Things to Do in Gruene, Texas: A Day Trip From Canyon Lake

Gruene is a small historic district on the Guadalupe River, now part of New Braunfels, and it makes an easy day trip from Canyon Lake. Pair it with downtown New Braunfels and the spring-fed Comal River and you have a full day out without hitching up the rig.

This guide covers the things to do in Gruene, Texas, what’s a few minutes away in New Braunfels, and a sample plan you can borrow. Prices, hours and dates change, so we link to the official pages for each one.

How far is Gruene from Sienna Ridge RV Park?

Sienna Ridge RV Park is on FM 306 on the north side of Canyon Lake. From the park, driving routes work out to roughly:

Gruene Hall: about 16 miles, around 30 minutes.
Landa Park and downtown New Braunfels: about 23 miles, around 35 to 40 minutes.
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels: around 35 to 40 minutes.
Gruene to Landa Park or downtown New Braunfels: about 3 miles, around 10 minutes.

These are estimates from a routing service, not timed drives, so allow extra on summer weekends and festival days. For the way out of the park, see our directions.

What is Gruene Hall?

Gruene Hall was built in 1878, and it bills itself as “Texas’ oldest continually operating and most famous dance hall.” Wikipedia is careful to note that this is how the hall bills itself. The hall is a contributing property in the Gruene Historic District, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

How do shows and tickets work?

The hall’s FAQ explains the basics:

Free shows. Listings without ticket information are free shows. When we checked the calendar in late October 2026, it had several free late-morning and afternoon sets alongside ticketed evening shows.
Ticketed shows. Advance tickets for ticketed shows must be bought online. Ticketed listings link out to the seller.
Kids. All ages are welcome unless a ticketed show says otherwise, but kids of any age pay full price for shows with advance tickets.
Seating. Admission doesn’t guarantee a seat or dance space, and most ticketed shows are standing room only.
Parking. The FAQ says parking is free and across the street from the hall.

A free afternoon set is a low-commitment way to see the inside of the hall, then wander the rest of the district.

What else is there to do in the Gruene Historic District?

Shopping

The district’s official site describes it as “packed to the brim with locally-owned shops.” It’s all walkable, so park once and browse.

Where to eat by the river

The Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar has served Texas-style food since 1977 in an 1870s cotton gin beneath the Gruene water tower, overlooking the Guadalupe River, according to the district’s listing. Its site lists hours of 11 am to 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and 11 am to 10 pm Friday and Saturday, and it uses an online waitlist rather than reservations. Check its site before you go.

For other options, from coffee and ice cream to a winery, see the district’s eat and drink list.

When is Gruene Market Days?

Gruene Market Days runs the third full weekend of each month from February through November, plus the first weekend of December. Market hours are 10 am to 5 pm, with nearly 100 artisans selling handmade items, and admission and parking are free. The remaining 2026 dates are November 21–22 and December 5–6.

The district’s events page lists other weekends worth planning around, such as the Texas Clay Festival on October 24–25, 2026.

What is there to do in New Braunfels?

The Comal River

The Comal is fed by natural springs and stays between 68 and 72 degrees year-round, according to Visit New Braunfels. Tubing is the classic way to see it, and most rental outfitters include a shuttle back to the start.

A few things the City of New Braunfels wants you to know:

River access parks are open daily from 6 am to midnight.
The river can close temporarily during high water. At 600 cfs and above, it’s closed.
Lifeguards are on duty at the City Tube Chute on weekends in May and daily from June to mid-August, and not after Labor Day.
Parking near the river is paid.

The city also bans disposable containers on the rivers inside city limits. See its river operations page for the full rules before you pack a cooler.

Landa Park

Landa Park is the city’s 51-acre park around Comal Springs, under big oak trees. The city lists a spring-fed swimming pool, paddle boats on Landa Lake, a miniature train, miniature golf and the Panther Canyon hiking trail. The park is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm, and Visit New Braunfels says it’s free to enter. Pool, boat and train schedules are seasonal, so check the city’s pages first.

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels is a waterpark on the banks of the spring-fed Comal River. Its official site is now part of Six Flags. Visit New Braunfels reported that it opened for the 2026 season on May 2. It’s a warm-weather park, so check the calendar and hours before planning a visit outside summer.

Downtown and German heritage

New Braunfels was founded in 1845. The city’s history page says Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels bought the land on March 14, 1845, and led the first German settlers in a week later, on Good Friday.

To learn more, the Sophienburg Museum and Archives is downtown at 401 W. Coll St. Its site lists museum hours of Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, but check its current status before you go.

When is Wurstfest?

Wurstfest is New Braunfels’ festival of German culture, held in Landa Park near the headwaters of the Comal River. In 2026 it runs November 6–15. Admission is free Monday through Thursday, with gates opening at 5 pm. Kids 12 and under get in free every day. Weekend prices are on the tickets page.

The festival started in 1961, according to its history page, and was first called the “Sausage Festival.”

A sample day trip from Canyon Lake

Half day: Gruene only

Late morning. Drive about 30 minutes to Gruene and walk the shops.
Lunch. Eat by the river in the district.
Afternoon. Catch a free set at Gruene Hall if the calendar has one, then head back to camp.

Full day: Gruene and New Braunfels

Morning. Start in Gruene with coffee and the shops. On a Market Days weekend, start there instead.
Midday. Lunch in Gruene, then drive about 10 minutes to Landa Park for a walk, a paddle boat or the train.
Afternoon. In summer, float the Comal or spend the afternoon at Schlitterbahn. The rest of the year, visit the Sophienburg and walk downtown.
Evening. Go back to Gruene Hall for a show, or to Wurstfest in November, then drive back to the park.

Planning your stay

Sienna Ridge has 50 full-hookup sites with 30 and 50 amp service for rigs up to 75 feet, at $60 a night. See RV sites and rates, and book online. Questions? Call the office at (830) 268-0509, open daily from 8 am to 5 pm.

For more ideas closer to the lake, see our things to do page.