A curious silence filled the air on my first trip to Bandera – mainly because my phone struggled to connect to Wi-Fi as I drove through the old-Western town. But maybe that was part of the city’s charm. The Hill Country town exemplifies stereotypical “Texas” at its best, with frontier vibes, wooden saloons, rodeo posters and shops selling cowboy boots and turquoise jewelry. It’s the kind of town that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into an old John Wayne movie, which makes sense considering he’s practically a local icon.
While other towns in the Hill Country boast miles of pristine German-Texas charm, Bandera feels more like home to me – more ruggedly quote-unquote “American,” in the most nostalgic, least political way possible. Maybe it’s all the Butch Cassidy stuff I watched in college – I mean, hellooo, young Paul Newman.
There’s a lot to do in this tiny town – and there’s a reason why it has an international reputation in countries like England, France, Norway, and Sweden. Googly-eyed Europeans spend summer holidays flocking to the town’s surrounding dude ranches, playing cowboy, and embracing the American pastimes of horseback riding and watching Saturday morning “gunfights” (more on this later) and drinking, dancing and laughing at an old-west saloon.
As one bartender told me, “Bandera’s a party town.” So here’s everything you need to know before you hit the road.
A stretch of highway on Texas 16 near Bandera. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
How to get to Bandera
Bandera is about an hour northwest of San Antonio and roughly two hours from Austin. The town sits at a 1,247-foot elevation in the Central Texas Hill Country, located along the Medina River.
You might lose cellphone service, but the view is worth it, and you’re headed toward one of the friendliest tourist stops in Texas. It’s full of charming cowboys, history connoisseurs doubling as shop workers, enthusiastic museum employees, and cool bartenders happy to point you toward your next adventure in the historic town.
Underground saloon entrance beneath the Bandera General Store. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
What is Bandera, Texas known for?
Bandera’s claim to fame is right there in the welcome sign. Lying in the twists and turns of the luscious Hill Country, the small city is known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” according to the Bandera County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
According to the Texas State Historical Association, the town was a staging area for cattle drives up the Western Trail following the Civil War. The town saw a big boom in rodeo culture. A plaque in the center of town reads that the traditional Texas Cowboys of Northern Mexico became legendary in Bandera County, as the city served as a recreational outpost where they could obtain supplies. An estimated 30,000 cowboys steered between seven to 10 million longhorns and one million horses through the Western Trail, using Bandera as a staging area between 1874 and 1894, according to the historical marker. By the 1920s, the first local rodeos surfaced. Ranch hands and cowboys showed off their skills for entertainment.
Locals told MySA that on weekends, you can find shoppers moseying into town on mule and horseback. Cowgirl & Cowboys riding Longhorn bulls in Veterans Day Parade. (dhughes9 via Getty/Getty Images)
Historical Marker in Bandera, Texas. Historical markers line nearly every corner of the city’s streets. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
“Bandera cowboys became famous by earning world champion titles and being inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame,” the marker reads. To this day, the city is the hometown for many of the country’s most celebrated rodeo champions. You can find a full list of rodeo claims to fame on a plaque in front of the historic county courthouse.
Inside the Bandera General Store on Main Street in Bandera. They sell ice cream, malts and shakes, as well as vintage cowboy boots and hats. The store once served as a local dance hall, and is now considered haunted by a ghost named Henry. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
What to do in Bandera
If you hit up the small town on a weekend, you’re likely to see horses roaming through the streets and hear young kids enjoying “gun slinging” competitions every Saturday morning near the town square.
Many families, including my own, growing up, enjoy staying at nearby dude ranches, going on ranch tours, seeing rodeo events, and checking out guided horseback riding. I started my day walking around all of the old-western wooden shops in town. There are plenty of antique stores and boutiques. A renowned favorite is the Bandera General Store on Main Street. You can grab some ice cream, sit at an old-fashioned bar, and buy a couple of souvenirs.
A band performs at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Inside the Bandera General Store on Main Street in Bandera. They sell ice cream, malts and shakes, as well as vintage cowboy boots and hats. The store once served as a local dance hall, and is now considered haunted by a ghost named Henry. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Exhibit at the Bandera Natural History & Art Museum. This dinosaur model was reportedly featured in background scenes in one of the Night at the Museum films. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Medina Lake in downtown Bandera, Texas. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Bandera has a Natural History and Art Museum.
Right around the way is the Medina River, where you can check out the most serene views in the downtown area. It’s a nice break from all of the historical marker hunting. Just about every corner of Bandera has some historical significance. I enjoyed all of the downtown shopping. It’s a very walkable town, and I wasn’t prepared for just how nice people would be. One local teacher even saw me sitting at a dinner toward the end of my adventure and gave a quick introduction and a hug – then, on my way out, the natural science museum administrator who had kindly given me a tour of a giant paleontology and wildlife exhibit earlier in the day stopped to thank me for coming by.
It’s the perfect place to run into new friends.
The iconic Bandera Water Tower is a historic landmark in the Cowboy Capitol of the World. Also referred to as the “Tin Man,” it overlooks the old-western shops on Bandera’s Main Street. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
A view of the Old Spanish Trail Restaurant in Bandera. The historic 100-year-old diner is a staple in the community. Locals love the “John Wayne” room. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
Where to eat and drink?
Bandera has some legendary eats, whether they come from the historic, century-old O.S.T. restaurant or the community-loved Wednesday evening Steak Night at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar. Make sure to bring your own steak, and get ready for some lively music, dancing and neighborly fun at the old staple. There are tons of options for food in Bandera, and they are all western-themed. I’d also recommend the old Trail Boss Steak and Grill on 11th Street, an American comfort classic. I enjoyed a giant chicken sandwich with mac and cheese.
Inside the 11th Street Cowboy Bar. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
A chicken sandwich and macaroni from the famous Trail Boss Steak and Grill in Bandera. (Mia Valdez/MySA)
This article originally published at You’ll still see horses roaming the streets of this historic Texas cowboy town.