Texas Romantic Getaway: San Marcos
Recommended for: river activities, outlet shopping, B&B

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If you’re interested in ecotourism, then sample Texas’s natural attributes. San Marcos, located between San Antonio and Austin, is a town filled with attractions that highlight the native features of this riverside area. “San Marcos, A Texas Natural” is more than a slogan--it’s a description of what draws visitors to this city of just over 36,000 permanent residents. To many Texans, San Marcos is the home of the largest collection of outlet stores in the state, but the city’s real attractions stretch west of the interstate highway.

Many of these treasures lie along the banks of the San Marcos River, suspected to be the longest continually inhabited site in North America. Used by man for over 13,000 years, it flows through town and provides the city with beautiful swimming and snorkeling spots.

The best known attraction on the river is Aquarena Center (take Aquarena Springs exit off I-35 and follow signs, 800-999-9767 or 512-396-8900). This park dates back to 1928, when A. B. Rogers purchased 125 acres at the headwaters of the San Marcos River to create a grand hotel. He added glass-bottomed boats to cruise Spring Lake, fed by over 200 springs that produce 150 million gallons daily. This 98-percent-pure water is home to many fish (including some white albino catfish) and various types of plant life.

Today couples can still enjoy a cruise in those glass-bottom boats and view an underwater archaeological dig that unearthed the remains of Clovis Man, one of the hunter-gatherers who lived on the San Marcos River over 13,000 years ago.

Aquarena Center refocused its theme from an amusement park to an environmental interpretative center. This new look includes the Natural Aquarium of Texas displaying endangered species.

You can try to see these endangered species firsthand at on a tubing trip down the San Marcos. Across from Southwest Texas State University, the Lions Club (512-392-5466; fee) rents innertubes from May through September so that you can float down the San Marcos Loop. The floating excursion, in 72-degree water, takes about 90 minutes. Snorkeling is popular here as well, and you might see a fresh water prawn (which can reach 12 inches in length), the rare San Marcos salamander, or one of 52 kinds of fish.

Of course, not all of San Marcos’s attractions are natural--plenty are of the man-made variety. However, the theme of the city as a Texas “natural” continues in many of these as well. Downtown shops are encouraged to feature Texas-made items. Within the last 10 years, over $16 million has been spent by the private sector in renovating the downtown area, transforming it into a shopping and dining area where visitors can see the work of Texas artists at Art Gecko, sample Texas-made brew at the Cafe on the Square Brew Pub, or select everything from Texas cigars to cookbooks at the Hill Country Humidor.

Many of the downtown businesses participate in programs sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture, including “Make It Texas” (featuring food and fiber of Texas), “Texas Grown” (spotlighting Texas flowers and foliage), “Naturally Texas” (highlighting fashion made with Texas fibers), “Totally Texas Menu” (featuring Texas produce, seafood, and meats in restaurants), and “Vintage Texas” (promoting Texas wines). A special San Marcos program called “Uniquely Texas” looks at the creative side of Texans, including Texas music, photos, and art.

San Marcos is well known as the home of Southwest Texas State University, which boasts the Southwestern Writers Collection on the seventh floor of the Alkek Library. Established in 1986 with manuscripts from the J. Frank Dobie estate, the library now contains manuscripts and working materials both about and by Texans. “This has become a premier collection of Texas writers,” says Terry Toler, publications writer for Southwest Texas State University. “We have an archive of all the props from Lonesome Dove--everything from Gus’s mummified carcass to the ‘We don’t rent pigs’ sign. We also have the first book published about Texas,: a 1526 journal by Cabeza de Vaca about his exploration of Texas.

Short and Sweet

Getting There:
San Marcos is located south of Austin on I-35.

Festivals:
Ready for a bowl of red? Then head to the city of San Marcos, home of a truly Texas-sized chili cook-off with nearly 600 competitors. The activities start on Friday with college day at Chilympiad. Look for the annual Collegiate Chili Cookoff and Miss Chilympiad along with a “beefcake”—make that “chilicake”—event called Mr. Hot Stuff.

On Saturday the activities heat up again, starting with the traditional Chilympiad Parade through downtown San Marcos. Then the real work begins with the State Men’s Championship Chili Cookoff, an event where the top chili cooks in the nation vie for top honors.

Historic home buffs shouldn’t miss the Tours of Distinction in early May, an annual Heritage Association of San Marcos event that spotlights several of the historic homes in town. Other highlights of the weekend include Art Among the Oaks, a juried art show sponsored by the Heritage Association, the San Marcos Art League and the River Foundation.

Shopping:
Of course, San Marcos’s most popular shopping stops are located alongside I-35 at exit 200. This is the location of the Prime Outlets (800-628-9465; www.primeoutlets.com), an open-air mall featuring over 100 outlets that sell direct from the factory. Luggage, shoes, leather goods, outdoor gear, china, kitchen goods, and other specialties are offered for sale.

Just across the road, the Tanger Factory Outlet Center (512-396-7444, www.tangeroutlet.com) tempts shoppers with over 30 shops that feature name-brand designers and manufacturers. Housewares, footwear, home furnishings, leather goods, perfumes, and books are offered. Open daily.

Downtown, one of the most popular and eclectic stores is the Paper Bear (214 N. LBJ Dr., 512-396-2283). Shop for Victorian stationery, silver jewelry, and more in what must rank as one of Texas’s finest gift shops.

Love Nests:
The Texas theme even carries into the only downtown bed-and-breakfast. The Crystal River Inn (326 W. Hopkins, 512-396-3739; www.crystalriverinn.com) offers visitors elegant Victorian accommodations in rooms named for Texas rivers. Owners Cathy and Mike Dillon provide guests with a selection of special packages, including tubing on the San Marcos, and sunset cruises at Aquarena Springs.

But one of the most popular activities is the murder mystery weekend, a time when costumed guests work to solve a mystery using clues based on actual events in San Marcos history. The package, which includes Friday and Saturday night accommodations, begins with a welcoming party and dessert buffet when the mystery is introduced. Cathy Dillon features characters from San Marcos’s colorful past, from wild saloon girls to unscrupulous politicians. Cast members are assigned their roles a week in advance so guests can coordinate a suitable wardrobe.

The mystery spans the weekend, interrupted by river tubing in season, hayrides, or glass-bottom boat cruises, and a gourmet dinner on Saturday night. The weekend concludes on Sunday morning, when cast members solve the mystery. Mystery weekends are scheduled throughout the year. For information, call (512) 396-3739.

Bridal Bits:
Crystal River Inn offers wedding packages for all types of weddings, both simple and elaborate. You can book a garden wedding or one fireside; if your wedding party consists of 35 guests, you can even take over the entire inn!
San Marcos’s historic Charles S. Cock House Museum, built in the 1860s, is also available for weddings. Surrounded by parkland, the site has a fountain and gazebo.

Aquarena Center also offers several sites for weddings including ruins of a Spanish mission, a glass bottom boat, or a conference center for groups of up to 400 guests.

For More Information:
Give the San Marcos Convention and Visitors Bureau a call at (800) 782-7653 ext. 177, or while in San Marcos stop by the Tourist Information Center (Exit 206 off I-35 at Aquarena Springs Dr. on the northwest side of town), or see www.toursanmarcos.com. Stop here for brochures on area attractions and accommodations, as well as free maps.