Also known as "The River City," San Angelo is the county seat of Tom Green County in West Texas. For its size, San Angelo is a major business center in the region. It is also home to a university and an Air Force base, so the area attracts its fair share of visitors. If you have some free time during your stay in San Angelo, rest assured that there are many opportunities for dining, shopping, and checking out unique cultural attractions and historical sites.
The tourism offerings in San Angelo are diverse, which means that visitors should always be able to find something to do here. Railway buffs must check out the Railway Museum, while arts lovers have their pick of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts as well as an assortment of murals around town. Naturalists can admire the area's International Waterlily Collection and then head on down to the Foster Ridge Bridge to check out the bats.
Railway Museum of San Angelo: Knowledgeable volunteers staff this museum which celebrates the area's 120+ years of railway history. The museum is housed in the KCM&O/Santa Fe Passenger Depot, built in 1909.
Historic Murals of San Angelo: A non-profit organization supports and maintains a variety of historic murals painted on various buildings around the city. Visitors who'd like some background on the murals can call a dedicated phone number for a recorded message that describes the mural and its history.
The International Waterlily Collection: Ken Landon is a collector of waterlilies from around the world. Part of his collection is always on display at the Civic League Park.
Bats at Foster Ridge Bridge: Bats love to hang out around this bridge from spring until late fall. Numbers change depending on the time of year, but a population of over 184,000 bats has been recorded. Locals suggest showing up at sunset to get the best view.
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts: The San Angelo Museum of Fine arts opened in 1981, serving the community by curating exhibits in a variety of mediums. The museum is particularly known for its ceramics collection, and hosts the world-class National Ceramic Competition every two years.
San Angelo Symphony: The San Angelo Symphony has been bringing music to the Concho Valley for over 65 years. In addition to annual concert seasons with special guest artists, there are also many education and outreach programs available to folks throughout West Texas.