Our 2022 Top Spots to Visit in San Marcos, Texas
The Land Up Country Living Series
We Spent a Day in Texas’ Mermaid Capital - and Here’s What We Did!
The state of Texas has a lot to offer. From rolling hills to flat plains, sandy deserts to beaches, and country to city living, there’s much to see on a grand tour of our state.
Many first-time, or even repeat visitors of Texas may decide to visit the Capital. This begs the question - which one? Because while Austin may be the Texas Capital City, San Marcos is often referred to as the Mermaid Capital of Texas.
Why does this very inland city have this claim to fame? And, besides “diving in” (pun intended) to their vibrant mermaid culture, what are some other top spots you should include in your visit? Well, we’re putting the spotlight on San Marcos, so grab a pen and paper!
Explore Central Texas’ hidden gem, San Marcos (a.k.a San Marvelous)
Top Spot #1: Texas Bean & Brew House
Located right off IH35, Texas Bean & Brew House is a popular spot to grab breakfast and a cup of liquid energy to start your day - or liquid courage, if you’re interested in a breakfast beer or cocktail! Enjoy eating inside in rustic digs, or venture outside on a nice day to their patio to relax or play some outdoor games.
Their menu features all the breakfast favorites from chicken and waffles to migas to even breakfast pizza. Their Texas B&B, one of the most popular dishes, includes pancakes of your choice, bacon or sausage, eggs, and their sweet potato hash.
Of course, coffee is their specialty as well. Though the Tiramisu Breve is one of their claims to coffee fame, you can also try out their seasonal menu. Or, if you gravitate to the “brew” part in their name, Texas Bean & Brew has many craft beers on tap, so be sure to order a flight.
Top Spot #2: Children’s Park
To work off all those kegs and eggs, venture over to San Marcos’ Children’s Park. Completely covered in soft rubber surface instead of dirt or mulch, the park is safe, clean, and squishy. The pirate-themed park has all the classics - swings, slides, monkey bars - and some play structures that I truly do not know how to describe, but wish existed when I was a kid.
It’s a perfect place for kids (or the very caffeinated adult) to burn off some energy and use their “outdoor voices” as they explore every corner that this park has to offer. Many parts are wheelchair accessible as well, including the playscape and a swing.
Don’t have kids? Grill some food and have a picnic, hike some of the trails, and take a tour of the many sponsors that have their names around the area.
Top Spot #3: Sights and Sounds of Christmas
If you happen to be in town in December, you’ll be just in time for San Marco’s flagship holiday event, Sights & Sounds of Christmas Festival! Hosted by the Sights & Sounds Christmas Foundation since 1987, this festival creates an exciting holiday atmosphere and brings holiday cheer to the community.
Sights & Sounds begins the week after Thanksgiving and runs for two weeks. Visit the carnival, pet some animals at the petting zoo, and eat fried food and lots of snacks. Or, get some gifts at Santa’s shop and walk around the little town of Bethlehem. They even have reindeer games and ice skating (yes, ice skating in Texas!). It’s kind of like if the Rodeo was hosted in the North Pole. Santa would make a great cowboy.
Top Spot #4: The Root Cellar Cafe
After all that, it’s gotta be time to eat again, right? Head towards Texas State University, where you’ll find The Root Cellar Cafe just nearby. Famous for their Bourbon Pecan Crusted Chicken and Asparagus Fries, but lots of other tasty menu items to choose from -- like the cheesiest of mac and cheeses or a dark chocolate brownie
After eating at the main restaurant, you can head down the street to find their catering building. What’s so special about this brick and mortar? Well, a beautiful mermaid mural, of course!
Top Spot #5: Glass Bottom Boat Tours at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
If Root Cellar’s mermaid mural puts you in the mood for some aquatic fun, check out one of the glass-bottom boat tours at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment - formerly Aquarena Springs, but more on that later :).
Floating down these pristine natural springs, which stay surprisingly warm at 72 degrees year-round, the glass-bottom boat tours are not only beautiful but very informative! And just like a snowflake, no two are the same. During the 30 minute ride on the San Marcos river, your experience will be unique to your tour guide. Some guides highlight the history of the area, while others focus more on the science.
Did you know that there’s a type of fish in the San Marcos river that sometimes comes to the surface to gulp fresh oxygen? Or that snapping turtles can grow to be the size of a steering wheel? OR that you can tell a turtle’s age by how much moss it's grown on its back? This is especially helpful since we all know it’s rude to ask a turtle its age.
No mermaids swimming under this glass bottom, but there are still plenty of opportunities to see them throughout the city.
Learn About The Mermaid Connection
I hear you saying, “ What’s with this city and all the mermaids?!” Well, in 1951, something magical happened, making the city what it is today.
They found a mermaid!
Just kidding. That would’ve been pretty cool though. Mermaids did become a big hit during this time, thanks to one of the most unique hotels and theme parks, called Aquarena Springs. A.B. Rogers purchased 125 acres of land for this fantastic tourist spot.
The park hosted the world’s only Submarine Theater, kind of like an underwater themed circus. Shows included underwater clowns, glass-bottom boat tours, the Swiss Skyride, a swimming pig named Ralph and his “swine dive”, and -- of course -- mermaids. The mermaids (or “aquamaids”), divers, and synchronized swimmers would hold their breath and use compressed air tanks to put on scenes, dances, and ballet performances underwater.
There was really nothing quite like it at the time, and visitors came from all over to experience this unique entertainment. However, why the city-wide obsession for mermaids stuck, and not for Ralph the swimming pig, we’ll never know.
Bonus Tip: Make a SPLASH
If you’re looking for an amusement park to visit, sadly Aquarena Springs is no longer an option. It closed down in the 90’s, but San Marcos kept their love for our half-fish half-human friends alive. If you’ve ever wondered how to celebrate mermaid culture, just look to San Marcos to do it right.
The San Marcos Mermaid Society was founded in 2016 to keep on with the mermaid traditions. The society works with volunteers to keep the river clean and even host local events, including the annual Mermaid Stewardship, Preservation, Local, Arts, Sustainability, and Heritage Festival, “SPLASH” for short. This festival is also referred to as the Mermaid Capital of Texas Festival, as they were officially given the title in 2020.
Every September, SPLASH features lots of live music, art, entertainment, and river-cleaning for 15 straight days. There’s mermaid-themed cocktail competitions, balls, parades, local vendor markets, and more. If a real mermaid wanted to hide in plain sight, it would be pretty easy among all the festival-goers in mermaid costumes.
Outside the festival, the city also commissioned 10 mermaid sculptures around San Marcos painted by local artists in 2018. Sources say that the city will also soon be receiving a request for a Ralph the Swimming Pig sculpture contest from an anonymous blogger.
Live in San Marcos - a Bit of History
Evidence of the first settlers of what would be San Marcos are said to be dated more than 10,000 years back. Now, these humans were not official Texans just yet, but they were among the first to inhabit the area.
Not too long after, about 9,000+ years later in 1689, Spaniard Alonso de Leon led an expedition from Mexico to Texas, helping blaze the Camino Real. They arrived at the river on April 25th, which was the feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist, and so named their founded river the San Marcos.
In 1808, Mexican families settled along what is now Old Bastrop Highway along the river, but were unfortunately only there a short 4 years before they were run out by floods and raids in 1812. In 1848, settlers came once again and made home by the San Marcos Springs, and the Texas Legislature organized Hays County. In 1851, a town center was laid out southwest of the waters, and the town became a hub for ginning, milling, and a variety of agriculture.
These ancient and more recent “Texans” valued the river and San Marcos Spring, which are the third-largest collection of springs in Texas. These amazing springs have been around for a long time, and their importance is not lost on today’s San Marcosians (San Marcos~ers?).
Now home to almost 67,000 people and counting, San Marcos has grown steadily across the years - in 2010, the city had a population closer to 45,000. And while these numbers aren’t “Texas sized” when compared to the state’s other cities, their growth is something to make note of.
This small town is steadily growing and has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing and exciting cities in the US. And that’s not even including the mermaid population!
“But why visit this awesome city when you can live there instead?” Great point! If you’re looking to invest in or call San Marcos home, Land Up has multiple listings in the area.
If you love mermaids, or even just good Texas food and a beautiful town, be sure to connect with us so we can help you find the perfect property!
