metropolitan area in Texas, United States

Bryan-College Station is in the Post Oak Savannah region of Texas. The two cities are located next to one another within the most populated region of Texas, approximately equidistant from three of the 10 largest cities in the United States. The area is 95 mi (152 km) north of Houston, 166 mi (267 km) northeast of San Antonio and 169 mi (268 km) south of Dallas.

Understand edit

College Station and Bryan together make up the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area, the sixteenth largest Metropolitan area in Texas with around 273,000 people (2019). This area is also known as "Aggieland", as it is home to the main campus of Texas A&M University, one of the premier universities of Texas and the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The city of College Station owes its name and existence to the university's location along the railroad. Howver, the Amtrak train station was decommissioned in 1995.

Get in edit

By bus edit

There is a Greyhound Bus Station in Bryan which is covered by the local bus route.

By car edit

Traveling to Bryan-College Station is almost exclusively done by automobile. There are two highways that pass either through or near the town, State Highway 6 and State Highway 21. SH-6 travels nominally north and south. Going south will lead you to Navasota and eventually to Houston (after joining US-290 in Hempstead and turning more easterly. Going north on SH-6 will lead you to get to I-35 and Waco. SH-21 travels nominally east and west, with somewhat of a southeast/northwest slant. Going east will lead you to Interstate Highway 45, Madisonville, Crockett and Nacogdoches. West on SH-21 will take you to San Marcos, San Antonio and Austin.

Travelers headed to downtown Austin are best served taking State Highway 21 west to 290 near Paige, TX and continuing West on State Highway 290. Continuing on SH-21 will take you to the end of SH-21 in San Marcos and Interstate Highway 35, which can then be taken to San Antonio and points South.

Travelers to the Dallas area and points north are best served taking SH-6 north to IH-35 around Waco, and continuing north on IH-35, which will split into IH-35E into Dallas, and IH-35W into Fort Worth. IH-35E and W rejoin in Denton and continues as IH-35 out of Texas and through Oklahoma City.

By plane edit

  • Easterwood Airport is in the north-western part of College Station, adjacent to Texas A&M University. Easterwood provides multiple scheduled flights daily to Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. Prices are high compared to larger nearby airports.
  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH IATA is the closest international airport, located in the northern part of Houston, Texas, approximately 1.5 hours from College Station off of Interstate Highway 45 and Beltway 8. IAH is a major hub for United. Shuttle buses operate every 90 minutes between College Station and IAH. The fare is $50 and buses run from 5:30am to 5:30pm (until 9pm going from IAH to Bryan-College Station).

By train edit

Nope. Despite the original naming of "College Station" for the train station dropping off students at Texas A&M University, the Amtrak station was decommissioned in 1995. Since that time, only former Presidents and Saudi royalty have taken a passenger train to Bryan/College Station.

Get around edit

By car edit

This area is easily navigable by car. The major highways are as follows:

  • State Highway 6: Earl Rudder Freeway
  • State Highway 6 (Business): Texas Avenue
  • University Drive
  • Villa Maria
  • Briarcrest Drive
  • State Highway 21
  • Harvey Road
  • William D. Fitch Parkway
  • State Highway 47
  • Wellborn Road
  • George Bush Drive
  • 2818: Harvey Mitchell Parkway

Traffic has become something of a problem over the past decade, particularly when school is in session.

By bus edit

  • The District provides public bus transportation in the Bryan/College Station area.
  • Texas A&M Transportation Services provides bus transportation throughout College Station and Bryan for students, faculty, and staff of Texas A&M University. On Texas A&M football game days, the department provides additional park-and-ride service to and from Kyle Field.

Parking edit

Parking is free in most of the city. The major exceptions are the Texas A&M University campus and the adjacent bar-rich Northgate District, which have a combination of on-street parking meters, pay lots, permit-only lots and for-pay parking garages. Unauthorized parking either on or off campus generally results in a ticket and occasionally a tow. Parking on grass/dirt is an ordinance violation in College Station. The City also issues parking citations for parking your vehicle facing traffic. Neighborhood on-street parking in the Southgate District is restricted on (football) game days in the fall.

See edit

  • 1 Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History, 3232 Briarcrest Dr (Bryan), +1 979 776-2195. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Fun museum with rotating interactive exhibits ranging from local history and folk art to travelling art and cultural exhibits. $5 adult, $4 senior/child (4-17).    
  • Wolf Pen Creek District. A high quality commercial development located adjacent to Post Oak Mall and between the city's two main commercial thoroughfares, Earl Rudder Freeway and Texas Avenue. The area consists of an elaborate greenway with trails, a .5 million amphitheater and entertainment area, a small lake, the Arctic Wolf Ice Skating Complex and is home to the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley (P. David Romei Arts Center).
  • 2 The Texas A&M University Campus. Been around since 1876, so it's worth a look. The picturesque East entrance from Highway 6 is often lined with American flags, creating a most impressive image.    
 
TAMU adminbuilding
 
George Bush Presidential Library
  • 3 The George H. W. Bush Presidential Library, +1 979 691-4000. It's home to a wealth of information about the 41st president and extremely proud father of the 43rd president.    
  • Texas A&M Aggies. Texas A&M sports, with 20 teams in all (nine men's, 11 women's) competing in a wide variety of NCAA Division I sports as members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Their key venues are listed immediately below.    
    • 4 Kyle Field. The Aggies' football home, holding more than 100,000.    
    • 5 Reed Arena. Home to both men's and women's basketball, plus women's volleyball.    
    • 6 Olsen Field (Blue Bell Park). Home of Aggies baseball.    
  • 7 Bonfire Memorial, +1 979 845-8161. Memorial to tragic event in 1999 where 12 A&M students died from a collapsing bonfire.

Do edit

There are plenty of parks in the area that are plenty of fun for plenty of small children. If you would like some historical information on the Bryan-College Station area beforehand, visit Project HOLD[dead link], the historic online library database.

  • Skydive Aggieland. Skydive at Coulter Field in Bryan.
  • 1 Texas RoadRunners, 400 Holleman Dr E, +1 701 741-3891. See website for current season schedule. Enjoy an ice-hockey game at the Spirit Ice Arena. The RoadRunners play in the North American Tier III hockey league. $8 adult, $4 under 12.

Buy edit

  • 1 Post Oak Mall. The area's regional enclosed mall. Its at the corner of Harvey Road (Highway 30) and the Bypass (Texas Highway 6). You can't miss it!    

Eat edit

  • Double Dave's Pizzaworks, 3505 Longmire Dr (Bryan), +1 979 696-3283. Part of the central Texas chain well known for their unique pepperoni rolls (unique, that is, if you aren't from West Virginia).
  • Freebirds World Burrito. Four locations; the first Freebirds to open in Texas is the one in Northgate.
  • Gumby's Pizza.
  • Laynes. Great chicken, and amazing sauce.
  • Longhorn Tavern Steak House, 201 E 24th St, +1 979 778-3900. Popular local steakhouse. What it lacks in appearance, it makes up in flavor. Try the chicken-fried steak.
  • Mi Pueblito Ponce Restaurant, 1315 S College Ave (Bryan), +1 979 779-8625. Authentic Mexican cuisine, as opposed to Tex-Mex.
  • The Republic Steakhouse, 701 University Dr. E, +1 979 260-4120.
  • University Towne Center. Several restaurants centered around a large fountain on University Drive. Places to eat include: Abuelo's Mexican Embassy, Boston's Gourmet Pizza, TGIFridays, Pei Wei, Jamba Juice, Blue Baker, Eccell Steakhouse, It's a Grind Coffee, Ben & Jerry Ice Cream, McAlister's Deli, Rosa's Tortilla Factory, and Veritas Wine and Bistro.
  • Vintage House Restaurant at Messina Hof Winery. Located on the Messina Hof estate, The Vintage House offers the finest dining with particular attention to fresh vineyard cuisine. The Vintage House Restaurant offers a wide variety of amazing items that change quarterly. Vintage House Restaurant is open for lunch W-Sa from 11AM-4PM. Open for dinner W-Sa 4-9PM
  • Koppe Bridge Bar & Grill, 3940 Harvey Road or 11777 Wellborn Road, +1 979 776-2833. Great burgers, chicken fried steak, etc. Rustic decorations.
  • Porters Dining and Butcher, 180 Century Square Drive, Suite 120, +1 979 977-0700. Upscale, wood fire grill steak house, with a variety of Southern comfort foods and an excellent wine and bar selection.

Drink edit

  • Carney's Pub, 3410 S College Ave (Bryan), +1 979 823-1294.
  • Northgate. Selection of lots of bars just North of Texas A&M on University Avenue. Watch out for the crowds of students pretty much every night during the school year. Must-visits are the Dixie Chicken, Dudley's, and Bottlecap Alley (not a bar). Must-drink is Shiner Bock beer. If you're in for heavy drinking, check out the Dry Bean shot bar.
  • Sweet Eugene's. Great little coffeehouse. Yummy coffee drinks and desserts. Try the Snickers latte.
  • Truman Chocolates, 4407 South Texas Ave, +1 979 260-4519. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-3PM. Small chocolate shop with beautiful, delicious chocolates.
  • Messina Hof's Wine Bar (Wine Bar), 4545 Old Reliance Rd, toll-free: +1-800-736-9463. M-Th 11AM-7PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Offers over 50 wines by the bottle, glass or as a wine flight. Wine flights include a tasting of four wines of the customer's choice.

Sleep edit

Go next edit

Routes through Bryan-College Station
TempleCameron  W   E  HuntsvilleOpelousas
QuanahWaco  N   S  HoustonGalveston
San MarcosBastrop ← Jct N   S  W   E  → Jct N   SNacogdoches


This city travel guide to Bryan-College Station is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.