shop ’til you drop:Bring your credit card on this day trip, as it leads to some of Texas’s finest outlet shopping destinations. Ever-expanding outlet malls featuring world-famous labels line I-35 as you head south to Buda and San Marcos.
Head south from Austin on I-35 to the small town of Buda, located on Loop 4 to the west of the highway. This sleepy railroad town is a busy spot on weekends, when shoppers come to hunt antiques.
Buda is one of the most mispronounced communities in Texas (and with names like Gruene, Leakey, and Boerne around, that’s saying a lot). To sound like a local, just say “b-YOU-da.” The name has caused more than one visitor to come here expecting an Old-World Hungarian settlement. Though possibly a reference to Budapest, it’s more likely of Spanish origin. According to legend, several widows cooked in the local hotel restaurant that was popular with employees of the International–Great Northern Railroad. The Spanish word for “widow” is viuda. Since the v is pronounced as a b in Spanish, Buda may be a phonetic spelling for viuda.
Buda is still a railroad town, with double tracks running parallel to Main Street.
where to shop
Buda’s historic downtown is full of shops and boutiques selling antiques, fashions, home decor, and gourmet foods. Many of these are located in a 2-block stretch of Main Street. Each month these businesses host First Thursday, staying open late for shopping and dining.
Cabela’s Buda. 15570 I-35; (512) 295-1100; cabelas.com. This Texas-size sporting goods store is an attraction for everyone. The 185,000-square-foot store features a large freshwater aquarium as well as a large “mountain” exhibit dotted with trophy animals of all types. The store also has an indoor archery range, dog kennels, a restaurant, live bait, and RV parking. Open daily.
Head south on I-35 to San Marcos, the home of Texas State University, two Texas-size outlet malls, and the crystal-clear San Marcos River. Like the neighboring community of New Braunfels, San Marcos is best known for its pure spring waters. The San Marcos River, used by humans for more than 13,000 years, flows through town, providing the city with beautiful swimming and snorkeling spots and a family education park. The campus of Texas State University is located along a portion of the river as well.
Blessed with natural beauty, this city of 54,000 is a popular tourist town. One of the best-known attractions is the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, which features the ecological and archaeological riches of the region. Nearby, another park offers a look at San Marcos’s natural attractions both above and below the ground. Scientists believe Wonder Cave was created during a violent earthquake 30 million years ago.
There’s no better way to see San Marcos during warm weather than from the river. Across from Texas State University, the Lions Club (512-396-LION; tubesanmarcos.com) rents inner tubes from May through September so that you can float down the San Marcos Loop. The floating excursion, in 72°F water, takes about an hour and a half. Snorkeling is popular here as well, and you might see a freshwater prawn (which can reach 12 inches in length), the rare San Marcos salamander, or some of the 52 species of fish.
Of course, not all of San Marcos’s attractions are natural. Downtown, shops are encouraged to feature Texas-made items. While you’re downtown, you’ll notice the city’s fresh face, thanks to more than $16 million in renovations in the last decade, transforming it into a shopping and dining area. Every Saturday the San Marcos Farmers Market takes place near the courthouse at 155 E. San Antonio St. Shop for arts and crafts, antiques, and specialty food and gift items at this old-fashioned outdoor market.
The Texas theme even carries into a popular downtown bed-and-breakfast. The Crystal River Inn offers accommodations in rooms named for Texas rivers. It also offers popular murder mystery weekends where costumed guests work to solve a mystery using clues based on actual events in San Marcos history.
where to go
Tourist Information Center. 617 I-35, on the northwest side of town at exit 204B (C. M. Allen Parkway); (512) 393-5930; toursanmarcos.com. Traveling from the north, take exit 204B. From the south, take exit 205. Stop here for brochures on area attractions and accommodations, as well as free maps. Open daily. Free admission.
Calaboose African American History Museum. 200 W. Martin Luther King Dr.; (512) 353-0124; calaboosemuseum.com. Housed in the 1873 building that served as Hays County’s first jail, this museum preserves the history of the African Americans of San Marcos. Along with an extensive collection of books and artifacts, the museum also schedules frequent educational programs and public events. Open Sat afternoon and by appointment. Donation.
Centex Wing Museum. 1841 Airport Dr.; (512) 396-1943; cafcentex.com. Operated by the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, the museum is housed in a vintage wooden hangar at the San Marcos Municipal Airport. This collection contains World War II artifacts and several historic aircraft. A unique display is a replica of the CAF Japanese “Kate,” built for the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! Open Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donation.
John J. Stokes San Marcos River Park. From TX 80 turn right on River Road for about 1 mile; turn left on County Road to the island where the park is located. Operated by the City of San Marcos, this day-use park is also known as Thompson’s Island and is located across the river from the A. E. Wood State Fish Hatchery. The park offers river access but no facilities. Free admission.
Lyndon Baines Johnson Museum of San Marcos. 131 N. Guadalupe St. (across from the courthouse); (512) 353-3300; lbjmuseum.com. This museum features LBJ’s educational ties to the region, from his years at Texas State University to his teaching days in Cotulla to the signing of the Education Bill. Open Thurs through Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission.
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. 201 San Marcos Springs Dr.; (512) 245-9200; meadowscenter.txstate.edu. This former resort dates to 1928, when A. B. Rogers purchased 125 acres at the headwaters of the San Marcos to create a grand hotel. He added glass-bottom boats to cruise Spring Lake, which is fed by more than 200 springs that produce 150 million gallons of water daily. This 98-percent-pure water is home to many fish (including white albino catfish) and various types of plant life. Today visitors can still enjoy a cruise in the glass-bottom boats and will see the site of an underwater archaeological dig that unearthed the remains of Clovis Man, one of the hunter-gatherers who lived along the river more than 13,000 years ago.
Formerly Aquarena Springs (then Aquarena Center), a commercial amusement park, the Meadows Center is now part of Texas State University and focuses on ecotourism, with exhibits and activities aimed at introducing visitors of all ages to the natural history and attractions of this region. In addition to the glass-bottom boat rides, the park features an endangered species exhibit and plenty of educational fun. Open daily, although hours change seasonally. Free admission; fee for glass-bottom boat rides.
Wittliff Collection at the Alkek Library. 601 University Dr., Texas State University; (512) 245-2313; thewittliffcollections.txstate.edu. Located on the seventh floor of the Albert B. Alkek Library, the gallery traces the history of photography from the 19th century through today in both Mexico and the southwestern US. Open daily; hours change with university schedule. Free admission.
Wonder World Park. 1000 Prospect St. (exit at Wonder World Drive on the south side of San Marcos and follow signs for about a mile); (512) 392-3760; wonderworldpark.com. A guided tour lasting nearly 1.5 hours covers the entire park, including the 7.5-acre Texas Wildlife Petting Park, the state’s largest petting zoo. A miniature train chugs through the animal enclosure, stopping to allow riders to pet and feed white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and many exotic species.
The next stop on the tour is Wonder Cave, created during a 3.5-minute earthquake 30 million years ago. The same earthquake produced the Balcones Fault, an 1,800-mile line separating the western Hill Country from the flat eastern farmland. Within the cave is the actual crack in the two land masses, where huge boulders lodged in the fissure. At the end of the cave tour, take the elevator ride to the top of the 110-foot Tejas Tower, which offers a spectacular view of the Balcones Fault and the contrasting terrain it produced.
The last stop is the Anti-Gravity House, a structure employing optical illusions and a slanted floor to create the feeling that you’re leaning backward. In this house, water appears to run uphill. Open daily. Fee.
where to shop
Centerpoint Station. 3946 I-35 South (exit 200 from I-35); (512) 392-1104; centerpointstation.com. This charming shop, built in the style of an old-fashioned general store, is filled with Texas and country collectibles, T-shirts, gourmet gift foods, cookbooks, and over 3,000 advertising signs. Up front, there’s counter service for hamburgers, malts, and ice cream. Open daily.
San Marcos Premium Outlets. 3939 I-35 South, #900 (exit 200 from I-35); (512) 396-2200; premiumoutlets.com. This open-air mall, designed in Venetian style, ranks as one of the state’s top tourist destinations. Luggage, shoes, leather goods, outdoor gear, china, kitchen goods, and other specialties are offered for sale. Chartered buses from as far as Dallas and Houston stop here regularly. For many travelers, this mall ranks as a day trip in itself (and many opt to extend with an overnight stay at one of the limited service accommodations in the area). Open daily.
Tanger Outlet Center. 4015 I-35 South (exit 200 from I-35); (800) 408-8424 or (512) 396-7446; tangeroutlet.com/sanmarcos. Shops feature name-brand designers and manufacturers in this open-air mall. Housewares, footwear, home furnishings, leather goods, perfumes, and books are available. Open daily.
where to stay
Crystal River Inn. 326 W. Hopkins St.; (888) 396-3739 or (512) 396-3739; crystalriverinn.com. The Crystal River Inn has elegant Victorian accommodations in rooms named for Texas waterways. Owners Cathy and Mike Dillon provide guests with a selection of special packages, including tubing on the San Marcos River and popular murder mystery weekends where costumed guests work to solve a mystery using clues based on actual events in San Marcos history. $$–$$$.