Wander With Wonder explores 11 kid-friendly wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas, offering a delightful experience for families looking to enjoy quality time together while savoring the region’s finest wines.
Fredericksburg is a well-known Texas Hill Country spot for adults-only getaways because of the many wineries that dot the 290 Wine Trail. The area around Fredericksburg (including nearby Hye and Stonewall) is booming with spots to discover. But Fredericksburg wineries aren’t just for adults. Think outdoor grounds shaded by Live Oak trees where kids and dogs run, play, and soak up the fresh air while mom and dad relax with a glass of wine and a picnic.In this guide to 11 kid-friendly wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas, I’ll take you through the family-friendly experiences in the Texas Hill Country.
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Texas Wines Around Fredericksburg
Even if you’re planning outings or wine tours in Fredericksburg, Texas, for the 21-and-up crowd, this neck of the woods rolls up the sidewalks early. The phrase “day drinking” is very appropriate here, no matter what ages make up your group.
If you’re surprised to learn Texas has some very respectable wines, you definitely want to keep reading.
Most wineries in Fredericksburg are kid-friendly. Some wineries allow kids on their behind-the-scenes winery tours and some don’t. For those that do, the experience can be a fun lesson in science and chemistry. Photo by Jill Robbins
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11 Kid-Friendly Wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas
While most wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas, and the surrounding area will not tell potential guests their kids aren’t welcome, some are more accommodating to families than others. Based on personal experience, here are my top picks for kid-friendly wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas, as well as tips on how to make an on-the-fly decision on whether a winery is kid-friendly.
Related Article: How to choose a good wine
1. Texas Wine Collective
The Texas Wine Collective (formerly 4.0 Winery) brings Texas wines from other parts of Texas to Fredericksburg. The TWC is a partnership between three different wineries, so there’s a great variety of wines on site. Red, white, dry, or sweet, there’s a lid for every pot.
Their expansive grounds are very kid and pet-friendly. Check their calendar of events to see when you might catch live music or a special tasting event. Visitors looking for a family-friendly experience should consider visiting the kid-friendly winery in Fredericksburg, TX.
The Texas Wine Collective, formerly 4.0 Winery, has very family-friendly grounds. Photo by Jill Robbins
2. Pedernales Cellars
Pedernales Cellars’ tagline is “Savor the wines, drink in the view” and that’s a great way to describe this place. Their wines are terrific, but the view from the patio is what brings guests back. Pedernales is heavy on the reds with a small but respectable selection of whites.
Families are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, and outdoor toys. Kids must stay with the group. Reservations for tastings are required.
Even though this picture was from an adults-only day date, this expanse of open spaces makes this an excellent choice if you’re visiting a winery with kids. Photo by Jill Robbins
3. Kuhlman Cellars
Kuhlman Cellars combines rustic and welcoming with people who know their stuff regarding wine education. While Kuhlman Cellars is kid-friendly, certain areas of the property (the barrel room and Weingarten) aren’t open to children.
Several pets live on the property, making this location perfect if your kids love animals. Kuhlman Cellars offers a robust menu of reds and a smaller selection of whites. It also has an on-site bistro with snacks and small plates.
Kuhlman Cellars has excellent wines and a fun outdoor space with games for kids (and big kids!). Photo by Jill Robbins
4. Pontotoc Vineyard
Pontotoc Vineyards is a family-run winery housed in one of the oldest buildings in Fredericksburg. Their outdoor wine garden is a lovely place to relax while your kids play. The current wine selection is small—three reds and one white. During my visit in late 2019, they offered a sangria made with Sonic ice. If you like sweetness and visit on a hot day, ask if they’ll do Sangria.
Family-run means the entire family. The owner’s young children are involved in every phase of the growing, harvesting, and bottling process. You might see one of them helping out when you visit.
The Wine Garden offers a shady and comfortable place to enjoy your wine. Photo by Jill Robbins.
5. Baron’s Creek Vineyards
Baron’s Creek Vineyards’ Fredericksburg location (they also have tasting rooms in Georgetown and Granbury) might not strike you as kid-friendly. Still, they have abundant covered outdoor seating that better fits families. You’ll find a balanced menu of reds and whites, with a few sweeter wines.
Check out the on-site casitas if you’d like to stay longer or use this as a base camp for exploring the area.
Although I don’t recommend the inside tasting room as an excellent place for younger kids, the backyard has lots of space and covered seating. Photo by Jill Robbins
6. Becker Vineyards
Becker Vineyards is one of the most established and well-known wineries in the Fredericksburg area. If the name sounds familiar, their wines are served in area restaurants and sold in grocery stores around the state. Becker’s has many red, white, and rosé wines.
Becker Vineyards is one of the most popular spots for family-friendly wineries in Fredericksburg TX. Photo by Trish Rawls
Appointments for groups of five or fewer people are not required. Active duty military members receive a complimentary tasting. In addition to their estate winery, they have a tasting room on Main Street in Fredericksburg. Children are welcome at both locations. There’s an outdoor bar open on weekends at the estate winery that works well for families.
Becker Vineyards also has onsite lavender fields, stunning in April and May. Their boutique sells a variety of products made year-round using lavender.
Becker Vineyards + Lavender in front. Photo by Trish Rawls
7. Alexander Vineyards
Unlike other area wineries, Alexander Vineyards serves wine from around the world. If you don’t mind your Texas wine experience not being about Texas wines, the atmosphere under the large Live Oak trees is not to be missed. Plus, there’s plenty of room for little legs to stretch out.
All tastings are done seated outside and last about an hour. Contact the winery for recommendations on visiting with kids.
Alexander Vineyards serves wine from France, Spain, Italy, and Germany and has one of the largest selections of sparkling wines/champagnes (yes, actual champagne) in this area. If you’re fond of bubbles like I am, this one is a real treat.
8. Fat Ass Ranch & Winery
If you can get past the name and the potential cringe factor of hearing your kids tell people they visited “Fat Ass” for months to come, this winery (as well as its sister property, Texas Wine Garage) is an excellent experience for families.
Fat Ass Ranch & Winery is named after Jackson the donkey, who, according to his owner, is a real live fat ass. The puns don’t stop, which makes for fun gift shop items and photo opportunities. Most of the wines are sweet, with fruity blends such as peach and strawberry. They make a mean frozen wine slushie if you visit during the summer. I am not a sweet wine person, but I’ll drive an hour plus for one of those slushies on a hot day.
Understandably, the entrance sign at Fat Ass Ranch and Winery is a popular photo spot! Photo by Jill Robbins
9. William Chris Vineyards
William Chris Vineyards is located in Hye Texas, 20 miles from downtown Fredericksburg. They craft wines with grapes from all over the state and they have lovely and spacious grounds. The wine selection is heavy on reds with fewer whites.
Reservations are required for tastings. William Chris asks that you let them know if kids are in your party when you make the reservation so they can recommend the optimal tasting experience. They do mention wanting to make sure they have enough bubble wands available so that’s definitely a good indicator of kid-friendly.
No outside food or drink (other than water) is allowed. Picnic packs and charcuterie boards are available for purchase.
At this time, William Chris requires reservations and asks that you let the winery know if you’re bringing kids so they can best prepare for your visit. I think that’s a nice touch. Photo by Jill Robbins
10. Hye Meadow Winery
Located just across the road from William Chris, Hye Meadow Winery has a small tasting room indoors and an expansive, family-friendly outdoor area with games and friendly donkeys who love to be fed apples. They serve a variety of red, white, and sweet wines. Cheeseboards and small plates are available. If you want something heartier, they have sandwiches.
Hye Meadow Winery aims to make you feel like you’re spending time in your mom and dad’s backyard. Photo courtesy of Hye Meadow Winery
11. Wildseed Farms Vineyards
Even if you’re not a fan of wine tasting (although if you weren’t you probably didn’t read this far), Wildseed Farms is a fun outing on its own, especially in spring. The tasting room is inside Wildseed Farms, which is a boutique and flower farm. Wildseed Farms is especially gorgeous in the spring but there’s beauty (and wine tasting) all year round. They offer a balanced menu of red and white wines.
Wildseed Farms Vineyards offers indoor and outdoor seating areas. While there’s not a dedicated place for kids to run around (I don’t recommend leaving them to their own devices on the property while you’re wine tasting) the nearby store sells ice cream and a variety of other treats for kids to enjoy while you’re sipping. Admission to Wildseed Farms is free.
You may go to Wildseed Farms to check out the fields of spring blooms but their onsite tasting room deserves a stop, too. Photo by Jill Robbins
More Choices for Kid-Friendly Wineries in Fredericksburg Texas
If you’d like to explore more kid-friendly wineries in Fredericksburg Texas, here’s a listing of wineries published by the Fredericksburg Visitor’s Center of wineries known to welcome kids. Some of these overlap the wineries I’ve already shared with you, and some are different.
If you’re planning a visit to the area, I recommend an in-person stop at the Visitor’s Center, located in downtown Fredericksburg. They offer maps, brochures, and tons of other information, including a free 10-minute welcome video that’s very informative. Since new wineries are popping up all the time, the visitor’s center staff may have new intel on what wineries are family-friendly and which ones to save for an adults-only outing.
Although many Fredericksburg area wineries offer outdoor games for their guests, I recommend taking something of your own. The red disk by my feet is a portable, pop-up cornhole game that’s easy to toss in the car. Photo by Jill Robbins
Tips for Choosing Kid-Friendly Wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas
Visit on a weekday or a Sunday. Saturdays are a little busier, and you’re more likely to encounter bachelorette parties or other large “party bus groups” than any other day. Some wineries are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and certain Sundays are reserved for wine club member events, so check the hours before you go.
Here are a few more been-there-done-that parent advice on taking kids to a winery.
Do Your Homework!
Ask if kids are welcome. Call ahead or contact a winery through their website or social media to see if kids are welcome. You’ll rarely be told no, but trust your gut when interpreting tone of voice and body language when you get a yes. A yes said with a sigh probably isn’t where you want to hang out.
Read reviews online and scope out a winery’s social media. If they feature pictures with kids or pets, there’s your answer. I’ve been to all of the wineries listed above (although I haven’t visited each one with my kids) and can vouch for their family-friendly atmosphere.
Plan and Prepare
If you have kids, you probably plan all outings to a tee—that’s extra important when taking kids to a winery. Choose a winery with ample outdoor space. You probably won’t want your kids hanging out at the bar in the tasting room, although it can work with some venues and some kids.
Most wineries will have a limited selection of non-alcoholic drinks. Some will sell cheeses and picnic items or have food trucks on site. Check the rules on outside food and beverages because this varies.
Kid-friendly wineries in and near Fredericksburg will have picnic-perfect outdoor spaces. Photo courtesy Hye Meadow Winery.
Take simple outdoor toys (football, soccer ball, frisbee). You can also purchase travel or compact versions of cornhole or washers games that are easy to stow in your car. Some wineries will have yard games available, but I’ve seen less of this since the onset of COVID-19.
I also recommend you skip indoor tastings and go straight to wine by the glass or bottle. Even in a kid-friendly winery, the tasting room setup might not be conducive to families. Most are done “belly up to the bar” style. I’ve seen very few that are done at a table. Most kids I know – including mine – won’t do well with “Sit on that couch over there and behave while mom and dad taste wine for half an hour.” As of 2022, most wineries ask guests to make tasting appointments.
Wineries in Fredericksburg TX have great outdoor spaces. Photo by Blake Mistich courtesy Visit Fredericksburg
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When You Visit Kid-Friendly Wineries in Fredericksburg, Texas
While a visit to a winery might not go in the books as a favorite childhood memory, family time outdoors where everyone was relaxed and happy is certain to be something everyone will look back on fondly. Next time you plan a family trip to the Texas Hill Country, don’t be afraid to put a winery on your list. Be sure to check out Wander for more great things to do during your visit to Texas, other wineries you can experience, and some great family travel suggestions.
