Texas’ Top Hippie Town Might Surprise You

I would be willing to bet money that you can’t guess which town is considered to be the best hippie town in Texas. 

I say that because I totally guessed the wrong town when I saw Thrillist’s recent list of the best hippie towns in every state. I don’t know about you, but Austin immediately came to mind. Even their writers admitted Austin would be the easy pick.

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San Marcos Beats Austin as Texas’ Hippie Capital

Instead, they declared San Marcos to be the best hippie town in the Lone Star State. Admittedly, it’s a pretty solid pick. Mostly because I know several people who make the trip there every summer to float the San Marcos River, and let’s just say those folks enjoy floating in an enlightened state of mind, which is about as hippie as it gets. 

San Marcos is also home to Texas State University, giving it that hippie academia vibe, much like Austin, but on a smaller scale. And everybody knows there’s no shortage of hippies on college campuses.

Hippies vs. Hipsters: Not the Same

Now, don’t confuse hippies with hipsters. The hipster movement is a more recent phenomenon akin to the beatniks of the 50s and 60s, with some similarities to hippies. The Bay Area Telegraph has an excellent article on the difference between hippies and hipsters. 

So, if you’re one of those modern-day laid-back, peace-loving, nature enthusiasts, you’ll want to put San Marcos on your road trip bucket list.