When Helotes incorporated in 1981, there was very little in the town. Now with a population of over 7,000, Helotes is becoming one of the most desirable suburbs of San Antonio. Helotes itself includes the newly renovated Old Town Helotes. Completed in 2011, Old Town Helotes is the revitalized downtown of Helotes, which includes John T. Floore's Country Store, All That Glitters, L&M Feed and Supply, Mander Automotive Service, First Baptist Church of Helotes, Elf Hardware, HelotesTactical Firearms, Helotes Creek Winery and El Chaparral Mexican Restaurant. Helotes is home to Oak Valley golf course, the first golf course in south Texas to be fully lit at night. The Morales family built the golf course on their vast acres of land acquired by Lorenzo Morales, a pillar of the community. He was extremely influential in settling Helotes.

Other shopping centers off the major thoroughfare of Bandera Road include Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General, Dairy Queen, Bill Miller BBQ, Sonic, Starbucks, BBVA Compass Bank, Broadway Bank, and the Helotes Post Office. At the intersection of Loop 1604 and Bandera Road is Tiller Automotive est. 1983, and the popular Bandera Trails Center and Bandera Centre Shopping Center. Both shopping centers provide a large variety of shops, eateries, and entertainment including Target, Kohl's, Barnes & Noble, HEB Grocery, Lowe's, Home Depot, Gold's Gym, Santikos Silverado 16 Movie Theater, T.J. Maxx, and many other stores and restaurants.

The Cornyval Festival is an annual city tradition bringing in local vendors and thousands of area residents to celebrate the namesake of the town.