Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · United States

New BraunfelsNew Braunfels, Texas

Give New Braunfels 2 nights in summer for tubing and Schlitterbahn, or 1 night off-season for Gruene and downtown. A car is required.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Sep for river and waterpark; Apr and Oct–Nov for Gruene, Wurstfest and lower prices
avoid Jul–Aug weekend afternoons (heat, traffic, packed rivers); check river flow after drought
Airports
SAT · AUS
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

New Braunfels is a small Texas Hill Country town on I-35 between Austin and San Antonio, built on two rivers and a German settler heritage. Almost everything visitors come for is water: floating the Comal in an inner tube, the Schlitterbahn waterpark, and the Gruene historic district on the Guadalupe. Summer weekends are the whole point and also the whole problem — traffic, full hotels and river rules. Off-season it is a quiet one-night stop between the two big cities.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about New Braunfels, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee and a pastry downtown$5–9
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, one main$18–35
  • BeerDraught beer at a Gruene or downtown bar$6–9
  • Museum or sight ticketWurstfest admissioncheck — cash and card at the gateabout $8–15
  • Budget bedHostel or motel bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$150
  • High-end bedChain-hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$260

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$150 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Tubing the Comal and Guadalupe riversSchlitterbahn waterparkGruene Hall and the Gruene historic districtWurstfest and German-Texan heritage
Airports
SAT San Antonio International (About 30 mi / 45 min south on I-35; the closer of the two main airports) · AUS Austin-Bergstrom International (About 45 mi / 1 h north on I-35; more flights, longer drive)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

New Braunfels: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

17°C

4°C

7 rd

Feb

19°C

6°C

7 rd

Mar

23°C

10°C

7 rd

Apr

27°C

14°C

6 rd

May

30°C

19°C

8 rd

Jun

33°C

22°C

6 rd

Jul

35°C

23°C

5 rd

Aug

36°C

23°C

5 rd

Sep

33°C

20°C

7 rd

Oct

28°C

14°C

6 rd

Nov

22°C

9°C

6 rd

Dec

18°C

5°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the only practical way to move around; I-35 runs through town and SH-46 crosses it. Downtown and Gruene are each walkable once you park. Tube rental shops run shuttles back from the river take-out. Summer weekend traffic on I-35 and around Schlitterbahn is heavy — go early.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Gruene Historic District

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Drive 10–15 min west on Hwy 306 then Hunter Rd

Gruene Hall, the General Store and the Gristmill; go early on weekends to park.

San Marcos

go

Door to door: About 25 min

I-35 north about 18 mi

Outlet malls and the San Marcos River; easy half-day.

San Antonio

go

Door to door: About 45 min

I-35 south about 30 mi

The Alamo and the River Walk; a full day, or sleep there instead.

Austin

go

Door to door: About 1 h

I-35 north about 45 mi

Music, food and the Capitol; better as its own base than a day trip.

Natural Bridge Caverns

caution

Door to door: About 35 min

Drive west on SH-46 then Natural Bridge Cavern Rd

Guided cave tours only, timed tickets; check tour times and prices.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown / San Antonio Street

Walkable to Naegelin's, the Faust Hotel and the Comal tube chutes; best for one night without a car in the evening.

Gruene

Historic district with Gruene Hall and the Gristmill; quiet at night, 10–15 min drive from downtown.

I-35 corridor

Chain hotels and free parking at exits 187–191; cheapest beds, but you drive everywhere.

River Road / Guadalupe

Cabins and RV resorts on the river; best for tubing groups, book months ahead for summer weekends.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$120–200 excl. bed
High
$220+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain-hotel double room1 × 2 nights × US$150US$300
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$150US$600
Schlitterbahn one-day ticket2 × US$60 · check — price varies by dateUS$120
Tube rental with shuttle, one day2 × US$25 · checkUS$50
Parking near the river or Schlitterbahn1 × US$10 · checkUS$10
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$111
Trip total≈ US$305 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,221

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee and a pastry downtown$5–9
BBQ plate or burger$14–22
Sit-down dinner, one main$18–35
Draught beer at a Gruene or downtown bar$6–9
Tube rental plus shuttlecheck — varies by operator and season$20–30
Schlitterbahn one-day ticketcheck — date-based pricing$50–70
Wurstfest admissioncheck — cash and card at the gateabout $8–15

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

New Braunfels is a low-crime resort town; the real risks are summer heat, fast-moving river water and alcohol on the river. Wear shoes, use a leash for glasses, and never tube alone after dark.
  • River rules are enforced: no disposable containers, glass, styrofoam or coolers over 16 quarts on the Comal inside city limits.
  • Beer on the river is allowed, but open containers in city parks are not.
  • Summer weekend hotels and river cabins sell out weeks ahead; book early or sleep in San Marcos or Seguin.
  • Tubing depends on water level — rentals close or shorten runs in drought or after heavy rain.
  • Schlitterbahn ticket prices and dates change by season: check the official site before you go.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

New BraunfelsNew Braunfels, Texas

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Zu dieser Adresse, bitteTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; consulates are in Houston, Dallas and Austin. US visitors: 911 for anything urgent.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • SAT airport → New Braunfels: about 45 min by car or rideshare
  • AUS airport → New Braunfels: about 1 h by car or rideshare
  • Downtown parking: $5–10 depending on lot

Say or show

  • Danke — Thank you
  • Hallo — Hello
  • Ein Bier, bitte — One beer, please
  • Wo ist der Einstieg? — Where is the river put-in?
  • Was kostet das? — How much is it?
  • Prost — Cheers

German phrases are heritage flavour, not required — everyone speaks English.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for New Braunfels. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep for river and waterpark; Apr and Oct–Nov for Gruene, Wurstfest and lower prices · avoid Jul–Aug weekend afternoons (heat, traffic, packed rivers); check river flow after drought · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SAT and AUS: last shuttle times, rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with anchors: downtown, Gruene, Landa Park and the Comal, the I-35 hotel strip.
  3. River-day fixture: tube rental, shuttle, entry and parking prices checked for the current season.
  4. Summer-weekend and drought fixtures so the page can flag closed runs and sold-out beds.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources