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Buda City in Hays County is dubbed the outdoor capital of Texas due to the abundance of parkland there compared to other cities in Texas. Originally called Du Pre, the city was established on April 1, 1881, on land owned by Mrs. Cornelia A. Trimble. In 1887 the city's name was changed to Buda, derived from the Spanish word Viuda which means widow. The town was a popular eating and rest stop for rail travelers, and its name is believed to reference a pair of widows who cooked at the Carrington Hotel in the 1880s. There is plenty to see and do at Buda City, which has a small-town feel.
Visit Buda City's Historical Attractions
Tourists to Buda City will have plenty to do, see and explore, such as:
Visit The Historic Limestone Building
Built in 1898, the one-story historic Limestone Building is one of Buda's oldest and surviving commercial properties. Built with limestone, the building originally housed a general store called Buda Mercantile Company. From 1913 to the Depression Era, it was a grocery and retail store. Farm machinery, utensils, groceries, clothes, and other products were sold or bartered here. The building's rich history, as told by locals, is worth hearing as well as viewing its old limestone walls.
Tour The McElroy-Severn House (Stagecoach House and Onion Creek Post Office)
On 51 acres of land is the McElroy-Severn House/Stagecoach House and Onion Creek Post Office, whose rich history is intertwined with the early beginnings of Buda City. From 1875, the post office and stagecoach house served the locals and people traveling on the old San Antonio road. After the mail service was moved, the house served as family ranch headquarters for over a century. The McElroy-Severn House (Stagecoach House) has beautiful 19th-century architectural designs that include a hipped roof porch, limestone chimneys, and intricate designs. All the buildings have isolated homes as a testament to Buda's century-old farming heritage.
Visit The Historic Carrington House
Touted in local legends as the house that inspired the name of Buda City, the historic Carrington House was built in 1914 and is among the most historical buildings in Central Texas. Today the Carrington House hosts events like weddings, family gatherings, and group events for up to 275 people.
Clint's Cabin
Clint's Cabin is a tiny one-room, wooden house located at the historic Stagecoach Park, and it served as the servant quarters' for Carrington Hotel staff for 105 years. It is named after Clint, an African American who worked at the Carrington Hotel.
Explore Buda City's Parks And Outdoor Recreation Spaces
Buda City has 13 park areas on 268 acres of public land with abundant recreational amenities and is open from 6 am to 10 pm daily. These parks have trails for hiking, biking, and picnics and fields for sports like basketball, soccer, softball, and baseball. Some parks have ponds where visitors can boat and fish. Photoshoots, weddings, and engagements can also be done on these sites. There is also wildlife in these parks, like birds, turtles, ducks, and rabbits, that visitors see.
The parks cost from $45 to $200 to rent for events, and costs depend on whether one is a resident or a non-resident. Other parks' amenities include ten playgrounds, nine pavilions, an amphitheater, and three miles of concrete and crushed granite trails. The four best parks in Buda City worth visiting are:
Bradfield Village Park
Located on 140 Crescent Drive, the Bradfield Village Park is a 31 acres of a public park with two ponds with blue and channel catfish species, which visitors can fish. It also has a playground, barbeque pit, benches, picnic tables, and a water fountain.
Buda City Park
Buda City Park is a scenic 7-acre park along 204 San Antonio Street at the heart of downtown Buda. The park has two pavilions that are hired out for special events, parties, performances, and live music. The larger pavilion has two basketball courts and a playground with a tiny rock climbing wall. Yearly events held here include:
- Fajita Fiesta-Last September Weekend
- Budafest-First December Weekend
- Red, White, and Buda Independence Day Celebration-July 4th
- Buda Lion’s Club County Fair & Wiener Dog Races-Last April Weekend
- Movies In The Park-Every Friday in June
Other amenities here are benches, swings, barbeque pits, picnic tables, restroom, water, electricity, restroom, water fountains, and basketball hoops.
Historic Stagecoach Park
Located at 880 Main Street, the Historic Stagecoach Park has two historic sites on 54 acres of land. It also has a pavilion rented for private events, an amphitheater, a playground, hiking, and biking nature trails, picnic tables, natural parkland, a pond, and a council ring for scouts. Much of the scenic nature park has acres of land dotted with mesquite and oak trees. In December, the Annual Buda Trail of Lights event is at this park. Other amenities here include electricity, restrooms, and water fountains.
Jackson Tyler Norris Memorial Skate Park
This memorial skate park on route 480 S. Loop 4 is named after Jackson Tyler Norris, an avid skater and organ donor who died in a traffic accident on June 22, 2011, aged 15 years. The skating platforms at Jackson Tyler Norris Memorial Skate Park are:
- Grinding Rails
- Bowl
- Half Pipes
- Ramp
- Grind Bench
- Manual Pad
- Stairs
- Wedge Transition
There is also a garden and restrooms.
Buda Sportsplex Park
Along 310 Buda Sportsplex Drive is the 52-acre park that has open parkland, lengthy nature trails, and a big playground. The park also has a pavilion, softball, baseball, and recreation fields, and a concession stand rented out to vendors to sell food and snacks. On a Saturday before Easter, there is an Easter egg hunt. Other amenities here are:
- Dog Park
- Hike and Bike Trails
- Water Fountains
- Restrooms
- Electricity
Attend Buda City Annual Events
Annually there are several festive events at Buda City visitors can attend and have fun and these include:
First Saturday:Every first Saturday of the month, Buda Downtown Merchants' Group sells its products in downtown Buda. There is live music, food, and drinks to keep buyers entertained while shopping.
Buda Crawfest: This crawfish cooking and eating event are held at the Buda Amphitheater and City Park. There is also live music, kids' events, and vendors selling different products at this event.
Downtown Buda Farmers' Market: Every Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm at Buda City Park, there is a farmers' market where fresh organic produce, baked products, and other locally grown foods are sold at fair prices.
Main Street Sip and Stroll: This is a spring event where visitors stroll the historic downtown Buda and taste wines, sample the best foods from local restaurants, and shop while being entertained.