Things to Do in Gun Barrel City, Texas

The star of the show is Cedar Creek Reservoir, one of the largest lakes in Texas at over 32,000 acres. It's a playground for fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, sailing, and birdwatching, with public parks, boat ramps, and marinas all around its shores. Gun Barrel City sits right on the eastern shore, making lake access easy.

The lake is renowned for its fishing — catfish, crappie, white bass, and largemouth among the catches — and for lake life in general: weekends on the water, lounging on the shore, and the boating culture that defines the whole area. For anyone who loves the water, Cedar Creek is a year-round draw.

Gun Barrel City and the surrounding lake towns offer plenty of family entertainment. The nearby Whatz-Up Family Fun Park in Seven Points packs in arcade games, batting cages, bumper cars, go-karts, laser tag, miniature golf, a rock-climbing wall, and more — a full day of fun for kids and families. The city also has a public skate park and local parks for everyday recreation.

A highlight of the year is the Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Airshow, a spectacular event that thrills thousands of spectators with aerial acrobatics and fighter jets performing over the reservoir. It's one of the area's signature events and a big draw for visitors and residents alike.

As the lake's retail hub, Gun Barrel City is also a place to shop, sip, and dine. Boutiques and shops — including local favorites like the well-known W Haus Decor — line the commercial corridor, and the historic Mabank Market Street nearby adds elegant boutiques and salons for a day of browsing.

The area's food-and-drink scene is a draw in its own right: Cedar Creek Brewery is a small, award-winning craft brewery with board games, giant Jenga, and a cafe, while V's Steakhouse serves up steaks and seafood in a 1920s speakeasy setting. Between the lake, the family fun, the shopping, and the dining, Gun Barrel City is the place where the whole Cedar Creek Lake area comes to play.