Not too long ago, San Marcos was famous for its Mermaids. These weren't just any mermaids, these were the rare Texas freshwater mermaids who once lived, swam, and performed at Aquarena Springs. The Aquarena Springs Mermaids were beautiful models who danced underwater at the world-famous Aquarena Springs amusement park in San Marcos. While the amusement park has since gone out of business and been bought out by Texas State University as a branch of its water conservation department, the mermaids' legacy is still very much alive in San Marcos! 

When we visited this amazing little town in central Texas, we picked up a map to the San Marcos Mermaid March, a self-guided driving tour of San Marcos which stopped by ten unique mermaid statues, each one designed by a different local artist to reflect an aspect of San Marcos' culture.

After a fantastic breakfast of chorizo and egg burritos and sweet cream coffee at the spectacular Loli's café, we set off to hunt ten Texas mermaids.

The San Marcos Mermaid March

ODE TO RAPLH

The first mermaid we visited was "Ode to Ralph", a statue honoring Aquarina Springs and the famous performing "merpig" who used to put on a beloved show. This mermaid was one of our favorites, and was a wonderful reference to San Marcos' history and uniquely quirky heritage.

AQUA REINA

image courtesy of Visit San Marcos

“Aqua Reina” celebrates the unique ecosystem in San Marcos, and features images of the special fauna and flora of the city and its river. The San Marcos River and the Edwards Aquifer. What makes San Marcos so special is the incredible ecosystem and biodiversity of the city's waterways.

BEFORE US

"Before Us" is an artistic collaboration with the Indigenous Cultures Institute and honors the Native American culture of the region. It references folklore from the local tribes, and pays homage to the importance of the wilderness and respect for nature in Native American traditions.

MERMAID PLAYGROUND

"Mermaid Playground" is a pop art mural mermaid which features the fun and exciting attractions from San Marcos and its past. If you look closely, you can see the Glass-Bottom Boats, Ralph the Swimming Pig, mermaids and more.”

LIQUID METAL

"Liquid Metal" looks solid and dark from a distance, but when you get up close, you can see something really amazing! The special paint is made to be reflective, and creates a very cool mirrorlike surface.

OH FOR A MUSE OF FIRE

image courtesy of Visit San Marcos

“Oh for a Muse of Fire,” is painted with a thermachromic pigment, which causes this mermaid to change colors with the weather. When it's cool outside, the mermaid is solid black, but when it is warmer, it blossoms into fantastic colors.

DIANNE

"Dianne" is dedicated to the aquatic plants which can be found in the San Marcos river, as well as the beautiful flowers which bloom in the Hill Country in the springtime.

MERMAID MAP

We almost missed "Mermaid Map"! It wasn't exactly where it was supposed to be, having been moved temporarily for construction. We found it at a city park purely by accident, completing our checklist! "Mermaid Map" is a shiny silvery mosaic designed to look like a city map, and referencing the urban parts of San Marcos.

THE FISH OF THE SAN MARCOS WATERWAYS

This mermaid was surrounded by construction, but we were able to see her from a distance. Like the name suggests, "Fish of the San Marcos Waterways" pays tribute to the freshwater fish who call the San Marcos River and Spring Lake home.

BLOOMING BRIGHTLY

This funky mermaid is covered in clippings from the local newspaper, and her tail is painted in crazy bright colors. We found her at the local children's park, checking of the tenth and final mermaid from our list!