Stephenville is in central Texas, about an hour’s drive from Fort Worth. Stephenville was named one of “The 100 Best Small Towns in America” by author Norman Crampton and, as local businesses like to share, was voted one of the “Top Ten Small Towns to Move To” by "Good Morning America."
The chamber of commerce bills Stephenville as the Cowboy Capital of the World, and attractions back up that claim. It’s home to one of the biggest country and western dance clubs in the state, as well as the Country Gospel Opry, a walk of fame honoring legendary cowboys and Lone Star Arena, which is busy with horse shows, rodeos and roping competitions.
For an inexpensive, no-frills place to stay, Stephenville's Lost Creek RV Park offers 40 RV sites with electrical, water and sewer hook-ups, including back-in and oversized sites. Shady Oaks Mobile Home Park also offers several simple sites with hook-ups. Both are close to local attractions.
Other facilities offer more perks to entice vacationers. Super C Ranch and Private Lake has full hookups, restrooms and showers, plus access to a cantina, gas grill, satellite TV and a lush picnic area. You can borrow two fishing poles with your reservation. With more than 200 RV sites, the 380-acre Melody Mountain Ranch and RV Park rents itself out for weddings, family reunions, retreats and trail rides. The ranch also has a concert series and a fall home-brew and wine-maker competition. Mitchell Resort & RV Park in nearby Perrin offers swimming pools, a nine-hole golf course, mini-golf and a spring kite festival.
With many visitors coming into town for horse events, Stephenville’s Hoof Prints Ranch offers larger RV sites and accommodations for four-legged guests. The ranch provides full hookups, as well as five back-in spaces and nine that can accommodate even the biggest rig or horse trailer. The ranch also offers uncovered and covered barn stalls, with rates ranging from $5 to $15 per horse per night, as of July 2010.
In addition to Lone Star Arena, Stephenville is within an hour’s drive of several other Texas locales that have rodeos, horse shows and sporting events. Stephenville is also home to art galleries, hunting grounds, two big flea markets and several historical sites and museums, plus a bowling alley, golf course, speedway and roller rink. Nearby Dublin is the site of the oldest Dr. Pepper bottling plant in the world, which is open for public tours, as well as the Dr. Pepper Museum & Old Doc’s Soda Shop. The Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, about 25 miles away in Glen Rose, offers a 9-1/2 mile scenic drive and guided tours showcasing a collection of exotic and endangered species.
