Be sure to check out La Villita, a nearby complex of more than two dozen arts and crafts shops, as well as downtown's impressive new Briscoe Western Art Museum. And on the city's true outskirts, there's fun to be had at Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Seaworld of Texas, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas.Ī few blocks south of downtown, HemisFair Park contains the remnants of the 1968 World's Fair attractions, including the 750-foot Tower of the Americas and several museums. If you have a car, it's worth continuing north to such notable attractions as the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, the Japanese Tea Gardens, the San Antonio Zoological Gardens and Aquarium, and the McNay Art Museum (which doubled in size following a sleek and eye-catching expansion $50 million expansion in 2009). Recently, the River Walk has been extended to the historic Pearl Brewing Complex, which has been converted to a dashing mixed-use complex of condos, studios, restaurants, shops, and branches of Aveda Institute and the Culinary Institute of America - there's also a farmers market here on Saturdays and Wednesdays.īetween downtown and the Pearl, you'll find the San Antonio Museum of Art, which inhabits the former Lone Star brewery and is famous for its Asian works and arguably the nation's premier collection of Latin American art. During the day it makes for a peaceful stroll, and river taxis offer tours that provide an excellent sense of the architecture and greenery. The branches of cypress and willow trees droop over the walk. Steps from the Alamo you'll find the fabled River Walk, a network of cobbled and flagstone paths hugging the San Antonio River some 15 feet below street level. Stop by the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park for details.
The other four, which are south of downtown within 6 miles of one another, have been preserved and are open to the public. It's one of five missions built along the San Antonio River during the 18th century. The buildings are set within a tranquil walled plaza of lawns and gardens. Only a fraction of the original Spanish Colonial mission known popularly as the Alamo stands today: the small chapel whose facade has come to symbolize the pride and independence of Texas, and one of the living quarters. Similar efforts led to the restoration of the city's other iconic landmark, the San Antonio River, with its enchanting River Walk. At the turn of the century, concerned local citizens fought developers bent on converting the Alamo into a hotel. The city has made a concerted effort in recent years to reach out to gay visitors - note that the San Antonio tourism office has an LGBT section on its website.ĭowntown San Antonio has been carefully protected by a zealous spirit of historic preservation. But now you'll also find emerging arts districts and chef-owned restaurants specializing in everything from Belgian bistro fare to haute Nuevo Latino cuisine. The tried-and-true, family-friendly classic attractions are still here: raucous theme parks, the glittery River Walk, and - of course - the Alamo. This is changing, however, as the city's reputation for innovative arts, distinctive dining, hip boutique hotels, gay-friendly B&Bs, and friendly but lively GLBT nightlife has grown tremendously over the past decade. Although it draws more visitors than any other city in Texas, San Antonio has always been a little less pronounced as a gay destination than Austin, Dallas, and Houston.