We stopped in Fredericksburg Texas on our way west and attended our second All Inclusive Motorhome Club (AIM) RV Rally. Although we had visited this area before, we enjoyed lots of new fun with a group of fellow RVers in the Texas hill country. As with all AIM rallies, each day was packed with amazing food, great activities, and interesting sights in the local area. We were impressed that venues were reserved solely for our group to comply with social distancing guidelines.
One of our first outings was to the Hangar Hotel for a great dinner with musical entertainment by a local swing band. The hotel’s architecture resembles a World War II aircraft hangar and the theme is that of the South Pacific in the 1940s era. We didn’t stay at the hotel, but its charm was evident throughout. A second level observation deck that overlooks the airport, an Officer’s Club, and a Diner add to the ambiance of this cool place.
The WW II theme continued with our visit to the National Museum of the Pacific War. Fredericksburg is a fitting place for this museum as it is the boyhood home of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz who served as commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet. With over 55,000 square feet of exhibit space, this 5th ranked US history museum is the only one solely dedicated to telling the story of WWII in the Pacific.
You could spend hours viewing the interesting displays and learning about the people and campaigns of this war. I especially liked the features on how Americans back home came together to produce materials and to support the war effort as every corner of the country was affected.
Fredericksburg is also in the heart of Texas’ wine country–there are literally over 50 wineries just in this small town. We enjoyed an afternoon with Majesty Wine Tours who took us in small groups to three different wineries. It was interesting to taste 5-6 wines at each location. We visited the Texas Heritage Vineyard, Safari Winery, and the Wine Garage. Our personal favorite wines were at the Safari Winery, although the award for uniqueness goes to the Wine Garage for their interesting classic car theme.
Another musical evening out was at the Rockbox Theater. This cozy venue is located right in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg. Their offerings include classic bands touring the country, modern original groups, and tributes to some of music’s most famed artists.
We also enjoyed a catered BBQ dinner and live music at the tiny community of Luckenbach, just south of Fredericksburg. There is a general store, post office, bar and dancehall at this quaint spot where “everybody’s somebody.”
As one of the fun craft sessions at the rally, I helped to conduct a cookie decorating lesson. It was a lot of work to prepare materials for 48 people, but everyone had fun and enjoyed learning to draw designs on the cookies with the icing. The best part… eating their masterpieces!
After the rally, we stayed a few extra days at the campground in Fredericksburg. We were able to attend Mike’s sister Kim’s surprise 60th birthday party, which was so thoughtfully done by her friends in a safely distanced fashion. We also met up with friends Susan ,Glen, Ann and Gary for a great lunch at the Altstadt Brewery in town.
Mike got in a few rounds of golf and we shopped at the awesome stores in the downtown area. Everything was beautifully decorated for Christmas, but we were especially impressed with the electric company’s light display in nearby Johnson City. The trees were amazing– it was like a magical forest!
One of the highlights of our time in Fredericksburg was a visit to The Preserve, a beautiful facility that houses 5 Asian elephants. The people here are dedicated to expanding elephant education, knowledge, and conservation. The elephants are well taken care of and obviously loved by the caregivers. For me, interacting with the elephants was an experience I will treasure forever.
Although we have been to Fredericksburg on several different occasions now, this experience was one of our best. An RV rally gives you planned events to enjoy with friends and the luxury of having things planned out for you. We saw new things with the group and got to venture out on our own some as well. The Hill Country is a beautiful area of Texas that doesn’t disappoint, no matter what time of year you visit.
Thanks for sharing! It sounds great. 😊👍💕
Hi Bob and Connie! Thanks for checking out my blog post. Hope y’all are staying safe.
It’s good the electric company is the one putting on that stunning light show because I can imagine what the bill must look like! LOL. And I am very jealous of your time with the elephants. It’s good to know they are so well cared for. What a cool experience!
Hi Laura, Yes and I can’t imagine trying to put up that many lights. We struggle untangling just a few strings–lol! The elephants were definitely amazing. I am happy anytime we can find an animal experience during our travels:)
What a trip! I used to live in Fredericksburg VA for five years and it has nothing on this one in TX. So much to see and do there. What stood out the most to me is all of the wineries, I love wine country anywhere. I never knew that Texas wine country is so big. They do go big in Texas though! The elephant experience made my heart melt, thanks for sharing 🙂
After having lived in Fredericksburg Virginia, you should definitely visit the Texas version! I think you would love all the wineries–there is really a big variety too. Yes, the elephants were my favorite:)