25 Best & Fun Things To Do In San Marcos (Texas)
1. Rhea’s Ice Cream
Want to know what to do in San Marcos, Texas, for a tasty dessert?
Check out Rhea’s Ice Cream, a cool and unique ice cream shop with both counter-service and window service.
They make a lot of fun and different flavors in small batches and serve them in freshly baked cookie sandwiches, on hand-made waffle cones, or just in a handy dish.
There are some standard flavors at Rhea’s Ice Cream, like Hill Country Vanilla, Pecan Praline, Belgian Chocolate, and S’mores. There are also some more unique flavors, like Circus Animal Cookie, Banana Pudding, Goat Cheese and Raspberry Jam, and Strawberry Nutella.
There are vegan choices and a flavor of the month that is usually made with an ingredient that is in season.
Address: 318 N LBJ Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
Read More: 25 Best & Fun Things To Do In Wichita (Kansas)
2. Cheatham Street Warehouse
The Cheatham Street Warehouse is a famous spot in San Marcos and the rest of Hill County. It’s where some amazing Texas-born music stars have performed.
The music hall has become one of the best places for tourists to go if they want to see good entertainment that mixes old and new.
Even when new or up-and-coming acts are on the bill, the lineups always blow me away.
Kent Finlay (singer and songwriter) and Jim Cunningham (business partner) started Cheatham Street Warehouse in 1974.
Since it bought the property to honor Finlay’s memory, the non-profit Cheatham Street Music Foundation is now in charge of it.
It has been used as a stage by artists such as Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Marcia Ball, and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Address: 119 Cheatham St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
3. Nature of the Waters
The Nature of the Waters is a fun and unique site in Texas. It is a plaque that is part of the huge worldbuilding and stories of the made-up world of Kcymaerxthaere.
This one-of-a-kind project was made by Eames Demetrios and is a worldwide effort to tell an amazing and creative story in many ways.
All of these plates honor different made-up events that happen in the parallel worlds of these stories.
There are now more than 140 plaques in 30 countries on six continents. This is one of them.
In San Marcos Town Square, the Nature of the Waters tells the story of Aocwatt Stciwne, who was the Marshal of Gravity of Kcymaerxthaere and sadly died in a rare gun incident that Lt. Mdeu Hayz planned.
Searching for this sign is one of the coolest things to do in San Marcos if you like strange things. It gives you another look into these strange stories.
Address: 122 North LBJ Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
4. San Marcos River
One of the most beautiful natural features in the city is the San Marcos river.
This river flows through a valley that is 522 square miles long and 75 miles wide. It connects to the Blanco River and stays a nice 72 degrees all year.
The fact that the river is a popular place for water sports like swimming, diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, and tubing probably doesn’t come as a surprise.
From the Edwards Aquifer, the San Marcos River flows out of 200 spring holes at the base of Spring Lake.
It goes through an amazing 130 acres of parkland and is home to many species of animals, both on land and in water. Eight species of fish are threatened or endangered.
This river is also pretty historic; it has been inhabited by people for 12,000 years, making it one of the oldest places in North America where people have lived constantly.
If you’re not sure what to do in San Marcos, the river is the site of many events all year long. For example, the Texas Water Safari is the world’s toughest boat race.
Address: San Marcos, TX, United States
5. Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing
You can get a unique look into flight history through the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Specifically, you can learn about the country’s air forces and their work during World War II.
Since it was built in 1942, the museum is inside an old airplane hangar and is full of military and airplane items.
For history buffs, it’s one of the best things to do in San Marcos, especially because it has a large military library.
A lot of real vintage planes can be found at the Commemorative Air Force museum.
Its Ghost Squadron collection is especially amazing, with a fully restored and working B-25 Mitchell Yellow Rose WWII bomber being one of the highlights.
There are 35 old airplanes on show in total.
You can hop on one of them for a fun, real flying experience if you book ahead of time.
Address: 1841 Airport Dr Blding. 2249, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
6. San Marcos Premium Outlets
There are more than 240 stores in the San Marcos Premium Outlets, with 145 of them being name brand stores. It’s like two big shopping malls joined together.
This is one of the best things for shopaholics of all types to do in San Marcos because many high-end and fashion brands sell their goods at low prices.
Some of the names you can find at the San Marcos Premium Outlets are Gucci, Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, Louis Vuitton, Ann Taylor, Lululemon, Tory Burch, Banana Republic, Gap, Nike, Gucci, Victoria’s Secret, and J.Crew.
Stop at Johnny Rockets or TGI Fridays for food when you’re hungry.
Kids who are bored can play at Adventure Kids USA, which is right in the mall. If you need to pass the time, there is also a 20-seat movie theater.
It’s not hard to get to the mall by car or cab, and a lot of shuttles stop here as well.
The mall is on the red path of the city’s CARTS system.
Address: 3939 S Interstate 35, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
7. Middleton Brewing
Middleton Brewing is a pub and brewery with 10 barrels that is famous in San Marcos for having a broad range of ales.
It also serves lager, locally made wines and ciders, and other drinks, especially to people who come to the bar or stop by for food, including some really tasty burgers.
Middleton Brewing’s handmade beers are sold in more than 80 stores across the state, and you can try some of them here.
Some of the beers they have are the New England IPA “Juicy Visions,” the strong porter “Black Lab Porter,” the Berliner Weisse “Mr. Weisse Guy,” and the Spiked Belgian Blind “Opal.”
At Middleton Brewing, live entertainment is popular, and music is often played while you drink and eat.
You can relax on the porch outside; the business is dog-friendly and welcomes your four-legged friends.
At night, you can take part in open mic nights, which often offer discounts on certain food and drinks.
For people looking for a good drink, this is one of the most fun places to visit, no matter when or what you plan to do.
Address: 101 Oakwood Loop, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
8. LBJ Museum
One of the best places to go if you want to do something that will satisfy your interest in history is the LBJ Museum of San Marcos.
While the 36th President, Lyndon Baines Johnson, was in office from 1963 to 1969, this one-of-a-kind museum is not about those years.
This museum instead honors President Johnson’s time as a college student and then as a school teacher, and how those years shaped and helped pass the important Great Society laws that still have an effect on America today.
Periods going back as far as 1930 are the subject of permanent exhibits. These include old photos, paintings, statues, and a variety of items related to the man’s presidency.
One free thing to do in the city is to look at the LBJ Museum.
Through his Stetson hat and cowboy boots, among other things, you can learn about President Johnson’s life and work and get a sense of his Hill Country childhood.
Address: 131 N Guadalupe St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
9. Texas State Tubes
Texas State Tubes is on the beautiful San Marcos River, not far from San Marcos and about 10 minutes east of the city. They offer a wide range of tubing activities.
The cheap company offers great, fun recreational activities and helpful customer service.
Tubing trips with Texas State Tubes last for three hours and are the most chill and relaxed thing you can do.
Also, you can rent coolers and cooler floats, or you can use public beatbox floats. However, some tours include them for free.
The company that offers tubing trips also offers other types of tours to nearby places with lots of things to see and do.
This is shown by the appealing Taste & Tour: Texas Hill Country experience.
Address: 2024 N Old Bastrop Hwy, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
10. Calaboose African American History Museum
It was built into a house that was a county jail in the late 1800s. The Calaboose African American History Museum is a small but important museum.
It has a lot of pictures, artifacts, letters, and other things that show how African Americans lived in early Texas. These are important parts of its past.
People who like history and want to find secret gems already know that this is one of the best places to be.
There are lots of interesting things to see in the archives at the Calaboose African American History Museum.
A lot of people have Eddie Durham souvenirs. This group of things used to belong to the well-known jazz artist.
Things that used to belong to famous cooks Sammie Hardeman and Ulysses Cephas are also shown. So are things that used to belong to motel owner Victoria Wilson, grocery store clerk Miss Ollie Hamilton, and businessman John M. Toliver.
A lot of information is also shown about the cotton business, the KKK, the Buffalo Soldiers, colored schools, and the Old First Baptist Church.
Address: 200 Martin Luther King Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
11. Bobcat Stadium
The 30,000-seat Bobcat Stadium at Texas State University is a great place to watch football games.
It is, of course, the home field of the Texas State Bobcats, and seeing a game is one of the best things to do in San Marcos.
The Bobcat Stadium is an exciting and fun place for sports fans and people who want to have some fun. It is located in the downtown area of the city.
More than just football games have been held at the stadium. It has also been the setting for movies like “The Ringer” and TV shows like “Friday Night Lights.”
Address: 1100 Aquarena Springs Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
12. Purgatory Creek Natural Area
The Purgatory Creek Natural Area covers 700 acres and is the biggest natural area in the area.
The site’s large area is split into several smaller parts, which are called Upper and Lower Purgatory.
This is one of the best things to do in San Marcos for nature lovers and people who want to enjoy the outdoors, no matter where they are going.
Its name comes from the creek that flows through the area. The water is nice and cool and comes from a spring.
Upper Purgatory is very famous because it has many trails that people like to use to see wildlife and birds.
On the other hand, Lower Purgatory has 12 miles of tracks that are great for mountain biking and trail running.
The trails in both places are easy to moderately tough.
Prospect Park, a beautiful 9-acre area with a learning center and several easy walking paths, is the most famous part of Purgatory Creek Natural Area.
This weekend, try to see as much of the wild area as you can.
Address: 2102 Hunter Road, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
13. Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos
The Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos is one of the best places in this part of Texas to learn about Hispanic history, art, and culture.
A small library and book exchange as part of the Little Free Library project are in the center. There is also an art store and a museum.
A lot of classes, lessons, events, and workshops are also open to you.
The Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos’s building is just as old as the things it has on show.
In the past, this building was a Mexican School. That was back when schools in the city were separated.
Kids who were Hispanic or whose last names sounded Spanish had to go to this school.
People in the area who went to the school think it is very important and have many stories to share about how they dealt with racism and segregation.
The center shows how far we’ve come in making sure everyone is treated equally and that different cultures are accepted.
Address: 211 Lee St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
14. Paddle SMTX
There are a lot of fun things to do on the San Marcos River, so it’s not a surprise that there are a lot of companies that just offer that fun experience.
One of them is San Marcos, so if you’re looking for ways to get on the river, go there and see what they have to offer!
Paddle SMTX has many tours available both during the day and at night.
They do, however, offer Glow Light Night Tours that you should not miss if you happen to be free tonight.
There are waterproof LED lights on each kayak, and you can change the colors of the lights.
Most boards can only fit two people, but some SupZilla boards can fit an amazing five.
Address: 170 Charles Austin Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
15. Charles S. Cock House Museum
The stone Charles S. Cock House Museum is a beautiful, stunning building in the simple Greek Revival style.
It is the oldest private building in San Marcos; it was built in 1867.
Here, you’ll find out about the Cock family and how they changed the town.
For history buffs, the Charles S. Cock House Museum is one of the best places to visit.
You can also rent it for different kinds of events, if that sounds like something you’d be interested in!
The ancient house is often called the Cottage Kitchen, and most of the original furniture is still there, along with some beautiful antiques.
Address: Veramendi Park, 400 E Hopkins St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
16. The Wittliff Collections
Visit The Wittliff Collections, an art gallery in the Albert B. Alkek Library of the Texas State University. It is one of the best things for art lovers to do in San Marcos.
The beautiful museum has a lot of displays from Mexican artists as well as works by artists and makers from the Southwest. It opened in 1936.
There is something here for everyone, whether you’re interested in books, paintings, music, movies, archives, papers, photos, or manuscripts.
The Wittliff Collections always has something new to see because its temporary shows change all the time.
You can also look at some interesting permanent displays, like Edward Curtis: Treasures of the North American Indian, Treasures of the Wittliff, and the Lonesome Dove Permanent Exhibition.
Looking at each display is both fun and informative.
Address: Alkek Library, 7th Floor, Talbot St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
17. Hays County Historic Courthouse
The Hays County Historic Courthouse is one of the most popular places to visit in San Marcos for history buffs and people who love beautiful old buildings.
It is on the National Register of Historic Places and on the list of places that the Texas Historical Commission will recognize.
The grand building was finished in 1908 and has a beautiful Classical Revival style, which makes it one of the most photographed places in town.
The Hays County Historic Courthouse is one of the oldest courthouses in the state. It is located in downtown Hays.
The building tours are some of the most interesting free things to do in the city. You can learn about the building’s past and the famous people who have walked its halls.
It has a small museum with a lot of displays on the lower floors.
Address: 111 E San Antonio St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
18. The Longhorn Racing Academy
There are lots of fun things to do in San Marcos, and The Longhorn Racing Academy should be on your list!
The company is a great place for car fans to work because it has a huge collection of world-class sports cars.
You will be taken to the Harris Hill Raceway, where you can either ride with a trained driver or drive one of these cars yourself.
You don’t need to know anything about racing to enjoy what The Longhorn Racing Academy has to offer.
You can get a ride around the course if you are over 18.
But if you want to get better, you can get help in the car, in a special classroom, or by taking a high-performance driver’s education class.
The second one has two classroom sessions and four track practices.
Address: 2840 Harris Hill Rd, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
19. Mermaid March
There are many unique and interesting things to do in San Marcos, Texas. The Mermaid March is one of the best and most interesting.
This “march” is made up of 10 eight-foot-tall statues of mermaids that are spread out around the city. Each one is painted and decorated in a different way to tell a story.
Mermaids are a common theme in local stories, so it makes sense that one of the coolest things to do in town is to find these figures and learn about what they mean.
You can think of the Mermaid March as partly virtual because you’ll be able to go on your own trip that takes you to each mermaid and tells you about her story.
Even though each figure has the same base, they don’t all look the same because they are painted and hold different things.
You might see mermaids on your own mermaid march, like the mysterious Liquid March by Darin Wood painted in chromium and a beautiful mural of the environment of the local river called Aqua Reina by Jamie Kimmel Shelton.
Dianne by Morgan Egan is a picture of a mermaid covered in detailed drawings of plants, and Before Us by Diana Weems is a tribute to the Coahuiltecan people.
Address: San Marcos, TX, United States
20. Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard
Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard is one of the best places to get food from the Texas Hill Country, especially to go with one of the many drinks, wines, and beers on the menu.
The diner is in a historic building from the 1920s.
Palmer’s has been serving the people of San Marcos since 1978, and it has been owned and run by the same family since then.
Palmer’s Restaurant Bar & Courtyard is famous for its homemade fusion food from New Mexico to New Orleans, as well as its Mexican martinis and standard cocktails.
They’re mostly open for dinner and serve food like salmon, pork tenderloin, bacon-wrapped meatloaf, and chicken with nut crust.
Their Sunday brunch offering is also very good, with classics like Migas, French toast, omelets, benedicts, chicken fried steak and biscuits, and low country shrimp and grits.
It’s classy and cozy without losing its fun vibe, so it’s great for a date night this weekend!
Address: 218 Moore St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
21. San Marcos Art Center
One of the first things you’ll see when you walk into downtown or the city is the San Marcos Art Center.
The community center is a great spot to visit because it has a lovely gallery area with art by local artists that changes sometimes.
To make their art, artists at the San Marcos Art Center can use just about any process.
Along with drawings and statues made of clay, there is also jewelry that was made by hand and even more.
You can buy most of these things if you’re interested.
Address: 117 N Guadalupe St Ste. 101, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
22. Wimberley Glassworks
One of the best places in Texas to make hand-blown glass is Wimberley Glassworks.
It’s famous for its beautiful collection of hand-blown items made using methods that are over a hundred years old.
Things like lighting fixtures, vases, bowls, plates, sculptures, home decor, yard decor, and jewelry are for sale.
One thing that brings a lot of people to Wimberley Glassworks is the free, fun, and interesting live glassblowing shows.
Some of the most interesting things to do in San Marcos are these, and after each lesson you can look at the different art installations and even take some home with you.
Address: 6469 Ranch Rd 12, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
23. The Root Cellar Cafe
A old building in downtown called the Donaldson building is home to the Root Cellar Cafe.
Before this cafe opened in 2005, the building had been home to many famous people and companies over the years.
People who want to find unique places to eat the best food in San Marcos will love this.
There are many meals to choose from at the Root Cellar Cafe. There is a separate menu for dinner, breakfast, lunch, and tea time.
Every dish is made from scratch, and you can eat on the deck upstairs, in the dining room below, or on the patio outside.
Address: 215 N LBJ Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
24. Rio Vista Park and Rio Vista Dam
A Texas flood in 1998 caused significant damage to the Rio Vista Dam.
The dam was close to failing and still quite damaged for many years.
At that point, the dam was saved by the city hiring Recreation Engineering and Planning to remove the concrete side walls, grade the banks lower, and create artificial rapids, among other things.
The dam was reopened as Rio Vista Park, a recreational area, in 2006.
One of the most popular attractions in San Marcos is Rio Vista Park, a stunning 13-acre area.
There are man-made rapids and a pleasant, deep swimming hole along the San Marcos River, which is visible from within the park.
Particularly in the summer, a plethora of people visit the park to engage in a variety of water sports.
They hire kayaks and canoes from the Olympic Outdoor Center close to the park, rent tubes within the park, and take leisurely swims and sunbathes in the swimming hole to unwind.
Rio Vista Park offers a variety of recreational activities, particularly for those who prefer not to get wet.
Make use of the tennis courts, have a picnic at one of the tables provided, or go on one of the many hiking and cycling trails.
The on-site playgrounds are open to you and your children as well.
Rio Vista Park is one of the best free things to do in the city because, even better, there is no admission fee!
Address: 555 Cheatham St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
25. Meadows Center Glass-Bottom Boat Tours
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment is a major spot at Texas State University for studying freshwater ecosystems, teaching about them, and protecting them.
It’s mostly about Spring Lake, which has one of the world’s biggest artesian streams.
Meadows Center Glass-Bottom Boat Tours are one of the best things about the center and one of the most famous things to do in San Marcos.
The interpretive tours take you around Spring Lake, where you can learn about the plants and animals that live and grow there.
You’ll be amazed at how many different kinds of sea life you can see on these trips.
You may see native fish, but you may also see alligators, prawns, turtles, and birds. Some of these animals are also in danger of going extinct.
Each walk is about 30 minutes long, and they happen at the same time every day the center is open.
There are more ways to see Spring Lake from the Meadows Center.
You can go on kayak trips, take part in events and programs for people of all ages, and walk across the Wetlands Boardwalk on your own.
At the center this weekend, you can even take a tour of the boardwalk with a guide.
Discovery Hall is another great part of the center. It has a 1,000-gallon tank with native fish like San Marcos Salamanders, Texas Blind Salamanders, and Fountain darters.
There is even a pond just for baby turtles and an exhibit about species that are in danger of going extinct.
You can learn a lot of different things at Discovery Hall, like about the state’s water systems, and see interactive displays and video walls with multiple screens.
Address: 201 San Marcos Springs Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
26. Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park
Looking for fun places to go on vacation?
Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park is a natural theme park that is truly one of a kind.
It’s where the only accessible earthquake cave in the United States is located. It was also the first show cave in Texas, opening as a tourist draw in 1903, ten years after it was discovered.
It’s also run and owned by a family, and it’s one of the coolest places in the city to visit.
There are lots of fun things to do at the theme park, but the Wonder Cave, which is the first dry-formed cave, is without a question the highlight.
The same earthquake that made the Balcones Fault also made this one. You can even see the fault in the roof of the cave.
You can go inside the cave on a guided walk and learn about the interesting geological history of the area and the cave’s many interesting rock formations.
When you’re done exploring Wonder Cave, you can get on the Stratavator at its base and ride it up 120 feet to the park’s viewing tower.
You can see the state’s natural features very clearly from this spot. You can see the cave and the fault line, as well as the rise of the Hill Country and the diving points of the Gulf Coastal Plains.
You can walk around the rest of the 70,000-square-foot entertainment park after having fun in the cave.
You can ride a trackless motor train into a wildlife and animal park with a petting zoo and a waterfall, and you can try your hand at exciting gem digging.
Address: 1000 Prospect St, San Marcos, TX 78666, United States