Old Salado Springs Retreat

SALADO-Small Town Flavor with Heaps of Appeal!

by VeronicaG

"Historic buildings,Unique Shopping,Friendly Folks"

Update: January, 2010 Taking advantage of the long New Year's weekend, we drove 2 1/2 hours to revisit Salado's tourist friendly street, poke through its shops and enjoy two of its recommended restaurants. New tips on the way!

Two hours south of Fort Worth, Salado, Texas beckons with its unique little shops and preserved stretch of historic buildings, offering a pleasant afternoon of browsing and chilling one's heels.

It sits in Bell County midway between Waco and Austin, Texas, just off 35W, a highway whose way is strewn with wildflowers, expansive fields and cattle pastures.

"You haven't been to Salado yet?" a friend exclaimed over lunch. After hearing her descriptions of this touristy site my husband and I grabbed the GPS the next Saturday and headed out to see just what we'd missed.

Unfortunately, a severe storm had toustled the town a few days before and there was evidence of its destruction all over the place. It seemed to be mostly large sections of trees and branches that were downed, but we heard a couple roofs were lifted, as well.

Several of the shopkeepers had stories to tell of its fury, but the town must have made a heroic effort in removing most of the storm's effects because the streets were clear when we arrived. Spring in Texas brings tornado watches, warnings and the real thing sometimes!

If you are living in or visiting the Fort Worth/Dallas area and are perhaps making Austin your destination, plan to stop in Salado. You'll discover the appeal of its shops and the friendly atmosphere of this small town.