San Marcos is located in the southeastern part of Hays County, 30 miles south of Austin and 45 miles north of San Antonio on Interstate 35. The scenic beauty is an asset that makes San Marcos different from other towns.

Natives and newcomers alike find a wonderful environment in which to work and play. The centerpiece of San Marcos is the remarkable spring-fed San Marcos River that meanders through the city between park-lined banks.

San Marcos offers the best in shopping opportunities from serious shopping to browsing. The historic Courthouse Square area offers a potpourri of shops referred to as the Texas Natural marketplace, while the Prime Outlets of San Marcos and Tanger Factory Outlet Center are some of the busiest shopping areas in the state.

The San Marcos River is the focus of many parks which form a green belt through the city. Picnic areas, recreation buildings, an Olympics-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, baseball fields, and one of the largest Playscapes in the nation are sprinkled throughout the city's nine parks. Outdoor recreation is a way of life in San Marcos' inviting climate.

Less than an hour's drive south of San Marcos is San Antonio, the eighth largest city in the United States. The city prides itself on being a crossroads and meeting place of different cultures and welcomes over twenty million visitors each year.

One of San Antonio's signature attractions is the Paseo del Rio which is better known as the River Walk. The pathways lead to sidewalk cafes, specialty boutiques, night clubs and downtown hotels. Also located downtown is The Alamo and Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Sea World San Antonio and the Market Square, the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico.

A unique metropolitan city awaits students just a half hour's drive north of San Marcos. Austin stands as the gateway to the Texas Hill Country and the Highland Lakes. Austin serves as the state capitol and is home to the Texas Statehouse, which is 14 feet taller than the nation's capitol and the largest domed statehouse in the country.

Live music never stops in Austin as more than 100 venues offer entertainment to match any person's musical taste. The largest concentration of music venues is found downtown in the Warehouse District and along Sixth Street, a six-block stretch of bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

San Marcos and neighboring New Braunfels offer plenty of activities centered around crystal-clear rivers. Tubing is a popular activity on the Comal, Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers. New Braunfels is also home to Schlitterbahn, America's No. 1 waterpark according to the Travel Channel.