If you ask me, staying at guest cattle ranch and visiting a cowboy town for a bit of rodeo action is one of the main reasons to go to Texas in the first place. The good news is though that there are many more cool things you can get up to in South Texas besides watching the cowboys riding the bulls….stay tune, I have some neat choices for ya'll!
Ride the water slides at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort
Nobody can argue that one of the coolest things to do outdoors in South Texas is going to a water park, and what better place to go than Schlitterbahn Waterpark?
This waterpark is located 45 minutes drive northeast of San Antonio (in New Braunfels) and it’s no doubt, one of the best water parks in the US. Two of the coolest rides at the Schlitterbahn are the Boogie Bahn and the Master Blaster, which is an awesome uphill water slide!
Off-roading in Padre Island National Seashore
South Texas is definitely a great state to go for fishing, hiking and camping but if you really want to have a blast outdoors, you’ll want to head down to Padre Island National Seashore for a fun day wheeling along the shoreline. Many people aren't aware that you're actually allowed to ride the north end of the Seashore, which has a designated area exclusively for 4-wheel driving.
Saying this, if you aren’t bringing your own four-wheeler the bad news is that the park doesn't offer ATV rental. Luckily, you can always head down to South Padre Island Adventures and hire a four-wheeler to ride on their ATV track!
Spend the day riding the Guadalupe River
Kayaking and canoeing are definitely popular fun things to do outdoors in South Texas but there's nothing better to do for fun than tubing along the calm waters of the Guadalupe River with family and friends. If you aren't bringing your own tubes, you'll be able to rent some out from the Bergheim Campground in Guadalupe River State Park, which is the main outfitter in the park providing tubes, kayaks and other rentals.
Having said this, there many more outfitters in the area around New Braunfels such as Lone Star Float House, Gilligan's Island, Gruene River Company, and River Sports Tubes in nearby Canyon Lake.
Besides water sports, you’ll be able to catch a guided tour held in Honey Creek State Natural Area (south end of Guadalupe River State Park) on Saturdays at 9am. By the way, this tour is kind of exclusive because tours are the only way to enter Honey Creek.
Take a boat ride along the San Antonio River
San Antonio is without a doubt, the crown jewel attraction of South Texas and a visit to this historic city is definitely warranted. Out of the many attractions and things to do in San Antonio, taking the boat ride along the San Antonio River is easily the must rewarding experience. There are a couple of ways to go about riding the river, you can either book a narrated boat cruise or hop aboard the water taxi, which costs only $10 for the day.
Besides the water taxi and cruises, you can also catch a ride onboard San Antonio’s streetcar which is actually well-worth doing while sightseeing in San Antonio, especially since it only costs a couple of bucks for a day pass!
Attend the Sandcastle Days event in SPI
If you have in the works a trip to South Texas this year, one of the best times to be in the region is between the 14th and 16th of September to catch the Sandcastle Days event in South Padre Island.
You really won't regret attending Sandcastle Days because you'll get a fantastic opportunity to see the best sand sculptors in the world crafting out some of the most memorable sand castle buildings and sculptures you’ll ever get to see on a beach!
Go for a hiking adventure inside the Kickapoo Cavern in Brackettville
Visiting the Kickapoo Cavern State Park for the day to explore the underground cavern is no doubt, worthy of inclusion on the list of things to do outdoors in South Texas. Kickapoo Cavern is located within the Texas Hill country region and it's roughly a couple of hour's drive from SA.
Of course, touring the cave isn’t the only attraction there! There’s plenty of wildlife to be seen as well as many birding opportunities, so be sure to bring your binoculars too!
Also, since the drive to Kickapoo Cavern is a bit of a long trek from San Antonio it’s a good idea to bring a tent so you can spend a day or two camping to make the trip worth your while. By the way, hiking tours of the cave are only offered on Saturday and make sure to bring your own torches to see the charming free-tailed bats that migrate to the cave between spring and autumn.
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Most Famous Canyons in the USA
Interesting Places to Visit in Texas
