Why didn’t anyone ever tell me what a beautiful city San Antonio was before? That was my first thought when my “epic road trip” took me to this city of 1.4 million people located in south-central Texas. A meandering river, lots of open green spaces and plenty of public art, San Antonio blends old and new with sleek architecture standing side-by-side with historical monuments.
One of the things that sets San Antonio apart is its famous River Walk—a waterside promenade along the San Antonio River. Located one story below street level, the River Walk is lined with trendy restaurants, cafés, hotels, shops and galleries. One of the best ways to explore downtown San Antonio is aboard one of the frequent guided barge tours operated by Rio San Antonio Cruises. Reminiscent of a ride at Disneyland, these small passenger boats cruise along the waterway between the tall buildings and under the city’s many bridges. The shoreline is lush with foliage, and a canopy of trees with dangling strands of twinkle lights adds to the charm. The east end of the River Walk extends to the San Antonio Convention Center and Rivercenter Mall, which offers many great shopping opportunities too.
Of course, the crown jewel of San Antonio is The Alamo. Built as a Spanish mission in the early 18th century, The Alamo is infamous for the battle that took place there in 1836 during the Texas Revolution for independence from Mexico. To this day, the Alamo remains hallowed ground and is recognized as the Shrine of Texas Liberty. Visitors can tour the chapel as well as the Long Barracks, which houses a small museum with paintings, weapons, and other interesting artifacts. Admission is free, although donations are appreciated.
Another historical site in downtown San Antonio that’s worth a visit is the Cathedral of San Fernando. Completed in 1750, the cathedral, also known as church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe claims to be the oldest cathedral in the continental United States.
A great way to round off a visit to San Antonio is to see the sprawling city from up above. Looming high over the skyline is the Tower of the Americas. At 750 feet (229 meters), the tower is the second-tallest observation tower in the U.S. (after the Stratosphere in Las Vegas.) There’s an observation deck and rotating restaurant near the top, which affords unbelievable panoramic views of the city below.
Although I only passed through San Antonio for one night, I can definitely see myself returning someday. The city boasts many colorful celebrations—including the springtime Fiesta San Antonio and the Art & Jazz Festival in the summer—so the only question remains, when to come back for a visit?
Getting There: By airplane – San Antonio International Airport is located about eight miles north of downtown. By car – San Antonio is about 1 hour south of Austin by way of I-35 and about 3 hours west of Houston on I-10.
For More Information: Visit the official San Antonio tourism website.
Below are more photos from my visit: [cincopa AEMArH7U1K0l]
Have you ever been to San Antonio before? What were your impressions? Feel free to comment in the section below!
I’ve only heard great things about San Antonio but haven’t spent any time there either. The city planners were brilliant integrating the River Walk into the city. I hadn’t appreciated that it was full of green spaces or that it had such a large population.
I had no idea San Antonio was so beautiful too! The River Walk looks so lovely.
San Antonio is awesome! I didn’t realize there was so much history in this town. My favorite museum in town was the Texas Ranger museum. Learned so much in this one place. The Buckhorn Saloon was a hoot too!
I haven’t been t San Antonio yet but have always wanted to visit the Alamo and the Riverwalk. It was only recently that I found out about the Tower of the Americas. It certainly looks like a very interesting city. Beautiful shots!
I’ve heard that San Antonio has a lot going on. Nice to hear your first-hand experience. You got a good look at it in just a short time. I like the variety of what it has to offer and the River Walk sounds very cool.
I like that there’s an outdoor area with shops, cafees, etc. And walking 🙂
Loved San Antonio on our 1 day stay there, especially the river walk.
Love cities that integrate nature into so centrally into the planning: rivers, parks, plazas, and meadows. More cities should do it.
Haven’t been to San Antonio but I read an article about the River Walk. It looks like a pretty vibrant city, one I’d like to visit.
It looks lovely. Always a great idea to head to a high point to get a feel for the whole city.