"Outstanding 5 star service. Well worth the cost and professionalism cannot be matched. Thank you for making this trip so much easier. Extremely clean Escalade, well dressed professional driver. Very impressed! Will definitely use this service again!"
~ Kym S., Leander, TX
Texas Painted Churches Tour
Private SUV & Sprinter Van Tour with Docent
Eighty miles southeast of Austin are the small communities of Schulenburg, Dubina, Praha, High Hill and Ammannsville. One of the earliest settlements of German, Czech and Austrian immigrants in Texas, these communities boast beautiful hidden architectural and cultural gems. Immigrants built stunning churches in the likeness of churches they had left behind in their homeland of Europe.
Today, these painted churches are some of the most extraordinary architectural, cultural and historical attractions in the State of Texas. There are more than 30 painted churches in Texas, with many listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The churches contain prodigious works of art, hand-painted sculptures, marble walls, intricately designed columns, and vibrant, decorative patterns and stained glass. Indeed, all represent an important acclaim to Texan history.
We offer round-trip private car service from Austin for a day trip to visit 4 to 5 churches. Our tour lasts a total of approximately 8 to 9 hours (including transportation to/from Austin).
Our day starts at 8am in the morning with a pickup anywhere in the Austin metropolitan area. We transport your group to Schulenburg where a professional docent joins our tour. We tour two or three churches before breaking for an hour lunch in Schulenberg at
The Garden Co. Cafe
(good only for groups of 5 or less) or the
Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant
(good for larger groups). Lunch is not included cost of tour. After lunch, we visit two or three more churches before heading back to Austin. In true Texas tradition, some of the best goodies can be found at gas stations; so on the way back, we make a quick stop at
Weikel's Bakery & Gas Station
for you to shop for delectable treats. We arrive back in Austin between 4pm and 5pm.
We provide transportation in a Lincoln Navigator SUV for up to 5 passengers or a Mercedes Sprinter passenger van for up to 14 passengers. Contact our office directly to book this special tour.
Texas Painted Churches Tour Cost:
[Includes 9-hours of service including tours of at least 4 to 5 churches, venue fees, professional docent & tips for docent and driver. Non-refundable deposit of $100 required. Lunch is at your own cost]
- SUV (up to 5 passengers): $1,430 + $25 Per Person
[$130 additional per hour for any hour over 9 hours, pro-rated in 15-minute increments]
- Sprinter (up to 14 passengers): $1,800 + $25 Per Person
[$170 additional per hour for any hour over 9 hours, pro-rated in 15-minute increments]
Texas Painted Churches Tour Question & Answers:
Can we pick the Painted Chuches we want to tour?
Generally, yes. If you have an idea of which churches you wish to tour, you may provide us your requested itinerary. However, please note that some churches may not be available because of events and/or renovations. We recommend leaving the selections up to the docent, who will recommend a tour of the best churches available for your tour.
How long does it take to tour the Painted Churches?
We can almost always complete a tour of 4 to 5 churches in 8 to 9 hours (including travel time to/from Austin), which includes approximately 30 minutes at each location.
That said, timing is largely up to the group. If your group tends to linger at each location, takes a long lunch, and/or your pick-up location is in the western or north areas of Austin (which adds travel time), your tour will obviously take longer than average. As well, larger groups usually take longer than smaller groups.
If you go over the allotted 9 hours, we pro-rate our hourly fee in 15-minute increments.
Do you have lunch recommendations for the Painted Churches Tour?
Schulenberg is in the center of the area in which the tour occurs, so Schulenberg is a good pick to stop for lunch. We have two recommendations:
For smaller groups of 6 or less, The Garden Co. Cafe is an excellent choice. The restaurant offers delicious food in a quaint, farmhouse setting. The Garden Co Cafe would not be a good pick for larger groups as the restaurant is small and does not have inside seating for larger groups.
For larger groups of 7 or more, the Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant is a good choice. The restaurant offers a buffet style serving, so it serves large groups very well.
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