museum website to reserve your seats if you can. A word of caution: Don't sit too close to the flamethrower!

Fredericksburg lures countless foodies to the area each year to taste authentic German cuisine (bratwurst and Wiener Schnitzel) and savor a krug of draft in one of the biergartens.

Texan hospitality extends through 70 restaurants, ranging from fine dining to TexMex and laid-back casual. Bakeries abound, tempting visitors with European strudels, kolaches, pastries, and pies. Good thing this is a walking town!

Festivals flourish in Fredericksburg, which hosts more than 200 events a year. Spring brings May Day dancing under the May Pole, and Oktoberfest is complete with oompah bands and tented revelry.

The highlight of December's beautiful Weihnachten festival is a 26-foot-tall German Christmas Pyramid. Winter visitors will not want to miss the Old World shopping experience of St. Nikolausmarkt either.

On that subject, I found a staggering collection of one-of-a-kind clothing and gift boutiques here. Home decor, art galleries, antiques, Western wear, and gourmet food... including some exceptional chocolate and sausages. And, yes, you can definitely buy Lederhosen here!

An award-winning wine trail follows scenic Route 290, fast becoming a hotbed for oenophiles. The limestone hills and clear rivers have enabled Texas to become the fifth-largest wine producing state in the nation. Ten local wineries offer tours and tastings that encourage visitors to sit back, relax, and raise a glass.

If your tank-of-gas adventures involve more long-term planning than spontaneity, consider Fredericksburg in springtime. Gardeners and photographers arrive to spectacular arrays of bluebonnets, as bouquets of wildflowers sprout along roadsides and highways. The explosion of color serves as a visual memorial to Lady Bird Johnson and her desire to beautify America.

Combine beauty with history in a side trip to Johnson City to tour LBJ's Texas White House or the LBJ Ranch in Stonewall, only a 20-minute drive.

Hikers often head for the pink granite dome at Enchanted Rock State Park, a 1,643-acre setting with numerous trails (pictured here). The vertical climb is invigorating and a bit challenging at 425 feet, but does not present difficult footing. The summit sits 1,825 feet above sea level and yields a spectacular