Though best known as the home of the Alamo, the symbol of Texas’s break from Mexico, San Antonio is better defined by its integration of Anglo and Hispanic cultures. The city proudly revels in its Mexican heritage, with missions, mariachis, and margaritas around every corner. San Antonio is definitely the biggest tourist destination in Texas, attracting eight million tourists each year to its easily walkable downtown, one-of-a-kind Riverwalk, and laidback atmosphere.
The Alamo is the historic heart of San Antonio. The Central Business District, under which the Riverwalk runs, is just west of the Alamo. Major sights such as Market Square and HemisFair Park are within walking distance of the Alamo and are inside the inner loop formed by I-35, I-37, and I-10. Everything else worth seeing will be within the I-410 loop, which circles San Antonio with a 6 mi. radius.
For cheap motels, try Roosevelt Avenue, Fredericksburg Road, or Broadway, between downtown and Brackenridge Park. Frontage roads along I-35 north of downtown and the Austin Highway (Rte. 368) are also dotted with cheaper and often safer lodgings several miles from downtown.
Be prepared to pay dearly for dining along the Riverwalk. On weekends, hundreds of food booths crowd Market Square. Late in the day, prices drop and vendors are willing to negotiate. For quirky, eclectic food, head to the artsy neighborhood of King William on Alamo St. south of town or St. Mary’s Street north of town. The Texas original diner Pig Stand has several locations around town, some of them even open 24hr.
The Alamo. Built as a Spanish mission during the colonization of the New World, The Alamo has come to represent those who fought for Texas’s independence and serves as a touchstone of Lone Star pride. For 12 days in 1836, a motley crew of Americans, Europeans, and Hispanic tejanos defended the Alamo against the army of Mexican general Santa Ana, who was determined to reclaim the land for Mexico. On the 13th day, all 189 men were killed. The massacre united Texans behind the independence movement, and “Remember the Alamo!” became the rallying cry for Sam Houston’s ultimately victorious forces. The site is presently under the stewardship of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, who maintain museum exhibits, historic weapons including Jim Bowie’s famous knife, and shrines to the fallen heroes. Historical talks are given every 30min. (At the center of Alamo Pl. ☎225-1391; www.thealamo.org. Open M-Sa 9am-5:30pm, Su 10am-5:30pm. Free.)
Missions. Four missions built in the 1720s and 30s converted Native Americans to Catholicism and supplied San Antonio with agricultural products. Today they make up the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Stretching 23 mi. south of the city along the San Antonio River, they are connected by the brown-signed Mission Trail road, which begins at the Alamo. Stopping at each mission takes a good half-day; some may wish to see only the first two. The missions are connected by biking and hiking trails, and the first two are served by Bus #42. The first is Mission Concepción, the oldest unrestored stone church in North America, where visitors can watch skilled craftsmen uncovering colorful frescoes on the walls. (807 Mission Rd. ☎534-1540.) Mission San José, the “Queen of the Missions,” is the largest of the four and home to the park’s Visitors Center. Most of the compound has been rebuilt and restored to its original grandeur. Catholic masses are held each Sunday at 7:30 (in Spanish), 9, and 10:30am—the noon “Mariachi Mass” is always packed. (6701 San José Dr. ☎932-1001; www.nps.gov/saan.)
Spanish Governor’S Palace. When San Antonio was the capital of Texas, the seat of the government was the Spanish Governor’s Palace, just east of Market Sq. This museum is restored with period furniture, and the staff is happy to recount history. (105 Plaza de Armas. ☎224-0601. Open M-Sa 9am-5pm, Su 10am-5pm. $1.50, ages 7-13 $0.75.) Across the plaza is San Fernando Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in the United States. (115 Main Plaza. ☎227-1297; www.sfcathedral.org. Free.)
Riverwalk. After the Alamo, the most famous symbol of San Antonio is its 2 mi. long Riverwalk (Paseo del Rio), built in the 1930s by the WPA as a combination flood control and real estate project. Following the original course of the San Antonio River, it is a 3 ft. deep river lined on both sides with shaded pathways, picturesque gardens, shops, and cafes, all of which are below street level. The Riverwalk is touristy, but it is free and immensely pleasurable to simply walk along the riverbanks.Along the southern arm of Riverwalk is La Villita, a Spanish-style artisan village where the public can watch artists work and purchase their creations. (418 Villita. ☎207-8610. Shops open daily 10am-6pm.) Market Square is a part-open-air, part-enclosed market where customers can barter with vendors. Weekends feature the upbeat tunes of tejano bands with a backbeat of buzzing frozen margarita machines. (Between San Saba and Santa Rosa St. ☎207-8600. Shops open daily June to mid-Sept. 10am-8pm; mid-Sept. to May 10am-6pm.) The King William District is a charming residential neighborhood along S. St. Mary’s St., just south of downtown. Originally settled by German immigrants, the community’s architecture makes for fine strolling and gallery-hopping.
Hemisfair Park. Created for the 1968 World’s Fair, HemisFair Park, on S. Alamo, contains an array of 60s era architecture, as well as the new convention center. The 750 ft. observation deck of the Tower of the Americas allows visitors to get a different view of the city (600 Hemisfair Plaza Way. ☎223-3101; www.toweroftheamericas.com. Open M-Th and Su 10am-10pm, F-Sa 10am-11pm. $11, seniors $10, children $9.) At the southeast corner of the park, the Institute of Texan Cultures documents the histories and contributions of 20 different ethnic groups in Texas, from Czech to Chinese to Swedish. (801 S Bowie St. ☎458-2300; www.the-museum.org. Open Tu- Sa 10am-6pm, Su noon-5pm. $7, seniors $4, ages 3-12 $4.)
St. Paul Square. South of Commerce St. and east of I-37, St. Paul Square is San Antonio’s former red-light district. These alleys and cobblestone streets were the center of San Antonio’s speakeasy scene during Prohibition and hosted some of the biggest names in jazz. In the 60s, the largely black surrounding neighborhoods were razed to make room for HemisFair Park and, later, for the $187 million Alamodome. Amtrak still stops in St. Paul Square, but the old Southern Pacific Depot now belongs to Sunset Station, a concert venue. Pick up a free self-guided tour of the beautifully restored 1902 depot as well as the surrounding neighborhood.
Museums. The San Antonio Museum of Art is housed in the former Lone Star Brewery. In addition to Egyptian, Oceanic, and Asian art, in 1998 the museum established the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art, the first of its kind in the US. Highlights include works by Diego Rivera. (200 W. Jones Ave. Bus #7. ☎978-8100; www.samuseum.org. Open Tu 10am-8pm, W-Sa 10am-5pm, Su noon-6pm. $8, seniors $7, students $5, ages 4-11 $3; Tu 4-8pm free.) Housed in the Spanish Mission-style McNay mansion in swanky Alamo Heights, the McNay Art Museum displays the collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Expressionist masterpieces accumulated by Mrs. McNay, who stirred up controversy in the early 20th century as the first promoter of modern art in otherwise conservative Texas. The museum and 23-acre grounds are free to the public. (6000 N. New Braunfels Ave., 3 mi. north off Broadway. ☎805-1756; www.mcnayart.org. Open Tu-F 10am-4pm, Th 10am-9pm, Sa 10am-5pm, Su noon-5pm. Grounds open daily 7am-7pm.)
Brackenridge Park. For diversion and greenery, head north to Brackenridge Park, whose 343 acres contain bike trails, a driving range, and a miniature train. (Train runs daily 9:30am-6:30pm. $2.50, children $2.) The Japanese-in-name-only Japanese tea garden is a startlingly peaceful place in the middle of the city. (3910 N. Saint Mary’s St. Open 5am-11pm.)
The Fiesta San Antonio (☎227-5191; www.fiesta-sa.org; April 18-27, 2008 ushers in spring with concerts, carnivals, and hoopla in honor of Texas’s many heroes and cultures. The Battle of Flowers Parade is a long-standing San Antonio tradition that began as a reenactment of the Battle of San Jacinto, using floral ammunition. In an event known as First Fridays, the art galleries in the King William District open their doors to the public on the first Friday of each month, also providing free food and drink. The Theatre District, just north of the Riverwalk, puts on concerts, operas, and plays in three restored 50s movie houses. At night, the northern half of the Riverwalk transforms into a nightlife hub, albeit an expensive one. Clusters of funky independent bars and clubs can be found in the artsy residential areas of King William, N. St. Mary’s St. (around Woodlawn Ave.), and Josephine St. The Friday Express or weekly Current (available at the tourist office and many businesses in town) are guides to concerts and entertainment. The Alamodome is home to the 2007 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs (☎444-5000; www.spurs.com) played here for just 10 years before moving to the SBC Center in 2002. The Alamodome now hosts soccer, gymnastics, and the circus. (100 Montana St., at Hoefgen St. Yellow streetcar stop. ☎207-3663.)
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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