Rushing by on the Interstate your eye is caught by the shaded green lawns, inviting pond and coffee shop that are the grounds of the Stagecoach Inn Hotel and Conference Center.

Turning off the highway to visit Salado is well worth leaving home early or returning late to spend some time on Main Street enjoying this unique and friendly village. The shops and restaurants that line Main Street reflect the individualistic and sometimes quirky personalities of their owners.Salado Square - Salado, Texas

Stagecoach Inn, originally called Shady Villa, was built in the 1860's on the bank of the spring-fed creek at the crossing of the Chisholm Trail and the Old Military Road (which linked a string of frontier forts). At the same time a college was chartered and the village grew up around it. Known as the Athens of the South, the college set the tone of Salado. It is a tone that colors the village to this day.

Today's dining room occupies the original building. Modern rooms and conference facilities have been added to the original building in recent years. The Inn still serves the tasty southern cooking that has made it a favorite of visitors for decades. There are no menus; your waitress will recite the bill of fare, just as it was done when passengers stepped down from the stage. The Inn is not your only choice. The possibilities for dining range from various tearooms to fine dining at the Range at Barton House.

Fine art galleries have always been a prominent part of the area's draw. The nationally known work of Thomas Kincaid is exclusively featured at the Stagecoach Gallery. Prellop Fine Arts Gallery, owned by Larry Prellop, shows his own seascapes as well as the works of many other excellent regional painters and sculptors. The landscapes of Burnet County painter Royce Roberts are a must-see. Beautiful hill country views of bluebonnets, inspired by his ranch, are his hallmark. Guy Harvey is also represented by a wide variety of scenes - city streets and western scenes ...

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