One Of America's 'Best Main Streets For Christmas Shopping' Is A Texas Treasure Full Of Unique Gifts

Texas is littered with one stoplight towns that have architectural tributes to the past, but one charming town in the center of the Lone Star State delivers heavily on that nostalgia mixed with some locally crafted holiday spirit. It's not often these days that you can stroll through a town square with traces of history that go back centuries, far enough to a time when dirt roads were the norm and horses were the primary mode of transportation. That walk back in time is a reality in the adorable historical district of Gruene. 

Set approximately 30 miles north of San Antonio — not far from the BBQ capital of Texas — and 50 miles south of Austin, Gruene has garnered a national reputation as one of the best Main Street corridors for Christmas shopping in America. A trek to the idyllic town of Gruene, Texas, is an opportunity for you to bask in old world holiday spirit and possibly find the next great gift for yourself or for a loved one. 

Gruene Road and the shopping hub of this Texas gem is located in the Gruene Historic District of New Braunfels. The town has a recorded history of more than 180 years, dating back to German farmer settlements in the 1840s, and some of its original structures are in place today. The revitalization of Gruene in the 1970s helped modernize the area while still preserving its historical structures, and Gruene has since been added to the National Register of Historic Places. 

Walking through the historic district, you're immediately taken back in time as shops appear around each corner offering an array of antiques and mementos. Visitors to Gruene rave about the uniqueness of locally owned shops, like Gruene Antique Company, offering gemstones and collectibles showcasing the rich history of the area, and Cosmic Plant Company for unique gifts and garden trinkets. As the typically crowded holiday tourism and travel season arrives in Gruene, the local spirit comes alive to offer one of the best shopping experiences in America for Texans and visitors in search of the perfect gift.

There are holiday events all through the season in Gruene, but it's the market days that visitors rave about each year. The variety of holiday crafts and locally sourced gifts and foods from Texas vendors are available on select weekends during holiday season, but the plethora of shops along Gruene Road and Hunter Road and open year round. This destination's shopping experience was named top 150 favorite Main Streets for Christmas shopping by a Present.com report, and it is a long-standing attraction for visitors in Central Texas. While you're in the small district, locals recommend dining at The Gristmill, a landmark that has history dating back to origins of Gruene's development in the 1970s. The restaurant serves American classics along the banks of the Guadalupe River on what were the ruins of a cotton gin in the 19th century.

Of course, no Gruene trip is complete without a stop into Old Gruene Hall. The old-school dance hall is supremely popular with visitors as it is the cornerstone building in town. Stepping through the doors, the rustic wooden build offers an instant step back in time to old western culture. Finish your Gruene day at Cotton Eyed Joe's, which offers up all the official Old Gruene Hall merchandise you could need for your holiday shopping list to be complete.