Things to Do

Bandera Activities For the Cooler Months of the Year

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” Bandera has a lot to offer visitors. There’s something for everyone here, and you don’t want to miss the chance to tour this town that feels like a throwback to the Old West. With cooler weather in the fall and winter, outdoor activities become much more enjoyable, and you will find several places to go and things to do in the great outdoors near Bandera.

Go Horseback Riding

Horseback Riding in Bandera

Photo: Flickr/Heather Cowper

Several places in and near Bandera will allow you to rent horses for an afternoon to explore the area. Check out some of the dude ranches near Bandera or the equestrian trails at parks nearby. With nearly a dozen ranches in the area, you won’t have a shortage of places to find horses and a taste of the Wild West. Some of these places even offer guided tours of the area or let you rent horses to take through the equestrian trails at Hill Country State Natural Area.

Visit the Frontier Times Museum

Frontier Times Museum in Bandera

Photo: Facebook/Frontier Times Museum

The Frontier Times Museum is a repository for the interesting, weird, and historic artifacts from Bandera County. During the cooler months, the museum hosts a music festival on the second Sunday of the month. The next one will be November 12. Don’t miss this chance to hear live music on a Sunday while learning about Texas history at the museum. If you love history, this should be one stop you make on your tour of Bandera.

Go Back to Nature

Hill Country State Natural Area near Bandera

Photo: Facebook/Hill Country State Natural Area – Texas Parks and Wildlife

The Hill Country State Natural Area is not like state parks you may have visited before. Though close to Bandera, this rustic natural wilderness feels like another world. With 40 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, you can lose yourself in the rustic beauty of the Hill Country. Primitive campsites let you get disconnect from the rest of the world and get closer to nature. When you visit this park, make sure to bring your own provisions, and water and food are not sold or available in the park, but it’s one of the ways that this area gives you a chance to cast modern life away for an afternoon.