Planning a journey to San Antonio, Texas, and you’re unsure which tourist attractions to focus on? The excellent information is that you’ve located the ideal overview to aid you prepare your schedule since it’s full of enjoyable and fascinating points to do in San Antonio for tourists of every ages!
San Antonio provides a wide array of tourist attractions that can interest anybody. Want to see a gallery? There go to the very least six fascinating ones in the city, which cover whatever from the area’s nature to Wild West displays. Maybe you’d like to take your youngsters to an amusement park? You’ll be ruined for selection because the city is home to numerous incredible theme park, a few of which are the most effective and largest in the state.
I’ve just scraped the surface area of enjoyable points to do in San Antonio, so birth with me as I inform you regarding all the various other incredible points that you require to see in this beautiful Texas city.
San Antonio is a wonderful location for pairs, households, and solo tourists. Anyone can discover something enjoyable to do in this city, whether it’s exploring a historical spots or sampling neighborhood specializeds in a dining establishment inside an 18th-century brewery structure.
Best of San Antonio Quick Guide
Must See: The Alamo, San Antonio River Walk, San Antonio Mission Trail, La Villita, Pearl District, San Fernando Cathedral Where To Stay: The Gunter Hotel, The Menger Hotel, Hotel Emma Fun To Do: River Cruise, The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, Ghost trips, Tower of The Americas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas Day Trips: Austin, Natural Bridge Caverns Must-Try Food: Puffy tacos, Barbecue, Bean hamburger, Chicken on a stick
Best Things To Do In San Antonio, Texas
The points to do in San Antonio array from enjoyable trips of historical areas to discoveries of Teddy Roosevelt’s ghost. The city has a lot to provide that anybody can have a good time right here despite their age and individual passions.
Kids like the enjoyment and amusement park, young people take pleasure in the vibrant town hall with enjoyable stores and dining establishments, while correct grownups can visit the Alamo and the historical Mission churches. Or have a blast at the biggest Six Flags in Texas since grownups can take pleasure in theme park adventures also.
1. San Antonio River Walk
San Antonio’s River Walk is the leading destination in this Texas city. Landscaped strolling courses are offered on either side of the San Antonio River for approximately 15 miles. Shops, dining establishments, and resorts line the boardwalk, which rests one degree listed below the city’s highways. The Downtown location of the River Walk is one of the most preferred with travelers and citizens, however the boardwalk prolongs lots of miles north, and you might proceed strolling for greater than an hour.
The River Walk can obtain terribly crowded in the summer season, however locating a much more relaxing location shouldn’t be an obstacle. Just maintain strolling past all the active dining establishments and bars; the additionally down the River Walk you go, the smaller sized the groups you’ll come across.
How famous is the San Antonio River Walk? Enough that the San Antonio Spurs commemorate winning the title by doing a success watercraft ceremony.
Practical Information: San Antonio River Walk is a 15-mile boardwalk available free of cost any time of day.
2. Tour La Villita Historic Village
La Villita is a historical artistic community resting one degree over the San Antonio River Walk. The area is detailed on the National Registry of Historic Places for its 19th-century structures that act as instances of very early domestic growth in San Antonio.
This old community is home to art galleries, stores, and vibrant sculptures. If you like the sugar head theme, you’ll like it in this picturesque little town.
La Villita setting up hall is likewise in this area, and it’s a famous view in the San Antonio sky line. The structure is recognized for the repainted blossom on its concave roof covering, and you can conveniently detect it from the monitoring deck at the Tower of the Americas.
Practical Information: La Villita Historic Village comes at any time of day, free of cost. Most stores in your area are open from 10 AM to 6 PM.
The Historic Market Square remains in western San Antonio, outside the facility of the city. And it’s definitely worth it to head out of your method to see it since it’s one of the city’s ideal locations for keepsake purchasing and affordable food.
Come right here for genuine Tex-Mex food, vibrant garments, precious jewelry, and all type of ornaments and crafts. Even if you’re not extremely starving when you see the Historic Market Square, I suggest you attempt at the very least the puffy tacos. They’re a famous San Antonio special and among the most effective neighborhood foods.
Bean hamburgers, poultry on a stick, and wonderful potato french fries are various other San Antonio specializeds to attempt if you’re doing a cooking trip of the city. I will certainly claim that it’s a good idea a lot of the town hall is walkable since it will certainly take countless actions to burn all those tasty calories.
Practical Information: The Historic Market Square is open from 10 AM to 6 PM. Entrance to the location is at no cost.
4. Appreciate The View From The Tower of The Americas
The Tower of the Americas is just one of 2 monitoring decks in Texas and the just one in San Antonio. It was at first constructed for the 1968 World Fair, and it took just 18 months to finish the building and construction.
The tower is the focal point of the HemisFair Park in Downtown San Antonio. It has a monitoring deck on the leading flooring and a rotating dining establishment, where you can take pleasure in a good (however costly) dish together with lovely sights. Visitors that acquire tickets for the monitoring deck likewise obtain accessibility to the 4D cinema, where they can take pleasure in a 4D adventure over Texas.
Insider Tip: Come right here after dark for a remarkable sight of the San Antonio sky line.
Practical Information: The Tower of the Americas is open from 10 AM to 10-11 PM. Tickets for the monitoring deck are $18.50 for grownups.
5. Walk The San Antonio Mission Trail
Head to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park to uncover among just 24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United States. San Antonio objectives was very important stations for Catholic spiritual orders developed by the Spanish homesteaders. The objective of the objectives was to aid spread Christianity amongst the indigenous populace.
Four out of 5 San Antonio objectives are protected in the park; the 5th is without a doubt one of the most well-known recognized, called the Alamo. The Mission Trail is a strolling course with the national forest, which enables you to uncover all 4 objectives on the premises. Bicycles are offered, and they’re the most effective for obtaining from one objective to one more rapidly.
It’s likewise feasible to simply drive from one place to one more, and this is the most effective choice if you have extremely minimal time in San Antonio. If you just have time to see among these sites, make it Mission San Jose. It’s the best-preserved structure with duration home furnishings and an exhibition that provides understanding right into the lives of the neighborhood populace in the very early 18th century.
Practical Information: San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is open daily from dawn to sunset. Entrance to the park is at no cost.
6. Go On A River Cruise
Don’t have adequate time to check out the historical River Walk walking? That’s penalty since you can visit the whole pedestrian location in a watercraft in regarding thirty minutes! Go Rio cruise ships are offered at several places on the River Walk, so simply stroll along the river up until you detect a Go Rio box office or vacant watercrafts.
The watercrafts leave every 15-20 mins, so you could need to wait a bit for a cost-free seat. Buy tickets online if you don’t intend to wait in line at the ticket cubicle, however remember that they’re not timed tickets. Seats on the watercraft are offered on a first-come-first-served basis.
I suggest doing the river cruise ship in the evening for the outright ideal experience. The watercrafts all brighten in brilliant shades, and there’s something unique regarding the River Walk night. All the cruise ships are told, and the overview will certainly inform you a great deal regarding the background of the River Walk and its value for San Antonio and its locals.
Practical Information: Go Rio cruise ships occur every 15-20 mins. A ticket for grownups is $14.5.
7. Ghost Tour of San Antonio
San Antonio is an outstanding location for ghost pursues and haunted trips. If that doesn’t seem like something you would certainly take pleasure in, simply avoid to the following point on this checklist prior to I shock you with ghost tales.
The most haunted structure in the city is obviously the Alamo, where individuals to today record seeing ghosts of Texan soldiers. Opposite the historical ft is the Menger Hotel, one more preferred location in the city for ghost discoveries. Guests have actually reported listening to unusual sounds in the resort, seeing faces in the mirror, scenting stogie smoke, and also experiencing the ghost of Teddy Roosevelt at bench.
Visit every one of San Antonio’s haunted websites by yourself, or organize a led ghost trip of the city. They occur after dark, obviously, and are my suggestion if you intend to finish the evening frightened and hinge on bed uneasy.
Practical Information: Ghost trips of San Antonio occur in the evening and normally last for 2-3 hours.
8. Get Lost At The Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden is close to the San Antonio Zoo, north of the town hall. The arboretum go back to the very early 20th century and includes koi fish ponds, rock bridges, a pagoda, and a waterfall. Countless plants and trees decorate this lavish yard, and the enchanting landscape design is the most effective feature of it.
Come right here if you ever before require to leave the active roads of Downtown San Antonio. You can neglect you’re in Texas for a minute as you stroll around the premises of the fascinating arboretum.
Practical Information: The Japanese Tea Garden is open from 7 AM to 5 PM. Entrance to the arboretum is at no cost.
9. Visit The Alamo
The Alamo is possibly one of the most well-known spots in the state of Texas. The epic citadel is just one of the earliest objectives that were constructed in Texas, and it’s previously called Misión San Antonio de Valero.
It would certainly come to be world-famous after the Battle of the Alamo, which was an essential juncture in the Texas Revolution. Today, the little citadel acts as a gallery with a collection of artefacts from the change period, among one of the most essential occasions in Texas background. The Alamo is just one of one of the most preferred historical websites in the United States, and therefore, it often tends to be active at all times.
The complicated is instead little, and it doesn’t take excessive time to visit it. However, the lines up are usually long, and waiting in line is inescapable at such a prominent spots. Entrance to the on-site church is at no cost, however it’s essential to get tickets for various other structures on the premises.
Practical Information: Tickets for the Alamo display are $14 for grownups. An assisted trip of the complicated with entry to all the structures is $45.
10. Sightseeing in The Pearl District
The Pearl District is the location of San Antonio bordering the historical Pearl Brewery. Originally started as the City Brewery in 1881, it would rapidly come to be the biggest brewery in Texas and the just one to make it through the restriction.
The brewery shut down in 2001, and the structure today residences stores and dining establishments. Come right here to uncover a various component of San Antonio, one that’s full of background and fascinating sites however far from the town hall.
The Grotto is likewise in the Pearl area, located on the River Walk southern of the brewery structure. It’s a synthetic riverfront cavern with faces sculpted right into the rocks, strolling courses with the high cliffs, and synthetic waterfalls.
Practical Information: The Pearl Brewery is roughly a 30-minute stroll from the Downtown, available by strolling courses on the San Antonio River Walk.
11. Discover The Collection at The San Antonio Museum of Art
The San Antonio Museum of Art is located in the previous structure of the Lone Star Brewery, simply a 15-minute stroll from the vivid Pearl District. It flaunts a considerable display of Latin American, Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art that extends virtually 5,000 years. Items showed at the gallery consist of paints, sculptures, pictures, furnishings, daily things, and far more.
The gallery’s collection of American art work and artefacts extends 2 floorings and consists of an unique area committed to musicians from Texas. Also, the Asian art work display is the biggest of its kind in the Southwest, making this gallery an outright has to for all art enthusiasts in San Antonio.
Practical Information: The San Antonio Museum of Art is open from 10 AM to 5/7 PM on a daily basis other than Monday. Tickets are $20 for grownups.
12. Amusement Park Rides at Six Flags Fiesta Texas
If you’re in San Antonio with youngsters, there’s no much better location to take them than Six Flags Fiesta Texas. The amusement park is likewise called The Thrill Capital of South Texas with greater than 60 adventures throughout the premises, consisting of a theme park with at the very least 15 slides. If you’re seeking much more water adventures, I recommend you look into SeaWorld San Antonio rather.
Rising to an outstanding 205 feet, the Scream decrease tower is the park’s most frightening adventure. If you intend to really feel adrenaline flowing with your blood vessels, it’s THE adventure for you. But the focal point of the theme park is the Boomerang rollercoaster, including crazy weaves at a rate of virtually 60 miles per hour.
The theme park can be performed in a number of hours if you’re brief in a timely manner, or you might invest a whole day right here taking place various adventures and having the moment of your life. If you make a decision to remain at the Six Flags Fiesta for at the very least half a day, think about obtaining a One-Day Dining Deal to conserve cash on food.
Practical Information: One-day masquerades the Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park begin at $45.
13. Explore The Natural Bridge Caverns
One of the most effective all-natural sites in Texas is simply a 30-minute drive from main San Antonio. Come right here for below ground trips of the caves however likewise to have some enjoyable on the journey training courses over ground.
The caves are impressive to see with all the various geological developments. However, I don’t suggest this trip for tourists with minimal wheelchair since it can obtain extremely laborious sometimes. Also, the moisture is frequently at 99% and the temperature level is typically around 70 levels, which is uncharacteristically cozy for below ground caverns.
The theme park includes a labyrinth, rope training courses, and several zip rails in the air with scenic sights of Texas Hill Country. Everything right here is kid-friendly, and there are also a number of displays that are particularly developed for the youngest site visitors.
Insider Tip: Wear tough footwear since the cave flooring is damp and unsafe.
Practical Information: The charge for cave trips is roughly $30-50, depending upon the day you see and the kind of trip you pick. Natural Bridge Caverns Park is open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
14. Native Flora at San Antonio Botanical Garden
San Antonio Botanical Garden is a substantial eco-friendly room in the north component of the city. Featuring fish ponds, designed strolling routes, and lavish plant throughout, the location is a view for aching eyes if you’re tired of taking a look at the midtown structures.
Several sunrooms go to the arboretum, and they’re unique not just for the plants you’ll see inside however likewise for their form. The glass frameworks are almost art pieces and terrific to see. The plants and blossoms within are primarily the ones that are belonging to the area, however they’re nevertheless beautiful.
The arboretum likewise includes a coffee shop, and it’s a wonderful location to take a seat for a fast break prior to you carry on to the following San Antonio spots.
Practical Information: The San Antonio Botanical Garden is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. The entry charge is $18-22 for grownups.
15. Jump Into an LED Ball Pit at Hopscotch San Antonio
Hopscotch San Antonio is a modern-day art gallery with extremely enjoyable interactive displays. There are just 2 Hopschotch galleries in the United States, so a journey to San Antonio is the best possibility to uncover this fantastic room.
It’s unlike any kind of art gallery you’ve ever before seen. Many displays are interactive and incredibly enjoyable. You can play in an LED round pit, walk a rainbow cavern, and leap about on a quantum trampoline. The display likewise includes murals and sculptures, however they’re much from standard art work.
The art gallery is likewise among one of the most Instagrammable areas in San Antonio, so you have to come right here if you intend to honor your journey to this city with impressive images.
Insider Tip: To involve with a few of the interactive displays, site visitors have to remove their footwear and put on socks.
Practical Information: Hopscotch San Antonio is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 PM to 10 PM. General admission to the art gallery is $24.
16. Travel Back In Time At The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
Head to the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum in Downtown San Antonio for a dashboard of the Wild West. The dining establishment is styled as a typical Western public house and includes 2 extremely fascinating galleries on the premises. A solitary ticket gives you accessibility to both galleries.
The Buckhorn Museum includes a peculiar collection of taxidermied pets, which I did not such as quite. Don’t obtain me incorrect, it’s an intriguing collection and I haven’t seen anything like it throughout my life, it’s simply that taxidermy fanatics me out a fair bit.
I appreciated the Texas Ranger Museum far more, with its restoration of a Wild West community, full with a hangout and a prison cell. You can go through those timeless public house doors and present for pictures behind bars, acting to be an appropriate hooligan. The display likewise includes weapons of well-known Texas rangers, along with their badges and pictures.
Practical Information: The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum is open from 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission tickets are $22.99 and consist of entry to all the displays in the structure. You can reserve them right here.
17. Tour The Spanish Governor’s Palace
The Spanish Governor’s Palace is rather of a concealed treasure in San Antonio. Include it in your San Antonio schedule if you intend to see an interesting stucco royal residence full with duration furnishings and ghosts. The royal residence is reported to be haunted, and it’s usually consisted of in San Antonio ghost trips.
You won’t see any kind of ghosts if you see throughout the day, and you can concentrate on the remarkable colonial style and sensational antique home furnishings. Beautiful art work decorate the inside of the royal residence and its premises, however I directly located the kitchen location one of the most fascinating. I’ve never ever seen anything like it previously, specifically in such excellent problem.
Insider Tip: The Palace is located in between the San Fernando Cathedral and the Historic Market Square, so you can see 3 preferred San Antonio tourist attractions in one mid-day.
Practical Information: The Spanish Governer’s Palace is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. Tickets are $5.
18. Day Trip to Austin
San Antonio is just an hour and a fifty percent from Austin. The busy state funding is just one of the most effective areas to see on excursion from San Antonio, both for the distance and terrific tourist attractions it provides. Austin is recognized for its superb social scene, wonderful food, online songs, and simply a wonderful ambience throughout.
If you consider on your own an art enthusiast, you’ll have the moment of your life in Austin. The city is home to lots of terrific galleries and art displays, which vary from a gallery committed to Charles Umlauf’s jobs to a modern-day art setup called Cathedral of Junk.
The Texas Capitol is a famous structure that you can’t miss out on while you’re in Austin. It is definitely amazing to see and site visitors can secure free, 30-minute led trips of the spots complicated.
Practical Information: Austin is 80 miles northeast of San Antonio. It takes regarding an hour and a fifty percent to get to the city both by automobile and neighborhood bus.
19. Learn About Texas at The Witte Museum
The Witte Museum is embeded in Brackenridge Park, and it’s one of the earliest galleries in San Antonio, committed to stating tales regarding Texas, from primitive times to the contemporary. The gallery’s collection consists of a wide array of historical artefacts, and a few of the highlights are dinosaur bones and Sheriff’s badges from the late 1800s.
The display is interesting, and I like that there’s something for everybody, despite their age. Kids are normally astounded by the huge reproductions of dinosaurs, while grownups have a lot more enjoyable uncovering Texan art, fabrics, and daily things from a previous period.
This gallery is outdoors main San Antonio, however it’s conveniently available by public transportation. A bus can take you from the Alamo to the Witte Museum in simply 20 mins.
Practical Information: The Witte Museum is open from 10 AM to 6 PM. Tickets are $16 for grownups.
20. See The Historic San Fernando Cathedral
San Fernando Cathedral is yet one more in a string of historical sites to be located in Downtown San Antonio. The spots church was at first built in the very early 18th century and acts as a terrific instance of Spanish early american style.
The extravagant church and magnificent discolored glass home windows are the highlights of San Fernando Cathedral. Free led trips are offered to all site visitors, although you won’t reach see the inside of the church. Instead, the trips take you around the sanctuary premises while the neighborhood overview states the church’s background.
This church is usually consisted of in ghost trips of San Antonio. If you come right here in the evening, you’ll reach see an incredible light and songs program, and you could also experience some paranormal occasions.
Practical Information: San Fernando Cathedral is open from 9 AM to 5 PM and comes at no cost.
Frequently Asked Questions For San Antonio, Texas
How Can I Spend 3 Days In San Antonio?
Three days suffice time to see every one of San Antonio’s ideal sites and do an outing to a neighboring city or national forest. Visit the Alamo, San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio Mission Trail, the River Walk, the Witte Museum, the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, the San Antonio Botanical Garden, and the Pearl, and take place a river cruise ship in the midtown.
What Is The Most Visited Place In San Antonio, Texas?
The Alamo is one of the most seen spots in San Antonio, Texas. The San Antonio River Walk is a close 2nd, with a a lot more touristy ambience than the historical battlefield.
What Is San Antonio Best Known For?
San Antonio is best recognized for the Alamo and the Spanish objective churches. Its abundant and battle-ridden background has actually likewise made it well-known for ghost discoveries.
How Do I Spend A Day In San Antonio?
If you just have a day in San Antonio, invest it seeing the River Walk, the Alamo, Historic Market Square, San Antonio Mission Historic National Park, and the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. One day suffices time to see all these sites, and you could simply have adequate time to press in a journey to among the arboretums.
Tips And Information For Visiting San Antonio, Texas
Best Time To Visit
The ideal time to see San Antonio is from November to April. March and April are typically one of the most preferred months for journeys to this Texas city as a result of the light, cozy weather condition. It’s best for lengthy walks the town hall and expeditions to neighboring parks and nationwide sites.
Avoid taking a trip to the city in the summertime if you can. San Antonio has extremely warm summer seasons, and the temperature levels usually surpass 90 levels throughout the day. That’s also warm to be comfy when you’re outside a lot of the day, specifically with the city’s high moisture.
Getting There
Look for trips to San Antonio International Airport. It’s just a 15-minute drive from midtown San Antonio, so you’ll go to your resort in no time at all. Buses likewise range from the flight terminal to the town hall; tickets are economical at $2.5, and the adventure is just 30-40 mins long. It’s worth thinking about if you’re on a tighter budget plan and don’t intend to invest cash on taxis.
Alternatively, you can fly to Austin and afterwards obtain an adventure to San Antonio. The flight terminal in Austin is larger and more busy than the one in San Antonio, with even more residential and worldwide links. The funding is simply an hour and a fifty percent from San Antonio by both automobile and bus.
Getting Around
Much of main San Antonio is walkable, so you can check out a huge part of the city walking. Cycling is preferred right here and an outstanding choice to taxi adventures and automobile leasings. San Antonio has a great bike-sharing system, and you can see a lot of the tourist attractions detailed in this overview on a bike.
A rental automobile would certainly aid you navigate San Antonio quicker, however it’s not a requirement. The public transportation network in San Antonio is excellent and can also aid you obtain completely to Austin. So, think about renting out a cars and truck just if you have extremely minimal time in the city and you intend to see as lots of sites as feasible.
How Much Time Do You Need
Three days is the best quantity of time for a San Antonio journey. It’s sufficient time to cover all the leading sites in the city, along with an outing to a neighboring city or national forest. I suggest including an outing to Austin in your three-day schedule since it’s extremely near San Antonio.
The city can be performed in 2 days, however you’ll require to pick in between an outing or city tourist attractions for the 2nd day of the journey. And if you just have eventually in San Antonio, focus on all the historical areas and structures.
San Antonio City Pass
The San Antonio City Pass is truly excellent worth for cash and I very suggest you obtain it if you’re major regarding sightseeing and tour in the Texas city. The pass deals cost-free entry to 4 out of 8 tourist attractions of your selection for $59:
Go Rio San Antonio River Cruises ($14.5) San Antonio Zoo ($25) The Tower of The Americas ($18.50) The DoSeum ($18) San Antonio Botanical Garden ($18-22) Witte Museum ($16) San Antonio Museum of Art ($20) The Alamo – Exhibit and Church ($14)
You can obtain your cash’s worth if you see simply 3 displays and the 4th one is almost at no cost! Getting the San Antonio City Pass is a piece of cake if at the very least 3 of these areas have actually currently made it onto your schedule. Grab your Pass right here.
Where To Stay in San Antonio, Texas
First-time site visitors need to search for resorts in Downtown San Antonio for very easy strolling accessibility to all the most effective traveler destinations. Many resorts are offered along the historical River Walk, and they’re a few of the most effective resorts in the city.
The Pearl area is likewise a charming component of the city to remain in, with a lot of fascinating tourist attractions close by. Here are a few of the most effective resorts in San Antonio for all spending plans:
The Gunter Hotel is a budget friendly choice in the Downtown, near all the most effective San Antonio sites. The Menger Hotel is a great mid-range choice in the town hall, with the included bonus offer of ghost discoveries. Hotel Emma is a premium deluxe resort on the River Walk in the Pearl District of San Antonio.
Whether you remain at a haunted resort or a full-scale high-end hotel, I’m rather certain you’ll have a fun time in San Antonio. Especially if you focus on seeing the tourist attractions that you are really curious about, in contrast to queuing at preferred areas even if it’s what you’re expected to do.
