Bandera is a town straight out of the Wild West, and for good reason -- it is the "Cowboy Capital of the World." Mosey on down to this town in the Southern Hill Country for all the fun, food and horsin' around you can fit in a ten-gallon hat.
Culture
Find all your Wild West needs at this historic store, from a new pair of boots and belts to souvenirs and jams. Put a cherry on top of an already sweet day trip by ordering a milkshake at the old-fashioned soda fountain!
Take a walk on the weird side of town at this museum started by J Marvin Hunter with all the mementos and donations he received from folks during his time as owner of the “Frontier Times,” a popular magazine in the early 1900s. You’ll find everything from family photos to antique guns. The museum also features oddities like a mummified squirrel and two-headed goat.
While you’re in town, stop by one of the oldest Polish churches in Texas that was built in 1876 to see the amazing artworks inside that rival those of the Painted Churches.
For 50 years, this honky-tonk underneath the Bandera General Store has been the place to end a day in Bandera. Enjoy a cold beer and watch musicians play from the same stage that’s hosted country greats like Hank Williams, Jr.
Head on a wild safari in the middle of this cowboy town at the Bandera Natural History Museum! Wander through rooms packed with full-bodied mounts of exotic animals all posed in their natural habitats and all donated from one man’s private collection. And the craziest part? Each area has its own smell!
Food
Giddy up to the bar (and sit on actual saddles) at this classic Texas joint for a massive chicken fried steak that’s as thick as it is wide, and aptly named “The Duke.” Be sure to check out the “John Wayne” room and pile your plate high at the covered-wagon salad bar!
This spot doesn’t always have food, but when they do it’s grilled up on a Texas-sized pit! Join the community at the 11th Street Cowboy Bar for “Steak Night” and bring your own meat to throw on the grill. For a couple bucks, you can get all the fixin’s for a steak dinner!
Outdoors
Saddle up a trusty steed at Juniper Hill Stables and horseback ride through the Hill Country State Natural Area next door. This 5000-acre working cattle ranch that’s open to the public has awesome relics of ranching days past and incredible Hill Country views.
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Bandera, TX
