The video above is a walking tour of Belton, Texas, a small Central Texas town about 60 miles north of Austin. Located in Bell County alongside Temple, Killeen, and Harker Heights, Belton has a population just over 20,000 and a surprisingly walkable downtown area that's worth poking around. The tour covers the town square, local restaurants, a creek park, and a few spots where you can catch live music on any given weekend.
Walking Around Downtown Belton
The center of everything is the town square, anchored by the Bell County Courthouse — a big, hard-to-miss building that gives you a solid landmark to orient yourself. From there, you can wander through a mix of storefronts that include antique shops, a diner, a taco and coffee spot, and an Italian restaurant. It's a clean, well-kept little downtown with more going on than you'd expect. One of the best parts is how close the square is to Nolan Creek. The town was actually founded around that creek back in the 1850s as a stagecoach route, and today you can walk right over to the Landing at Creekside Park, where folks hang out and wade in the water on warm days. For food, Miller's Smokehouse is a popular barbecue stop — the brisket, sweet tea, mac and cheese, and greens all hit right.
Where Can You Find Live Music in Belton, Texas?
Belton has a handful of places where you can hear live music, especially if you're willing to venture slightly beyond the square. Here are a few worth checking out:
- Scores Pizza and Wings — A casual spot right in the walkable downtown area that hosts live music alongside pizza and wings
- The Beltonian Theater — A downtown theater that puts on performances and likely features musical acts on a regular basis
- Bo's Barn — A dance hall and nightclub on the outskirts of town where you can two-step to live country music; on the night of filming, Brady Honeycutt was playing to a packed dance floor
- Firebase Brewing Company — Technically in neighboring Temple, this brewery draws a relaxed crowd on weekends and books live musicians; David Bridwell performed a set here on the Friday night captured in the video
A Good Stop on a Central Texas Road Trip
Belton is the kind of town that rewards a quick detour. It's not trying to be Austin or San Antonio — it's doing its own thing with a tight-knit community, solid food, and enough live music options to fill a Friday night. If you're driving through Central Texas on I-35, pulling off to walk the square, grab some barbecue, and catch a show at Bo's Barn or Firebase is a genuinely good way to spend an evening. There are a lot of small Texas towns like this that fly under the radar, and Belton is one worth knowing about.