'Tis the Season to Shop

Find one-of-a-kind treasures by shopping San Marcos' specialty boutiques

You might already associate San Marcos with its outstanding outlet shopping, but there's more to this Central Texas spot than big-name brands at steep discounts.

Dig a little deeper, and you'll discover one-of-a-kind treasures, amazing artisan finds, and superb gifts. Here's your guide to shopping off the beaten path in San Marcos:

Specialty shopping
Soap and body products are always a hit, so hit up Douglas Smith Artisan Soap Co. for plant-based, handcrafted soap and shave products with heavenly scents. There's even a collection dedicated to those with sensitive skin.

Truly Pure Refillery lets you bring your own containers (or you can purchase some there) to take home non-toxic, all-natural, organic, vegan, and cruelty-free products.

In that same vein, San Marcos is home to several apothecaries that carry herbs, teas, crystals, essential oils, meditation essentials, and more. Atypical Apothecary, Herbs & Oddities, Everyday Zen Gifts & Tea, and Solidago-Wade Vetiver's Apothecary & Esoterica will surely have what you're seeking.

Bring nature into your home with a visit to Daughter of the Wild, a cool little shop which stocks house plants, succulents, handmade stone jewelry, and adorable home goods.

Music-lovers should seek out Sundance Record Lagoon for new and used vinyl records, posters, incense, and other music memorabilia.

Games and toys
Wow the kids — and kids-at-heart — in your life with a trip to Got Toys. Just as its name suggests, you'll find novelty toys, retro games, arts and crafts kits, puzzles, and countless other fun discoveries here.

Ecclectic knick knacks and one-of-a-kind items can be found throughout the city's boutique shops.

Photo courtesy of Visit San Marcos

Eclectic knick knacks and one-of-a-kind items can be found throughout the city's boutique shops.

Gamers will be right at home at Alpha Strike Games, which not only carries vintage video games but also popular card games, board games, and so much more.

Art for all
Locate local artists at the San Marcos Art Center, which is packed with works created by the city's own budding Picassos.

Head one block over to explore the Price Center, which combines art with antiques in its in-store Shop 1893.

Enjoy the gorgeous fall weather while browsing al fresco art markets like Art Squared, which happens on the second Saturday of the month (plus a bonus on November 25 for Small Business Saturday), Martian Culture at Zelicks on the second Sunday of the month, and the Full Moon Makers Market at Stonebound Treasures on the fourth Sunday of each month.

Stumped about what to get the host with the most or the person who already has it all? Make their holiday season with a colorful glass creation. Wimberley Glassworks lets you see the artists at work during glass-blowing demonstrations, and then you can purchase completed pieces from the gallery.

Silo Glass, just down Ranch Road 121, is the largest purpose-built, warm glass studio in Central Texas. Take your pick from works made by more than two dozen Texas artists specializing in 3-D art forms.

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See all there is to do in San Marcos by visiting here.

shopping vacation holidays promoted

Outside Ideas

New podcast provides on-the-ground news from Texas state parks

Better Outside podcast host Morgan O’Hanlon

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Podcast host Morgan O’Hanlon captures ambient sound from a river.

Outdoorsy Texans have a new way to keep track of conservation initiatives within Texas' parks. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will launch a new podcast, Better Outside, on May 21 on all major podcast platforms.

A press release promises that listeners will "travel the woods and waters of Texas through an array of awe-inspiring stories about conservation, recreation and the outdoors."

The podcast does mean "travel" in a literal sense, taking listeners out in the field to experience the environments firsthand. They'll have a knowledgeable guide in host Morgan O’Hanlon, who is a senior writer at Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, as well as TPWD executive director David Yoskowitz.

“People are at the core of conservation work in Texas,” said Yoskowitz in the release. “I’m excited for you to hear their voices straight from the field, so they can share why the work they do matters and the impact it makes.”

$David Yoskowitz and Morgan O\u2019Hanlon recording Better Outside podcast$ David Yoskowitz and Morgan O’Hanlon record in the studio as well as in the field.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Some examples of the work featured include creating a new trail across the state, touring an existing park, and restoring bighorn sheep (which were on the brink of being wiped out by 1900) in West Texas. Another episode in the Hill Country follows feral hog bounty hunters. Although well-informed listeners may already know about some of these subjects, the podcast specifically hopes to focus on hidden gems and expanding horizons.

“I love adventure sports and am excited to inspire people to try new, and sometimes scary, things,” said O’Hanlon. “In our episode on the Devils River, I took my non-outdoorsy mom on one of the state’s most feared paddling trips. You’ll hear straight from her about the challenges I put her through — and why she would do it again.”

Better Outside isn't TPWD’s first podcast. It was Under the Texas Sky, which launched in 2019 and followed similar themes, with a notable focus on culture. Some episodes followed the Indigenous history of Texas parks, cowboy poets, and chefs who are involved in sustainable farming and cooking. Under the Texas Sky stopped being made when its host, longtime Passport to Texas radio host Cecilia Nasti, retired.

The new podcast is sponsored by the Austin-based Whole Earth Provision Co., which originally opened in 1970 as a real-life manifestation of the Whole Earth Catalog, and is now a cross between a camping, home goods, and outdoorsy gift store. It operates six locations in total in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas.

podcast parks state parks nature sustainability conservation

'Tis the Season to Shop

Find one-of-a-kind treasures by shopping San Marcos' specialty boutiques

Ecclectic knick knacks and one-of-a-kind items can be found throughout the city's boutique shops.

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Outside Ideas

New podcast provides on-the-ground news from Texas state parks