The best way to experience the San Antonio River Walk is a boat trip.
San Antonio, Texas is famous for two things: the Alamo and the scenic River Walk, but there’s much more to Texas’ second largest city. The culinary scene is top notch with three Michelin-rated restaurants and the largest food market in the Southwest.
As a Texas-based travel writer, it’s literally my job to write and photograph the coolest spots in the great state of Texas. I was never a fan of San Antonio for years until recently when I started seeking out lesser-visited spots with better parking. It’s easy to escape the crowds by biking or kayaking along the woodlands of the Mission Reach section of the River Walk or soak in natural thermal pools.
San Antonio’s proximity to Texas Hill Country makes it tempting to add a few days to your trip to sip wine or treat yourself to a spa day. For another day trip, check out my guide to Austin. If you’re heading to San Antonio for fun or work, keep reading for my list of all the best things to do in San Antonio, Texas.
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1. The Alamo
Each year 1.6 million people visit the Alamo in San Antonio.
Location: 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205 | Google Maps
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Free with timed entry ticket
The Alamo is one of the top attractions in San Antonio and Texas. While it’s touristy and crowded, it is worth visiting due to the history. Original established as Mission San Antonio de Valero in 1718, the flags of five different nations have flown overhead. The Alamo was the site of the infamous and deadly battle in the fight for Texas’ independence in 1836.
Entry to the church is free with a timed-entry ticket. Both guided and self-guided audio tours are available for a fee. Parking near the Alamo and the River Walk is outrageous. The best flat-rate garages ($10!) I’ve found near the Alamo are the Houston Street Garage (5 minute walk) and the Convention Center Garage (10 minute walk). Pricing may change, so check before parking!
2. San Antonio Missions National Historic Park
Mission San José is the most photogenic of San Antonio’s missions.
Location: 6701 San José Drive, San Antonio, Texas, 78214 | Google Maps (Mission San José & Park Visitor Center) |
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Admission: Free
The San Antonio Missions National Historic Park is only UNESCO site in Texas, comprised of four Spanish Colonial missions built in the 1700s: Mission Concepcion, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. The expansive Mission San José (“Queen of the Missions” is my favorite to photograph. Visit on a Sunday for the 12 p.m. Mariachi Choir mass. (My first visit was on a Sunday, and it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had in Texas.)
Four of the five missions are located on the lesser-visited southern portion of the River Walk, an eight-mile stretch known as Mission Reach. A hike-and-bike trail connects the Alamo and these four missions, which are each roughly 2.25 miles apart.
3. The San Antonio River Walk
Museum Reach section of the River Walk at The Pearl District.
After the Alamo, the River Walk is one of San Antonio’s most known attractions. The paved pathway lines 15 miles of the San Antonio River and is divided into three sections from north to south: Museum Reach, Downtown Reach and Mission Reach.
The northern most section of the River Walk is Museum Reach, home to four museums in walking distance of the river. The San Antonio Museum of Art, a vast art collection housed in a historic brewery; The McNay Art Museum, a modern art museum set in a Spanish Colonial-Revival mansion; The Witte Museum, a science, natural history and culture institution; and The DoSeum, an interactive children’s museum. Museum Reach is the only section of the River Walk accessible by water taxi from downtown. It’s also home to The Pearl District and the 343-acre Brackenridge Park.
Downtown Reach, the loop around Market and Commerce Streets, is the oldest section of the River Walk and sees the most traffic. Hop on a colorful electric boat for a 35-minute narrated tour. The main attractions in this section are the Alamo, La Villita Historic Arts Village, HopScotch (20,000-square-foot interactive art gallery) and the “Selena” bridge that was featured in a movie about famed Tejano singer. The crowds thin once you wander north or south of this section.
Mission Reach encompasses the eight-mile section of a riparian woodland ecosystem that connects four of the Spanish missions. The lush landscape is ideal for walking, biking or kayaking. The Hot Wells of Bexar County, Ruby City and Villa Finale house museum are also located in this section.
4. Hot Wells of Bexar County
The Hot Wells of Bexar County are the ruins of an early 1900’s spa hotel.
Location: 5503 S. Presa St., San Antonio, TX 78223 | Google Maps
Hours: Summer 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Winter 9 am. to 6 pm.
Admission: Free
One of the most unique attractions along the southeastern portion of the River Walk are the ruins of the 1902 Hot Wells Hotel and Spa. Charlie Chaplin and Theodore Roosevelt are a just a few of celebrities who indulged in the resorts three swimming pools and 45-room bathhouse with solid porcelain tubs for relaxing in the thermal waters.
The hotel was abandoned after a series of fires and turned into the Hot Wells of Bexar County public park in 2019. While the ruins are fenced off and the well is plugged, a local non-profit, the Hot Wells Conservancy, and the county run events at the site. There is a public toilet on site at the adjacent Hot Wells Interpretive Center.
Book a soak next door at Camp Hot Wells, which offers two private open-air suites for soaking in thermal waters along with public hot foot soaks. Snacks and an extensive list of local craft beers are available.
5. Japanese Tea Garden
The Japanese Tea Garden at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio.
Location: 3853 N. St. Mary’s St., San Antonio, TX 78212 | Google Maps
Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Admission: Free
One of the best free things do to in San Antonio is the Japanese Tea Garden tucked into the western corner Brackenridge Park. The garden’s origins date back to the 1917 when an 11-acre lot next to an abandoned rock quarry was transformed into a lush oasis.
Residents donated the lily blubs for the pond while the lighting was provided by the City of San Antonio. Stroll down the shaded walkways along koi-filled ponds and a 60-foot waterfall or relax in the Japanese pavilion.
6. Buckhorn Saloon & The Texas Ranger Museum
Location: 318 E. Houston St., San Antonio TX 78205 | Google Maps
Hours: Museum (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.); Saloon (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Entry: $22.99 for entry to both museums.
The antler-clad walls of the Buckhorn Saloon are a must-visit for a history lesson. In 1881, the saloon was opened by 17-year-old Albert Friedrich who started accepting horns and antlers as a payment for drinks, amassing an impressive trophy collection. The saloon later became the recruiting grounds for Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.
While the bar changed locations, the collection remains intact, and in 2006, The Texas Rangers Museum was added. The $22.99 entry fee includes access to the Buckhorn Museum and Texas Rangers Museum. Visitors can also pull up a chair, order a Prickly Pear Margarita and have a bite to eat in the saloon.
7. The Pearl District on the River Walk
The Pearl is a dining, shopping and entertainment district in a former brewery complex along the River Walk.
Location: 303 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78215 | Google Maps
Hours: 5 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily; hours differ for shops and dining.
Admission: Free
The Pearl is a historic district built on the grounds of a 19-centry brewery compound along the Museum Reach section of the River Walk. The 23-acre outdoor complex includes a slew of shops, restaurants, a new 18-hole putt-putt course and a lively event calendar.
While there’s over 30 restaurants and bars in the 23-acre space, I’ve always enjoyed Freight Friend Chicken, Bakery Lorraine and the upscale dinner menu at the Michelin-listed Isidore, tucked inside Pullman Market. The Pearl’s newest dining edition is Santonia Cantina, a husband and wife team serving up blend of North Mexican and South Texas flavors, opening in November.
Want to stay the night? Snag one of the 146-rooms in the riverfront Hotel Emma. There’s a market every Saturday (local produce) and Sunday (crafts) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and a seasonal Wednesday night market. Parking is free in surface lots Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
8. Pullman Market
Pullman Market is one of the newest editions to The Pearl and the largest culinary market in the Southwest.
Location: 221 Newell Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215 | Google Maps
Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Admission: Free
Pullman Market has been a star attraction in The Pearl District since the food market opened in 2024. It is the largest culinary market in the Southwest and houses a specialty grocer along with quick eats and sit-down restaurants. ( Don’t miss the homemade tortilla stall!)
I personally loved the handmade pastas at Fife and Farro and seasonal Texas-sourced dinner menu at Isidore. Other highlights include Sonoran grilled meats from Mezquite and liberations from the agave-centered Mezcaleria. Save room for treats from the 20-seat desert bar, Nicosi. (Both Isidore and Nicosi are Michelin Guide listed!)
For free parking, use the lot on Newell Avenue and ask for parking validation.
9. San Antonio Museum of Art
One of the highlights of the Asian art collection is the rare Medicine Buddha Sand Mandala on display at the San Antonio Art Museum.
Location: 200 West Jones Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78215 | Google Maps
Hours: Tuesday & Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission: Adults $24, Military/Seniors $19, Students $14
The former castle-like complex of the former Lone Star Brewery, originally built from 1895 to 1904, is home to the San Antonio Museum of Art. The museum opened in 1977 and houses a permanent collection of 300,000 items, including the eight-gallery Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art to an impressive Roman sculpture collection.
I really enjoyed the Asian art collection, which is largely comprised of Chinese ceramics. My favorite is the rare Medicine Buddha Sand Mandala that was made in San Antonio by Tibetan monks. Usually, sand mandala is meant to only last a few days but the His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama to preserve this piece.
10. Natural Bridge Caverns
Location: 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Road, San Antonio, TX 78266 | Google Maps
Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Admission: Tours start at $32. Parking is $10.
In the 1960s, college students discovered this limestone cave system, known as Natural Bridge Caverns. The property is family-owned and offers a series of tours, from the Discovery Tour (half-mile trek 180 feet below the surface) to the adrenaline-pumping Hidden Wonders Tour that ventures into newly opened sections of the cave.
11. Bat Emergence at Bracken Cave
Location: 7515 Bracken Cave Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266 | Google Maps
Hours: Summer only. Reservations Required.
During the summer, plan a visit to see the nightly bat emergences at Bracken Cave, home to the largest colony of bats in the world. Every evening at dusk 20 million free-tailed bats spiral into the sky. Advanced reservations are required.
The 1,458-acre property is located 20 miles east of San Antonio and co-managed by The Nature Conservancy and Bat Conservation International.
12. Villa Finale
Villa Finale offers a sneak peak into the lavish historic homes of the King William neighborhood. Photo courtesy of Visit San Antonio.
Location: 401 King William, San Antonio, TX 787204 | Google Maps
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Gardens are free; Interior entry is $12 for adults and $10 for military/students/seniors.
The 12,000-item art collection of local preservationist Walter Mathis is on display in his 1876 Italianate home and gardens on the Mission Reach section of the River Walk in the historic King William neighborhood. Mathis purchased the home, Villa Finale, in 1976 and spent two years restoring it before focusing his efforts to restore14 properties in the neighborhood. The building and gardens were donated to The National Trust for Historic Preservation and opened to the public for tours.
13. Tower of the Americas
The Tower of the Americas and the Alamodome photographed at night from the Tenfold Rooftop bar at the Kimpton Santo San Antonio on the River Walk.
Location: 739 E César E. Chávez Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78205 | Google Maps
Hours: Sunday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Admission: $19.59 for adults, $16 for military/seniors
For a sky-high view of the Alamo City, travel to the top of the 750-foot-tall Tower of the Americas. The iconic structure was built for the 1968 Hemisfair World’s Fair that coincided with the San Antonio’s 250th anniversary.
Take the elevator up to the observation deck to a photo stop or consider having dinner in the Chart House, a revolving restaurant. If you are just looking for a skyline photo of the iconic structure, the Tenfold Rooftop bar at the Kimpton Santo San Antoino on the River Walk is the best spot. (The first photo of this blog post was shot from the bar!)
14. Ruby City
Ruby City is a free contemporary art museum located on the Mission Reach section of the River Walk.
Location: 150 Camp St, San Antonio, TX 78204 | Google Maps
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission: Free
This crimson-hued building along the River Walk is a two-story contemporary art museum featuring rotating exhibits from local and international artists. Philanthropist Linda Pace founded Ruby City in 2007, which includes 1,400 works from her collection. The main 14,000-square-foot building is part of a larger campus that includes a one-acre green space and an auxiliary exhibition space called Studio. Admission is always free.
15. Maverick Carter House
The Maverick Carter House is located in San Antonio’s central business district across from the Tobin Center for Performing Arts. Photo courtesy of Visit San Antonio.
Location: 119 Taylor St., San Antonio, TX 78205 | Google Maps
Hours: The first and third Sunday of the month from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission: Free
The Richardsonian Romanesque façade of the 1893 Maverick Carter House is one of the most unique house museums in San Antonio. The 23-room home was built for William Harvey Maverick, the son of Samuel Augustus Maverick, one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
The second owners were H.C. Carter and his wife, Aline Badger Carter, the Texas poet laureate from 1947 to 1949 . In 1925, Aline converted the first-floor library into a chapel and later added an observatory to the roof. Her additions are some of the most unique features of the house.
