The river, for people who live here
Tubing the Comal, and the apartments closest to the water
2.5 miles of river at 70 to 72 degrees year round, running through the middle of town. Every visitor guide tells you which outfitter to book. This one measures how far the water is from every community we track, and spells out the container rule that catches new residents out.
- 4
- Within a mile of the put-in
- 19
- Within two miles
- 0.44 mi
- Closest community
- $1,199
- Cheapest inside a mile
Checked against each community's own website. Latest check September 10, 2026.
The walk
Measured to the put-in, closest first
The question a renter has is not which outfitter. It is whether the river is something you walk to with a tube under your arm or something you drive to and pay to park at. Below is the answer, measured from each community's verified location to Prince Solms Park, straight line.
| Community | To the put-in | Starting rent | Special today | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Augusta at Gruene | 0.44 mi | $1,199 | 4.33 weeks free | Downtown, Main Plaza & Landa Park |
| The Landmark | 0.65 mi | $1,450 | none today | Downtown, Main Plaza & Landa Park |
| Braunwood at Town Creek | 0.90 mi | $2,097 | 8.67 weeks free | Downtown, Main Plaza & Landa Park |
| The Brook | 0.96 mi | ask | none today | Downtown, Main Plaza & Landa Park |
| Braunfels Haus | 1.23 mi | ask | none today | Downtown, Main Plaza & Landa Park |
| RiverStone | 1.25 mi | $1,009 | 4.33 weeks free | I-35 South Corridor |
| Braunfels Place | 1.28 mi | $846 | none today | I-35 South Corridor |
| Casinas at Gruene | 1.29 mi | $1,999 | 4.33 weeks free | Gruene Historic District |
| Lodge at Guadalupe | 1.32 mi | $844 | 4.33 weeks free | Gruene Historic District |
| Riverbend | 1.33 mi | $1,285 | none today | I-35 South Corridor |
| Laurel Heights | 1.35 mi | $919 | 4.33 weeks free | Downtown, Main Plaza & Landa Park |
| Vista del Sol | 1.55 mi | ask | none today | I-35 South Corridor |
| LakeHaus at Dunlap | 1.57 mi | ask | none today | I-35 South Corridor |
| Westshore Colony | 1.74 mi | $1,155 | 6 weeks free | I-35 South Corridor |
| The Legacy at Veramendi | 1.84 mi | $956 | 6.5 weeks free | Veramendi & the West Side |
Straight-line distance from our geocoded pins. Rents read from each community's own site and banked nightly, latest September 10, 2026.
Inside a mile of the water
See these on the mapLive from the same bank the map reads, closest to the put-in first.
Cited, not measured
What a float costs and what the rules are
These figures come from the City of New Braunfels and from Visit New Braunfels rather than from us, and they were checked September 11, 2026. Fees change between seasons, so treat this as the shape of the cost rather than a quote.
| What | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| River activity wristband | $2 | Weekends and holidays, Memorial Day through Labor Day |
| City Tube Chute admission | $7 | Use the chute as many times as you like |
| City tube rental | $15 plus a $20 refundable deposit | At the chute |
| Outfitter package | $15 to $22 a person, typically | Usually covers parking, shuttle and the tube |
Source: City of New Braunfels river pages and Visit New Braunfels.
Parking at the access points
| Access point | Parking |
|---|---|
| Prince Solms Park | $20 |
| Hinman Island | $30 |
| Elizabeth Ave | $10 |
Parking charges apply May 1 through Labor Day, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The river itself
Why it runs all year
The Comal is spring fed, which is why it holds 70 to 72 degrees year round whatever the month, and why locals float it in shoulder season when the visitors have gone. One of the shortest navigable waterways in the United States, and it runs entirely inside the city limits.
The practical consequence for a renter is that this is not a summer amenity. A community within walking distance of the water is within walking distance of it in March and October too, and those are the months worth picturing when you are looking at a twelve month lease.
One more rule worth knowing before you buy a tube: A personal tube may not be more than five feet across.
Questions renters actually ask
What is actually banned on the river?+
City ordinance chapter 86.14 bans every disposable container on the Comal and on the stretch of the Guadalupe inside the city: cans, plastic bottles, glass, zip-top bags, styrofoam cups and coolers, cardboard, paper napkins and food wrappers. Carrying one is the violation, whatever you meant to do with it. The fine runs to Up to $500. Source: City of New Braunfels river pages and Visit New Braunfels, checked September 11, 2026.
What does a float cost?+
River activity wristband, $2; City Tube Chute admission, $7; City tube rental, $15 plus a $20 refundable deposit; Outfitter package, $15 to $22 a person, typically. Parking charges apply May 1 through Labor Day, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those are the published figures at the time we checked, not our own measurement.
How long does the float take?+
About one and a half to two hours. The Comal runs 2.5 miles and the water sits at 70 to 72 degrees year round, which is the reason people float it in April and in September rather than only in July.
Can I walk to the water from an apartment?+
From 4 of the communities we track, yes — they sit within a mile of the put-in at Prince Solms Park, with The Augusta at Gruene at 0.44 miles. Straight-line measurement from each community's verified location, so the walk itself is longer.
Is there a premium for living by the river?+
Less than you would expect. Inside a mile the cheapest proven start is $1,199, and the median across everything within two miles is $985. The riverside stock here is largely the older stock, so closeness and price pull in opposite directions.
Do I need my own tube?+
Not necessarily, and if you bring one there is a size rule: A personal tube may not be more than five feet across. The city rents at the chute and the outfitters bundle the tube with parking and the shuttle, which is usually the cheaper way to do it once.
What about parking if I drive to it?+
Prince Solms Park $20, Hinman Island $30, Elizabeth Ave $10. Parking charges apply May 1 through Labor Day, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Which is the arithmetic behind the walking table above: two summers of weekend parking is real money.
Keep reading
Wurstfest and where to live
The same park, ten days in November.
The Gruene guide
The Guadalupe side of town.
Downtown and Landa Park
Where the walking ring is.
Moving to New Braunfels
Rent, drives and areas in one place.
Near a grocery store
The other walk that matters.
The live map
Every community we track, on one screen.