Gruene Hall
Two-step under century-old rafters where everyone from Willie Nelson to George Strait has played. Many afternoon shows are free; check the calendar.
Comal County
Gruene & New Braunfels
The oldest dance hall in Texas, a historic river district, and two cool rivers made for floating — all in one bend of the Guadalupe.
The place
Gruene (pronounced “green”) is a tiny 1870s district on the edge of New Braunfels, saved from demolition in the 1970s and now one of the most-loved corners of the Hill Country. At its center is Gruene Hall — opened in 1878 and billed as the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas, with the original long wooden floor and screen-window walls.
Around it: an old cotton-gin restaurant, antique shops, a winery, and the Guadalupe River below. New Braunfels next door adds the spring-fed Comal — about two and a half miles from spring to confluence, one of the shortest rivers in the country, and one of the best tubing floats anywhere.
Don't miss
- Catch a show at 1878 Gruene Hall
- Float the Guadalupe or the Comal
- Wander the historic district
- Riverside dining at the Gristmill
Things to do
How to spend your time
Float the rivers
Outfitters rent tubes for the Guadalupe (longer, livelier, dependent on releases from Canyon Dam) and the Comal (gentle, family-friendly, ice-cold spring water). A summer rite of passage — check the flow before you book.
Historic district & Gristmill
Browse the antique shops and have dinner at the Gristmill, built into the ruins of an 1878 cotton gin overlooking the river.
Wurstfest in November
Ten days of sausage, polka, and Gemütlichkeit on the Comal — one of the biggest German festivals in the country. Nov 6–15, 2026.
Plan it properly
Official sources for Gruene & New Braunfels
Hours, fees, and closures change. These are the people who set them.
- Gruene Hall
The show calendar — many afternoon sets are free.
- Gruene Historic District
Shops, lodging, and the district’s own event listing.
- Visit New Braunfels
Official CVB — river outfitters, lodging, and flow updates.
- Wurstfest
Nov 6–15, 2026.
- The Gristmill River Restaurant
Dinner in the ruins of the 1878 cotton gin.
Pair it with
Experiences here
Trips through here
Ready-made itineraries
4 days · Road trip The Swimming Holes Loop
Chase the cold, clear water from Blue Hole to Hamilton Pool to a lazy tube down the Guadalupe. Pack a towel and a reservation.
- Blue Hole, Wimberley
- Hamilton Pool
- Guadalupe River
- Comal River
2 days · Weekend Honky-Tonk & Smoke
A long weekend of brisket, two-step, and back-road dance halls — Gruene to Luckenbach with a barbecue stop in between.
- Gruene Hall
- Smoke break, Driftwood
- Luckenbach
- Bandera
Nearby
More destinations close by
Wimberley
29.997°N 98.099°WHays County
An arts town built around water — Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole, and the Cypress Creek. Market days, galleries, and the bluest swimming in Texas.
Bandera
29.726°N 99.074°WBandera County
The self-proclaimed Cowboy Capital of the World — dude ranches, honky-tonks, and trail rides along the Medina River.
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