Things to Do in San Angelo, Texas

First thing you need to know about visiting San Angelo is how to sound like a native West Texan. Here's the secret: Locals refer to the capital of Tom Green County simply as Angelo.

The second thing you need to know is that it may just be the friendliest town in Texas.

A third major point about Angelo is that the ranching-college town (home of Angelo State University) has reinvented itself, pulling on its figurative boots and saddling up as a travel destination. Of course, Angelo has always been a good place to visit, but as recently as the 1980s, it probably accommodated more goats than tourists.

San Angelo began as a military town when the U.S. Army established a cavalry post there in 1867. The military left in 1889, but the old fort remained. Today, it is a National Historic Landmark and one of the best-preserved frontier garrisons in the West.

During the fort's heyday, thirsty, lonely soldiers could get their needs met at more than a dozen establishments on Concho Street. Today, tourists can visit Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum, a restored house of ill repute and antique store, and imagine what it must have been like during the days of the Wild West.

Where soldiers, buffalo hunters and cowboys used to play, today visitors can prowl antique malls and specialty shops.

One must-see if you like to read is the Cactus Book Shop at 6 E. Concho. Owned by Felton Cochran, the store is the world headquarters for signed books by noted Western novelist and San Angelo resident Elmer Kelton. In addition, Cochran has a large stock of Texas-related used and rare books.

Another important stop on Concho Street is Legend Jewelers, the best place to buy jewelry featuring Texas' only variety of freshwater pearl. The pearls are only found in the Concho River, the stream that gave the street its name and San Angelo a reason for being.

It's no Mississippi, but the Concho and its two branches make San Angelo a West Texas oasis. The city's parks department, with the help of volunteers, has transformed the river in recent years. These days, a four-mile walking-jogging trail extends up and down the river in the city's heart.

Across the from Fort Concho to the west is a new art museum, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, a railroad museum in the old Santa Fe depot and a collection of restored vintage structures called Old Town.

With more than 90,000 residents, San Angelo offers a wide range of eating opportunities, but the best food is found in places cooking the prime West Texas food groups: Tex-Mex or steak.

For the former, I'd recommend Fuentes Café or Mejor Que Nada. For steaks, the can't-miss place is Zentner's Daughter Steak House. The filet mignon is so tender it can be cut with a fork.

When you order, just say you're sure glad to be in Angelo.

The details:

Fort Concho is at 630 S. Oakes St. Call 325-481-2646 for information or visit www.fortconcho.com

Miss Hattie's Bordello Museum is located at 18 ½ E. Concho Ave. in downtown. Tours are available at $5 a person at 4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. For more information see www.misshatties.com

Legend Jewelers is next door at 18 E. Concho Ave. To learn more about Concho pearls, visit their Web site at www.legendjewelers.com or call 888-655-4367

Fuentes has a downtown location at 101 S. Chadbourne and its original venue, 9 E. Avenue K.

Mejor Que Nada is at 1911 S. Bryant Blvd.

Zentner's Daughter is located at 1901 Knickerbocker Rd., right across from Angelo State University's football stadium. For more information, call 325-949-2821.

For more information on San Angelo, contact the San Angelo Convention and Visitors Bureau, 500 Rio Concho Dr., at 325-1206 or 800-375-1206.