Medina River Oaks Courts

Our Partner for 2nd Saturday Nature Talks

Since 1936, Stokes Motor Courts (now River Oaks Courts) guests were attracted to the Medina River’s fishing and swimming. Following a full renovation and restoration of the property and buildings, the magic is back at the Courts.

ART HOUSE CAFÉ & GALLERY

Serving your favorite coffee, tea, breakfast tacos and home-baked goods

SOCIAL CLUB

Warm, family-friendly atmosphere for casual drinks and dining

NATIVE PLANT GARDEN & RIVER ACCESS

Stroll from our beautiful garden to where it all began, the Medina River

11 RETRO-LUXURY CABINS

Overnight lodging at our National Register of Historic Places and Recorded Texas Historical Landmark property. The PERFECT home base for your nature-based getaway.

This great 14-minute Story Keeping video was made a couple of years ago to celebrate our local history. The video celebrates not only these people and the area, but also our Nature Talks and Lodging partner, the River Oaks Courts which recently celebrated it National Register of Historic Places and Recorded Texas Historic Landmark with the installation their shiny new roadside history marker.

Be sure to check out the movie at www.medinariveroaks.com/history as well as all the outtakes at https://storykeeping.com/river-oaks-courts-medina-texas

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Insider Tips -

# 1 : Walk the River Oaks Court's short loop trail to the river. Relax at the wooden tables and chairs or just a few feet further walk down on the river's edge. Absorb the nature's sights and sounds as you relax in the vintage red chairs.

# 2 : The Native Plant Garden was installed by Medina Gardens & Nursery. Walk over 3 acres of trails designed for butterflies and other pollinators. No one knows the local plants better - or is friendlier - than Ishmael !

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Updated Oct 18, 2025

Admittedly, butterflies are always wild but you get the idea.

Monarchs are starting to show up in the Texas Hil Country - YAY!!!!!!

We started our day at the wonderful garden at the Medina River Oaks Courts and found at least 20 species of butterflies - including a lovely of 8 Monarchs easily seen from the patio. Species included lots Queen, Pipevine Swallowtail, Huron Skipper and Fiery Skippers.

Less but still many : Monarch, Cloudless Sulphur, Julia's Skipper, Clouded Skipper, Phaon Crescent, Painted Lady, Giant Swallowtail, Gray Hairstreak, Ceranus Blue.

There were probably more but this is what we can recall after a full day out at the Great Pumpkin Patch.

Come on out the the Courts to enjoy the garden the food and the Pumpkin Patch.

PS. Drop in on the garden anytime and bring our Butterflies and Flower Scavenger Hunts. If There are printed copies in the Cafe - or download them from here. ENJOY !

Butterflies GONE WILD

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Images from our collection taken at the River Oaks Courts and the Medina Garden Nursery

Busy-Birding events at the Courts

Yes, the Courts can host your group and Busy-Birding can create a Custom Guided Tour(s) to accommodate everyone

From 2025 Smithsonian exhibit

Proud to be part of Bandera County, we were so honored to learn that Bandera was one of 7 communities chosen to be graced by the Smithsonian Institute traveling exhibit on Change in Rural America.

Posters, maps and various presentations celebrated our rich history. Medina which has quite a wealth of nonagenarian and even Centenarians (90 and 100 year-olds) to help us recall the distant past.

As part of the Smithsonian exhibit, we did a bit of digging and added this Roads: The Path to Change poster to the exhibits at the Medina COMMUNITY Library.

Yes, the Smithsonian events are now complete. 2,500 visited the exhibit at the Bandera Middle School .

For your reference : These were just some of the associated events.