Lifestyle

Uber Expands to Fredericksburg to Tap Into the Winery-Hopping Business

By  | 
Tony Maples Photography

 

Is a trip to Fredericksburg for a weekend of wine-tasting and vineyard-exploring on your 2018 bucket list? Sounds fun, right? But the big question is: who will be the designated driver for this stretch of Texas Hill Country, with its winding roads, while you’re feeling a little warm and fuzzy from all of the delicious Texas wines that you’ve been consuming? Good news! Uber, the on-demand, private driver service recently announced that they’re expanding their services to include Fredericksburg–the country’s second largest grape-growing and winemaking region and a winery destination for visitors and locals alike.

Fredericksburg: Latest Texas Uber Town

Fredericksburg winery

Photo: Facebook/GrapeCreekVineyards

Uber says its Fredericksburg rollout was made possible after new statewide regulations paved the way for Uber and its chief rival, Lyft, to restart service in Austin. Under the law, drivers for the companies are not required to undergo fingerprint-based background checks.

The Fredericksburg area alone is home to more than 40 vineyards and wineries but Uber isn’t your only option for exploring this popular wine region of Texas. Guided wine tours, such as Heart of Texas Wine Tours offer carefully curated tours of the wineries and vineyards that you’d most like to visit–all from a luxury Euro bus with a responsible driver.

Texas Hill Country Home to More Than 50 Wineries

Uber Fredericksburg

Photo: Pixabay/jill111

The Texas Hill Country draws roughly five million visitors annually to its more than 52 unique and visually stunning wineries, scattered throughout the Hill Country. From Austin to Fredericksburg, and Lampasas to New Braunfels, there’s someplace new to explore around every bend in the Texas Hill Country. Each place has its own personality, terroir and style of winemaking, yet all share a commitment to quality and a fervent passion for what they do.

Uber Operates in 58 Countries

Uber Fredericksburg

Photo: Facebook/uber

Five years ago, a company called UberCab made a splash in San Francisco by letting you hail a car with your smartphone. Since then, the company, now known as Uber, has spread like wildfire through the globe. Uber currently operates in 58 countries and is valued at over $60 billion.