Destination Guidebook for San Antonio, Texas
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San Antonio, Texas, will forever be associated with the Battle of the Alamo. But the city's Hispanic culture is just as important to its identity. San Antonio is a bit of Mexico, a bit of slick U.S. promotion, and it has an energy that we never get tired of.
San Antonio's identity is shaped by a confluence of cultures: Spanish colonial plazas dating from 1731, German-influenced architecture from the late 1800s and an ambience that came directly from Mexico (which once possessed the land where San Antonio was developed). There are four U.S. military bases and five Spanish missions, including the Alamo—a symbol of Texas itself. With such a distinctive mix, it's little wonder that this city is one of the most popular destinations in the U.S.
Tourism, too, has played a role in the city's development. The 1968 World's Fair prompted a citywide renaissance that spawned HemisFair Park and the Tower of the Americas, and turned the River Walk into a pedestrian-friendly area. Today, San Antonio is one of the top convention cities in Texas, hosting hundreds of events (and thousands of visitors) each year. A 1,000-room convention hotel opened in 2008 and promises to attract even more meeting groups, and San Antonio continues to market its educated workforce, family ambience and low cost of living to attract more business to the city. | Must See or Do | Top  |
Sights—The Alamo, for a view of Texas history; the Sunday mariachi Mass at Mission San Jose; the Mexican handicrafts at Market Square; the King William Historic District.
Museums—Postimpressionist works and the lovely grounds of the McNay Art Museum; the incredible collection of wildlife horns and "rattlesnake art" at the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum; the Asian and Latin American works at the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA).
Memorable Meals—Venison or tuna at Biga on the Banks; cabrito at Pico de Gallo; "Saturday soups" at El Mirador; citrus guacamole at Boudro's.
Late Night—The South Bank Complex; Jim Cullum's jazz band at The Landing (on the River Walk); a midnight snack at Mi Tierra Cafe and Bakery; the Menger Bar.
Walks—The River Walk (Paseo del Rio); King William Historic District; a stroll through the San Antonio Botanical Gardens and Conservatory. Especially for Kids—Romping at the Children's Museum; the water park and rides at Six Flags Fiesta Texas; the zoo and miniature train at Brackenridge Park; the fabulous Science Treehouse at the Witte Museum; marine animals at SeaWorld Adventure Park. The San Antonio River serves as a defining city landmark. All five missions are near its banks, with the Alamo being the northernmost of the chain. The River Walk (Paseo del Rio) offers most of its commercial attractions along a horseshoe-shaped bend of the river in the heart of downtown. (The tips of the horseshoe face westward.) If you start at the northwest tip of the horseshoe and walk east to the bend, you'll get within a stone's throw of the Alamo before curving south toward the Convention Center, Rivercenter Mall, the Institute of Texan Cultures and HemisFair Park. Turning westward after the other bend of the horseshoe, the River Walk passes La Villita, a restored original settlement full of artisans' shops.
Just south of downtown, also along the banks of the San Antonio River, is Southtown, encompassing the King William Historic District, eclectic shops and restaurants, and the Blue Star Arts Complex. West of the river's main channel is the stunning International Conference Center and the original colonial downtown, where San Fernando Cathedral overlooks Main Plaza. Market Square, with its Mexican curios and cuisine, is just a few blocks farther west. SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas are a 20-minute drive northwest of downtown at the edge of the Texas Hill Country. The city's development is moving north and northeast toward Austin, where the corridor is fast filling up with signs leading to new residential compounds and businesses. San Antonio's history begins, appropriately enough, with the Alamo. A Franciscan priest founded a mission along the banks of the San Antonio River in 1718. The mission was called San Antonio de Valero, but its name was changed in the early 1800s when a Spanish cavalry unit from Alamo de Parras, Mexico, occupied the mission. The cavalry began calling the mission "Alamo," though it is not known if the men renamed the place for their hometown or for the cottonwood trees (called alamos in Spanish) that lined the riverbank.
By then the Alamo was one of five missions in San Antonio, which had become the largest city in the region. After the Mexican War of Independence in 1821, the city became part of Mexico, but most of its residents were Anglos who'd arrived from the U.S. Unhappy with Mexican rule, they created their own government—a decision that eventually drew the wrath of Mexican leader Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and led to the famous battle in 1836.
Though the Texans lost the fight at the Alamo, they won their independence a few weeks later. By 1845, Texas had joined the Union and San Antonio boomed. Germans, in particular, flocked to the city, establishing the King William District on the city's south side. Between 1876 and 1942, five military bases opened in the city (one has since closed), and the military remains an important sector of the economy today. Some parts of San Antonio are said to be haunted: Sightings have been reported in the guest rooms of the Menger and Emily Morgan hotels.
The city is home to some interesting customs. When the San Antonio River is drained in January, a mud king and queen are elected, and a coronation ball and parade are staged to honor the occasion. In April, Cornyation is held at the Majestic Theater during the traditional Fiesta celebration—the audience participates by tossing tortillas at one another.
The word maverick is derived from San Antonian Samuel A. Maverick, who allowed his cattle to roam free on the plains, unbranded.
Chili queens were women who set up their kettles and tables at Alamo Plaza in the 1870s, serving homemade chili to cowboys, visitors and locals.
A favorite pastime at San Antonio Spurs baskeball games is looking near the sidelines for TV and movie star Eva Longoria, a Corpus Christi native who has made San Antonio her home, thanks to husband Tony Parker, a star on the local NBA team.
Celebrities visiting San Antonio have shown a fondness for the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk. Noted guests have included Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.
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Editor's Choice of Luxury, Deluxe, and Value priced hotels in San Antonio, Texas:
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