Festivals and fairs
Comal County Fair
The Comal County Fair is one of the largest county fairs in Texas and is generally held the last week of September. The Friday during the Fair is a local holiday with a downtown parade and other activities
New Braunfels Folkfest
Folkfest is an annual Family Heritage festival celebrating the German/Anglo/Spanish heritage of New Braunfels. Most activities take place at the Heritage Village, but there is a costumed children's parade the Kindermaskenball Parade that takes place in Downtown New Braunfels. This is generally held the second week of April, but check the website for more details
Wurstfest
German for "sausage festival", is held for ten days, beginning the Friday before the first Monday in November. Concessions are found throughout the grounds. Activities celebrating the German heritage take place throughout New Braunfels during Wurstfest Heritage Exhibit
Hiking
Landa Park
A large park along the Comal river. It has lots of trails and open spaces, but is not very secluded. Landa Park also has new and improved playground equipment!
Cypress Bend Park
On the Guadalupe
Panther Canyon Nature Trail
Panther Canyon Nature Trail is a 51 acre wilderness area at the western edge of Landa Park that is excellent for hiking, geocaching, etc.
Fair Park
On the Gaudalupe. This park also serves as auxiliary parking for Schlitterbahn during the summer months.
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Tubing
Felger's Tube Rental
Offers tubes, shuttles, and parking.
This seems to be what the Comal river was created for. People rent an innertube, hop in the water, and float a few miles down the river. The services of a tubing shuttle are often employed to get from the end back to the insertion point, but because of loops in the river it's a very short walk. Note a recent ordinances prohibit carrying coolers with a capacity over 16 quarts on the river in city limits (http://www.nbcham.org/Con...)'07.htm, and consumption or carrying an open container of an alcoholic drink in city parks (http://www.nbcham.org/ope...).
City Tube Rental
Run by the city of New Braunfels. Tube rental also has a $10 deposit, returned when you return the tubes - you are asked to write your name on the receipt, which is kept on file for the day, and your deposit is returned when you provide the rented tubes and name on the receipt.
Schlitterbahn
Consistently called the best waterpark in the world. See web site for various ticket prices, reserve rooms early to ensure availability.