What I’d Do with My Cousin in Fredericksburg, TX: A Chill Weekend of Hikes, Art Hunts, and Late-Night Laughs
- Mary Katherine Fickel
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Some cousins are basically your built-in best friends. The ones who grew up knowing your weirdest stories and still text you memes at 2 AM. So, when my cousin rolls into Fredericksburg for a visit, we skip the pretentious and go straight for the good stuff: low-key adventures, casual art appreciation, and enough tacos to fuel a small army.
If you’ve got a cousin coming to town, or just want a relaxed, memorable weekend in the Texas Hill Country, here’s what I’d recommend.
🥾 Start With a Hike at Enchanted Rock
First things first: get outside. We always start the morning with a hike at Enchanted Rock, especially if the weather’s good. It’s a pink granite dome with epic 360-degree views once you reach the top, and the energy up there is something special. (Bonus: it's perfect for those “accidental” album-cover-worthy Instagram photos.)
We bring iced coffee and kolaches for the car ride out. Cousin tradition.
🖼️ Then Hit the Galleries, But Keep It Casual
Once we’re back in town and cleaned up, we cruise down Main Street and pop into a few local galleries. My cousin isn’t a “serious collector” (yet), but they’re curious and love hearing the stories behind the work.
That’s why we always swing by The Good Art Company, where we showcase a range of styles from abstract to impressionist, and nothing feels too intimidating. I love getting their hot takes on the art, it’s usually something like: “That one looks like how it feels to overthink at 3 a.m.” (Accurate.)
Taco Stop + Chill Vibes
Lunchtime = tacos, always. We hit up for street tacos, queso, and a margarita if it’s the weekend. The outdoor seating is great for people-watching, and there’s no pressure to dress up, just show up and be hungry.
We usually make plans for a lazy afternoon nap at this point. Balance, right?
🎯 Afternoon: Explore the Unexpected
This is when we get a little spontaneous. Depending on our mood:
Wander through Dooley’s 5-10-25 Cent Store for old-school kitsch and cousin nostalgia
Visit The Pioneer Museum for quirky local history
Hunt down murals and street art for a mini photo safari
We also make time for a little boutique browsing, especially at Haberdashery or Redbird Boutique, just in case we want to twin like it’s 2005 again.
🧀 Evening: Wine Not, Then Pizza Please
Fredericksburg is known for its wine, and even if my cousin doesn’t know a Chardonnay from a Chenin Blanc, they’ll still love the vibes at Heath Sparkling Wines or Barons Creek Vineyards. Both have beautiful tasting rooms and playlists that make you feel cooler than you are.
Dinner? Pizza. Always pizza. We go to West End Pizza Co., grab a table on the patio, and split a giant pie while planning which bad reality show to binge when we get home.
🌙 Late Night: Stargazing + Story Swapping
If we’re feeling ambitious, we take a night drive just outside of town where the stars are insane. If not, we hang out in the backyard with a portable speaker and a bottle of whatever we picked up at the vineyard.
My cousin always ends up asking me about the artists in my gallery or how to start buying real art instead of just online prints. That’s when I send them the Free Digital Guide to Collecting Art again, just in case they actually open it this time.
👉 Download yours here, it's packed with everything you need to start or grow an art collection, even if your main art education was watching Bob Ross reruns.
Hi there! I’m MK, owner of The Good Art Company and The Good Artist Mentorship. Thanks for reading What I’d Do with My Cousin in Fredericksburg, TX: A Chill Weekend of Hikes, Art Hunts, and Late-Night Laughs.
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