San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and the 7th largest in the United States. It's the 24th largest metropolitan area in the country. Visited by more than 31 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking.
San Antonio is considered to be the cradle of Texan liberty. Its best-known landmark is the Alamo, the site of the famous battle (1836) where Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie were killed. When most visitors see the Alamo for the first time, their common reaction is "Hm, I thought it would be bigger." No other city in Texas reflects the state's Spanish and Mexican heritage better than San Antonio. Hispanics make up a considerable fraction of the population and it shows in most places. The Hispanic atmosphere of San Antonio makes it a truly unique U.S. city.
San Antonio's bus system, the VIA Metropolitan Transit, runs the downtown trolley service (actually a bus) for a small fare. Bus fares range from about $1.10 to $2.50 depending on the service with a one-day $2.75 pass (for purchase at some retail outlets see VIA's Website under Fare information) for all routes. There are 4 types of routes: Express, Skip, Frequent, and Metro. The Express routes usually run from the sub-urban areas (mostly Park and Rides) to downtown. Most of them run about once every 30 minutes. Skip service usually runs along the streets with high traffic. They usually do not stop at bus stops that are served by the frequent routes.
1 The Alamo, 300 Alamo Plaza (park at any of the pay lots in the area), ☏ +1 210 225-1391. Daily 9AM-5:30PM, closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Considered to be hallowed ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty, the Alamo is a former mission which was also the site of the Battle of the Alamo (1836). Admission is free, although donations are appreciated. Revenues from an adjacent gift shop fund the historic preservation efforts. The Alamo site consists of not only the former mission itself but quite a lot of monuments, informational placards and outbuildings.
Fiesta!!!. Fiesta is a yearly event held in San Antonio in late April. Fiesta is a 10-day, city-wide, fun-filled, multi-cultural celebration. Many family-oriented events take place during this time, as well as many events geared towards adults. With over 100 different events, it's the biggest party and greatest community benefit in the state of Texas. One of the most fun events of all Fiesta, is Oysterbake on the St. Mary's University campus. It kicks Fiesta off with a bang, has plenty of food (chicken on a stick, oysters, fried oysters, corn, corn in a cup, meats on sticks, pizza, you name it.
1 Honchos - The House of Churros, 6421 Broadway St., Alamo Heights, ☏ +1 210-760-0377. W-M noon-10PM, closed Tu. Local dessert shop with churros, hot chocolate, and other dessert items from the region. $5-10 on average. (updated May 2024) 2 Casa Rio, 430 E. Commerce St, ☏ +1 210 225-6718, info@casa-rio.com. Su–Th 11AM–10PM; F Sa 11AM–11PM. A great Tex-Mex restaurant if you're on a budget. This is the oldest restaurant on the River Walk, opened in 1946. You can enjoy good local-style dining in a colorful and romantic setting. Mid-range. (updated May 2016) 3 Ruthie's Mexican Restaurant, 11423 West Ave, ☏ +1 210 308-0253. Great Latin food. 4 Schilo's Deli, 424 E.
San Antonio's downtown is the hub of the city's nightlife, with hundreds of dining options, bars and clubs mostly on the Riveralk and throughout street level. Other major nightlife locales, include Southtown Arts District, home to First Friday Art Walk, a large art block party with crowds upward of 20,000 along Alamo St. Scores of dining, galleries, theatres and lodging options, that include more than 10 historic 19th century B&Bs adjacent to the Riverwalk. Wander down through the River Walk and take your choice of bars and eateries. You can't go wrong. There are also several bars/restaurants in the Mercado block of tourist shops. 1 Drink Texas, 200 Navarro St, Suite 100, ☏ +1 210 224-1031.
By American standards, San Antonio is safe for its size; despite a rather high poverty rate and the racial tensions that flared up around the country since 2017, the Alamo City managed to avoid most of the crime waves that hit other American cities during the pandemic. As long as you take elementary precautions, you'll have a fantastic time. Even when there are crowds for such events like the Alamo Bowl, it is still relatively safe. The River Walk always has something going on, but if you're in one of the quieter spots at night, exercise some caution. San Antonio has a high rate of cars break-ins.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Aug, San Antonio typically sees ~36°C daytime highs and 9 rainy days.
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