San Angelo
Around San Angelo
Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Texas · 121k people
San Angelo
Locals say Concho Valley · “Oasis of West Texas”, “Concho City”
Where the river meets the range
Royal BlueGold
Welcome to the Concho Valley, where the river runs through town and the dance halls stay busy. Get ready for friendly folks, great barbecue, and wide-open skies. Whether you're here for the rodeo or just passing through, we're glad you're here.
Clubs for San Angelo
No clubs for San Angelo yet.
The room
One room for everyone around San Angelo. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around San Angelo. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Concho River Walk A scenic paved path along the Concho River, perfect for strolls.
- Historic Fort Concho A well-preserved 19th-century frontier military fort.
- San Angelo State Park Large park with hiking, biking, and bison herds.
- Lake Nasworthy Reservoir popular for fishing, boating, and lakeside picnics.
- San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts Regional art museum with a notable ceramics collection.
- International Water Lily Collection Rare water lilies in the pond at Civic League Park.
- Outdoors Kayaking the Concho
- Outdoors Fishing at Lake Nasworthy
- With kids Visit the International Water Lily Collection at Civic League Park
- With kids Explore Historic Fort Concho
- Evenings Dance halls and honky-tonks
- Evenings RiverStage concerts
- Locals love Dance halls and honky-tonks
- Locals love Ranchland and stockyards
Through the year
- San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo February The region's biggest rodeo and livestock show, with concerts and carnival.
- Texas State Championship Goat BBQ Cookoff Fall Teams compete for the best goat barbecue in the state.
- San Angelo Art Walk First Thursday monthly Monthly downtown gallery walk with local artists and live music.
- RiverStage Summer Concert Series Summer Free outdoor concerts at the Bill Aylor Sr. Memorial RiverStage.
- Fiesta del Concho May Riverfront festival with music, food, and family activities.
San Angelo has a semi-arid West Texas climate: hot summers, mild winters, and low humidity. The best times to be out are spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are ideal, with mild temps and low humidity.
Talk like a local
- “The Concho”
- The Concho River, often just called 'the Concho'.
- “Lake Nas”
- Lake Nasworthy, a local reservoir.
- “Fort”
- Fort Concho, the historic military site.
- “Goat Country”
- The region's identity as ranch and livestock country.
Getaways
- Abilene Frontier history, the Grace Museum, and a lively downtown.
- Fredericksburg Hill Country wineries, peach orchards, and German heritage.
- Big Spring Historic spring park and the Hangar 25 Air Museum.
- Sweetwater Home of the National WASP WWII Museum and a classic small-town square.
Local flavour
Teams
- San Angelo Colts Pecos League
Also rooting for Texas Longhorns (NCAA), Texas A&M Aggies (NCAA), Texas Tech Red Raiders (NCAA), Dallas Cowboys (NFL), San Antonio Spurs (NBA)
Eat and drink
- Goat barbecue San Angelo hosts the World Championship Goat Cook-Off
- Tex-Mex Common style across West Texas
- Chicken fried steak A Texas staple
Where people go
- Concho River walk A central gathering spot
- Historic Fort Concho A frontier military post
- Dance halls and honky-tonks Traditional Texas music venues
- Ranchland and stockyards Working cattle and sheep ranches
Heritage and traditions
San Angelo is proud of its deep Western heritage as the Wool and Mohair Capital of the World, its friendly Concho Valley community, and its unique Concho River pearls.
This time of year in San Angelo
- Deer hunting season Fall A major outdoor tradition in the fall.
Say it like a local: “Bless your heart” — Sympathetic or sometimes sarcastic expression.
Festivals
- Christmas at Old Fort Concho December Candlelight tours of the historic fort in December.
- Cinco de Mayo May Community celebration with music, food, and dancing.
- Juneteenth June Celebration of emancipation with local events and family gatherings.
Landmarks with a story
- Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum A preserved 1900s bordello offering a glimpse into frontier life.
- Cactus Hotel A 1929 hotel in downtown, now a landmark.
- Tom Green County Courthouse A classic Texas courthouse with a distinctive dome.
- Santa Fe Depot A restored train depot that once served the region.
Food traditions
- Cabrito (roast goat) A specialty from the goat ranching heritage, often served at family gatherings and celebrations.
- Pan dulce from local panaderías Sweet breads from Mexican bakeries, a breakfast staple.
- Catfish dinners Fresh catfish from the Concho River, often fried and served with hush puppies.
Music and arts
- San Angelo Symphony Regional orchestra performing classical and pops concerts.
- Western art and sculpture Many galleries feature cowboy and ranch-themed works.
- Cowboy poetry A tradition of recitation and storytelling at local gatherings.
A little history
- 1867 San Angelo founded as a trading post by Bartholomew DeWitt.
- 1867 Fort Concho established to protect the frontier.
- Late 1800s Sheep and goat ranching boom made San Angelo the wool and mohair capital.
- 1930s Concho River dammed to create Lake Nasworthy.
- 1940s Goodfellow Air Force Base established, boosting the local economy.
- Game day High school football rivalry between Central and Lake View
- Game day San Angelo Colts baseball games
- Outdoors Pearl hunting in the Concho River
- Outdoors Tubing the Concho
- With kids San Angelo Children's Museum
- With kids San Angelo Colts baseball games
West Texas accent with a drawl, using 'y'all' and 'fixin' to'. Spanish words like 'compadre' and 'amigo' are common due to the large Mexican-American community.
Only here
- The Concho River is one of the few places with freshwater pearls, earning San Angelo the nickname 'Pearl of the Concho'.
- San Angelo is the 'Wool and Mohair Capital of the World'.
- Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum is one of the few preserved brothels in the US.
New here? A few tips
- Expect hot summers and strong winds; dress in layers for spring.
- Try the goat barbecue and cabrito – it's a local specialty.
- Learn to say 'y'all' – it's part of the friendly local speech.
- Visit Fort Concho to understand the area's frontier history.
- Drive carefully on rural roads, especially at dusk when deer are active.
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San Angelo, TX. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.