Visit San Antonio
Photos courtesy of Visit San Antonio
We were in San Antonio March 30 through April 1 for my show at the SA Improv. I had wanted to see the River Walk my whole life.
By the time we drove out three days later, I had been to four of the five Spanish missions, eaten at a 24-hour panaderia, watched a light show projected onto the oldest cathedral in Texas, and walked into a hidden restaurant tucked under an overpass. Visit San Antonio mapped the whole thing. This guide is what I would tell a friend before they went.
If You Only Have 24 Hours
Morning: Start at the Alamo before the crowds. Walk the grounds slowly. Grab breakfast tacos at Torres Taco Haven in Southtown.
Afternoon: River Walk barge tour. Lunch on the water. Wander Historic Market Square and Mi Tierra.
Evening: The Pearl District for dinner. End the night at San Fernando Cathedral for The Saga light show.
One thing most people miss
Walk under the bridges along the River Walk. I mean literally under them. Some of the best tucked-away spots in the city are not on the main promenade. They are sitting under an overpass, quiet, lit up, with locals inside. After my show one night, when I thought everything would be closed, I walked down the street and saw signs of life under an overpass. I followed it down and found a whole restaurant and bar and bakery going. It was one of my favorite San Antonio moments. Keep your eyes low on the River Walk, not just up.
Also: the Mission San Jose, south of downtown, is the largest and most impressive of the five Spanish missions. It is free. It is 15 minutes away. Most visitors never make it past the Alamo. Go.
The Five Missions, Briefly
The best preserved of the four southern missions. Original frescoes still visible on the walls. The least crowded too.
The largest. Find the rose window in the church wall, the famous one everyone tells you to look for. This is the one to put first on your list.
Quieter than the others. A working farm and orchard out back.
The smallest and the southernmost. The old aqueduct nearby still runs.
If you have a half day and a bike, do the Mission Reach. Eight miles of paved trail along the river connects the four southern missions to downtown. B-Cycle stations on every end.
If You Can Stay an Extra Day
Day two is for the Pearl, the Missions, and sitting still. Rent bikes at the B-Cycle station and ride the Mission Reach south. Or stay put at the Pearl farmers market and drift between food stalls. San Antonio rewards a slower pace.
Hotel Picks
Two Options, Two Vibes
Our home base. All-suite, freshly renovated, right on the water. My full guide is on the Travel page.
Where Mary Ryan stayed. Historic boutique hotel closer to the Alamo. Unbeatable location for first-timers.
Eat, Drink, and Walk
Eat
Strolling mariachi, year-round Christmas lights, and one of the best panaderias in Texas.
Family-run Southtown institution since 1962. Barbacoa and eggs, migas, and a strong cafe con leche. Weekend mornings bring the line.
Housed in the old Pearl brewhouse. Gulf seafood, Texas takes on Southern cooking, and an in-house brewery pouring their own ales and lagers.
Southtown institution. Queso is non-negotiable. Enchiladas Verdes if you want to be serious about it.
Drink & See
Cocktails, skyline, sunset. Reservation recommended.
A 24-minute projection-mapping light show on the facade of the oldest cathedral in Texas. Tues through Sun at 9pm and 9:30pm. Surprisingly moving.
Free entry to all five. Mission San Jose and Mission Concepcion are the must-sees beyond the Alamo.
Everyone should do the Botanical Garden. Thirty-eight acres of Texas natives, formal rose gardens, an orangerie, a Japanese pavilion, and a restored 19th-century farmstead. Especially beautiful in spring. If you get the San Antonio CityPASS, the Botanical Garden is included, and that alone makes the CityPASS pay for itself. Do not skip it.
Plan Your Trip
When to go
Late March through May is peak. Fiesta runs the second half of April and is its own thing. Summer gets hot. October and November cool back down.
Getting around
Downtown and the Pearl are walkable. B-Cycle for anything River Walk to Missions. Ride share for longer hops. Parking downtown is fine on weekends, tougher on weekdays.
The CityPASS
Worth it if you are doing the Botanical Garden plus two or three of the bigger attractions. The Botanical Garden alone almost pays for it.
Visit San Antonio has the best one-stop planning site in Texas. Use it.