A skip away from both San Antonio and Austin, Lockhart draws visitors with a mix of vintage charm and a splash of swagger. Lockhart looks like a movie set, though it lives a novel. Missing are the kitschy souvenir shops; instead, find a delightful mix of music shops next to vintage boutiques next to leather workshops. It is home to a Texas State Park, a town square and a couple of museums. Here are the top things to do in Lockhart, Texas.
Visit Lockhart State Park
See the Caldwell County Courthouse and Square
Learn about the Chisholm Trail
See Antique Time Pieces at the Southwest Clock Museum
Walk Through the Dr. Eugene Clark Library
Tour the Caldwell County Museum
See the Gaslight-Baker Theatre
Stroll Downtown
Eat Some BBQ
Grab a Beer at The Pearl
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Visit Lockhart State Park
Southwest of the city, Lockhart State Park is just over 250 acres, and Clear Fork Creek runs through its boundaries. As a favorite recreation spot, you’ll find a swimming pool and a golf course, along with hiking through its forest and along the creek. It is one of the top things to do in Lockhart, Texas.
Hiking and Biking in Lockhart State Park
Most trails in Lockhart State Park are short, under a mile. You can also bike on the trails within the park.
Clear Fork Trail—A .4-mile easy trail
Wild Rose Loop—A .4-mile easy trail
Comanche Loop—A .1-mile easy trail
Golfing and Swimming in Lockhart State Park
Lockhart State Park features a 9-hole historic golf course. Golfers can reserve a tee time, and greens fees start at $10. Golf carts and clubs are available for rent. The course is open year-round with seasonal hours.
The swimming pool is open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. It is open Wednesday through Monday from noon to 7 p.m. Swimmers must pay for a day pass to enter the park, which is an additional $2 for adults (13 and older) and $1 for those 6 to 12.
Enjoy Clear Creek
Perched along Park Road 10, visitors can see a waterfall. A small dam was built during the 1930s, resulting in a waterfall.
Anglers can catch sunfish, catfish and bass on the creek. Plus, fishing in Texas State Parks doesn’t require a state license.
Camping in Lockhart State Park
Lockhart offers campsites with picnic tables and a fire ring but doesn’t offer shelters or cabins. The campground includes a restroom with showers and a dump station.
You’ll find 10 campsites with full RV hookups and 10 sites with electricity only. Camping starts at $20 a night and reservations are recommended for weekends.
The History of Lockhart State Park
After securing the land, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) moved in to develop the area. During the Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt put young men to work across the country, especially in Texas, clearing land and building infrastructure in the parks.
The CCC Company 3803 arrived in 1935 and built dams along the creek. Other projects included a recreation hall and residence. Additionally, it built a water tower and a swimming pool, which was replaced in 1974. The Works Progress Administration Program built the golf course in 1938, and it’s still in use today.
Located at 2012 State Park Rd. Open daily. Day-use adult admission is $3, and 12 and under are free. Golf is an additional fee.
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See the Caldwell County Courthouse and Square
Anchoring the town square, the courthouse was built in 1894 to replace an undersized building. Henry E.M. Guidon, a partner with San Antonio’s Alfred Giles, designed it. The firm was known for Texas county courthouses.
Designed in the Second Empire style, the three-story building sports a mansard roof and features red sandstone and limestone. The center of the structure is anchored by a clock tower with a four-sided Seth Thomas clock and a bell.
Each street flanking the Caldwell County square features restored Victorian commercial buildings. The downtown district attracts visitors from architecture students to strolling day trippers with its graceful buildings and unique locally owned shopping.
Located at 110 S. Main Street find lots of free parking around the square.
Learn about the Chisholm Trail
Cattle and Texas go back hundreds of years. The Spanish brought their Andalusian breed to the New World, which led to the modern-day icon, the Texas Longhorn. Before cattle ranchers, the San Antonio missionaries bred cattle for use and sale.
As Texas fought and settled throughout the 1800s, cattle roamed and bred freely, outnumbering the residents in the 1860s. The land around the Hill Country proved hard to farm, though cattle could graze.
Texas was cattle-rich though road-poor, especially when it came to railroad lines. Ranchers naturally wanted top dollar, and beef fetched higher prices back east that lacked open range. At the time, no railroads served the Texas cattle country.
Taking their heritage from the vaqueros, cowboys drove distinctive and hearty Texas Longhorns to the nearest railroad, which headed back east to Abilene, Kansas. The Chisholm Trail remains etched into popular culture, along with several other trails that originated in Texas. From 1867 to 1880, cattle and cowboys skirted settlements from deep in central Texas near Lockhart through Fort Worth and further north into Kansas.
Lockhart celebrates this history with a festival and rodeo every June with The Chisholm Trail Roundup.
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See Antique Time Pieces at the Southwest Clock Museum
After restoring the clock in the tower of the Caldwell County Courthouse, clock restorer Gene Galbraith and fellow clock restorers set to work on opening a museum dedicated to clocks. On the ground floor of the historic Brock Building overlooking the courthouse, the Southwest Clock Museum is one of a handful of museums dedicated to clocks and watches.
Located at 109 E. San Antonio St. Open Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $5 and kids 12 and younger enter for free.
Walk Through the Dr. Eugene Clark Library
A local doctor left money to a town he loved for a library and books on his deathbed. Finished in 1900, it is a striking example of a Classical Revival Greek Cross building. With its red brick exterior and limestone trim, I recommend you head inside for an equally impressive interior.
The central room features a pressed tin ceiling and a spiral staircase. The woodwork and perimeter shelves are also original to the library. The centerpiece is the stained glass window.
Located at 217 S. Main St. Open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free to enter.
See the Best Show Cave in Texas
Tour the Caldwell County Museum
Originally built in 1908 and 1909 as the county jail, this building seems regal to the modern eye. A rare example of the Norman version of the popular Romanesque architectural style, the five-story building includes a notched parapet roof detail, similar to a castle.
The brick building included nine cells. In 1982, it retired from jail use and became a museum dedicated to local Caldwell County history.
Located at 314 E. Market St. Open for tours Saturday and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for kids.
See the Gaslight-Baker Theatre
Opening its doors in 1920, the Baker Theatre showed the silent film In Old Kentucky, starring Anita Stewart, on opening night. Over the years, the theatre underwent several remodels and closed its doors in 1984. It underwent a final renovation when a stage was added for live productions.
Located at 216 S. Main St. It’s the home of Lockhart’s Community Theatre with several productions a year.
Stroll Downtown Lockhart
Lockhart is crazy cute so stroll around its square. Stops like The Culinary Room, a gourmet shop with the best banana pudding, are a must. Find it at 101 E. San Antonio St.
Another foodie stop is Good Things Grocery at 110 S. Commerce St. Its sister shop, Chaparral Coffee, is your go-to for a quick coffee at 106 E. Market St.
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Grab some Authentic BBQ at Smitty’s Market
Way before the TV crews arrived, driving up brisket prices, BBQ was a given for family events.
Didn’t matter if you and yours were celebrating or mourning, you were eating brisket and beans. Back then, it was the easiest way to feed a crowd.
Walking through Smitty’s screen door feels like a family memory. This building has been smoking up meat for decades. Smitty’s is one of the few places in Texas boasting its original character and smoke-tinted walls. It’s that ambiance that can’t be replicated.
If you have to choose one place, choose Smitty’s. From the wood pile out back to open fires, it’s as authentic as it gets. The sausage and brisket are tops and shouldn’t be missed. You’ll be eating off butcher paper and sitting at long tables with locals and visitors alike.
Located at 208 S. Commerce. Open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Remember, this place still doesn’t take cards so bring a wad of cash.
Texas Monthly BBQ Fest
The Texas Monthly BBQ Fest is a two-day festival held every November in Lockhart. On Saturday, November 2, visitors can sample BBQ joints from the state and enjoy live music. On Sunday, November 3, visitors need reserved tickets to attend the Top 50 Picnic, which features some of the best BBQ in Texas.
Located in Downtown Lockhart.
Grab a Drink at The Pearl
If this storefront looks vaguely familiar, one of those big Texas magazines popped it on a cover a while back. Minutes after opening on a Wednesday, the barkeep had a crowd.
A statement to his hospitality and capable hands. Find a mix of locals and friendly visitors with live music most Fridays.
Located at 110 N. Main St. Open Monday to Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to midnight and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Find the Welcome to Lockhart Mural
Visitors will find public art dotting downtown Lockhart. On the first Friday of the month, Lockhart hosts First Fridays with art galleries and shopping.
Located on the southeast corner of Commerce and Market streets, Matt Tumlinson (left) of San Antonio and David Bond of Waco painted the mural.
