Best of the Wurst

The meatiest tips for the best jaunt through Wurstfest in New Braunfels

If you can't relax with some sausages, when can you relax?

Courtesy of Wurstfest

New Braunfels is about a three-hour drive for Houstonians, but fans of German beer and food have a great incentive to go before the event ends on November 13.

Wurstfest is in full swing again in the popular Hill Country town, coming out of its first weekend of 2022 festivities. Admission is free from Monday to Thursday, then $18 online for the weekend.

Although the German food is at least half the draw, Wurstfest could be called Bierfest with the sheer volume of beers it serves. And they’re not expecting too many visitors drinking before business hours end in the rather quaint New Braunfels. So, Wurstfest starts at 5 pm on weekdays, but the five hours it’s open (ending at 10 pm) offer plenty of ways to pass the time.

All weekdays start with live music at 5:30 pm on all five stages across the old German grounds. (For those who haven’t visited, this is basically a theme park: visitors wander through timber framed beer halls, past many, many concession stands, down the Comal River to a fairground, all without stepping out of Germany, it seems.) From those opening sets, there’s near-constant music on three of the stages.

Most of the entertainment comes from live music and the novelty of wandering around among the lederhosen and dirndls. (Those drinking less than friends should strongly consider bringing a book — this is from experience.) But there is some light programming every day to break up the drinking and dancing, especially for visitors with kids.

Wednesday bring smasskrugstemmen (beer holding) contest and a magic show. On Thursday, kids can hear some storytelling, and Friday, Veteran’s Day, honors veterans with a salute. Following crowds will also bring visitors to shopping, sausage-making demonstrations, and children’s fair rides.

Perhaps needless to say, the food is legitimately excellent; this is, at its heart, a culinary event, and serves more than standard fried fair foods. Obviously, sausage is a great choice, but there are potatoes, gravy, pickles, and sauerkraut to go around.

Returning revelers are thrilled to share their best recommendations for the food and imported beers. Pacing yourself, three to five hours is a very reasonable stretch for trying as much as possible and returning to old favorites.

Wurstfest tickets are available now at wurstfest.com, along with more information and entertainment schedules.

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Hill country retreat

Canyon Ranch now booking stays for new resort in the Hill Country

Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Find new tunes on vinyl in the music room.

One of the world's most celebrated wellness brands is finally ready to make its Texas Hill Country debut: Canyon Ranch Austin is now accepting reservations for stays beginning October 15, 2026, at its highly anticipated retreat in Spicewood.

First announced in 2022, Canyon Ranch Austin sits on a sprawling 600-plus-acre ranch at 600 Moonlight Bend in Spicewood, an hour from downtown Austin. The destination spa-resort boasts 141 luxuriously appointed guest rooms that overlook 1.5 miles of Lake Travis and the countryside beyond.

The retreat boasts the largest spa in Texas, at 40,000 square feet, encompassing 37 treatment rooms, whirlpools, therapy tubs, steam rooms, lounges, and more.

Canyon Ranch Austin will also debut a women-only wellness collective, which a press release states is "the world's only dedicated practice and program in a resort setting with specialized offerings for women in every chapter of life."

Canyon Ranch will also provide four food and beverage concepts for guests to enjoy. Notably, the resort's signature restaurant Estella will feature a world-class culinary program led by chef Val Cantú, who was born in Texas and whose San Francisco restaurant, Californios, just earned three Michelin Stars.

Estella Estella is the signature restaurant at Canyon Ranch Austin.Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin

Find new tunes on vinyl in the music room.

Additional features of the property include:

A 27,000-square-foot barn that includes a gym, fitness studios, and an outdoor turf field "for fitness, movement, and leading-edge recovery"
A 12,000-square-foot medical center
Private beach on Lake Travis and space for watersports
Five miles of hike-and-bike ranch trails
Tennis, pickleball, and padel courts
Two outdoor pools
A wildflower workshop, garden, and equestrian program

The Austin-area resort is the fifth property in Canyon Ranch's portfolio. The premier wellness brand opened its flagship in Tucson, Arizona, in 1979 and is now headquartered in Fort Worth, home to a Canyon Ranch wellness club and spa.

Since its founding nearly five decades ago, Canyon Ranch has become one of the best-known names in the wellness and spa industry worldwide.

Canyon Ranch CEO Mark Rivers said the new Hill Country resort represents the brand's "bold vision for the future" that shows "what's next in the intersection of travel, hospitality, well-being, care, and culture."

"People today are seeking something fundamentally different from their travels and getaways — life-changing experiences, connection, health, wisdom, and joy," Rivers said in the release. "Time at Canyon Ranch answers the call, with stays inspired to help our guests live younger longer, pursue happiness, reconnect, or relax and feed body, mind, and spirit."

Canyon Ranch Austin will be surrounded by a 134-home residential community, The Ranch Home Collection, that will receive exclusive access to the resort and an on-site concierge wellness program. Homes are currently under construction, per the release.

Stays at Canyon Ranch Austin start at $1,325 per night, which includes a $200 nightly spa and fitness credit that can be used on spa and treatment services. Stays for more than three nights include an additional $300 health and wellness credit. Stays can be booked on canyonranch.com.

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