OK y’all, here are 26 glorious ways to maximize your fun in Boerne, all in alphabetical order! Whether you’ve got family coming to town or you’re planning your very own visit, this ABC guide highlights so much of our town’s culture and will help you decide what to do and see while you’re here.
Just this past March, the City of Boerne installed a new public art exhibit for your viewing pleasure around town! In addition to our permanent collection, a temporary collection is installed each year as well. When you hit up the Boerne trails system or explore around town, you’ll discover all kinds of unique sculptures and statues along your route. This is a great way to get active – and cultured. Print out a map to find them all!
B is for Boerne Village Band
The Boerne Village Band is known for being the longest running German band outside of Germany, and every summer you can see them perform during the summer Abendkonzerte series at Main Plaza. Listen for the “Herr Schmid” and the “chicken dance”, which are crowd favorites!
C is for Cibolo Creek
A casual walk along Cibolo Creek is just one of many favorite Boerne activities. Next to Boerne’s Hill Country Mile, you can hop on the trail that runs alongside the creek to say “Hi” to the resident duck population, fish for “the big one”, or simply get some exercise. Fun fact: Boerne’s first settlers planted themselves just north of the Cibolo Creek. Having a fresh water resource was, of course, very high on the priority list back in those days too!
D is for Dog Friendly
If your dog is your best friend and you love to take him or her when you travel, you’re in luck! There are plenty of places that you can take them along to experience all that Boerne has to offer. Our dog friendly list includes restaurants, music venues, parks, stores and more!
From fine dining to casual dining, Boerne is a fantastic place to satisfy your palette! You’ll find barbeque, crafted beer, juicy burgers, farm-to-table, Italian, authentic German dishes and so much more. Many of these places even have outdoor patio seating and overlook the aforementioned Cibolo Creek for a memorable experience you won’t soon forget.
F is for Festivities
On any given day or weekend, you can find ways to be entertained here. Shop for special Hill Country gifts and trinkets for your loved ones along the Hill Country Mile during Diva Night or at Boerne Market Days; gaze at the splendor of hot rods and classic cars at Hot Rod Night or the Annual Rod Run; groove along to live music during a Boerne Performing Arts event or an Arts at the Amphitheater concert; and you can celebrate the seasons at events like the Spring Family Fun Festival or Dickens on Main to ring in the holidays!
We are so fortunate to be as close as we are to a State Park. This one is particularly special because there’s a fabulous body of water in it – the Guadalupe River! Walk along the trails that line the river, fish for bass and carpe, or mark a Saturday where you could take the guided tour through the Honey Creek State Natural Area!
H is for Hauptstrasse
Boerne was originally a German settlement. Therefore, it makes sense that our Main Street would have a German name, “Hauptstrasse,” also known as Main Street or the Hill Country Mile! Here, you’ll find boutiques, antiques, décor, furniture, delicious local foods, historic buildings, events, parades, public art and more that celebrate everything that makes Boerne special.
I is for Ice Cream
OK, so we are going to include all cold treats in this letter because there is so much more than ice cream to dive into on a hot day when you are strolling around Boerne! Kelani Yogurt sells frozen yogurt by weight where you can add any (and all) toppings to the yogurt flavor of your choice, Sno-Biz Hawaiian Shaved Ice sells sno-cones with flavors galore, and Sugar Shack is a 50’s-themed ice cream parlor selling cones, banana splits and shakes!
J is for Jewelry
Calling all those who love sparkly things! Bechants, Boerne Jewelers, and Morrell Jewelry are places you’ll find fine jewelry. Fashion jewelry can be found at stores like Celeste, Ella Blue, Boutique Chloe Rose – just to name a few. This segment can also be a catch-all for the high-end shopping that Boerne offers! The clothing and accessories that you’ll find in town are unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere.
If history piques your interest, Boerne’s historic buildings will satisfy your curiosity of the past. The Kuhlmann-King House is one among so many that holds stories of early settlers and a simpler time. You can tour this more than 100-year-old home every second Saturday of the month for FREE between 12:00PM-3:00PM.
L is for Lake
Our man-made lake, Boerne City Lake, it a hot spot for out-of-towners and locals. If you’re looking to see a great Hill Country sunset, climb up to the top of the dam for a fantastic photo-op! For a day of play out on the water, take advantage of Hill Country Paddle Sports where you can rent kayaks and paddle boards to explore the lake. Also, each year the Boerne Paddle Battle is held here for some friendly competition and fun in the sun!
There is A LOT that happens on Main Plaza throughout the year. Abendkonzerte, Boerne Market Days, Movies in the Park, the Annual Corvette Show (along with several other car shows), fun-runs and more! Scroll through our calendar for a full list of events on Main Plaza and around town. Fun fact: The gazebo that sits on Main Plaza now is not the first gazebo to have been built on that piece of land!
N is for Nature Center
The Cibolo Nature Center and Farm is a haven for all things outdoor. It is home to four distinct eco-systems and plenty of critters that live above and below the water. You can get your walk (or run) on their meandering trails, fish in the Cibolo Creek, and take part in any one of their many events – like the Moondance Summer Concert Series or every third Thursday’s Thirst for Nature Events!
O is for Organics
Boerne has TWO Farmers Markets now! Cibolo Nature Center and Farm puts on their Farmers Market at the Cibolo every Saturday from 9:00AM-1:00PM at the Historic Herff Farm and includes, live music, locally grown produce, vendors who sell body products and handmade goods, and educational programs for kids of all ages! Cibolo Creek Brewing Co. has just started their very own monthly Farmers Market as well. See their Facebook Page for details on times and dates.
P is for Piggies
Time and time again, our locally made, hometown Pigs in a Blanket are mistaken for Kolaches. However, let it be known that they are NOT the same thing! You can try some deliciously baked Piggies at the Bear Moon Bakery or Snowflake Donuts. I guarantee you’ll want seconds! For an authentic Czech Kolache, head over to Little Gretel Restaurant.
Q is for Quilts
Boerne’s Quiltfest is a festival that brings quilt-lovers from all over. Each year on the first Saturday in May – weather permitting – beautiful handmade quilts are hung and displayed along the Hill Country Mile. Mark your calendar for next year, because to see these colorful pieces of art blowing in the warm spring breeze is quite the sight to see! Interested in making your own quilt? Sew It Fabulous is a locally owned shop where you can get all the tools and materials needed to express your creative, quilt-making side!
If you’ve ever looked at a map of the Hill Country, you’ll notice Boerne is pretty central. This makes day-tripping from here SUPER convenient! When you make Boerne your “Hill Country Hub”, you have easy access to any and all roads that will take you to just about any Hill Country Town in a matter of minutes. San Antonio, Kerrville, Comfort, New Braunfels/Gruene, San Marcos, Bandera, and Fredericksburg are just a few of the nearby towns that you can reach in under an hour and a half. That’s a lot of places to maximize your Hill Country vacay, am I right? Another place to day-trip to includes…
S is for Sisterdale
Just up Farm Road 1376, you’ll find the small town of Sisterdale. It is home to Sister Creek Vineyards, Black Board Bar B Q, and St. Tryphon Farm and Vineyards. A beautiful little hole-in-the-wall town with so much to offer, we are sure you’ll enjoy a day-trip here!
T is for Tacos
Here in Boerne, we love our tacos. We actually just wrote a Taco Blog about all the great places to try in town to live your best Taco Life. Boerne tacos are amazing, and almost all the places you can get them are hot spots here in town. Breakfast tacos, crispy tacos, street tacos and SO much more!
U is for Underground Adventures
We’ve got two caves in town…how lucky are we?! Both Cascade Caverns and Cave Without A Name offer daily public tours! Cave Without A Name even has regular concerts down in the Queen’s Throne Room. Check out our calendar for dates, performers, and ticket information.
V is for Vintage Shopping
Antique shopping is a pretty big deal here in Boerne. There is the Annual Spring and Fall Antiques Shows, Vintage Market Days, the John’s Road Antique Mall, and of course MANY of the shops downtown carry antiques. Flashback Funtiques, Carousel Antiques, and Sanctuary for the Vintage Soul…just to name a few!
W is for Walking Tours
Hill Country Food Tours is great if you’re having a hard time picking just one local restaurant downtown (I mean, we don’t really blame you!). This tour allows you to sample many of the dishes, craft beer, and wine that the Hill Country Mile has to offer! Boerne Walking Tours is a fun, 90-minute history lesson on the life and times of Boerne before it became all that it is today. Choose “Boerne By Day” tours for historical facts, or “Boerne After Dark” for ghost stories and folklore!
X is for X-ceptional Hospitality
This little letter required some thought outside of the box! Yes, we know how to spell exceptional…but it’s just more fun this way. We are known for our X-quisite hospitality in our shops, in our restaurants, and in our hotels. You are bound to have an X-cellent X-perience wherever you decide to spend your time here! How X-citing! (Too much? Okay, I’ll stop now)
Y is for Youthfulness
We can’t forget about a little pampering while you are here! Looking for a facial? A massage? A way to kick back and enjoy “the good life”? There are a handful of options in town to truly treat yourself. Try the salt cave at Pure Sol Spa, or work out the kinks of everyday life with Massage Matters. Looking for a new ‘do or freshly painted fingers and toes? Make an appointment with Simply Serene Salon or Beyond Bliss while you’re here!
Z is for Zymurgy
It’s probably best if we start this letter out with a definition. Zymurgy (noun): a branch of applied chemistry that deals with fermentation processes. We couldn’t put together an ABC Guide without talking about our fabulous breweries! Take a tour through Boerne Brewery, sink your teeth into savory burgers and craft beer at Cibolo Creek Brewing Co., enjoy German favorites at the Dodging Duck Brewhaus, or take advantage of a tasting at Boerne Cork and Keg. Make sure to stay tuned for Tusculum Brewing Co., a new brewery coming to Boerne this year and details on Kinematic Brewing Co.'s move to their now location just north of town!
Written by: Erika Yount, Boerne Convention and Visitors Bureau Admin.