Things to Do in La Vernia

La Vernia is the perfect place to spend a quiet weekend relaxing, eating good food, and enjoying southern hospitality. The city is home to plenty of fun and family-friendly events, and the shopping scene will appeal to bargain-hunters and antiquers, with unique items and gifts to be had at a number of stores. Add in some colorful history that is well worth exploring and you’ll have plenty to do in while you’re here. Read on for more suggestions of fun things to do in La Vernia.

Celebrate the Holidays

Holidays are special wherever you choose to celebrate them, but La Vernia offers unique activities during holidays with a charm and feeling all its own. Christmas is a particularly fun time to visit, with two festive events held in the city. During the Chihuahua Trail Wassail Walk, local businesses provide patrons with the holiday drink, as well as hors d’oeuvres and entertainment. The all-day event also includes a wreath decorating contest, Christmas bazaar, and photo ops with the Clauses. In the evening, the “Spirit of Christmas” event keeps the merry-making going with music, play in the snow, and the lighting of the city tree.

Catch a Special Event

In addition to celebrating national holidays, La Vernia is home to a number of special annual events that draw folks from all over the state. Probably the most famous of these is Bluebonnet Fest, an all-out good time with a pageant, parade, dance, carnival, arts and crafts vendors, and other fun activities. In the fall, sporty types flock to the city for Wild West Hammerfest, an annual bike race over the rolling hills and back roads of Wilson County.

Also in the fall, La Vernia celebrates its artistic side. The Chihuahua Trail Art Show hosted by the La Vernia Historical Association, welcomes upwards of 25 artists to display and sell their fine artworks that depict the city and region. In November, the city presents Wilson County's Got Talent at the La Vernia High School auditorium, an event that sees talented singers and other performers from La Vernia and surrounding communities dazzle guests with riveting live entertainment.

Immerse Yourself in Local History

This city of La Vernia has a rich history, with people of Mexican, Native American, Spanish, German, and Polish descent all leaving their mark over the years. You can learn all about La Vernia’s past inside the old firehouse building, where the La Vernia Heritage Museum displays both permanent and rotating exhibits. The former includes badges and equipment from the city’s earliest volunteer firefighters, 19th-century pottery by settlers Isaac and George Suttles, images of the bustling Chihuahua Road trade route and the original 1893 San Antonio & Gulf Shore Railroad depot.

The lesson doesn’t have to end once you’ve left the museum, however. Visit the La Vernia Historical Association’s website to download a map of nearly one dozen historical markers scattered around the center of town and take a self-guided tour at your own pace. Not only will you get to know a bit more about La Vernia’s history, but you’ll also get to soak up all of the small town charm.

Go Shopping

Let’s face it: you can find homogenous big-box stores and shopping malls pretty much anywhere these days. If you want something to wear or display in your home that you don’t see every day, La Vernia is the place to go. From the thrift store and flea market to the farmers’ market and antique stores, there is much to discover when you go shopping in La Vernia. The newly opened Pricklee Pear is a great place to find locally made boutique items, as is Mesquite Bean, where you can browse the handbags and home decor before putting in your order for a satisfying deli-style lunch. After all, all that shopping is bound to make you work up an appetite.