San Antonio, TX
With a unique culture stemming from its Spanish, German and American roots, San Antonio offers an abundance of history, arts and exciting cuisine. The Alamo City’s 300 plus years of history and charm are reflected through their welcoming spirit and an elegant style. Experience the River Walk in the heart of downtown San Antonio, and enjoy top restaurants, museums, and must-visit sites, all within walking distance. Strolling along the River Walk lets you experience the high-spirited hospitality of San Antonio. From trendy cantinas and cafés, open-air markets, and Mission-Era sites like The Alamo, the city’s deep, rich culture is on display everywhere. It’s no wonder it’s the state’s number-one tourist destination.
Destination Highlights
Attractions
San Antonio is quite possibly Texas’s most beautiful and atmospheric city while its history rears its noble head throughout downtown, and most famously at Alamo. While most visitors check out this famous symbol of Texas liberty when they come to town, the historic mission is by no means the only reason to visit San Antonio. In fact, the heart of the visitor area is the Paseo del Rio—the River Walk—a festive, almost magical place that winds through downtown at 20 feet below street level. Nestled in by tall buildings and cypress trees, and tucked away from the noise of traffic above, the River Walk draws crowds to its specialty shops and plethora of restaurants with alfresco dining.
Just a short way outside of downtown, you’ll find five theme parks, more than 50 golf courses, one of the largest zoos in the USA, the largest caverns in Texas, and hiking and biking trails stretching into the Texas Hill Country — a region quickly gaining recognition for its wineries. All in all, San Antonio is one unforgettable city where you’ll never run out of things to do.
Things To Do
The River Walk, with its twisting way, is near all of these areas and connects many of the main site’s visitors go to downtown. If downtown is San Antonio’s heart, the river’s many arms are its arteries, guiding everyone to where the action is. Built a full story below street level, it comprises about 15 miles of scenic stone pathways lining both banks of the San Antonio River as it flows through downtown, connecting many of the city’s tourist attractions allowing you to walk south to the King William District and beyond to the Spanish missions. The new 4-mile Museum Reach stretches north to the San Antonio Art Museum, the Pearl Brewery complex and Brackenridge Park. In some places the walk is peaceful and quiet – in other areas, it is a mad conglomeration of restaurants, bars, hotels, shops, and strolling mariachi bands, all of which can also be seen from river taxis and charter boats.
For elevated views, take a trip to the Tower of the Americas. The 750-foot tower features the popular Flags Over Texas Observation Deck, a 4D Theater Ride and the rotating steak-and-seafood restaurant Chart House.
Other highlights to experience while you are in town include the San Antonio Museum of Art, the Casa Navarro State Historic Site, the Spanish Governor’s Palace and the San Fernando Cathedral.
Food & Culture
The newly revitalized Pearl Brewery, now known as The Pearl, was originally established in the 1880’s by the Pearl Brewing Company, a Texas original with storied history. After shutting its doors in the late 1990’s, it has since been redeveloped as a vibrant mixed-use center for restaurants, shops, and live-music amphitheater using the original architecture of the old brewing company as the focal point of the 23-acre property. The Pearl is home to some of the top restaurants in San Antonio as well as a smattering of locally-owned shops and the San Antonio Farmer’s Market—a local favorite on Saturday mornings. You’ll also find a hub for B-cycle, the first Bike Share program in the state of Texas as well as the Aveda Institute. It is home to one of four branches of the famed Culinary Institute of America with a specialized Latin Cuisines Certificate Program and its Center for Foods of the Americas.
Often referred to as “the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico,” El Mercado is a vibrant outdoor venue that envelopes you in a cacophony of sights, sounds, and smells. There are more than 100 specialty shops featuring colorful handcrafted items. Shops specializing in authentic Mexican clothing, like guayabera shirts, include Los Pueblitos, Marti’s, and Penner’s. Grab some fresh veggies and fruit at the Farmers Market, or delve into tantalizing local Mexican food at Mi Tierra, a 75-year-old tradition in San Antonio. It’s open 24/7, serving mouth-watering baked goods and TexMex food, always homemade and hot from the oven.
