(This is long)
Eclipse 2024
Central Texas Trip Report
From May 17 to May 25, 2022 my wife and I explored the Texas Hill Country particularly focusing on the hospitality industry and lodging as it relates to the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. This is a report of that trip but first some general observations.
The Texas Hill Country is a tourist destination, mostly by Texans looking for some weekend entertainment indoors and out. It has grown in the past 30 years as a wine producing area. There are many vineyards and wineries. And as a result of festivals in small towns and the weekend binging, motels and RV parks have a regular up down swing in their prices. For example, the room we stayed at had a rate Sunday through Thursday of $69.00, a Friday rate of $129.00, and a Saturday rate of $149.00. Gasoline ranged from $4.19 to $4.39 per gallon during our time there.
The Hill Country is very scenic. There are many locations that offer spectacular views from the southwest (the general direction the umbra will be coming from.) It is a fairly rural area with lots of small airBnBs and regular B&Bs. The main access by airports is the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin and the San Antonio International Airport. Fredericksburg has a municipal airport that can accommodate small jets but has the décor of the 1940s and 50s. It has three separate airplane parking areas with 63 tiedowns. More information is available here: Gillespie County, Texas. Now to the housing.
In general, the motels and RV parks fell into two camps: those taking reservations and those not yet taking them. This is not a surprise. Most of these places had heard about the eclipse. Some had received calls starting shortly after the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse although most of them said just for the past 2 years or so with the rate of inquiries accelerating since the first of this year.
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County. It has a population of just over 10,000. It has lots of restaurants and an H.E.B. grocery store. These are big in Texas. Great stores with lots of services. Check them out online.
Individual Motels and Parks (we did not check them all)
Country Inn and Cottages takes reservations four months out but for the eclipse they have a notebook with a handwritten waiting list two pages long. They have no rates set yet for the eclipse event. 830-997-2185
Comfort Inn and Suites have been getting requests since January 2022. They do not take names for a waiting list. They will have rates for the eclipse sometime in January 2023 and can book then, roughly 16 months out. 830-990-2552
Wine Country Inn has had no requests so far and had not even heard about the eclipse. They can book one year out and have 50 rooms. 830-990-1300
Best Western Plus has been getting many inquiries but has no waitlist and will take reservations 6 months out. It has 56 rooms. 830-992-2929
Peach Tree Inn has rooms and suites and is taking names for a waiting list. No prices have been set although the front desk person said they heard the owner talk about setting the rate at $1000.00 per night half due with the reservation. They currently have 43 rooms and are building on in the next year. 830-997-2117
Inn at Baron’s Creek has been fully reserved by one group. 90 rooms.
Days Inn has 30 rooms and can take reservations 6 months out. Has had inquiries but is not taking names for waitlist. 830-997-1086
Econolodge has 40 rooms and typically books out one week in advance. Working guys on jobs use this place a lot. 830-997-3437
Sunset Inn has 30 rooms and books 6 months out. The owner has just purchased the property next door.
Windcrest Inn and Suites – under new management (see previous Inn). The manager said they are working hard to update the rooms and property. 60 rooms. Timeline same as previous property.
Hangar Motel at the Fredericksburg Municipal Airport has 50 rooms and is fully booked with a waitlist of 100.
Fredericksburg Hill Country Hotel and Resort has 53 rooms. It is not taking reservations yet and not sure when they will. Call to find out. 830-715-0088
Camping and RVing
Texas has some nice state parks in the path of totality. You can make reservations only 5 months in advance for up to 14 days. It is$10 to change or cancel reservation.
The Vineyards at Fredericksburg has 124 RV sites. It is nearly fully booked at $125.00 per night, full payment, non-refundable at the time of reservation. Maybe 20 sites left as of May 24, 2022. 830-992-1237
Kerrville
We visited Kerrville and found the same pattern. Franchise motels are not taking reservations until a year in advance, possibly starting as early as January 2023. Non-franchise places either have a long waitlist or are fully booked. Calling is the best thing.
Llano
We also visited the town of Llano, population 3200, and stopped at 2 places.
Llano Best Western has 39 rooms and can take reservations 51 weeks out. 325-247-4101
Lone Star Inn has 49 rooms and takes reservation 1 year in advance. 325-247-4111
General Observations: Most motels and other accommodations are going to require a 4 night stay for the eclipse of April 8, 2024. The rates will be high but are mostly unknown. We will be staying at an RV park and have put our name on the waitlist at a couple. It will be interesting to see what happens with the October 24, 2023 annular eclipse which is also visible in the Hill Country area. As we drove the mostly back roads we saw a lot of deer, cattle, goats and sheep. Most of the land is privately owned. There is very little public or BLM land for the public to use. County roads often go through ranches but you better not stop and get off the road or you will be trespassing.
I suggest that you call the local hotels directly. Do not go through booking.com or similar.
Lodging in Fredericksburg, TX | Bed & Breakfasts, Hotels & Inns (visitfredericksburgtx.com)