4:00 PM
Check in
Stay at Best Western Bandera Suites & Saloon.
This in-town hotel keeps Main Street restaurants and music venues a short drive away while providing a conventional room outside the dude-ranch schedule.
Weekend itinerary
Rancho Cortez, Main Street, and Medina River
Give Saturday to the horses at Rancho Cortez, drift back for a Main Street dinner and whatever band is posted, then let Sunday end quietly on the Medina.
By Cal Mercer — a Second Star Guide itinerary
The sample weekend runs from a Main Street dinner to a Rancho Cortez ranch day and a Sunday morning beside the Medina River.
Best length
2 nights
Two nights cover a Main Street dinner, one reserved Rancho Cortez day visit, downtown music, and a Sunday morning beside the Medina River.
Stay
Best Western Bandera Suites & Saloon
This in-town hotel keeps Main Street restaurants and music venues a short drive away while providing a conventional room outside the dude-ranch schedule.
Main activity
Dude Ranch
The fixed reservation is Rancho Cortez on Saturday. Old Spanish Trail, TJ's, posted Main Street music, and Bandera City Park complete the town-and-river sequence.
Trip shape
Town room, ranch day, river morning
Friday stays on Main Street, Saturday belongs to the booked Rancho Cortez visit, and Sunday morning stays at Bandera City Park.
Friday
Check into town and eat at Old Spanish Trail.
Save the Rancho Cortez arrival instructions, then have Friday dinner at Old Spanish Trail Restaurant on Main Street. Check the posted calendar at 11th Street Cowboy Bar or Arkey Blue's before deciding whether to add music that night.
6:30 PM
First dinner
Start with Old Spanish Trail Restaurant.
Old Spanish Trail Restaurant is a long-running Main Street dining room for Texas comfort food and posted daily plates.
Saturday
Spend Saturday at Rancho Cortez, then return to Main Street.
Follow the booked half-day or full-day itinerary at Rancho Cortez. Its day visit can include a meal, horseback riding, swimming, hayrides, and ranch activities. Afterward, return to town for a reserved table at TJ's at the Old Forge and the night's posted music.
8:30 AM
Breakfast
Eat near the room before the ranch drive.
No current managed breakfast role is reliable enough to force into the itinerary. Use the lodging's breakfast or a currently open stop near the room before driving to Rancho Cortez.
10:00 AM
Main activity
Use the booked Rancho Cortez day visit.
Arrive for the operator's stated check-in time. Confirm whether the reservation is the half-day or full-day itinerary and which meal, ride, swim, hayride, and ranch activities are included for the date.
Compare the Rancho Cortez day visit with a ranch stay
Rancho Cortez is the clearest day-visit choice. Dixie and Mayan suit travelers who want riding, meals, and lodging under one ranch schedule; Flying L adds resort and golf amenities.
Compare
Browse more attractions and activities
See additional things to do around Bandera.
4:30 PM
Afternoon
Return to town before dinner.
A full-day ranch reservation leaves little room for another attraction. Go back to the room, then keep the evening on Main Street rather than adding the natural area or another rural drive.
7:00 PM
Dinner
Reserve TJ's, then follow the music calendar.
TJ's at the Old Forge accepts reservations for the Saturday dinner. Afterward, use the official event listings for 11th Street Cowboy Bar or Arkey Blue's rather than assuming a performer or start time.
Highlight
The trip’s main event
GetYourGuide
Bandera: Ol' West Chuckwagon Breakfast & Ride
Enjoy a scenic morning horseback ride followed by a traditional Chuckwagon Cowboy Breakfast cooked over an open fire, with opportunities to meet ranch animals and practice roping.
Sunday
Visit Bandera City Park before checkout.
Use Sunday morning for the Medina River at Bandera City Park. Enter from the riverbank, stay away from the dam and private south bank, and read the current water, flood, parking, and fee-day notices before entering the water.
9:00 AM
Sunday morning
Choose breakfast, coffee, or a short walk.
Eat near the room, then drive to Bandera City Park for the Medina River before checkout. Skip river entry when current city or water-authority notices advise against it.
11:00 AM
One last stop
Walk the Medina River bank at Bandera City Park.
The city park is the final stop in this sequence. Follow current gate, fee-day, parking, dam, private-bank, water-testing, and flood notices; do not substitute the distant state natural area on a short checkout morning.