A San Antonio getaway with a Tex-Mex blend is sure to satisfy your travel cravings. Prepare for Texas-sized adventures infused with culture, history and theme park thrills.
STAY
The Hotel Emma
Named top hotel in the world by Travel and Leisure, Hotel Emma is gorgeous, has an incredible bar, world class dining and is known for having the only culinary concierge in the country. Plus they host local cooking events and offer margaritas upon arrival. thehotelemma.com
St. Anthony Hotel
A stunning historic hotel with incredible pool and bar, St. Anthony is where the locals staycation. Perks include Rebelle (for dinner) and Haunt (for cocktails), amazing hotel room service created by Chef Stefan Bowers and an unforgettable rooftop setting. thestanthonyhotel.com Opened in 1909, it was San Antonio’s first luxury hotel and remains one of its best over a century later. Another bonus: its just three blocks from the River Walk.
La Cantera Resort and Spa
Escape the downtown scene and head to this unmatched property overlooking San Antonio. Besides a sprawling spa and two golf courses, this AAA Four Diamond property tempts with five swimming pools, outdoor movies, yoga and meditation classes, and sunset s’mores guests chef up on the terrace overlooking the Texas Hill countryside. destinationhotels.com/la-cantera-resort-and-spa
PLAY
Mission Trail
Explore missions from the 1700s ─ Alamo, Mission Concepción, Mission Espada and more Spanish-colonial architecture ─ on a 20-mile riverside bike ride. nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/hikebike.htm
Photo Courtesy of VisitSanAntonio.com
Southtown Arts District
Arguably the coolest place in SA, Southtown is home to the Blue Star Arts Complex (bluestarartscomplex.com), a hip and artsy place to play and gallery hop. Be sure to stop by Sukeban (facebook.com/sukebansushi) for some of the best sushi in the area, then get some gelato at South A La Mode Panini and Gelato (southalamode.com), where every ingredient is either imported from Italy or sourced locally.
Market Square
Find the perfect Mexican souvenir at this three-block outdoor plaza filled with working artists, musicians, dancers and major cultural events. getcreativesanantonio.com
HemisFair
Enjoy a Tex-Mex picnic in a 15-acre downtown park. Built to host the 1968 World’s Fair, you’ll love taking in your fair share of San Antonio sights and sounds. hemisfair.org
Dude Ranch
Sometimes you gotta just go all in for the ultimate vacation memory, right? Lasso your love for a day trip to Bandera (the Cowboy Capital of the World located 50 miles northwest) to horseback ride, fish and campfire cook. banderacowboycapital.com
Natural Bridge Caverns
This beautiful and historical cavern system offers various tours to explore passageways 185 feet down. naturalbridgecaverns.com
DINE
Riverwalk
Uniquely below street level, Paseo del Rio is a pedestrian paradise on the San Antonio River with miles of restaurants, shops and mariachi bands. For the best fine dining, book a table at Biga on the Banks, recognized for serving the freshest ingredients with the finest views. thesanantonioriverwalk.com
Pearl Brewery District
Established in the 1880s by the Pearl Brewing Company, this revitalized 23-acre property has restaurants, shops and a live-music amphitheater adorned with the original architecture of the old brewing company. atpearl.com
Chart House
Atop Tower of the Americas at 750 feet high, Chart House serves up the most spectacular panoramic views of the Alamo City… and seafood too. chart-house.com
Photo courtesy of VisitSanAntonio.com
Mi Tierra Café & Bakery
Opened in 1941 as an eatery for early-rising farmers, Mi Tierra is a 24-hour traditional Mexican restaurant, bakery and bar dishing out big flavors and big flare. mitierracafe.com
Also try:
- Boudro’s Texas Bistro for the best table side guac in town (boudros.com)
- The Esquire Tavern for a stellar bar scene and ‘knock your socks off’ bar food (esquiretavern-sa.com)
- Shuck Shack, a cool oyster dive with a fun patio scene (shuckshack.com)
- Feast and Bite, both located in Southtown, are a must for brunch (feastsa.com; biterestaurantsa.com).
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Annual Events
Fiesta! San Antonio honors those who died in the Battle of the Alamo and San Jacinto. This 10-day culture festival with music, parades and more has been celebrated for 125 years. Finding a hotel during this time or during large conventions can be tough. San Antonio also hosts an annual tamale festival and a paella festival, plus loads of other food-centric fiestas all year long. Check out this link for more annual events in San Antonio.
Weather
Enjoy comfortable, dry weather in fall and spring; October-April is best. Winters are mild but often rainy so keep an umbrella handy. Summer is hot but frozen margaritas offer cool refreshment!
Getting Around
The downtown area is pedestrian friendly and, with access to a river taxi, trolley and airport shuttles, you could forgo renting a car. Keep in mind that SA is very Lyft and Uber friendly so these are great options for getting from A to B as well.
Feature image courtesy of VisitSanAntonio.com.
Nancy DeVault is the managing editor of Date Night Guide and a contributor to publications such as Babble, AmeriDisability Services Magazine and Orlando Magazine. She enjoys outdoor adventures with her husband and toddler.