If ever an inn embodied the warmth and hospitality of its founders, it’s the Sugarberry Inn.

The inn first opened its doors in 2014, but its history stretches back decades, into the teenage years of a young man surfing the Texas coast and a young woman who grew up watching the sun set over the Pacific in Santa Cruz, California. Looking for a bigger surfing challenge than Texas could offer, Joe Giardina headed west, attended college at UC-Santa Cruz and met Susan not long after graduation. They discovered a shared love for the great outdoors that formed the backdrop for marriage, children and plenty of hard work.

As their family grew, Joe applied his mathematics degree to building a high tech company while Susan used her accounting skills to keep track of their four growing kids. In time, Joe’s strong Texas roots drew them back to the Lone Star State where he and Susan fell in love with the Hill Country. As children headed for college and their nest began to empty, Joe and Susan decided to sell the family business and pursue a new dream: creating a romantic Hill Country getaway.

These days, they busy themselves with creating an unparalleled guest experience, building relationships in the Fredericksburg community and spending as much time by the fire pit as possible.