San Antonio is largely a suburb but it has no shortage of character. There are definitely a few must do’s and see’s. And that’s what I plan to give you today, in this post.
A central location to San Antonio is the River Walk. And we suggest you either stay near this, or in “south town.” We stayed at The Embassy Suites on the River, with a river view. Even with most amenities closed due to Covid, we still very much so enjoyed our stay. If you need parking, check out the Travis Parking Garage. It’s about a block and a half from the hotel.
Food in San Antonio
San Antonio is no Austin when it comes to food. But it still has plenty to offer. These were some of our favs (and not so favs):
- Titos (Mexican food, cheaper but delicious)
- Mi Tierra Cafe (breakfast)
- La Fonda on Main (best queso and drinks [mezcal, margs, michelada])
- Local coffee – Pear parkway and Karnes (cute little square/food and beverage area/outdoor park). In an up and coming area.
- Henry’s – a must for puffy tacos
- The Guenther House – we were told the wait would be 30-35 minutes. Then went up to check after AN HOUR had passed and we watched them seat people who arrived after us…they said people were just sitting, talking and taking their time after being done eating.
Walk the River Walk
In December, the River Walk is lit up with Christmas lights. We walked it during the day and of course, when it was lit up at night.
It spans a VERY long way, but there is a central loop that I would highly suggest you see. You can also pay to take a river tour, but we preferred just walking around.
Day trip to Fredericksburg + Enchanted Rock
I had heard people rave about Texas Hill country. While it’s green and does have more topography than other areas of Texas, it leaves much to be desired. It’s a dry rocky landscape with some trees.
Mind you we come from the Pacific Northwest, which may be one of the prettiest landscapes in the world when it comes to greenery.
Enchanted Rock is about an hour Northwest of San Antonio and it was closed. But you can still see it from the street.
Again, much to be desired. Something to do nonetheless. Get some steps in and see the hill country. The hike is only .8 miles and there are plenty of other paths you can take as well. Remember that Enchanted Rock is a State Natural Area. We took the opportunity for a little empty road photoshoot.
The main attraction of Fredericksburg is Main St. If you’re on a day trip, head there from Enchanted Rock. Grab a beer, wine and some food. Fredericksburg is walkable and also has some beautiful churches. In December the main little square is decorated for Christmas.
Verdict: it’s cute. Underwhelming. It looks far more like an old Texan/western town than a Germantown. I say that because on other blogs it is advertised as a little German town in the middle wine country. Meh, that’s a stretch of a description.
We also recognize that we’re spoiled, in having spent the holidays in Europe, where you can see some of the LITERAL best Christmas markets in the world.
Walk the city and see The Alamo
You can pay to get a picture with The Alamo, and to go inside. It’s not large, and we did not pay to enter. But it was cool to see, and if you’re in San Antonio, you might as well.
There are shops, and very European looking architecture around that area, so it makes for a nice little stroll.
If you’re in Austin, or in Texas, make your way down to San Antonio. It really isn’t like other cities in Texas, especially for it’s size. Visit some wineries, see the Alamo, or just hang around South Town.
If you ever plan to visit San Antonio, pin this post for later!
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