San Marcos

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Quick Trip to Texas Hill Country

An October 2004 trip to San Marcos by Coronado Bob & Berie

JanieMore Photos

A weekend in San Marcos to help our daughter, Katherine, get settled into graduate school proved to be a nostalgic review of the Hill Country and a wonderful eating experience.

  • 10 reviews
  • 5 photos

Quick Trip to Texas Hill CountryBest of IgoUgo

Overview

After almost 30 years since graduating from The University of Texas at Austin graduate school, it was amazing to see how Austin has spread out for miles. Towns to the south that were only country towns are now seeing housing developments and are becoming bedroom communities. Austin almost connects to San Marcos and on to San Antonio. But, the green rolling hills and the wonderful foods of the Hill Country are still alive and well. We arrived after the summer tourist season, so we enjoyed the quieter side of this beautiful land. San Marcos State University has grown and covers much of the central part of the town. The taste of the Hill Country includes chicken fried steak, barbecue, fried lake catfish, and of course, Tex-Mex.

Quick Tips:

If you are headed for San Marcos, you will find just about every major chain of hotels available along the highway. You are now near to two of the largest and most incredible outlet malls in the country, complete with high-end stores selling such things as Fitz and Floyd China, Waterford Crystal, and more.

Best Way To Get Around:

Everything is spread out, so a rental car is necessary.

Hampton Inn & Suites San MarcosBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Hampton Inn"

Hampton Inns are very predictable and happily so. The rooms are large and comfortable. This Hampton Inn is very new and very nice. There was a pool and a fitness room. Breakfast is served in the lobby daily.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on December 8, 2004

Hampton Inn & Suites San Marcos
106 IH 35 NORTH San Marcos, Texas 78666
512 754-7707

Janie's TableBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Janie's Table
This is a mouth-watering barbecue restaurant. You can order your barbecue the old-fashioned way - by the pound!! For three, we ordered a pound of ribs, a pound of brisket, and a pound of chicken. It is hickory smoked as they only do it in Texas. It came with potato salad and coleslaw. We saw the most awesome onion rings go by, but just could not fit that into the meal. If you have never tasted REAL Texas barbecue, find Janie's. We ate outdoors, with a pleasant view, and also enjoyed fine margaritas.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on December 8, 2004

Janie's Table
1299 Gruene Road New Braunfels New Braunfels 78130
(830) 629-6121

Palmer's Restaurant, Bar and CourtyardBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

This is a unique old dining place in San Marcos with a darkly elegant main dining room, a dining bar area, and a delightful courtyard that surrounds plants and a fountain. The walls of the restaurant are completely obscured by green vines when you view them from a table in the courtyard.

On a warm, sunny day, even in October, we dined at a courtyard table and almost felt decadent. We sipped a glass of champagne. Then we ordered the famous chicken-fried steak, accompanied by Caesar salad and Yukon gold mashed potatoes. The portions are truly generous - we ordered two dinners for three people! We had a carafe of merlot to wash down the steak. The sun felt good, and we could have spent the rest of the afternoon there.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on January 21, 2005

Palmer's Restaurant, Bar and Courtyard
218 Moore Street San Marcos, Texas 78666
(512) 353-3500

Gary's Katy StationBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Katy Station"

This old, converted railroad station is very popular, especially on the weekends, when reservations are a definite must. We were there in the middle of the week in the middle of an afternoon, past the lunch hour, and we could choose our table inside or out. We chose a table in the garden.

We started with $0.99 frozen margaritas that were pretty decent. The menu tempted us with the unusual choices, like bison burgers, chicken-fried venison, Kerrville wild boar sausage, and Caddo Lake fried catfish! They were out of the wild boar sausage, but the chicken-fried venison and the bison burger were great! Once again, the portions were large and there was no room for dessert.

  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on January 21, 2005

Gary's Katy Station
400 Cheatham Street San Marcos, Texas 78666
(512) 392-6550

Grins RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Grins"

This old building is on a corner and has a wood deck that wraps around it for outside dining. It is a typical college hangout kind of place. There were many young college-aged folks eating burgers and sipping beer. We sat on the deck and enjoyed grilled pecan catfish with some mixed margaritas. The food is simple but delicious. They are known for their hamburgers and sizzlin' fajitas, but we had catfish on the brain here in the Texas Hill Country.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on January 21, 2005

Grins Restaurant
802 N L B J Drive San Marcos, Texas 78666
(512) 392-4746

Gruene HallBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Gruene Hall
Gruene is just a few miles south of San Marcos and home to the Gruene Hall, where famous country singer George Strait got his start. The floors are worn, but the place still rocks! The whole town of Gruene is a country treat.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on December 8, 2004

Gruene Hall
Gruene San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University San MarcosBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Texas State University
Texas State San Marcos was a very small college years ago. It now covers many acres in the heart of San Marcos and is still growing. The campus is picturesque and a great place to take a walking tour. Many of the newer buildings have been designed to blend in with the old.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on December 8, 2004

Texas State University San Marcos
701 Aquarena Springs Drive San Marcos 78666
(512) 392-3100

Tanger Factory Outlet CenterBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Tanger Outlet"

This makes up half of one of the largest outlet malls in America. It is loaded with every brand name outlet shop you can think of. And if you can't find what you are looking for at Tanger, go right next door to the Prime Outlets.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on January 21, 2005

Tanger Factory Outlet Center
4015 S I H 35 San Marcos, Texas 78666
(512) 396-7446

Prime Outlets at San MarcosBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Prime Outlet Mall"

This outlet mall is high-end. There is a St. John's, Fitz and Floyd, Coach, Ferragamo, and Pottery Barn to name just a few. It is right next do the Tanger Outlet, and together they can make for a shopper's delight.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by Coronado Bob & Berie on January 21, 2005

Prime Outlets at San Marcos
3939 S I H 35 San Marcos, Texas 78666
(512) 396-2200

About the Writer

Coronado Bob & Berie
Coronado Bob & Berie
Coronado, California

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