Austin's Favorite Day Trip Just Got Sweeter

You're already 90 minutes from handcrafted chocolate, Texas wine, and a factory you can actually walk through. What are you waiting for?

Austin to Fredericksburg: The Easiest Escape in Texas

This is barely even a road trip. The drive from Austin to Hill Country Chocolate is 90 minutes of increasingly beautiful Hill Country scenery — live oaks, wildflowers in season, and limestone bluffs. You could do this on a Tuesday afternoon.
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Quick Facts

Distance

~80 miles

Drive Time

Approximately 1.5 hours

Best Route

US-290 West — straight shot, no navigation required

Our Address

144 Industrial Loop, Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Pro Tip

Leave Austin on US-290 and resist the urge to stop at every winery on the way — save your palate for the tasting. There'll be plenty of time for the Wine Road after.

Get Directions on Google Maps

Not Another Austin Food Tour — Something Better

Austin has no shortage of food experiences. But this one's different. You're not standing in line on South Congress. You're sitting in a tasting room overlooking a working chocolate factory in the Texas Hill Country, with a glass of local wine and a flight of chocolate that was made 50 feet from where you're sitting.

Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Our 90-minute guided tasting pairs handcrafted chocolates with Texas Hill Country wines. Groups max out at 10, which means actual conversation, real attention, and the kind of experience Austin's food scene has taught you to appreciate.
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What You'll Experience:

Curated pairings of artisan chocolate and local Texas wines

A view into our working production floor — the chocolate is made right here

Stories behind each piece — where the cacao comes from, how we craft it

Relaxed, unhurried pacing in a town that moves at a different speed

Book Your Tasting Experience

Day Trip or Weekend — Both Work Perfectly

Austin's proximity makes this the ideal day trip, but Fredericksburg has more than enough to fill a weekend if you're in the mood.

Option A: The Day Trip

Day 1

Leave Austin mid-morning (no rush, it's 90 minutes)

Arrive for your tasting at Hill Country Chocolate

After the tasting, walk Main Street or hit a winery

Grab lunch in town

Back in Austin by dinner — with a box of chocolate on the passenger seat

Option B: The Weekend Getaway

Day 1

Drive out to Fredericksburg, check into your guest house

Afternoon: explore Main Street — shops, galleries, beer gardens

Dinner at a Hill Country restaurant

Day 2

Morning: Wine & Chocolate Tasting at Hill Country Chocolate

Afternoon: US-290 Wine Road — 2–3 wineries at your own pace

Drive back to Austin with zero regrets

Where to Stay

If you're making it a night, Fredericksburg has 400+ guest houses and B&Bs. The German-style Sunday Houses are a local favorite. Book ahead for spring weekends.

Stock Up Before You Head Back to Austin

You know what pairs well with everything in Austin? These:

Mexican Hot Chocolate Bonbons

Spiced, rich, and very Austin-appropriate

Buy Now

Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups

Simple, clean, gone too fast

Buy Now

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels

The one that sells itself

Buy Now

Champurrado Mexican Drinking Chocolate

For Sunday mornings on the patio

Buy Now

Quick Answers for Austin Visitors

Do I need a reservation?

Yes. Tastings are limited to 10 guests max. For weekends, book at least a week ahead. Weekdays are usually more flexible.

Can I really do this as a day trip from Austin?

Easily. It's 90 minutes each way, and the tasting is 90 minutes. You could be home by 3 PM if you wanted — though most people find a reason to stay longer.

Is this different from the wineries on 290?

Completely. We're a chocolate factory with a tasting experience — not a winery tasting room. Most Austin visitors pair both: chocolate tasting in the morning, wineries in the afternoon.

Can I buy online instead?

You can — hillcountrychocolate.com ships nationwide. But at 90 minutes away, Austin has no excuse not to visit in person.

Best time to come?

Weekdays are quieter. Spring weekends are wildflower season and the town fills up. Fall and winter have a cozy, less-crowded feel that regulars love.

Austin, You're 90 Minutes Away

Book a 90-minute wine and chocolate tasting at Hill Country Chocolate. Small groups, handcrafted everything, and the easiest day trip you'll take all year.

Reserve Your Tasting

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