Break out your maroon and gold – it’s football season in San Marcos! Bobcats of all ages will be heading to UFCU Stadium for tailgating and cheering their team on to victory. While you may be in town to cheer for your alma mater or join in on your kid’s university fun, there’s plenty to experience in San Marcos after, or before, the game.

Enjoy A Cold One

Craft beer just tastes better in football season – we don’t make the rules. We are lucky to have three local craft breweries that have outdoor spaces and patios for you to enjoy alfresco. Create your own brewery adventure by getting a brew at each or plop yourself down somewhere cozy where there’s live music, good food, or even a fire pit for a more laid-back experience. A Downtown staple, Sean Patrick's brews their beer and even seltzers as well! They're conveniently located just south of the Downtown Square so you're never far away from the action. 

Out on RR12, you'll find Roughhouse Brewing and Middleton Brewing. Roughhouse Brewing is a great place for families to kick back and relax. Soak up the farmhouse ales, live music, and lots of outdoor space for kids to run wild. Be on the lookout for their unique cave-fermented brews! Middleton Brewing is the perfect spot to bring your pup for some local crafts in the Texas Hill Country. Find a shaded spot on the patio, hit the upper deck for views, or even go for some disc golf on-site. One thing's for sure, you can't go wrong at any San Marcos brewery! 

Shopping San Marcos

Shopping in San Marcos is always an adventure! We’ve got one of the largest outlet shopping centers in the country where you could spend days, and we mean days, combing over all the discounted scores at name-brand and luxury stores. There are lots of markets to shop – a market for those looking for witchy goods, a large art market on the Courthouse lawn, a very large vintage market, and more. Of course, it’s not a trip to San Marcos without visiting our local boutiques and specialty stores offering everything from unique knickknacks to trendy clothing. And who could possibly resist the call of vintage treasures? Not us, that’s for sure – and one thing’s for certain, San Marcos has some of the best vintage stores in Central Texas.

Explore The Square

While Downtown San Marcos is a fun place to be at any time, it's an extra special and energetic place to explore and enjoy on game day weekends. Good food, lively libations, boutique shopping, colorful murals, live music, and so much more - your trip to San Marcos is never complete without an adventure in its heart. If you're coming to watch Texas State take on UTSA on September 7 or Arkansas State on October 12, you'll find Art Squared Art Market taking place on the Hays County Historic Courthouse lawn! A perfect time to explore Downtown San Marcos before gearing up for the game! 

Looking for some Bobcat merch before the game? Barefoot, KnDs, and Creeds & Crests also have a variety of Texas State-themed items. Whether you're looking for a new hoodie, a hat, or a bumper sticker, you'll find everything you need to flaunt your Bobcat pride.

Hit The Trails

Early morning hikes in San Marcos can’t be beaten. Strap on your hiking boots and head to the Spring Lake Natural Area for some of the area’s most beautiful trails. Miles and miles of trails weave through 251 acres of meadows, hillsides, and woodlands. Featuring majestic live oaks draped in Spanish moss, the area around San Marcos Springs and Spring Lake offers a glimpse of nature at its finest. And it’s less than two miles to the football stadium, meaning you can be back at the tailgate with plenty of time to catch the game.

There's more adventure to be found at Purgatory Creek Natural Area. This is San Marcos' largest, and most popular, natural area with more than 1,000 acres to explore. The area is broken into two sections: Upper Purgatory Creek and Lower Purgatory Creek. Lower Purgatory Creek is a rugged trek and the more popular trailhead. More than 12 miles of trail wind uphill to the Valencia Way trailhead. Popular trails are Dante, Beatrice, Ovid, and Ripheus. Upper Purgatory Creek kicks off with an ADA trail that winds through the trees via scenic switchbacks. This gentle route is great for families or those looking for an outdoor adventure without straying too far. Popular trails are Dante, Paraiso, and Malacoda, where Purgatory Creek has carved a large grotto into the limestone cliff.

While birders are sure to find plenty of birds in the aforementioned parks, they'll find the perfect spot at Schulle Canyon Natural Area. With a bird blind built into the landscape, birders can spot Kinglets, Thrushes, Wrens, Chickadees, and Cardinals. With a bench inside the blind, this is great for novice birders, outdoor adventurers with mobility issues, or families with little ones. 

Activities & Attractions

Classic Attractions

Of course, getting together for a game day is a great excuse to make some core memories. Explore an earthquake-formed cave, feed some furry friends, and defy gravity at Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park. Take an iconic Glass-Bottom Boat Tour, see local flora and fauna up close in Discovery Hall, and immerse yourself in nature via the Wetlands Boardwalk at The Meadows Center. Thrill seekers won't want to miss the opportunity to see San Marcos from above, 13,000 feet or so above, by skydiving with Skydive Spaceland San Marcos. 

Fun Activities

Head out to Flying Armadillo for an eccentric round of disc golf with Texas Hill Country views. Pick a putter and get something fun to sip on as you play a round, or two, of putt-putt golf at Putt Pub. Adventure lovers will enjoy taking a nighttime glow tour with Paddle SMTX or Get Up and Go Kayaking. Explore the San Marcos River via a guided kayaking tour with Paddle with Style or Olympic Outdoor Center, or rent a stand-up paddle board with SUP SMTX. Do you want to take it up a notch? You'll love a serene yet challenging yoga class on SUP boards with Grow As You Flow. 

Explore History & Culture

Explore military, music, and even presidential history at San Marcos' museums. Head up to the Texas State campus for the Wittliff Museum. Their music memorabilia, Southwest photography, Lonesome Dove props, and archives are incredible. They have a new exhibit focusing on Austin City Limits photography that will blow you away! Take a photo with the LBJ statue in the Quad on campus before marking your way to the LBJ Museum to learn about Lyndon B. Johnson's time as a university student in San Marcos. See airworthy warbirds up close at the Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing. History lovers will enjoy hearing about the storied history of these WWII planes. While sometimes traveling around the world, "That's All, Brother" is the jewel of the CAF collection having led the main airborne invasion of Normandy. "That's All, Brother" led more than 800 C-47s that dropped more than 13,000 paratroopers into battle. You can learn more about early San Marcos and Hays County, as well as the people who made this area what it is today, at the Calaboose African American Museum and the Hays County Historic Courthouse.