Shopping, dining, wine tasting and walking in the historic town of Gruene, Texas
The historic town of Gruene, with its western style and Victorian buildings, unique shops, wineries and restaurants, is a popular day trip in Texas’s Hill Country. Gruene, pronounced “green”, is listed among the Historic Places in the National Register and lies within the city limits of New Braunfels along the Guadalupe River. It is 25 miles north of San Antonio and 40 miles south of Austin.
The area around Gruene was settled by German farmers. Ernst Gruene and his sons bought land and opened businesses in the latter part of the 1800s. The community of Gruene was established in 1872 and served as a commercial centre for cotton farmers in the area until the 1930s.
The first mercantile store (now Gruene General Store) was built in 1878 by H. D. Gruene. Later the store moved across the street to the Gruene Antique Store building.
Economic disaster from boll weevils in the 1920s followed by the Depression resulted in the closure of the various businesses and Gruene became a virtual ghost town. In the 1970s, an architecture student working with the Texas Historical Commission discovered Gruene while kayaking on the Guadalupe River. His delight with the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century buildings eventually led to Gruene being listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as an entire district. Developers moved in and worked to preserve the turn-of-the-century feel of the town.
The modern-day shops of Gruene carry an eclectic mix of goods – art, kitchenware, home decor, clothing, tourist trinkets and antiques. I visited Gruene with a group of women friends and the theme on that particular day seemed to be “shabby chic”.
Gruene Hall, a bar and dance hall, was built in the 1880s. Gruene Hall never closed when other business did in the 1930s. It now bills itself as the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas. Many country-singing stars and legends have performed here over the years, including Willie Nelson, George Strait and Lyle Lovett. A complete list of singers is displayed inside the hall.
By design, not much has physically changed since the hall was built. It has a 6,000 square foot wooden dance floor and a high pitched tin roof. It has wooden walls with wide side flaps for open air dancing.
The Grapevine, a wine tasting room in the heart of historic Gruene, has a large selection of Texan wines available for tasting or purchase. You can select three for a free tasting, pay for additional tasting, buy a bottle to take home, buy a glass to sip on the premises, or get a glass to go and sip as you explore the town. There are also a couple of wineries in the town.
The Gruene cotton gin processed crops until 1922 when the wooden structure burned to the ground. All that remains of the water-powered mill today is the three-story brick boiler room, which has become the Gristmill Restaurant & Bar. The multi-level restaurant has lots of seating, both indoors and out, on tiered patios.
Gruene makes a nice day trip from either San Antonio or Austin. Have you visited Gruene?
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29 Comments
jacquiegum
April 26, 2015 at 6:23 pmThis looks absolutely charming! I’ve been in San Antonio a few times but never heard of Gruene! Next time, I’ll make it a point. If nothing else, I’d like to try those giant onion rings! They made my mouth water!!
Donna Janke
April 27, 2015 at 9:15 amJacquie, Gruene makes for a fun day trip.
santafetraveler
April 27, 2015 at 10:25 amGood to know about- we’re wanting to do a roadtrip to west Texas and the Hill Country so we’ll add Gruen, Love old towns. Wonder if they have any good barbecue.
Donna Janke
April 27, 2015 at 4:57 pmI don’t know if there is any barbecue in Gruene. I didn’t notice any, but I am not a huge barbecue fan. I’m sure there is some good barbecue in the area, if not in Gruene itself. Enjoy the Texas hill Country.
Michele Peterson (A Taste for Travel)
April 27, 2015 at 11:39 amGruen sounds like an interesting place to visit! The dance hall is especially intriguing…it would be great to see Willie Nelson, George Strait or Lyle Lovett play there.
Donna Janke
April 27, 2015 at 4:59 pmMichele, I didn’t look at the playbill of who was playing in the next while at the dance hall. Perhaps the next Willie Nelson or George Strait.
Doreen Pendgracs
April 28, 2015 at 4:32 pmI’m with you, Michele! Listening to music legends in nostalgic venues really adds to the experience! I’d love to go to Gruen, or to Austin, as I’ve not been there either.
Nancie
April 27, 2015 at 4:31 pmI’d like to have a wander through here. I have imagined there being wineries in Texas. I’d love to try some of the locally bottled.
Donna Janke
April 27, 2015 at 4:59 pmNancie, Gruene makes for a pleasant wander.
contentedtraveller
April 27, 2015 at 10:13 pmThis looks a really interesting place. Would love to visit the Gruene Hall, and hear some music.
Donna Janke
April 28, 2015 at 4:04 pmIt is an interesting place and Gruene Hall is very popular.
betsywuebker
April 28, 2015 at 3:27 pmLooks wonderful! I’d love to see a show in the old dance hall! What stories over the years!
Donna Janke
April 28, 2015 at 4:04 pmBetsy, I imagine there are great stories. If those wooden walls and floors could talk!
MoreTimeToTravel (@MoreTime2Travel)
April 28, 2015 at 4:57 pmThese pictures (except for the onion rings) look as if they came from a western movie!
Donna Janke
April 29, 2015 at 9:30 amThey have certainly maintained the turn-of-the-century feel.
The GypsyNesters
April 28, 2015 at 6:08 pmWhat a fantastic getaway! And those onion rings look killer!
Donna Janke
April 29, 2015 at 9:31 amFive of us shared the plate of onion rings as an appetizer and could easily have gone with a smaller plate!
Carole Terwilliger Meyers
April 28, 2015 at 6:44 pmI haven’t visited Gruene, but I will head there for a little side trip. next time I am in Austin.
Donna Janke
April 29, 2015 at 9:31 amCarole, Gruene makes a nice side trip.
Carol Colborn
April 28, 2015 at 9:03 pmI lived in Texas for 2 year and Gruene is only 1.75 hours away but never went. I now regret it! Thanks for showing it to me!
Donna Janke
April 29, 2015 at 9:32 amCarol, maybe you will still get there sometime in all your travels.
A Cook Not Mad (Nat)
April 30, 2015 at 8:31 amThe gristmill restaurant looks like a fun place with great views!
Donna Janke
May 1, 2015 at 7:07 amNat, it is a great place for a leisurely lunch.
suzannestavert
April 30, 2015 at 12:45 pmLooks like a movie set! I try to stay away from foods like that, but there is no way I could turn my back on those gigantic onion rings!
Donna Janke
May 1, 2015 at 7:09 amSuzanne, the Gristmill has some healthier options on their menu as well. I don’t eat foods like that very often either, but the onion rings were delicious.
Lisa Chavis
May 1, 2015 at 3:52 amI love learning about places like this! The “shabby chic” theme is perfect – such a charming town to visit, and those onion rings – wow! Thanks for sharing this with us 🙂
Donna Janke
May 1, 2015 at 7:09 amThanks Lisa – it is a charming town.
malaysianmeanders
May 2, 2015 at 1:43 amI think the Gristmill has some of the best Chicken Fried Steak in the world. I’ve been meaning to take a daytrip there from Austin but haven’t had a chance. Shabby chic is a good way to describe the feel of the town. I’d love to visit Gruene in the evening and do a little two stepping in the Hall. It’s funny that I posted about Fredericksburg today because I had some free time and was trying to decide between Gruene and Fredericksburg. I need to do Gruene soon now that you’ve got me all raring to go after reading about it.
Donna Janke
May 2, 2015 at 8:41 amI have never had chicken fried steak at Gristmill or anywhere else. I will have to try if I visit Gruene again.. And I would like to visit Fredericksburg next time I am in the area.