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Fall in LOVE with San Antonio, Texas

The famous San Antonio “Riverwalk” view from our boat tour

Facts about San Antonio Texas

San Antonio is the second most populated city in Texas, with a population of 1,511,946 as of 2019. It is also the seventh-largest city in the United States.

San Antonio is home to six Fortune 500 companies, including Valero Energy Corporation, USAA, and CST Brands. It is home to the Alamo, the site of the famous battle in the Texas Revolution, and home to the San Antonio Missions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The River Walk, a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, is a popular tourist destination.

San Antonio is known for its unique culture, which includes its love for Tex-Mex cuisine, the city’s numerous festivals, and the distinctive style of Spanish Colonial architecture.

There is also a huge military presence in San Antonio, which is home to Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, Randolph Air Force Base, Kelly Air Force Base, Camp Bullis, and Camp Stanley.

Live demonstrators at The Alamo
Riverwalk “selfie”

I had been to San Antonio years ago when my daughter graduated Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, but my husband had never been. Knowing that we would be traveling right through the city on our way to New Mexico, I booked a three night stay at Stone Creek RV Park in nearby Schertz, TX, so we could explore the area a bit. Here are some of the things we did while we were there, plus a few more things if you are ever in the area…

Self guided audio tour at The Alamo
Gardens at The Alamo
Inside The Alamo front door

Top 12 things to do in San Antonio

  1. Visit The Alamo. This is a must-see for any visitor to San Antonio.
  2. Take a boat tour along the River Walk. Enjoy the restaurants, shops, and sites along the banks of the San Antonio River.
  3. Explore The San Antonio Missions. Take a tour of the 5 missions that are part of San Antonio’s World Heritage Site.
  4. Visit the San Antonio Zoo. Spanning over 56 acres, the zoo is home to more than 750 species of animals.
  5. Visit the Japanese Tea Garden. Enjoy the lush greenery, bridges, and Japanese-style pagoda in this tranquil setting.
  6. Take a tour of the Tower of the Americas. Enjoy the breathtaking views of San Antonio and the surrounding area from the top of the 750-foot tower.
  7. Explore one of the many museums like the Witte Museum and the Brisco Western Art Museum. These museums feature interactive exhibits that explore the history and culture of Texas.
  8. Spend a day at Natural Bridge Caverns. Tour the largest known commercial caverns in the state of Texas.
  9. Visit SeaWorld San Antonio. Enjoy up-close encounters with marine life, thrilling rides, and amazing shows.
  10. Spend a day shopping at La Cantera. Shop at any of the 180+ stores, enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants, or take a break and relax at the movie theater.
  11. Visit Love Lock Bridge and place a lock of your own among the thousands of locks left there already, by traveling Lovebirds.
  12. Visit Marriage Island if you are in the market for a unique place to get married.
All the locks on “LoveLock Bridge”
LoveLock Bridge “selfie”
Stage along the Riverwalk Boat Tour

Places to stay in San Antonio

There is an abundance of hotels in the city of San Antonio if you want to stay within the city limits. Here are a few top rated hotels:

My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE hotel chain is The Drury Inn and there are several in the San Antonio area. Click here to see the various locations in the San Antonio area if you are interested in this chain.

Mokara Hotel & Spa


Omni La Mansion del Rio


Canopy by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk


Hyatt Residence Club San Antonio, Wild Oak Ranch

Embassy Suites by Hilton San Antonio Landmark


Home2 Suites by Hilton San Antonio at the Rim


Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio-Live Oak Conference Center

La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham San Antonio/Seaworld/LAFB

Tru by Hilton San Antonio at the Rim, TX


Pear Tree Inn San Antonio Airport


stayAPT Suites San Antonio-Lackland

Pricing for these hotels will vary depending on what time of the year you plan to visit, but these have the best star and guest-star rating at the time of this article.

Briscoe Western Art Museum
Lover’s Carriage and Courthouse
Taking a Boat Tour along the San Antonio Riverwalk

Best time to visit San Antonio

The overall best time to visit San Antonio Texas is between September and April. Coinsidently, it’s also the cheapest time to visit with the exception of the holiday season (late December to early January) due to inflated airfair and hotel prices. There aren’t as many people visiting the beautiful city between fall and spring, so if crowds aren’t your thing, this is a good time for you to plan your trip.

If your only option to visit San Antonio and its beautiful Riverwalk is in the summer, just know it will be much hotter and more crowded. It will also cost you more in the summer, so as long as you are prepared for that added expense, San Antonio can be a terrific place to visit.

US Post Office (left) and the Emily Morgan Hotel (right)
Davy Crockett Hotel
Shops at Rivercenter Mall
The Alamo Cenotaph outside The Alamo gates

Getting There

San Antonio, Texas’s second largest city, is conveniently located 75 miles southwest of Austin, Texas and 190 miles west of Houston. It’s international airport (SAT) is located in uptown San Antonio, approximately 8 miles north of downtown. There is also two Amtrak routes that serve San Antonio: the daily Chicago to San Antonio “Texas Eagle” and the three-times-a-week New Orleans to Los Angeles “Sunset Limited”. There are 4 major Interstate highways that connect San Antonio. Interstate 10 runs northwest to ElPaso and east towards Houston. Interstate 35 runs south towards Laredo on the Mexico border and north towards Austin. Interstate 37 runs southeast towards Corpus Christi. And finally Interstate 410 (commonly known as Loop 410) is a 53-mile inner beltway around the city.

Emily Morgan Hotel
Backside of The Alamo
Courthouse & Clydesdale
The Alamo view with the Emily Morgan Hotel in the background
The Alamo gardens
Backside of The Alamo
One of the many bronze statues outside The Alamo
Alamo Museum
Entrance to museum
Inside The Alamo
Jason listening to self guided audio tour

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