Germany may be more than 5,000 miles from Texas, but for 10 days a year, this fascinating suburb of San Antonio is as Deutsch as it gets. Wurstfest, as it’s called, welcomes more than 200,000 people annually to New Braunfels for music, carnival rides, beer and, of course, food.
Bratwurst isn’t the only thing bringing newcomers to New Braunfels, though. The city’s affordable real estate and booming jobs market — which added a record 39,000 new jobs in 2023 alone — have helped cement it as one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. And that trend isn’t slowing down: Moody’s Analytics predicts New Braunfels will see a whopping 21% job growth by 2028 — a higher spike than any other U.S. city.
Aside from Wurstfest, residents get outside to kayak and paddleboard along the Guadalupe River, or cycle along the Texas Hill Country’s many trails. Little ones explore the Natural Bridge Caverns or meander through one of the town’s many museums. And if you happen to find yourself in New Braunfels with time to kill, there are worse ways to spend an evening than at Gruene Hall, one of the oldest honky tonks in Texas.
