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A birthday party group ready to float the Comal River at Landa River Trips — New Braunfels, Texas.
New Braunfels group trips are a Texas tradition. Every summer, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, college groups, and friend squads descend on the Comal River for a weekend that starts Friday night, peaks Saturday on the water, and ends Sunday with everyone agreeing they need to come back. Landa River Trips has been at the center of that tradition since 1986.
The New Braunfels group trip works because the city has exactly what a party group needs — a legendary river float, a genuine downtown bar scene, live music at the oldest dance hall in Texas, and enough hotels and Airbnbs to sleep everyone comfortably. It is a complete weekend package within a 30-minute drive of San Antonio and 45 minutes from Austin.
Here is the New Braunfels group trip weekend done right — Friday arrival, Saturday on the river, Saturday night out, Sunday morning and the drive home.
Group trips have a way of falling apart in the logistics. Here is how to keep yours together from the moment you leave home to the moment everyone is in the water.
1
Carpool — seriously
This is the most important tip on this page. Groups that carpool arrive together, park together, and stay together. Groups that drive separately end up in different lots, some paying for satellite parking blocks from the river, and spend the first hour trying to find each other. Our parking is always free and plentiful — but only if you get here early enough as a group.
2
Arrive early on Saturday
Party groups naturally want to sleep in after Friday night. Resist the urge. Arriving by 9 to 10 AM means free parking close to the booth, shorter lines, and a cooler river before the afternoon heat peaks. Groups that arrive at noon on a busy Saturday weekend are rolling the dice on parking and wait times.
3
Pack your cooler the night before
New Braunfels has a container ban — no cans, no plastic bottles, not even inside a cooler. Transfer everything to reusable containers the night before. Do it Friday evening while you are getting ready and Saturday morning is stress-free. See the container ban section below.
4
Budget extra float time
Party groups typically spend more time on the river than the standard 2.5 hours. Groups tend to linger at the Tube Chute, drift slower, and generally take their time. Budget 3 to 3.5 hours for the float so the group is not rushed at the end.
5
Use our free lockers
We offer free lockers on the property. Leave wallets, car keys, phones, and anything valuable locked up on shore rather than bringing it on the river. One less thing to worry about on the water.
6
Book your hotel early
New Braunfels fills up fast on summer weekends — especially for groups needing multiple rooms. Book accommodation as soon as the trip is confirmed. Waiting until the week before means limited options and higher prices.
Three days, two nights, and everything a New Braunfels group trip should be. Here is the full weekend laid out from Friday arrival to Sunday departure.
New Braunfels group trip — full weekend
Friday — Arrival & Night Out
Afternoon
Drive to New Braunfels and check in — get everyone to the hotel or Airbnb and settled. Coordinate arrival so the group does not trickle in at different times. Carpool where possible to keep everyone together.
6:00 PM
Dinner — sit down and eat a proper meal before the night starts.
Krause’s Biergarten is a natural choice for groups — large space, German food, largest tap wall in New Braunfels, and a lively atmosphere that sets the weekend tone perfectly.
8:00 PM
Downtown New Braunfels bar scene — the downtown corridor has developed a genuine bar culture with something for every type of group.
Calahan’s Pub and Pizza for a casual Irish pub vibe,
Muck & Fuss for craft beer and a dog-friendly patio, Pour Haus for drinks and an open-air patio with live music, and Downtown Social for a multi-level venue with bowling and a rooftop bar. The downtown area is walkable so park once and explore on foot.
Late night
Back to the hotel — get some sleep. Saturday on the river is the main event and you will enjoy it a lot more if the group is not completely wrecked. Aim to be back and down by midnight.
Saturday — The Float
8:00 AM
Breakfast and pack the cooler — eat before you go. Pack reusable coolers with drinks and snacks. No cans or plastic bottles on the river — everything must be in reusable containers. See the container ban section below.
9:00 – 9:30 AM
Arrive at Landa River Trips — carpool in — 565 N Market Ave. Arriving as a group in fewer vehicles means parking together and checking in together. Our parking is free and we have 250+ spots — but early arrival is key on busy summer weekends. Do not let the group straggle in separately.
9:30 – 10:00 AM
Check in and get on the water — pay at the booth, grab your tubes and wristbands, use the free lockers for valuables, and get into the river. The earlier the group launches the cooler and less crowded the river is.
10:00 AM – 1:30 PM
Float the Comal River — 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on the pace of your group. Spring-fed 72°F water, the
Comal River Tube Chute, the historic waterfall, picnic tables along the river bank, and the shuttle ride back to your car at the end. Party groups tend to spend extra time at the Tube Chute — budget for it and enjoy it.
1:30 – 2:30 PM
Back at Landa River Trips — dry off, relax at a picnic table in the shade, and let the group regroup. Your rental includes the full day on the 8-acre property. No rush to leave.
3:00 PM
Lunch — sit down and refuel — see the food section below. After a full day on the river the group deserves a proper meal. This is not the time for a drive-through.
5:00 PM
Drive to Gruene — 10 minutes from Landa River Trips. Walk the Historic District, browse the boutiques and shops, and get in line at
Gristmill River Restaurant for drinks on the Guadalupe River deck before the evening starts.
8:00 PM
Gruene Hall — the oldest dance hall in Texas and the perfect Saturday night anchor for any New Braunfels group trip. Live music almost every weekend. There is nowhere else in Texas quite like it. Check the
Gruene Hall schedule in advance and see who is playing.
Sunday — Morning & Departure
9:00 AM
Breakfast before the drive —
Buttermilk Cafe (Mon-Sat 7 AM – 2 PM) or
Fork and Spoon for the famous French toast. Check out of the hotel, fuel up, and get the group moving.
10:30 AM
Head home — or if the group has the energy, float again. Your Saturday rental does not carry over but walk-ins are always welcome at Landa River Trips. Last entry is 4 PM daily.
This deserves its own section because it is the difference between a smooth Saturday morning and a chaotic one. New Braunfels gets busy on summer weekends and parking is the first place a group trip can go wrong.
Groups that drive separately to Landa River Trips frequently get split up. Some cars find our free parking lot immediately. Others miss the entrance, end up on the wrong street, and find themselves at a paid satellite lot blocks away — paying for parking they did not expect and walking to the river carrying coolers and tubes. By the time everyone is reunited the morning energy is gone and half the group is already frustrated.
Carpool in as few vehicles as possible. Navigate directly to 565 N Market Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130. Our parking staff will greet you at the entrance and direct you to a spot. Our lot has 250+ free spaces and is steps from the rental booth. When you finish your float the shuttle drops you back at the same lot — your car is right where you left it.
Arrive by 9:30 AM on busy summer weekends as a group. Our lot fills up by midday on peak days. Early arrival means free parking, shorter lines at the booth, and more time in the cooler part of the day on the river. Party groups that arrive at noon consistently wish they had come earlier.
Parking details & directions
565 N Market Ave, New Braunfels, TX 78130 · Free parking on site
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The container ban is the rule that catches the most group visitors off guard and it is completely avoidable with a little preparation the night before. New Braunfels city ordinance prohibits all single-use disposable containers on the Comal River — including cans, plastic bottles, and disposable cups, even if they are sealed inside a cooler.
Alcohol is absolutely allowed on the river. Cold drinks are allowed. Food is allowed. You just need to bring everything in reusable containers. Pour your drinks into Yeti cups, Hydro Flasks, Stanley tumblers, or any reusable cup. Transfer snacks into Tupperware or snap-top containers. Pack it all in a soft-sided fabric cooler — 30 quart maximum per person.
Do this Friday night while the group is getting ready and Saturday morning runs smoothly. Show up Saturday morning with a cooler full of cans and you will be transferring drinks in the parking lot or turning around to find a store. Neither is a good start to the day.
Group tip: Assign one person to be the cooler coordinator before the trip. They confirm everyone has packed correctly before the group leaves for the river. One person checking saves the whole group from an avoidable problem at the booth.
Full container ban explanation
Exactly what is and is not allowed on the Comal River
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Good food is part of a great group trip. New Braunfels has the options to feed a large group well at every meal of the weekend. Here are the best picks by meal and mood.
Friday night dinner
German biergarten · Group friendly
The best Friday night dinner spot for a group in New Braunfels. Large space, lively Bierhalle atmosphere, Deutsche food, and the largest tap wall in the city. Sets the weekend tone perfectly.
Upscale German
Upscale Bavarian dining for groups who want to start the weekend with a proper sit-down dinner. Scratch-made schnitzel, spaetzle, and a wine and beer garden. Reservations recommended — (830) 214-0205.
Texas BBQ
Legendary Texas BBQ since 1932. For groups who want to start the weekend with brisket and ribs rather than schnitzel. Both are correct answers in New Braunfels.
Saturday post-float lunch
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. Long waits on weekends but worth every minute for a group lunch.
BBQ · Local favorite
Good, fast local BBQ for a group that wants to eat and move on to the next activity. A New Braunfels staple that feeds a hungry group without the wait.
Burgers · Best of NB
Voted Best of New Braunfels four years running. Fresh burgers and bold flavor — a crowd-pleaser for a group with mixed food preferences.
Sunday breakfast
Breakfast · Local favorite
Market-fresh comfort food for Sunday morning before the drive home. Open Mon-Sat 7 AM – 2 PM. The kind of breakfast that makes a group agree the weekend was worth it.
Breakfast · French toast famous
Famous homemade French toast and classic American and German dishes. A family-owned New Braunfels staple for breakfast and lunch — perfect for a Sunday send-off meal.
Breakfast · Downtown institution
Comfort food and Tex-Mex favorites since 1977. Burgers, enchiladas, and homemade meals in a New Braunfels institution. Great for a relaxed Sunday morning before the group hits the road.
New Braunfels has built a genuine downtown bar culture in recent years and the options for a party group are better than most visitors expect for a city this size. The downtown strip is walkable so park once and move between venues on foot — that is how a group night out in New Braunfels works best.
Downtown New Braunfels bars
Open-air patio · Live music
Pour Haus
Open-air patio bar with nightly live music and a rooftop bar added in 2023. One of the anchors of the downtown New Braunfels nightlife scene. Cold drinks and a great outdoor atmosphere.
Multi-level · Bowling · Rooftop
Downtown Social
Multi-level entertainment venue in a restored historic building. Bar, bowling lanes, a dedicated stage, and rooftop access. Great for groups who want more than just a bar.
Irish pub · Pizza
New Braunfels’ Irish pub with pizza, drinks, and a lively atmosphere. A reliable group spot that works for any age and any vibe.
Craft beer · Live music · Dog-friendly
Craft beer, cocktails, burgers, and a dog-friendly patio with live music. Downtown New Braunfels at its most relaxed and enjoyable.
German biergarten · Tap wall
The largest tap wall in New Braunfels. Deutsche food and a lively Bierhalle that works as well for a late-night drink as it does for dinner. A New Braunfels institution since 1959.
Oyster bar · Downtown
The Oyster Bar
A downtown New Braunfels oyster bar — a unique option for groups who want something a little different from the usual Texas bar scene. Cold oysters and cold drinks after a hot day on the river.
Gruene Hall — Saturday night anchor
No New Braunfels group trip is complete without at least stopping into Gruene Hall — the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas, built in 1878. Live music almost every weekend, an authentic atmosphere that cannot be replicated, and a setting that feels genuinely historic. Check the Gruene Hall schedule before you arrive so the group knows who is playing Saturday night.
Check local events before your trip. New Braunfels and Gruene regularly have festivals, outdoor concerts, and special events on weekends throughout the summer. A quick search of local event listings before you arrive often reveals something happening that adds to the weekend without any extra planning.
New Braunfels has a wide range of accommodation for groups — from budget-friendly hotels near I-35 to Airbnb river houses and vacation rentals right on the Comal or Guadalupe River. For bachelorette parties and birthday groups a river house Airbnb is often the best option — it keeps the group together, gives you a private space to get ready and decompress, and frequently comes with direct river access.
Book early. Summer weekends in New Braunfels fill up fast, especially on holiday weekends and during Wurstfest in November. Waiting until the week before a summer weekend means limited options at higher prices. As soon as the group confirms the trip, book the accommodation.
Browse New Braunfels hotels and lodging
Full directory at visitnbtx.com — hotels, motels, vacation rentals
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Ready to Plan Your Group Trip?
New Braunfels’ original Comal River tubing outfitter since 1986. No reservation needed — walk-ins welcome.
📍 565 N Market Ave, New Braunfels, TX
🕘 Open 9 AM · Last entry 4 PM
📞 (830) 625-5889
