What's Happening > News

10 Reasons Why Relocating to New Braunfels is a Great Idea

Posted by Mayfair on January 7, 2025

If you’ve recently started looking for a change in scenery, vibe, and weather, New Braunfels, Texas, has something to offer for everyone. Don’t just take our word for it: more and more people are moving to New Braunfels to take in all of the Texas Hill Country charm that the city has to offer. New Braunfels offers unique vibes, a wholesome small-town feel, and many things to do within the community with the family or in the great outdoors.

A few of the iconic things to do in New Braunfels, TX include:

Natural Wonders and Summer Fun

Landa Park

The iconic Landa Park, situated along the famed Comal River, somehow squeezes over 50 acres of recreation opportunities and natural beauty into the heart of downtown New Braunfels. Thanks to Landa Park’s miles of well-maintained hiking trails, you can transport yourself from the charming German-inspired architecture of downtown New Braunfels to a serene natural environment with no more than a quick stroll. In addition to its beautiful nature areas, Landa Park also offers picnic facilities, a mini-golf course, a pool, and even a miniature train ride.

Texas Hill Country

In addition to the many wonderful parks and natural areas available in and around New Braunfels itself, the San Antonio/New Braunfels area also serves as your gateway to the vast recreational opportunities within the Texas Hill Country. Whether you’re into hiking, fishing, paddling, camping, or weekend adventures to out-of-the-way breweries and BBQ joints, it’s all just out your backdoor in the Texas Hill Country after a move to New Braunfels, TX.

Reservations for Enchanted Rock State Natural Area typically book quickly, especially on weekends, holidays and in the spring season. It is strongly encouraged to reserve a day pass prior to traveling to the park. Visit the Texas Parks & Wildlife Reservation System to make a reservation for park entry. Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance of arrival.

The Texas Hill Country is as vast and open as its name suggests, and so are its recreation opportunities. Some other fun things to try while in Texas Hill Country include:

• Tour the Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch – This national park is home to the so-called “Texas White House” favored by former president LBJ. Steep in American history while enjoying some of the most scenic drives you can find anywhere on Earth.
• Explore Fredericksburg – If you love New Braunfels’ rich history and old-world German heritage, consider taking a drive out to Fredericksburg, an enchanting town known for some of those same things.
• Visit the Texas Wine Trail – Texas Hill Country is not all pristine, natural bliss, of course. Some of the more thriving businesses in the region are fully functional wineries, and there are enough of them that you can make a full day–or a full week, if you’re feeling adventurous–out of sampling them.
• Pedernales Falls State Park – One of the hidden gems among other, higher-profile national and state parks, Pedernales Falls offers plenty of hiking opportunities and stunning views of cascading limestone waterfalls.
• Attend a Local Festival – Texas Hill Country is known for its year-round festival atmosphere, with all sorts of unique events occurring in the region no matter when you visit.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark

Directly northeast of Landa Park is another New Braunfels icon, the Schlitterbahn Waterpark. The hot Texas weather ensures that Schlitterbahn enjoys a longer splash season than many of its national competitors. The convenient downtown location makes it close to the best eateries and shops making it an ideal family vacation destination.

Some of our favorite Schlitterbahn attractions include:

• Master Blaster – Hundreds of online reviews agree that the Master Blaster stands as one of the best waterslides in the park–maybe even in the whole country.
• Tube Chute – Schlitterbahn’s quintessential take on the tube-based waterslide ride is not to be missed on a hot summer day.
• Boogie Bahn – Can you ride the (artificial) wave? Schlitterbahn’s innovative Boogie Bahn area allows you to test your surf skills without leaving New Braunfels.
• Dragon’s Revenge – Another of the park’s more epic waterslides, Dragon’s Revenge is worth the wait on those hot days when the lines start to back up.

Like any high-end theme park, Schlitterbahn is always innovating and upgrading, so it’s worth a return trip if you can fit it into your busy summer itinerary.

Festivals and Live Music

If you enjoy music, New Braunfels offers a wide variety to listen to. Be sure you check the following:

Historic music venues

The greater San Antonio area is home to several iconic country-western music venues that thrive to this day. Look to Gruene Hall, Texas’ oldest dance hall, for a classic Texas Country concert. Gruene’s musical history is long and illustrious, with many important figures in country, western, and other genres having passed through or held longer residencies in the area. A show at Gruene Hall isn’t just a world class concert but also a chance to be immersed in the history of American music.

Whitewater Amphitheater is a gorgeous riverside venue that is just minutes away from downtown New Braunfels. Whitewater Amphitheater leans into their country western wheelhouse while also making an effort to diversify their bookings to cater to the wider tastes of Texans. In a single season at the amphitheater, you might be able to catch a quintessential Texas country concert from a superstar like Willie Nelson or Eric Church, then an EDM or other electronic music show, and even a classic rock concert from a timeless act like Foreigner.

And if you choose to go 30-minutes west looking for new tunes, Austin has an alternative music scene all its own.

Wurstfest

The single most iconic New Braunfels institution might be the annual fall festival that plays on the area’s German heritage. It is known as Wurstfest, and it’s held in New Braunfels each November. Despite its sausage-inspired name, Wurstfest is hands-down one of the best cultural heritage festivals anywhere, and it serves visitors and locals alike with a world-class combination of food, music, history, and other cultural treats.

If you’re interested in planning a trip to check out New Braunfels that coincides with Wurstfest, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to the annual festivities.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Image Credit: Fredericksburg CVB

New Braunfels, TX – Infrastructure and Community Resources

Of course, moving to the Texas Hill Country isn’t all about finding great food and entertainment. This is especially true if you’re bringing children with you. Thankfully, the New Braunfels, TX area also has great schools and healthcare systems to check those less-fun but still vitally-important boxes on your checklist:

Schools

The Comal Independent School District is a highly rated institution serving over 25,000 students and the New Braunfels Independent School District serves nearly 10,000 students per year. There are also a variety of world-class private schools and specialty educators throughout the greater San Antonio area. Those looking for higher education will find a move to New Braunfels puts them within striking distance of several quality colleges offering a wide variety of programs, including Texas State University San Marcos, Texas Lutheran University, and Northeast Lakeview College.

The diversity of high-quality education options makes New Braunfels a great place to put down roots if you have school- and college-aged kids who will be making the move with you. High-quality schools also reflect well on long-term property values and other important community metrics.

Hospitals

A relocation to New Braunfels will put you within a comfortable distance of several quality health systems and specialized clinics. Resolute Health and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa are two top providers in the area. New Braunfels is also home to a highly regarded PAM Health Specialty and Rehabilitation Hospital, which caters to patients with complex and long-term needs. World-class dentists, optometrists, and specialists of all types are also available throughout New Braunfels and the greater San Antonio area.

—