MEADOWS CENTER
A glass bottom boat ride at The Meadows Center has been a rite of passage for Texas State students for years, but even though the university owns and operates the facilities at Spring Lake, The Meadows Center is open to everyone and anyone interested in learning about the preservation of the headwaters or those who wish to experience the clear blue water for themselves. The Meadows Center attracts tourists and locals every year, especially in the summer when the 72 degree water feels as refreshing as ever. Spring Lake has controlled access due to it being a preservation site, but one can book a snorkel, scuba, paddle or kayak tour for the opportunity to submerge in the waters. This summer the Meadows Center has partnered with other local attractions to offer the San Marcos Summer Savings Pass. This deal includes a tour at Wonder World Adventure Park, a tube rental through The Lions Club and a glass bottom boat tour at The Meadows Center. One can upgrade their package to include paddle boarding with PaddleSMTX.
The Meadows Center has something for everyone. One can experience Spring Lake above the water through their popular glass bottom boat tour. This tour has been running since 1945, giving people of all ages an in depth look at the natural beauty of Spring Lake and the San Marcos Springs. Tours are offered daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last boat going out 30 minutes before closing. Each boat holds about 20 guests, so it’s perfect for the whole family or your group of friends. The standard boat tour offers 30 minutes of cruising around the lake with a knowledgeable tour guide who shares the history of Spring Lake from the Aquarena Springs days when the lake functioned as a theme park with mermaids, diving pigs and an underwater clown by the name of Glurpo to the preservation and conservation efforts made by the university and its partners today. The guide will also point out the abundant wildlife that calls Spring Lake home; from swimming turtles to fish and birds, the water is a unique ecosystem.
If looking through the glass bottom boat is your thing, submerging yourself in the cool, clear water might be the next step in exploring all that Spring Lake has to offer. Spring Lake Eco Adventures are special guided tours that put you in the protected waters to experience first hand a deep-rooted connection to the San Marcos River ecosystem. Courses offered include snorkeling, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and light up kayaking at night.
The snorkel tour includes an introduction to the unique history and habitat of Spring Lake as well as an on-water tour of the San Marcos Springs as they bubble up from below the river floor. All snorkel equipment is provided and tour guides are present to answer questions during the 50 minute on-water experience.
“It connects you with Spring Lake, which is such a great place historically and environmentally,” Jenn Barraza said.
Tours can be booked on the Meadows Center website with limited availability through August. Each tour is eight people max, so it’s a great opportunity to explore the river with close friends and family.
“I felt connected to my childhood, like when you play mermaids in the pool,” Haley Huang said.
All summer 2025 guided light-up kayak tours are fully booked, but there is still availability for snorkeling, daytime kayaking and paddle boarding.
One can take the next step in experiencing Spring Lake from below through the Meadows Center’s scuba diving program. Qualified open water scuba divers can take the Spring Lake Dive Authorization course to become a member of AquaCorps, which helps manage and monitor the lake. For more information contact the Spring Lake Dive Coordinator at [email protected].
The Meadows Center is also a hub for field trips, specializing in interpreter led tours to meet the specific needs of different grade levels.
“We see about 25,000 to 30,000 school kids here every year,” said Deputy Director of Spring Lake Education Miranda Wait. “We’re teaching them about water and water conservation.” There’s no age limit to field trips, with specially designed tours from pre-school to post-retirement.
“We have a grant through H-E-B where we get all the third graders in San Marcos on a boat for a field trip,” Wait said. There is an onsite aquarium and education center called Discovery Hall that is free and open to the public during business hours. It hosts a mixture of live animals and interactive exhibits that help visitors connect to the environment they’re exploring. One can see the diverse native fish in the 1,000 gallon tank or see up close endangered species such as the Texas Blind Salamander or Fountain Darters.
“We have Rosa the eel; she’s my favorite. We got her from Texas Parks and Wildlife a while ago,” Wait said.
Inside the center is an archeological timeline exhibit.
“This place is unique for its native species but also because of its cultural history. People have been coming here for over 13,000 years,” Wait said. “These springs have never gone dry. The local Coahuiltecan group believe that this is where their creation came from at Deep Hole, which is the deepest part of the lake; And that’s where they believe their umbilical cord is to the underworld.”
Spring Lake is not only ecologically significant but culturally and spiritually as well.
“I want to encourage San Marcos locals to come; this is a way that they can enjoy the river without all the tourists. We do have free family fun days once a month with lots of kids activities, and it’s free to walk around and go to our exhibits and the wetlands boardwalk,” Wait said. The Meadows Center is open seven days a week, and the next family fun day is this Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for their Independence Day Celebration. For more information on all that the Meadows Center has to offer or to book an eco-adventure visit their website at meadowscenter.txst.edu.
