This Tiny Texas Town Known as the `Cowboy Capital of the World`

Texas is home to the Wild West culture of America — cowboys, guns, and horses are a regular sight. However, only one Texas town is known as the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’. Get ready to discover Bandera, Texas, a tiny town with a lot of personality!

Why Is Bandera the Cowboy Capital?

Bandera earned its nickname from its history of being a staging area for the last cattle drives of the 1800s. The trail begins in Bandera and runs up through Coleman and Fort Griffin, on through Oklahoma and Kansas, and ends in Nebraska. 

Another thing that helped make Bandera the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’ is that many National Rodeo Champions call the town home. A bronze monument in town boasts the nickname and honors some of the rodeo stars of the town. 

Where Is Bandera?

Bandera is located in south-central Texas, in the Texas Hill Country. It’s about an hour northwest of San Antonio and about three hours southwest of Austin. Two highways run through Bandera, including State Highway 16 S and Highway 689. 

What Is There to Do in Bandera?

If you’re thinking of taking a visit to Bandera, there are a few stops you’ll have to make. First, the cowboy roping monument in town is certainly worth a visit. After that, you can head over to the Bandera Natural History Museum, which features full-body animal mounts, dinosaur replicas, and much more. 

Another fun place to visit is the Frontier Times Museum. The person who opened the museum accepted every single donation ever offered. He believed that if an object was important to the person donating it, then everyone should find it important. It’s certainly an interesting and odd collection of items. 

Cowboy Culture in Bandera

While you’re in Bandera, take time to see some of the cowboy culture. There are a ton of dude and guest ranches in the town, which offer a chance to experience a perfect cowboy vacation. You can wake up on the ranch, go for horseback rides, camp in the Texas wilderness, and explore what makes the town ‘Cowboy Capital’. 

You’ll want to visit the downtown for the gunfight reenactments, lasso lessons, and bull riding. The best thing about Bandera is that there’s always something going on, even if it’s just dancing with strangers at the local saloon. The ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’ is full of fun for every traveler. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Jackson Stock Photography/Shutterstock.com