Holidays in New Braunfels When Your RV Is Home for the Winter
Yes, you can have a full holiday season without driving home. Canopy RV Resort sits about 20 minutes from Gruene and about 25 from San Antonio, Wurstfest is running right now on the Comal River, and the clubhouse has room for a crowd. Here is what Thanksgiving through New Year's looks like from here, plus the dates worth putting on the fridge.
Is Wurstfest worth going to this week?
Absolutely, and this is the cheap week to go. Wurstfest 2026 runs November 6 through 15 in Landa Park, near the headwaters of the Comal River. Admission is free Monday through Thursday, November 9 to 12, with gates opening at 5 PM. Kids 12 and under get in free every day, which matters if the grandkids are already in town.
A couple of tips from the festival's own site: buy weekend tickets online to save $5, and download your ticket to your phone before you leave. Every bar takes cards. Hours, the music lineup and parking options are on the official Wurstfest site.
What is Thanksgiving like at an RV resort?
Quieter than you might expect, and friendlier. By late November most of our winter neighbors have settled in, and plenty of them are also a long way from their own kitchens. A shared meal is the easiest fix.
If you want to host, the clubhouse Grand Room is built for it:
Tables and chairs that seat 40, with a maximum capacity of 82
A full kitchen and a TV, so the turkey and the football can share a room
Restrooms in the clubhouse for your guests
Glass doors out to a covered pavilion with barbecue grills and seating for 20
Monthly guests can rent the Grand Room at a discounted rate of $250 for four hours, then $50 for each additional hour. Overnight guests and the public pay $500 for four hours. The pavilion, grills and fire pit stay open to everyone even during a rental, so the smoker crowd can still work outside. Details are on the Grand Room rental page. If you have a date in mind, call the office early to ask about it.
What the resort itself has planned for the holidays will show up in the Canopy App first, the same way the weekly schedule does. Our events page covers the usual week: complimentary coffee in the clubhouse every day, lighted pickleball courts, and cornhole, horseshoes, volleyball and badminton gear at the front desk. The free hot breakfast is typically on Saturday, and food trucks come most weekends, so check the app for any holiday weekend changes.
Robert summed up why people stay for the season in his Google review:
"The atmosphere and sense of community as well as ALL the activities make this resort a Texas gem!"Robert, Google review
What holiday events are near New Braunfels?
Three short drives cover most of the season. Here they are in calendar order, with the dates each event's official site lists for 2026.
Old Gruene Market Days, November 21 and 22
Gruene is about 20 minutes from the resort gate. The weekend before Thanksgiving, the historic district hosts Old Gruene Market Days, a good first look at the holiday shopping. Our RV park near Gruene guide has more on Gruene Hall, the Gristmill and the river.
Ford Holiday River Parade in San Antonio, November 27
The day after Thanksgiving, San Antonio lights the River Walk. The 2026 Ford Holiday River Parade starts at 6 PM on Friday, November 27, at the Tobin Center. The River Walk stays lit with holiday lights from sundown to sunrise through early January.
Our tip: expect a crowd on parade night. If you would rather stroll than stand, the lights stay up into January, so a December weeknight works just as well. San Antonio is about 25 minutes from the resort, so you can head down after dinner and be back before quiet hours.
Gruene Christmas Market Days and Town Lighting, December 5 and 6
This is the big Gruene weekend. Christmas Market Days run December 5 and 6 from 10 AM to 5 PM with nearly 100 vendors, and admission is free. On Saturday evening a brass band plays at 5 PM, and the Gruene Town Lighting follows at 6 PM, when Cowboy Kringle rides in on horseback and hands out candy canes to the kids.
Make a day of it. Shop in the morning, eat early, and grab your spot on the street before the band starts. The Gruene events calendar also lists Cowboy Kringle photo dates and a holiday edition of Come and Taste It on December 17. Gruene's listings also include a Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot; check the official page for this year's date.
Can family visit you at the resort over the holidays?
Yes, and plenty of them do. A few rules from our resort policies keep it easy for everyone:
Register every visitor. Visitors check in at the office when they arrive. Visitors who use the resort amenities are charged a daily fee.
Mind the head count. Each site allows up to five registered guests, visitors included, unless management approves more in advance. Call ahead if you are expecting a bigger group.
Know the night rules. Quiet hours are 10 PM to 7 AM. Children under 16 stay at their campsite after 10 PM unless they are heading to the bathhouse or are with an adult.
If the family is bringing their own rig, book them a site nearby instead of squeezing everyone into yours. Short stays book online, and our Stay and Save specials give the fourth night free when you stay three, as listed on the special offers page. For the cooler evenings, there are two hot tubs, one saltwater and one chlorine.
What is open around the resort over the holidays?
For the forgotten cranberry sauce run, H-E-B, Walmart, Target and Home Depot are all within five miles of Canopy. Store holiday hours vary, so check before you go on the day itself.
At the resort, propane refills are available seven days a week during business hours. Office hours can shift around Thanksgiving and Christmas, so check the Canopy App or call (830) 310-8511 before you plan a refill or a package pickup. Packages are accepted at the office; put your site number on them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I host a holiday meal in the clubhouse?
Yes. The Grand Room can be rented for private events. It seats 40 at tables, has a full kitchen and a TV, and opens onto a covered pavilion with grills. Monthly guests pay $250 for four hours and $50 for each extra hour. Overnight guests and the public pay $500 for four hours. Call the office early to hold a holiday date.
How many visitors can stay at my site over the holidays?
Up to five registered guests per site, visitors included, unless management approves more in advance. Every visitor registers at the office on arrival, and visitors who use the resort amenities pay a daily fee. If family is bringing an RV, booking them their own site nearby is usually the easier answer for everyone.
How far is Canopy from Gruene and the San Antonio River Walk?
Historic Gruene is about 20 minutes from the resort, and San Antonio is about 25. Landa Park, home of Wurstfest, is about six miles away. That makes evening events like the Gruene Town Lighting on December 5 or the River Walk lights an easy drive there and back before quiet hours start at 10 PM.
Is the resort office open on the holidays?
Holiday hours can change around Thanksgiving and Christmas, so check the Canopy App or call (830) 310-8511 before you plan an errand. The gate and fitness center open with your keycard around the clock, and the laundry room and bathhouses are open 24/7, so the basics never close.
Ready to spend the holidays here?
Call us at (830) 310-8511 to reserve the Grand Room or set up a monthly stay, or book a site for visiting family online. We would love to have you at the table this year.