With the spring semester finally starting to live up to its name, and temperatures beginning to rise, it’s time to find some new ways to enjoy the upcoming sun-filled weeks right here in the Bryan-College Station area! Whether you’ve run out of local spots to check out or you’re looking for ways to share the C-Stat experience with out-of-towners, the solution is just a few miles from A&M’s campus: Downtown Bryan! This historic downtown is an official Texas cultural district that has been around for over 150 years, managing to combine the beautiful foundations of the town with the vibrant and ever-changing community that gives life to it now.

For decades, Downtown Bryan has been enjoyed by locals and college students alike. Don’t want to go into it blind? No worries – we’ve planned out a “Day in Downtown Bryan” for you, complete with all the must-see stops and our recommendations!

THE DAY

9:00 AM – COFFEE RUN

The best start to a packed day is always fueling your body, and what better way to do that than visiting one of the local coffee/breakfast spots? The Kyle House is a popular study spot for its unique location: it’s the historical home of Edwin Kyle (as in Kyle Field) located right on the outskirts of Downtown Bryan. Now, the beautiful house is home to Polite Coffee Roasters, which offers an extensive selection of coffee and pastries, as well as coffee beans in-house and online. Our recs? Can’t go wrong with the classic Kyle House – a honey and cinnamon latte, or the Breakfast in Bed – a latte made with Fruity Pebble cereal-infused milk! Polite Coffee also offers cold brews, espresso tonics, all your other classic coffee choices, and they’re especially known for their biscuits! If you’d rather start your day right in the heart of downtown, Harvest Coffee Bar has a gorgeous location with touches of art inspiration in their décor (and one of the best lavender lattes in BCS). The Village Café is another popular brunch spot for its emphasis on the local – art, music, food, ingredients, and people.

10:30 AM – LOCAL THRIFTING

Historical downtowns are known for their abundance of vintage and antique shops, and Downtown Bryan is no exception. One-of-a-kind clothing items and unique gifts are everywhere to be found! The Attic Antiques, a family-owned and run antique shop (complete with the owners’ adorable dog often found roaming the store), has an incredible selection of vinyl records, vintage décor and furniture items. Bird’s Nest is one of the best spots to find local gifts as their first floor is filled with seasonal items and decorating tools like paints, wallpaper, and hardware. However, the true hidden gem is upstairs, where individual stalls are occupied by various local vendors. Vintage clothing items, games, posters, artisan crafts, and more make it incredibly difficult to leave empty handed!

12:30 – LUNCH

A quick bite to eat at Zeitman’s Grocery Store is a must! The cute local deli is famous for its bagel sandwiches and other baked goods made in-house, and its ambiance makes it feel like it was plucked right off the east coast. A unique spot that definitely needs to make our list.

1:30 – AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

Some more necessary stops include any of the local art galleries: Sead Gallery, The Frame Gallery, and Purple Turtle Art Studio. Here, muse on the art pieces on display (or even purchase your own!), all courtesy of local artisans here in the Brazos Valley. And, if you’re feeling inspired and want to be creative yourself, The Rustic Brush is a great DIY-décor shop in the downtown area.

A little outside of Downtown Bryan but still an important spot is The Farm Patch Farmer’s Market. A wide selection of fresh, local produce and other items fill this cute spot, as well as plenty of flowers, herbs and other plants. An organic grocery area also makes this spot stand out in the BCS area as a must-visit.

For another option, consider catching a late afternoon or early evening showing of a movie at the historic Queen Theater. Originally built in 1939, the newly refurbished theater now has all the modern amenities of a luxury theater, with select showings throughout the week and weekend available to anyone looking for a uniquely memorable movie-going experience! 

6:00 – DINNER (AND DRINKS)

Especially convenient after a showing at the Queen, settle in for dinner and drinks at Proudest Monkey for a new spin on classic American favorites: the Guac-a-Doodle-Blue Burger, Yuppy Fries, and Espresso Self Tacos (yes, you heard that right – they feature espresso BBQ sauce). For a different vibe, check out what is considered by many to be the best pizza in town – Rx Pizza. Rx’s original location, right in Downtown Bryan, is actually in the refurbished James Pharmacy. Unlike normal bars, Rx Pizza is straight out of a drugstore counter from decades past, adding to the ambiance and unique vibe that the restaurant offers. Rx also proudly boasts its brick-oven pizza, which certainly contributes to the high praise that always seems to follow its name.9:00 – ENJOY THE NIGHTLIFE

The Palace Theater at the heart of Downtown Bryan is a popular outdoor concert venue for artists of all genres, as well as a popular venue to rent out. Halo is a popular bar and entertainment venue geared toward the LGBT community, with regular drag shows. One of the best ways to end your night in Downtown Bryan comes only once a month, though – on First Fridays. First Fridays are nights when the entirety of Downtown Bryan comes to life with local businesses setting up booths lining the streets, selling gifts of all sorts, and offering everything from henna to customized art. Live performances throughout the downtown area add to the liveliness of the night, and regardless of typical hours, just about every business in the area is open and filled with people. Want to know the best part? They’re all there to celebrate the hidden gem that is Downtown Bryan!

Written by Bella Correa, Photography: Esha Uddaraju, Social Media: Emma McMinn