins a trip more than a breakfast that just doesn’t hit. The food is Classic American and the decor is a train themed. My sister ordered the migas and they were very good! There can be a bit of a wait for a table, but the food is worth it! Definitely an early morning spot! We went closer to noon and didn’t wait too long.
Mexican food is always a good idea. My brother and his girlfriend joined us for our final dinner at La Cosecha. Central Texas is awesome because it is so easy for people to gather from different parts of the state. New Braunfels is also pretty much the most central part! The servings at this restaurant were huge! We shared the queso at the start of the meal. We all voted the Chile rellenos as the best plate of the evening!
This restaurant had a fancier vibe than the other places we visited. Perfect for a date night or the culmination of a fun family reunion weekend. We took a gorgeous family photo at the front of the restaurant. I need to frame it to recall my first Mother’s Day weekend!
Oh, my Stars! Wow. wow. wow. Getting breakfast delivered to your hotel room the morning before a long drive is the best vibe. The items in this box were chosen for us, so I wasn’t sure what to expect that morning. OMG. The quiches we tried were so delicious and the pastries were so unique! I won’t lie, I packed up the cold brew to enjoy again when I got home. I wish I could get more, haha!
Well, that was our trip! I will link all of my outfits below (if you want any other details, please let me know). My hope is that y’all use this post as the ultimate resource for planning your summer in New Braunfels, Texas. I plan on putting together a you tube video and Instagram reels to give y’all more insight on this trip! Happy Monday!
Love & NBTX,
Aly