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Getaway Guide to Salado Texas 

Art in Salado
Local legend, Sirena and her captor catfish, sit along the Salado Creek. Credit: Catherine Parker

Getaway Guide to Salado Texas

Located along Interstate 35, the village of Salado has long attached artisans and artists to its fertile banks along Salado Creek. Find a quaint, and walkable town, packed with fun things to do like art workshops for non-artists, sip a craft brew at a beer garden and brunch in a former outlaw’s hideout. About an hour north of Austin, Texas, spend a leisurely weekend away in Salado.

Top Places to See in Salado Texas

Salado Glass Works

Along the alley next to Main Street, fire and glass meld into a harmony of color and form under the watchful gaze of glass artist, Gail Allard. With live glass blowing Wednesday to Saturdays, visitors come and go observing creation in progress.

Or sign up for the popular DIY workshop. With seasonal projects, like hearts, beer steins, flowers, pumpkins and tree ornaments, it’s a fun activity to get a taste of glass blowing.

Located at #2 Peddlers Alley. Live glass blowing Wednesday to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6ish and the studio is open Tuesday and Sundays as well from noon until 3 p.m. Seasonal workshops ten months of the year with breaks in the heat of the summer and early January.

Salado Glass Works
Make a mouth blown glass ornament at the Salado Glass Works. Credit: Catherine Parker

Ro Shaw Clay Gallery

See ceramist, Ro Shaw take clay and coax it into a vessel on the wheel. Classes also available. 

Located at next to Salado Glass Works. Open weekends when the artist is in the studio.

Salado Sculpture Garden

At the other end of the Main Street, walk through the Salado Sculpture Garden with outdoor works from a number of sculptors.

Located at 113 Salado Plaza Dr.

Bentons Jewelry

Stroll the showroom of local jewelry maker, Bob Hargrove. Taking design cues from nature, Hargrove uses the lost wax method to meld gold and gemstones into unique designs to celebrate life’s moments.

Located at 401 S. Main St. in suite 101. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

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Salado Museum and College Park

Learn about Salado’s history along with its trailblazing women like Grace Jones and Liz Carpenter in its museum. Across the street from the museum, walk through the grounds of Salado College. Back in 1860, it educated young women and men as a non-denominational school, the first of its kind in Texas. A fire destroyed the building in 1924.

Located at 423 S. Main St. Open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free to enter the museum and college grounds.

Outdoor Art Parade in Salado

Find outdoor art at every turn of the head.  Sirena the mermaid by Troy Kelley is next to Salado Creek on Royal Street along with the Locks of Love also by Kelley. Keep a look out for Kelley’s Troll and Billy Goat Guff along Main Street.

Tablerock Amphitheater

With seasonal offerings throughout the year, check out the schedule at Tablerock Amphitheater for outdoor entertainment. The Salado Legends is an annual production depicting the colorful history of Salado, held the last two weekends in July and first weekend in August. Also popular are the Halloween and Holiday performances.

Located at 409 Royal St.

Pace Park Salada. Texas Swimming Holes.
W. A. Pace Park in Salado offers a cool and shallow water for splashing. Photo Credit: Catherine Parker

W.A. Pace Park in Salado

Find the Salado Springs in W. A. Pace Park with lots of shallow splashing for kids, or dogs. Bring your own floats.

Located at 100 Art Fair Road. Open from dawn to dusk. Free.

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Shopping in Salado

New sidewalks line Main St. running through Salado. With trees shading the way, find over 100 quaint shops and boutiques. Check out the vintage-inspired candy, the Sugar Shack, at 1 Royal St. Browse hard-to-find books at Fletcher’s Books and Antiques at 945 N. Main St.

Nearby by Notable

The Gault Site
See a Texas Archeological Landmark and the largest excavated site of the Clovis Culture, people who lived 13,500 years ago. Home to 2 million artifacts including early American art and architecture.

Located at 3451 FM 2843, 13 miles southwest of Salado. Only accessible on a guided tour. Held once a month on the second Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon and reservations required.

Salado-Winery
Head to the Salado Winery for Texas tastings. Credit: Catherine Parker

Where to Eat and Drink in Salado

The Stagecoach Inn
More than a historic inn, The Stagecoach Inn is a locals favorite for weekend brunch. Start your meal with the Stagecoach’s signature cocktail, the Hibiscus Margarita.

Find a menu stocked with Texas favorites like, Chicken Fried Steak and an 8-ounce Sirloin. Top off your meal with its legendary Strawberry Kiss, a meringue with fresh berries and ice cream.

Located at 416 S. Main St. Open Monday to Friday from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday is brunch all day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Barrow Brewing Company
Spend some time sipping the local brew at an authentic beer garden table next the bubbling springs of Salado Creek. Find beers like Big Bubbly Blonde and Evil Catfish IPA along with seasonal brews.

Throughout the season, find live music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with an occasional movie night thrown in for families. The newly opened Silo Bar expands its outdoor serving capacity and find a large covered area with single group tables. Also find trailers flanking the biergarten area.

Located at 108 Royal St. Open daily from noon to dark, dog and family-friendly.
Salado Winery Company
The Salado Winery Company anchors the other end of the historic district. Inside its two-story building, find Salado Winery’s own wine from dry to sweet, red to white along with over 35 other Made-in-Texas wines.

Located at 841 Main St. Open daily from noon to 6 p.m. Tastings are $10 for five samples.
Lively Coffeehouse and Bistro
Locals insist on Lively Coffeehouse and Bistro for a light breakfast or a mid-day coffee break.

Located at 21 N. Main St. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Food Trailers in Salado

Located next to the Barrow Brewing Company, find two food trailers along with seating.
Longbow Coffee Company
Roasted in Salado and brewed while you watch.

Located at 108 Royal St. Open daily from 7:30 a.m. until late afternoon or evening during the weekends.
Happy Pizza Company
Grab a made-from-scratch 12-inch pizza made with the Barrow Beer Company sourdough, baked in a wood-fired oven.

Located at 28 Royal St. Open Thursday and Friday  at 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at noon.

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Where to Stay in Salado

The Stagecoach Inn
In 1861, the Shady Villa Hotel opened its doors with a two-story timber-framed building, the predecessor of the present-day Stagecoach Inn. A stable for stagecoach passengers, the Inn has hosted Sam Houston. Though outlaws hid out on the property as well, like Jesse James and Sam Bass.

After a recent renovation, The Stagecoach Inn offers the perfect place to escape with a rambling tree-shaded property. Each of the 48 mid-century inspired rooms offers a large private patio or balcony in the shade of historic oaks, some with lush vine-covered partitions.

Find a year-round outdoor pool along with two ballrooms and new outdoor gathering space. It’s within walking distance of dining and shops along Main St. and Royal.

Located at 416 S. Main St. Room rates from $130, with suites available.

Located in Central Texas, north of Austin, Salado is a quaint artist's community ripe with galleries with workshops, like DIY glassblowing, along with galleries and more. While visiting enjoy a local brew next to the babbling Salado Creek. Make it a weekend with a stay at the legendary Salado Inn where Sam Houston stayed and outlaws hid out. What to do in Salado Texas | Austin Day Trips | Best Texas Small Towns | Where to stay in Central Texas #Texas #BestSmallTowns
credit: Catherine Parker

Catherine Parker has a passion for travel and seen all 50 U.S. States. As a former flight attendant with one of the largest airlines, there isn't a North American airport that she hasn't landed in at least once. Since clipping her professional wings after 9/11, she combines her love of the open road with visiting architectural and cultural icons. She is based out of Central Texas dividing her time between writing and restoring a pair of 100-year-old houses. She shares her life with her three kids and her husband.

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