A small town with a big presence!
Moving to a new town is exciting, but can also be overwhelming and a little scary. You are moving away from everything that is familiar to you. What an exciting time to be moving to a new town with opportunities to try new things and meet new people!
Tarleton State University is in the heart of Stephenville, Texas with a population of a little over 20,000 and one of the most charming college towns you will find. Located about 90 miles southwest from DFW, Stephenville is a great place to live during your college years and we hope you will even consider sticking around after graduating!
So what should you expect from “The Ville?”
Local Restaurants
If you are a “foody” then you will LOVE Stephenville. The town offers so many locally owned restaurants that are to die for. Visit Rodeo Grounds Coffee or Beans and Franks for free WIFI and a great cup of coffee. CAAMS offers brick oven pizza and delicious Cuban sandwiches. You will crave Hard 8 BBQ with mouth watering brisket, turkey, and ribs. After your morning class, you can hit up Big O’s Deli right across from campus for amazing sandwiches, soups, and salads. They have a BIG O’s Grilled Cheese, thank me later! If you are a Chipotle fan, you will love Habenero’s for a rice bowl or tacos (they even have a “Purple Thursday ” special on these). Many restaurants in town offer discounts for students, so always have your Texan Card with you! If you aren’t ready to explore our local restaurants we have a number of chain restaurants as well like Chilis, Dominos, Whataburger, Cotton Patch Café, Starbucks, and more!
Local Parks
Stephenville has two city parks, Stephenville City Park and Jacee Park, to enjoy as well as many parks in the surrounding areas. A 30 minute drive from Stephenville in Glenrose, TX you will find Dinosaur Valley. Located on the Paluxy River, you hike many trails, fish for trout, and see Dinosaur world: an awesome day trip activity. There are many lakes in the surrounding areas as well where you can enjoy fishing, kayaking, or water sports. It gets HOT in the summer so grab some friends and take off for the day to Granbury Lake or visit the Brazos Drive-In Movie Theater in Granbury!
Town Events & Activities
Community events are a blast in Stephenville, TX. Just to mention a few, Sundown on the Square, The City of Lights during Christmas, Summer Concerts in the park, and a number of holiday parades and carnivals. These events are relatively cheap or free to the public and great for a group of friends to attend. You will feel more connected checking out these community events.
Volunteer Opportunities in the Community
Tarleton and the town of Stephenville partner with many programs and organizations to provide student volunteer work. This is a great opportunity to connect and meet with people in the community and allows you to help others. Be on the lookout for organizations like Meals on Wheels and Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Each year Tarleton hosts Service Day, a day for all Texans to give back to the community. Check out Tarleton’s website here for more volunteer and service opportunities!
When you attend Tarleton State University you instantly become a member of the community. Our students play such a large roll in the town of Stephenville, and we hope you will explore and enjoy your new home! For more information and events in Stephenville, visit here.
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