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The perfect weekend in New Braunfels starts with one simple anchor: the Comal River on Saturday morning. Everything else — Friday night, Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening, Sunday morning — builds around that float. Whether you are here with family, a group of friends, a birthday party, or just a couple looking for a Hill Country weekend, the structure is the same. The float is the main event and New Braunfels fills the rest of the weekend naturally.
New Braunfels was founded by German immigrants in 1845 and that heritage runs through everything — the food, the architecture, the festivals, and the culture. It sits exactly halfway between San Antonio and Austin on I-35, making it the easiest getaway from either city and the natural midpoint for a Hill Country weekend. The Comal River runs right through the heart of it, spring-fed and 72 degrees year-round, and Landa River Trips has been at the start of that river since 1986.
Here is the perfect weekend in New Braunfels with options built in for every type of trip.
The perfect weekend in New Braunfels looks a little different depending on who you are traveling with. The core is the same — float Saturday, explore the rest. But the details change. Pick the one that fits your group and follow the links for a dedicated guide built specifically for you.
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Family weekend
Families with kids
Kid-friendly float, Landa Park, McKenna Children’s Museum, shallow river entry, life jackets, and everything a family needs for a safe and fun weekend.
Family trip guide →
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Group weekend
Birthday & bachelorette
Float Saturday, downtown bars Friday and Saturday night, Gruene Hall live music, and everything a party group needs for the perfect New Braunfels weekend.
Group trip guide →
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Day trip
Coming from San Antonio
35 minutes on I-35 North. The closest Hill Country escape from San Antonio — tight itinerary, focused float, and back home the same day.
San Antonio guide →
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Day trip
Coming from Austin
45 minutes on I-35 South. Beat the Austin outskirts traffic, pack your reusable cooler, and arrive ready for a full day on the Comal.
Austin guide →
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Long drive
Coming from Houston
3 hours on I-10 West. Early departure essential. Full guide covering I-10 traffic, timing, and how to make the drive worth it.
Houston guide →
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Long drive
Coming from Dallas
4 hours on I-35 South. Honestly best as an overnight — float Saturday, stay the night, drive home Sunday. Full honest guide inside.
Dallas guide →
This is the foundation. Arrive Friday, float Saturday, leave Sunday. Every option below builds off this structure — pick the activities and restaurants that match your group and drop them into the framework.
Perfect New Braunfels weekend
Three days, two nights, and everything this city has to offer — built around the Comal River float.
Friday — Arrive & Settle In
Afternoon
Drive to New Braunfels and check in — hotel, Airbnb, or river house. Get the group settled and oriented. If you arrive early enough, walk the downtown area or grab a drink before dinner.
6:00 – 7:00 PM
Dinner — see the food options below for the right fit for your group. Friday night is the time to sit down and eat well. You are here for the weekend — start it properly.
8:00 PM onwards
Friday night — your choice — downtown bars for groups, a quiet evening for families, or an early night if you want to be on the river by 9:30 AM Saturday. See the Friday night options section below.
Night before
Pack your reusable cooler — New Braunfels has a container ban on the Comal River. No cans or plastic bottles — everything must be in reusable containers. Do this Friday night so Saturday morning is smooth. See the
full container ban explanation.
Saturday — The Float
8:00 – 8:30 AM
Breakfast — eat before you go. No food on the river for 2.5 hours. See Saturday morning breakfast options below.
9:00 – 9:30 AM
Arrive at Landa River Trips — 565 N Market Ave, New Braunfels. Free parking, check in at the booth, grab your tubes and wristbands. Use the free lockers for valuables. Early arrival means easy parking and shorter lines.
9:30 AM
Get in the water — 2.5 hours of spring-fed 72°F Comal River. The
Comal River Tube Chute, the historic waterfall, crystal-clear water from start to finish, and a shuttle ride back to your car at the end.
Noon – 1:00 PM
Off the river — relax on the property — dry off at a picnic table in the shade. Your rental includes the full day on the 8-acre riverfront property. Take your time.
1:30 PM
Lunch — see the Saturday lunch options below for the right fit for your group.
3:00 PM
Saturday afternoon — your choice — Gruene Historic District, Landa Park, Natural Bridge Caverns, downtown New Braunfels, or back to the hotel pool. See the Saturday afternoon options section below.
6:30 PM
Dinner — the main event of Saturday evening. See dinner options below.
8:30 PM
Saturday night — your choice — Gruene Hall for live music, downtown bars, or a quiet evening. See Saturday night options below.
Sunday — Morning & Departure
9:00 AM
Sunday breakfast — one last meal in New Braunfels before the drive home. See breakfast options below.
10:30 AM
Optional Sunday activity — if the group has energy, float again at
Landa River Trips (walk-ins always welcome, last entry 4 PM), or visit Natural Bridge Caverns or Wildlife Ranch on the drive home.
Noon onwards
Head home — a proper Texas Hill Country weekend behind you. Most people start planning the next one before they hit I-35.
Friday night sets the tone for the weekend. Pick the version that fits your group.
For groups and party crowds
German biergarten
Start Friday night at Krause’s — dinner, the largest tap wall in New Braunfels, and a lively Bierhalle atmosphere that is hard to beat as a group opener.
Downtown bars
Downtown New Braunfels bar scene
The downtown corridor is walkable with Pour Haus, Downtown Social, Calahan’s Pub, and Muck & Fuss all within easy reach. Park once and move between venues on foot.
Live music
Check the schedule — Gruene Hall often has Friday night shows. The oldest dance hall in Texas is worth visiting any night of the weekend.
For families and relaxed arrivals
Casual dinner
Relaxed Texas grill and ice house. Easy, casual, and great for a family Friday night dinner without the fuss of a busy downtown restaurant.
Family dinner
A reliable family option when the group has kids who need something familiar after a long drive. Gets Friday night sorted so Saturday can be the adventure.
Early night
In by 10 PM
Nothing wrong with an early Friday night if the goal is to be on the river by 9:30 AM Saturday. The float is the main event. Sleep is part of the plan.
You are off the river by noon or 1 PM with the rest of the afternoon ahead of you. Here is what New Braunfels has to offer depending on what your group wants to do.
Gruene Historic District — 10 minutes away
The most popular Saturday afternoon choice for almost every type of visitor. Walk the Historic District, browse the antique shops and boutiques, visit the Gruene General Store, try the wine tasting rooms, and get in line at the Gristmill for a drink on the Guadalupe River deck. Gruene has enough to fill a full afternoon and it is only 10 minutes from Landa River Trips.
Landa Park — right next door
Landa Park sits adjacent to our property and is free to explore. The Comal River springs that start your float originate here. After a float, an easy afternoon walk through the park — paddleboats on Landa Lake, walking trails, the miniature train for kids — is a natural and relaxed way to spend Saturday afternoon without getting in the car.
Natural Bridge Caverns — 20 minutes away
If the group has energy for a second activity, Natural Bridge Caverns is 20 minutes from New Braunfels. The Discovery Tour goes 180 feet underground through one of the most impressive cave systems in Texas. The cave holds a constant 70 degrees — a welcome break from Texas summer heat on a Saturday afternoon.
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch — 20 minutes away
Next door to the caverns. A drive-through safari with 500+ animals from 40 species. Zebras, giraffes, and ostriches come right up to your car windows. Perfect for families with kids and genuinely fun for adults. Combine with the caverns for a full Saturday afternoon out of the city.
Historic downtown New Braunfels
The downtown square has independent shops, restaurants, Naegelin’s Bakery — the oldest continuously operating bakery in Texas since 1868 — the Sophienburg Museum, the McKenna Children’s Museum, and the Brauntex Theatre. A walkable afternoon that works well for families and history-minded visitors who want something beyond shopping.
Family · Free
McKenna Children’s Museum
Excellent hands-on museum for families with younger kids in a beautifully restored historic building downtown. A rainy afternoon backup or a deliberate Saturday choice for families with small children.
History · Downtown
Sophienburg Museum
The definitive history of New Braunfels and the German Hill Country settlement. If you want to understand why this city feels different from every other Texas city, start here.
Family · Free
Landa Park
Paddleboats, miniature train, walking trails, and the Comal River springs. Free to enter. Steps from Landa River Trips. The most natural post-float afternoon activity in New Braunfels.
Saturday morning breakfast — before the float
Breakfast · Local favorite
Market-fresh comfort food. Open Mon-Sat 7 AM – 2 PM. The right breakfast before a morning on the Comal River.
Breakfast · French toast famous
Famous homemade French toast and American and German dishes. A family-owned New Braunfels staple for breakfast and lunch.
Breakfast · Downtown
Comfort food and Tex-Mex favorites since 1977. Burgers, enchiladas, and homemade meals. A New Braunfels institution open for breakfast and lunch.
Saturday lunch — after the float
Destination dining · Gruene
The most iconic post-float meal in New Braunfels. An 1878 cotton gin on the Guadalupe River in Gruene. Multi-level outdoor decks, chicken fried steak, cold beer. 10 minutes from Landa River Trips.
BBQ · Since 1932
Legendary Texas BBQ family-owned since 1932. Brisket, ribs, and sausage. One of the most respected BBQ names in Texas.
Burgers · Best of NB
Voted Best of New Braunfels four years running. Fresh burgers, bold flavor, and hometown pride.
Saturday dinner
Upscale German · Downtown
Upscale Bavarian fine dining. Scratch-made schnitzel, spaetzle, wine and beer garden. The best German dining in a city that was founded by Germans. Reservations recommended — (830) 214-0205.
Texas-inspired fine dining
One of the most consistently excellent dinner restaurants in New Braunfels. Texas-inspired cuisine in a beautiful historic building. Reservations recommended on weekends.
Destination dining · Gruene
If you did not make it to Gristmill for lunch, Saturday dinner on the Guadalupe River deck at sunset is worth the wait. One of the best dining settings in Texas.
Sunday morning breakfast — before the drive home
Breakfast · Comfort food
The perfect Sunday morning send-off. Open Mon-Sat 7 AM – 2 PM. Market-fresh comfort food to fuel the drive home.
Breakfast · Famous French toast
If you missed it Saturday morning, Fork and Spoon is the right Sunday breakfast before the group hits I-35.
Bakery · Since 1868
Naegelin’s Bakery
The oldest continuously operating bakery in Texas since 1868. German pastries, strudel, and kolaches. Grab something for the road on the way out of New Braunfels.
Saturday night in New Braunfels has one clear anchor and a strong supporting cast. Here are the options by group type.
Gruene Hall — the anchor for everyone
Whatever your group type, Saturday night in New Braunfels should include at least a stop at Gruene Hall — the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas, built in 1878. Live music most Saturday nights. An authentic atmosphere that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Check the schedule before you arrive and see who is playing.
For party groups
After Gruene Hall the group can continue in Gruene or head back to downtown New Braunfels. Pour Haus, Downtown Social, Calahan’s Pub, Muck & Fuss, and Krause’s Biergarten are all within easy reach downtown. The area is walkable so park once and let the night take you where it goes. For a dedicated guide to the party weekend read our New Braunfels group trip guide.
For families
Gruene Hall is genuinely family-friendly earlier in the evening — it is a dance hall not a nightclub and children are welcome. An early dinner at Gristmill followed by a walk through Gruene and a peek inside Gruene Hall is a perfect Saturday night for a family with older kids. For a dedicated family guide read our New Braunfels family trip guide.
The Comal River is the anchor of the perfect weekend in New Braunfels. Here is what makes it worth building a weekend around.
The river
- 100% spring-fed — crystal clear
- Constant 72°F year-round
- 2.5 hour float from start to finish
- Famous Tube Chute included
- Historic waterfall at launch point
- Shuttle ride back to your car included
The rental
- $25 per person — all-inclusive
- Includes tube, river entry, shuttle back
- Free parking — 250+ spots on site
- Free lockers for valuables
- No reservation needed — walk-ins welcome
- Opens 9 AM · Last entry 4 PM
Container ban: New Braunfels city ordinance prohibits all single-use disposable containers on the Comal River — including cans and plastic bottles even inside a cooler. Transfer all drinks and food to reusable containers before arriving. Pack Friday night so Saturday morning is ready to go. See our
full container ban explanation.
Complete Comal River tubing guide
Float times, what to bring, the container ban, dogs, kids, and more
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360° virtual tour of the park
See the parking lot, tube booth, stairs, waterfall, and shuttle stop before you arrive
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The Comal River Tube Chute
History, safety tips, and what to expect at the most iconic feature of the float
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Ready for Your Perfect
New Braunfels Weekend?
New Braunfels’ original Comal River tubing outfitter since 1986. No reservation needed.
📍 565 N Market Ave, New Braunfels, TX
🕘 Open 9 AM · Last entry 4 PM
📞 (830) 625-5889
