SAN ANGELO, Texas — From the Concho River to the San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo, San Angelo offers a unique visitor experience mixed with historic landmarks and modern attractions.
May 7-13 is celebrated nationwide as "Travel & Tourism Week," where cities of all sizes attempt to highlight what makes them stand out.
On May 11, the first-ever San Angelo Travel Fair was hosted by Discover San Angelo at the Fort Concho Stables, 210 Henry O. Flipper St.
"I have never lived in a finer city than San Angelo," San Angelo Visitor Center employee and Chamber of Commerce member James King said.
King refers to himself as an "army brat" who was born in Japan and spent much of his childhood in Germany.
In 1999, King and his family moved to the United States, where they eventually made San Angelo their permanent home.
Since then, King has not been shy about his love of the city.
"There's so much here with the gardens, the water lilies, we are the Visual Arts Capital of Texas," he said.
The event itself hosted a walk-thru room of various local businesses including the San Angelo Nature Center, Wild West Fest, Cowboy Way Jubilee, the City of San Angelo Recreation Division and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
San Angelo was also ranked the 2022 No. 1 True Western Town by True West Magazine.
In 2023, the city remains in the top 10 and King proudly noted the family-friendly options such as the children's area at Stephens Central Library, along with all the public art displays across town.
"And of course, we have the largest fort museum on the civilian side of the house in the country," King said, referring to Fort Concho.
Although this was just the first year of the travel fair, the hope is to create an annual tradition showcasing San Angelo.
From nature to history to even downtown dining, this "True Western" city has created a place of notability for itself.
