Texas’s Best-Kept Secret: San Marcos

Expect laid-back adventure, a youthful vibe, and the barbecue of your dreams

The San Marcos River serves as a playground for all sorts of water sports, including canoeing. Courtesy of the Greater San Marcos Partnership Library

Daily live music, an eclectic crowd, and a food scene that stands alone as worth a visit. Sure, Austin fits the bill, but it’s no secret, and it certainly can’t match the more affordable prices and river-sporting bliss of nearby San Marcos. The sunny college town, centered between Austin and San Antonio at the heart of what Texas calls “Hill Country,” is the Lone Star State’s rising tourism star.

San Marcos Square at twilight. Courtesy of Andy Heatwole