Seven Reasons to Live in San Marcos/Central Texas

1. San Marcos, a town of about 60,000 residents, is one of the natural gems of central Texas. Nature lovers will find plenty of hike/bike trails, including the popular Purgatory Creek, just a few miles from campus. San Marcos is also the home of Spring Lake, a clear freshwater spring that feeds into the San Marcos River, a destination for swimming and tubing.

2. Popular events attract locals, students, and faculty/staff, including an annual LGBTQIAP+ Pride Parade, Martin Luther King Jr Day March, and Splash Festival. There is a Live Music in the Park series each summer and Farmer’s Market in the square every Saturday morning. Nearby towns also offer a host of unique events and activities, including Wimberley’s Market Days and Buda’s Wiener Dog Races.

3. A growing number of restaurants, coffee shops, and breweries are within walking distance of campus, including Blue Dahlia Bistro, The Root Cellar, Aquabrew, Umami Sushi, Thai Thai, Jo’s Coffee, and Wake the Dead. Nearby Kyle is famous for its Texas Pie Company, which is worth the short drive from campus. Like many college towns, San Marcos also offers a wide selection of entertainment/shopping options: movie theaters (including a new dine-in cinema with bowling alley and bar), several bookstores, comics/game shops, and boutiques. The city is widely known for its premium outlet malls, which include dozens of name-brand clothing stores.

4. The central Texas area is booming with living options, from charming historic rental homes to brand-new apartments and condos. Interns have a number of local medical resources available, including Central Texas Medical Center, Kyle Seton Hospital, and a range of specialty clinics. Interns interested in exercise can participate in Texas State’s WellCats program, purchase a reduced-cost staff pass to the Rec Center, or join a number of local gyms including Texas Health and Racquet Club and Gold’s Gym.

5. Texas State University, with its 38,000 students and 3,300 faculty/staff, brings another level of vibrancy to the city. The state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center features theater, dance, and musical performances from our world-class College of Fine Arts students, with recent shows including Ragtime and Legally Blonde. Recent campus speakers have included Angela Davis, Janet Mock, Bryan Stevenson, and Robert Rodriguez.

6. For big city lovers, San Marcos is conveniently located between the cities of Austin (30 miles) and San Antonio (50 miles). Many past interns have chosen to live in one of these cities and commute to campus. The Texas State campus is about a half-hour drive from the State Capitol, Longhorn athletics, and Austin music/film/restaurant scene, and less than an hour’s drive from the San Antonio Riverwalk and Toyota Center (home of the Spurs). Cultural amenities including the Austin Ballet, Austin Symphony, the Blanton Museum, the McNay Art Museum, and the Alamo are all easily accessible.

7. The surrounding countryside in central Texas is a picturesque region of rolling hills, watering holes, and live oak trees, with numerous wineries, barbecue joints, and state parks. The Texas Hill Country, as it is known, is also home to Shiner, home of the brewery, and Johnson City, the birthplace of Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States. The striking vista of Enchanted Rock is also less than two hours’ drive.