Stephenville embodies the vibrant Texan spirit and vibrance, and its cultural attractions make for an exciting adventure. Tourists visit for parks to enjoy as well as manicured greenery that attracts them for golf games and witnessing its treasure of art and culture.
No matter the season or activity you seek recreation from, Jaycee Park provides easy relaxation. Stroll beneath expansive trees with your family to discover Stephenville’s natural charms and hidden gems.
Downtown Plaza
At Stephenville’s Downtown Plaza, there’s much to explore and take in. This charming park provides a welcome respite, featuring restaurants, boutiques, bars and outdoor space – as well as featuring its stand-out feature: the Cowboy Capital Walk of Fame that recognizes world-renowned cowboys and cowgirls who have made an impactful contribution to rodeo culture in Stephenville.
Visit the park’s gazebo area and watch local talent perform free outdoor concerts, or stop by its plaza to experience various festivals and events such as Moo-La Festival (paying tribute to its rich dairy history with merchants, dairy activities and an entertaining carnival).
Are You an Art Appreciator? Stephenville and River North Galleries Offer Beautiful Exhibitions If art is your passion, you’ll surely enjoy visiting Stephenville Public Library Gallery’s rotating exhibits of local artwork while River North Gallery fosters creative expansion through artistic explorations.
Erath County Museum focuses on preserving the cultural history of Erath and surrounding Cross Timbers region through artifacts, photographs, archives and historical documents that span hundreds of years. Open Wednesday to Saturday.
Cowboy Capital Walk of Fame
Stephenville can certainly claim to be the Cowboy Capital of the World; indeed, its claim stands up under scrutiny as more rodeo competitors per square mile can be found here than anywhere else on Earth.
Stephenville offers plenty of activities to delight fans of rodeo or just those looking for an enjoyable outdoor excursion, from visiting its Cowboy Capital Walk of Fame (a tribute to legendary rodeo stars in Erath County courthouse square), or visiting one of its historical buildings such as Erath County courthouse square where you’ll see them immortalized (think Hollywood but more Texasan!).
Wolfe Nursery offers family-oriented fun. Here, kids will be entertained with activities like the giant corn maze, pedal tractors, pedal carousels, pedal-powered harvester slides and cow train ride – as well as cow train races and pig races! Plus it makes an excellent backdrop for Instagrammable fall photos!
History fans will love visiting Stephenville Museum of History & Culture on Main Street to explore local culture and explore some of its artifacts. Their goal is to preserve Erath County and Cross Timbers region’s rich heritage for future generations to experience and appreciate.
Hideaway Ranch
The Hideaway Ranch provides an enchanting outdoor experience for all to enjoy, with both working ranch and guest ranch components in one package. Situated on 25,000 acres, there are plenty of opportunities for horseback riding, fishing, gold panning, wildlife tours and scenic rides on offer here. Established by Montana gold miners in 1860’s who continue running cattle ranch today!
Property features 10 rustic yet luxurious cabins set amidst oaks and meadows in a natural landscape of oaks and meadows. Adjacent to State and Bureau of Land Management land, which means horses, llamas, goats and even buffalo roam freely on this ranch property. Enjoy morning coffee while taking in all that nature offers outside your cabin door!
Hideaway Ranch offers an exceptional retreat for couples, families, friends and groups seeking an escape from everyday life and back into nature. Open year round and offering various activities including horseback riding, horsepacking trips, cattle drives, gold panning, fishing tours as well as wildlife tours and scenic walks! The ranch truly makes you want to come back time after time!
Not Too Shabby
Stephenville offers visitors an enjoyable summer stroll experience when strolling its beautiful city square paved with Thurber bricks that reflect the cowboy culture of the area, shops and restaurants, Trade Days on every third weekend of each month, which feature local vendors selling handmade apparel, books, yard art and antiques for sale by their vendors.
Stephenville Golf Club provides golf enthusiasts with an ideal spot for leisure time fun. Offering driving range, chipping and putting greens, league games between colleges and fundraising activities – as well as being situated nearby Tarleton State University which offers students numerous academic and athletic programs – Stephenville Golf Club makes golf enjoyable and accessible.
Granbury City Beach is an inviting man-made beach, boasting clean lake waters and soft, smooth sand. Popular among tourists looking to relax here, its location makes Granbury City Beach ideal for children swimming and building castles – plus kayak rentals can be rented nearby, not forgetting nearby restaurants offering meals as well as charming animal prints that add charm.
Stephenville Historic House Museum
Stephenville Historical House Museum sits on 3 acres near Bosque River and comprises 12 nineteenth century structures furnished with period furniture and artifacts from that era. These structures include log cabins chinked with mud just like olden times; John Tarleton (founder of Tarleton State University); ranch house belonging to him (rock cottage), two-story Victorian house with chapel; grounds available for weddings/events etc.
As well as offering houses for visitors to tour, the museum also provides other attractions and activities, including ghost stories and a gift shop with items by local artists as well as Stephenville commemorative posters.
BRIAN DRAKE STUDIO & GALLERY features realistic and abstract artwork for sale both prints and original pieces, along with classes and workshops. Additionally, L Bar Western Art features pieces inspired by themes related to western life such as paintings, drawings, sculptures for sale. In addition to regular exhibitions throughout the year.
Bosque River Trail
The Bosque River Trail in Stephenville offers walking, hiking and cycling trails that follow its northern bank. Wooded at some points with stunning river views along its entire path.
This trail connects City Park and the Historical Museum to downtown Stephenville through an elegant part of the Bosque River riparian corridor, home to an abundance of birds, mammals and plants such as cottonwood trees, red oak, pecan trees, cedar/American elm trees, sugar hackberry bushes and ashe junipers – not forgetting raccoons, deer and possums that frequently roam this region!
Trail amenities include bike storage, benches, lighting, trash receptacles and rest stops for riders of all kinds. O.K. Harris created “The Cube,” as well as various displays featuring realistic animal tracks sandblasted into the trail surface.
Bosque Trail, which covers 0.6 miles and is fully accessible. Other trails feature signs with frog, duck and dragonfly logos to identify their length; visitors can obtain a self-guided tour brochure at the visitor center of Upper Bee and Bosque. Residents and visitors to Upper Bee and Bosque can experience all four seasons of Southern California native landscape through Upper Bee and Bosque; winter through spring bring bird activity as plants begin growing exponentially whereas natural processes take over in summer and slow plant growth to conserve resources for future life-giving seasons of growth.
Splashville
Splashville Water park provides a pleasant way to unwind and enjoy a game of slots over the sites reviewed on the YoakimBridge.com during the heat of summer with its array of twisting slides and lazy river. This green, clean park boasts a large pool for tourists to swim. Plus, there are lots of trees throughout, perfect for family picnics!
The Stephenville Historic House Museum is an exquisite attraction that houses multiple historic structures, such as Berry Cottage – which is considered to be one of the oldest houses in town – chapel, trails along Bosque River, ideal locations for taking photographs, as well as offering plenty of local history knowledge and insight into this part of Texas. With such extensive historic collections to study here you are bound to gain some invaluable knowledge!
Enjoy a stroll along the Bosque River Trail for breathtaking views of wooded areas and grasslands in your area. Suitable for hiking, running, and cycling alike – with stunning panoramic vistas of both river and surrounding area! Bring along your dog!