This is a very peaceful and beautiful spot along the river. There is only one hiking trail. Very…read morewell shaded. Seems this is where the tubers stop for a break. The water is kind of shallow They have a playground for kids and definitely a good spot to walk your dog in this Texas heat

Great place to cool off. Secret tubing area. Great for kids. Place your picnic area, walk up a ways…read moreand float down.

Walnut Springs Park is such a charming, peaceful spot to walk around. It runs right along a small…read morecreek, and the stone walls, low bridges, and shaded paths give it a really unique, old-school feel. Because it's set a bit lower than the surrounding streets, it feels surprisingly cool and quiet even though you're right near the center of town. It's not a huge park with big athletic fields, but it's ideal for a quick, relaxing stroll or taking a break in the shade.

Short walkway in the walnut springs park if you plan to walk back and forth but crossing towards…read morethe library is like a hidden gem. Beautiful painted squirrels definitely recommend walking this area leading to max stark park.

Sewell Park is right on the Texas State University campus. The main draw is the spring-fed San…read moreMarcos River that runs right through it. The water is crystal clear and stays a refreshing 72 degrees year-round, which is perfect for beating the Texas heat. It's a fantastic spot for tubing, kayaking, swimming, or snorkeling. The park itself is really well-maintained with grassy banks for sunbathing, a couple of sand volleyball courts, an outdoor basketball court, and plenty of space to just hang up a hammock and relax. You can even rent gear right there at the Outdoor Center.

Best place to relax. I love the river and playing volleyball or even throwing a football around…read more This place is great!

TLDR: Watch out for poison ivy in this beautiful tropical oasis (stick to long pants). The Palmetto…read moreInterpretive Trail is short enough for young kids and within walking distance from the picnic area. Stop to pay at park headquarters ($3 p/p; kids 12 and under are free). I loved the whole tropical vibe of this park. Dwarf palmettos everywhere. We stopped here as a waypoint en route to Rockport Beach. It made a great stopping point. The Palmetto Interpretive Trail is only 0.3 miles and very easy. A short walk, really. Both my toddlers (almost 4 and almost 2) were able to walk it. It's unpaved but mostly smooth so you should be able to bring a stroller too (I'd confirm with park staff, just in case). POISON IVY: At the end of the Palmetto Interpretive Trail, there is a water tower. It's locked but my kids love approaching doors. This is where I noticed potential poison ivy growing right by the door. It did have the triple leaf look and AI confirmed that it looks like poison ivy. Leaf shape can vary quite a bit on this plant so it can get a little tricky to identify. Just be wary of any triple leafers. Keep a close eye on where you and/or your kids are stepping and skip the shorts/sandals. Park staff was friendly. You stop to pay at the park headquarters once you enter the park (and display the tag on your windshield). $3 per person; children 12 and under are free. The picnic area was nice with ample seating (both covered and uncovered). I couldn't find a restroom (doors were locked) but there were restrooms by the playground (a short drive away). The restrooms were clean. Make sure you close the door like the sign asks to keep bugs away. Ultimately, I'd love to return to this park and experience more of its lovely trails.

Great, secluded state park next to a neighborhood. I'd consider Palmetto a hidden gem in Texas. I…read moredrove here from Austin and it took me about 1.5 hours. The way I took lead me down a neighborhood street, which led me straight to the park's headquarters. They had a small and very limited selection of gifts for purchase, but the park ranger there was friendly and recommended a couple of trails and points of interest. I hiked a series of trails along the outside perimeter of the park, which combined was about 3.5 miles. Each new segment had a different ecosystem and it was interesting to see different sights and hear new sounds. The trails are mostly shaded, though I went on an overcast day. There's also a low river crossing where I saw some people fishing on. At all Texas state parks, no fishing license is needed to fish. The sound of the river was soothing and refreshing. I genuinely enjoyed my time here and would love to return here to visit again someday.

Good times spent here. Water is the perfect temperature (…read moreonce you adjust, definitely a cold plunge ) and the rapids were good fun!!! Definitely will be renting tubes next time and taking the entire river float... Only downside and something to be cautious of is the slippery rocks. Definitely wear shoes.

This is a really lovely place to spend some time outdoors. A beautiful park right by the water,…read morewith a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere. There's a café along the shore where you can sit, have a drink, and enjoy the view of the waterfall -- such a nice spot to slow down and take everything in. It's a great area for walking and casual strolls, and there's also a playground for kids. Overall, it's a wonderful place to relax, whether you're visiting with children or just coming on your own. Perfect for a walk, some fresh air, and enjoying the water. Definitely a spot worth coming back to.

Twas a nice and short trail in the community! Had a nice 1 hr 15 walk on Saturday afternoon! The…read moreweather is great, nature is awesome and people are beautiful! A lot of shades are there which was nice! Like it a lot and wish the creek is not dried up

Didn't realize all the pics I got here were with my baby boy. Lol easy walk. Little off trail…read moreaction. Little confusing at first but was able to use my all trails app and it directed me where to.

I went tubing with a group of friends. We got our tubes from Corner Tubes just right across the…read morestreet from Prince Solms Park. Walking wasn't that bad. It gave me a chance to stretch or warm up before getting to Comal River. According to the website tubeinnewbraunfels.com, the part of river after the chute is on the park ground. I enjoyed the tubing experience. But I was trying to catch up with my friends, I didn't fully investigate the park features. I just saw a big warning sign with information at the front entrance and the last public exit by the river. I noticed the life jacket stand but I didn't know if it was free or not. There weren't that many people last Saturday. I guess it was a good time to go tubing.

Park is just ok. Parking now $20. There's a sign that says picnic tables $25 on weekends. A lot of…read morefools smoking cigs and weed. No personal grills allowed. Park needs more tables and some shades.

Love coming here & just listening to the water. Good views. Some good areas to sit & hang out…read more Limited space in my opinion to hang out but love taking the dogs for a walk out here. Parking can be difficult sometimes but overall it is a nice park. Hoping they will re-open the other side of it at some point.

You know those scenes in movies where kids are swinging off old ropes into a shady river while…read moretheir friends are making out downstream, and you think, "Where did these punks find such a cool and private place to hang?" Well, congrats, you just found that place via Yelp. John Stokes park is wedged between farmland on the other side of I35, down the narrow and unsuspecting Cape street. Even on a Sunday, the park wasn't so busy that there was nowhere to sit or have to ourselves, and the people there made a comfortable mix of college kids, adults, and families. The best part of the park is the 30ft high, man-made waterfall that drops into a sort of cove. A perfect touch. Chances are, you'll see fearless kids flipping from the falls into the water below, which is at least a sight to see, if you are not the daredevil type. There are also park benches here for eating, drinking, or talking. If you live here in town, forget the Sewell Park swimsuit competition. Forget the Cheatam Street theme park crowd. John Stokes state park is the best place to experience and enjoy the San Marcos river. Tip: Much of this river park is tree-lined, so if you need direct sunlight to enjoy swimming in the cool river water, visit around noon when the sun is overhead.

We were nearby supporting a Taiwanese restaurant so I randomly pulled up kids activities in San…read moreMarcos on Yelp. The Children's Park appeared and looked like a lot of fun. Since the kids were still wide awake and the little one hates car rides, getting their wiggles out before heading back to Austin seemed like the right strategy. We came and this park did not disappoint! It was a Saturday afternoon at 3:15pm and all the kids were out having fun. We couldn't park in the parking lot so had to do roadside parking with a short walk. I especially loved the smaller kids area for the 1.5 and 5 year old. We spent a good hour here just goofing around. We spent the next 30 minutes in the bigger area and my 5 year old had a blast, 1.5 year old, not too much. Overall, I really like the layout and will be back when we visit San Marcos again!

Awesome and fun place to take the kids. This place is definitely worth the drive if you are coming…read morefrom San Antonio.

Paved walk ways. Play place for kids. Basketball court. Seems very well maintained. Restroom was in…read moregood condition. Definitely recommend for a walk or for your daily runs!

This park has a lot going for it starting with lots of parking and includes a very nice splash pad…read moreand well-designed play escape with swings. Other amenities include lots of covered picnic tables with grills, soccer fields, paved sidewalks and trails, but no pool. Built in 2015, they also included a concessions area and public bathrooms. The well designed play scape is as good as they get and the splash pad is very popular with the small kids in the neighborhood. Not far away from the splash pad you'll also find a skate park and basketball court. Definitely a great place for a picnic, to go for a bike ride, or hang out under one of many of the park's shade trees. Plenty of photos below to get you into the parking lot.