San Marcos, TX Site Information
You are about to embark on a journey with your students. A journey that will challenge, grow, and equip them to be a stronger follower of Christ. As you prepare to go use this info about your site to equip your team and learn more about your site.
We would love to put every detail of your trip down, however the size of our website would be much too large; therefore, you will have questions. Call us and we can answer any and all questions you have.
San Marcos, TX
Mission Ready & Intense Impact | Leadership Development + Service
Grow as a leader while meeting real needs and sharing God’s love in the Texas Hill Country
Trip Type:
Mission Ready
Staff lead early in the week, gradually empowering students to lead meals, worksites, and a 3-day VBS
Intense Impact
A fully student-led experience—students plan and lead meals, worksites, and VBS.
Age Group:
Middle School, High School, Combined
High School
Why Here?
San Marcos is located only 45 minutes from the beautiful river walk of San Antonio and 30 minutes from downtown Austin, but the needs and development are completely different. Life seems to move a little slower here, and that’s refreshing. San Marcos is home to many hispanic families who live below the poverty line. Destruction from floods, tornados, and other natural disasters have opened the doors to serve the people of San Marcos and share with them the good news of the Gospel. Your team will be able to bless people in need, while also gaining new perspectives on what God is doing in the southern region of the USA.
Lodging & Showers
Teams stay at a local host church:
- Group sleeping areas
- Fellowship space & kitchen
- Areas for worship and debriefs
- On-site parking for vans & buses
Facts About San Marcos, TX
- Population: 74,300
- Demographics: 44.6% White, 42.2% Hispanic/Latino, 5.7% African American, 2.2% Asian;Â
- Poverty: 26.9%
- Famous for: Situated on the crystal-clear, 72-degree spring-fed San Marcos River. The headwaters at Spring Lake are built upon an underwater archaeological site revealing that the area has been continuously inhabited for over 12,000 years.
What Students Will Experience
- Partnership with a longstanding local church engaged in community service.
- Supporting ongoing ministry efforts that meet both practical and spiritual needs.
- Planning and leading a ministry (either a traditional VBS or a Senior Center VBS!)
- Meeting tangible needs in a recovering community.
- Strengthened leadership skills, teamwork, and spiritual growth.
- Intentional debriefs to help apply what they are learning.
Spiritual Growth & Leadership Development Focus
Students will learn and grow in:
- Bible-study methods, prayer, and worship
- Leadership profiles and spiritual giftings
- Team building and collaboration
- Principles of leadership
- Leading in real ministry contexts
Typical Weekly Schedule
Day 1 – Sunday:
Arrive at site (4–6pm), settle in, dinner provided
Day 2 – Monday:
AM: Service Project | PM: Relational Outreach Prep
Day 3 – Tuesday:
AM: Service Project | PM: Relational Outreach
Day 4 – Wednesday:
AM: Service Project | PM: Relational Outreach
Day 5 – Thursday:
AM: Service Project | PM: Relational Outreach
Day 6 – Friday:
Team house clean up and pack in the morning. Team Adventure in the afternoon (Waterpark, kayaking, tubing, the Alamo, etc.) *Adventure cost + dinner out not included in trip price
Day 7 – Saturday:
Typical Daily Schedule
(Exact times and activities may vary)
7:00 AM
Breakfast & Devotions
8:00 AM
Individual Morning Devotions
9:00 AM
Work Project
12:00 PM
Lunch (on-site or packed)
2:00 PM
Student-led Ministry
6:00 PM
Dinner
7:30 PM
Team Time / Evening Programming
10:30 pm
Lights Out
Included in Every Trip
- Housing and 16 meals
- All project supplies and tools
- Student devotional journals
- On-trip certified LeaderTreks staff
- Pre-trip Leader Training
- Post-trip follow-up resources
Trip Highlights
- Hands-on service where students engage meaningfully in ministry.
- Challenging leadership development for students.
- Student-led Ministry developed by your own group.
- Team time, worship, and reflection built into the rhythm of the week.
- Pre- and post-trip training included
- Adventure Day built into your week
Logistics
Weather:
Temperatures average in the mid to high 90s during the summer months. It also rains occasionally, and when it rains it usually pours. However, the rain usually drops the temperature slightly.
Team House:
A local church in San Marcos
Airport:
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) (45 min)
San Antonio International Airport (SAT) (45 min)
Van Rental:
Enterprise Rent-A-Car and most major car rental carriers
First Aid:
Please bring your own team first aid kit
