Hello lovely friends, This past weekend my family and I were able to spend some time in San Antonio, TX. Growing up my family would take my siblings and I to San Antonio yearly. I want to share with you 5 things to do in San Antonio, TX also share some places to stay and were to eat.
This post is part of my Texas Travel Series: Read more on what to do in Waco, TX here.
From Houston, the drive to San Antonio is just over 3 hours depending on what side of town you live on. It is only an hour and a half from Austin and San Marcos as well.
If you are traveling from out of state there is an airport in San Antonio that visitors could fly into called San Antonio International Airport.
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Where to stay in San Antonio
There are so many places to stay in San Antonio the options are endless. Here are some factors to consider before booking.
The most popular place to stay is in Downtown San Antonio near the riverwalk. There are so many hotels that are located right off the riverwalk and have riverwalk access from their hotels. Marriott Riverwalk is a great one, it is situated in the riverwalk mall off of the riverwalk. Growing up, we would always stay here.
Price Point
Before you book hotel you should consider what price point would be comfortable for you to spend as well as how many days you will be staying.
Location
Compare to Houston, the city of San Antonio is rather small. We stayed in the medical district, mostly everything was only 13-15 minute drive away. This may not be a big deal if you are road tripping here or have rented a vehicle, but it could be come costly to uber and lyft around town.
One plus side to staying in a different area is it will be less crowded.
Tip: The Riverwalk is a very touristy area, you can expect a lot of people everywhere. Staying further out can combat this, if you don’t love big crowds.
Hotel Havana
Hotel Havana is located off of the riverwalk as well but it is in an area that is less busy and more quite. One great thing about Hotel Havana is it has beautiful restaurant attached to the outside called Ocho. You can read more on Ocho below.
Hotel Emma
Hotel Emma is so beautiful! It is located in Pearl district. Pearl has so many shops and restaurants in walking distance and is about a 7 minute drive to the riverwalk. Read more below on what to do in Pearl below to see if Hotel Emma is a great option for you.
There is so much to do in San Antonio, TX here is an itinerary for the weekend.
What to do in San Antonio
After you check into your hotel, get situated, and rest a bit from the long drive head out for dinner and walk the riverwalk. Our plans to go to SA were very last minute. We left at noon Saturday and arrived around 3:30pm.
This time I wanted to try some new restaurants and see new places since we’ve been to San Antonio a few times. We ended up eating fast food and then headed to walk a less crowded part of the riverwalk since we have 3 young boys.
However, it is a great idea to try out one of the many restaurants on the San Antonio riverwalk. Some of my favorites include: The County Line for great BBQ, any of the mexican restaurants they are all so good, The Hard Rock cafe, and Landry’s for seafood.
Tip: Expect to have a long wait time to be seated, one way to avoid this is to eat dinner earlier around 5pm then head for dessert else where later.
Catch the light show at San Fernando Cathedral.
The San Fernando Cathedral has an amazing light show called The Saga. You can find the San Fernando Cathedral at Main Plaza.
Address: 115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205
The light show is approximately 25 minutes. It is free and a perfect way to end the night with loved ones. During the show you will the history of San Antonio, the saints from the bible, and other significant people that played a role in the San Antonio culture.
Show times:
Wondering when you can catch a show? Well, the show is ran on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday through 2024, 3 times a night in 30 minute increments.
Tuesdays and Sundays: 7:30, 8:00, 8:30.
Fridays and Saturdays: 9:00, 9:30, 10:00
Tips:
Be sure to arrive early to get a good view. We arrived about 15 minutes before and were able to get a good spot in the front but we did sit on the floor.
Bring a lawn chair: There are very few tables and seats, most people stand, sit on the ground, or bring lawn chairs.
Be sure to not sit too close to the speakers it can be very loud. We sat a few feet away from them (they are at the front on the left & right near the trees) and my youngest son didn’t like how loud it was.
Looking for more places to travel in Texas? Read this post about Corpus Christi, TX
Afterwards, head to the back and take a stroll around the riverwalk. It is a lesscrowded area. Or head for a stroll around the corner and see the locks of love overlooking the riverwalk .
Head to Market Square early the next morning.
10am: Market Square also known as El Mercado is a fun, cultural street in San Antonio filled with shops and restaurants. The square is lined with vendors who sell anything from homemade goods to delicious street tacos and Mexican corn- elote.
Address: 514 W Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78207
Shopping:
This nostalgic place will give you all the Mexico vibes as vendors sell products made in Mexico. I was able to snag 2 colorful afghan blankets for $18. You could also get them for about $11 as well. I also bought the cutest handmade beaded earrings for $12.
You can pick up a set of Loteria, which is a bingo game, for $3 and $7 depending on the card stack. There are also very beautiful colorful cultural dresses as well. They are so pretty!
Tip: Before you buy anything walk around and see if other sellers have it for a lower price. Many of them sell the same things.
Where to eat:
11am: There are so many great places to eat and the most popular place is Mi Tierra. Mi Tierra is a 24 hour restaurant with a delicious array of Mexican cuisine. Attached to the restaurant you will find a Mexican bakery with all the colorful and tasty pan dulce which is sweet bread. They go great with coffee.
Tip: To avoid long wait times, eat early around 11am, or get your name on the wait list early enough and shop around the market.
La Margarita and Oyster Bar is also another popular restaurant. They open at 11am but there was a line already being formed at 10:30am.
The last table service restaurants is Viva Villa Taqueria.
There is also a food court as well as food vendors outside that sell street tacos, aquas frescas, elote, fresh fruit, and micheladas.
For more info visit: https://www.marketsquaresa.com
For families with young children, there is a playground located just across the street from market square. We took our boys to play there for a bit before our next excursion.
Read about the fun times in New Braunfels, TX
We decided to eat elsewhere since we have been to SA many times. One area we have never been to was Pearl.
Visit Pearl District
1pm: Pearl District is a fun and lively area with much to do and see. It is filled with shops and places to lounge. It is 22 acres long and has about 15 independent shops and 19 chef owned restaurants.
Farmer’s Market
On the weekends you can expect to find a packed farmers market with local artisans selling honey, meats, cheeses, and more. There was also live music when we went on Sunday, but I am uncertain if this a weekly thing. There are places to sit and talk and enjoy a prickly pear drink.
It was such a fun and lively place to be. The farmers market ends at 2pm. Many people bring their dogs as it is dog friendly. There are even a few restaurants that are dog friendly as well.
Where to Eat
Down on Grayson
Down on Grayson is a cute restaurant that has an indoor and outdoor area to eat. The place gets packed because the food is delicious and the atmosphere is great. Inside you will find a bar as well as tables to sit at.
If the weather is nice I recommend sitting outside. Dogs are welcome. Their are also heaters outside when the weather is cooler. At night it is lit with string lights up above.
We ordered the Cheeseburger and fries, Kale Salad, and Turkey Sandwich. The portions are huge and there is plenty to share.
Green Vegetarian Restaurant
This place also has an outdoor and indoor seating areas. It is dog friendly and has a menu of all vegetarian foods. This is a great option for vegetarians and people who have dietary needs. It is located next to Lick Ice Cream parlor.
After your meal head out to see the Farmer’s market on the weekends, check out Hotel Emma, or grab an Ice Cream from Lick.
Hotel Emma is a beautiful hotel that is located in the Pearl District. It is a great place stay if you can afford it. As you can see there is so much to do in walking distance.
Grab an Ice Cream from Lick:
As I was looking up place to eat that offer gluten free and/or dairy free options Lick came up in my search engine. I was so presently surprised to find that they had a gluten free and dairy free ice cream! It is called Peanut butter brownie.
Lick works with local farmers to source all of their ingredients. There are no added gmos. They are also so delicious and creamy!
They offer an assortment of blends along with some traditional flavors such as chocolate and vanilla.
Take a Hike at the Japanese Tea Garden.
3pm: The Japanese Tea Garden is so pretty! There is a waterfall, trails, coy fish ponds, and beautiful stone buildings. The garden also has a cafe where you can purchase bubble tea.
If can get a little crowded so I recommend visiting in the morning around opening.
My son’s enjoyed walking around, seeing the fish, and climbing as well.
They are open 7am-5pm seven days a week.
Address: 3853 N. St. Mary’s St. San Antonio, TX 78212
On our final day in San Antonio we went to some fun places.
Grab a bite at Ocho Lounge
8am: Ocho is a cute restaurant that is on the side of Hotel Havana. It over looks the riverwalk. They have these doors that they open up when the weather is nice.
The restaurant serves a pan-latin cuisine. All of the food looks delicious. We were able to have breakfast there.
Ocho is a very instagrammable spot. They have beautiful chandeliers and all of the tables are different. It looks like it once was a greenhouse before.
I was able to find out that has been there for 8 years as Ocho and before that it was a different restaurant for 3 years.
Address: 1015 Navarro St. San Antonio, TX 78205
Tip: It is best to make a reservation online. They talk walk ins but you might be waiting a lot longer.
After you fill your belly with delicious food head over to the riverwalk for a scenic walk.
Fill your sweet tooth at Bird Bakery
12pm: Bird Bakery has been on Food Network and the Cooking Channel and I can see why. It is so cute! They have so many different pastries to choose from, cupcakes, cookies, & gluten free options as well.
They also have food as well called bird food. You can sit down and eat, work, and even reserve a private room.
We took home some cupcakes, red velvet and blue vanilla along with a hibiscus tea.
Address: 5912 Broadway St. San Antonio, TX 78209
You can find out more details and hours here.
The great thing about the location is that you can go shopping at all the boutiques within walking distance. Chloe Rose and Impeccable pig are just a few. There are other as well and they all have the cutest clothes and accessories.
On your way home don’t forget to stop at Texas Tulips.
Texas Tulips
Texas Tulips is near San Antonio, but it is about 45 minutes away or more. It is a you pick tulip farm where you pay for what you pick.
There is a $5 entrance fee per person. You also have to pay for what you pick.
I will say that we visited the weekend after Valentines day and it was extremely busy. It was also the first season that they have been open at this location. They also have a Dallas location. BUT the way it looks on IG during this time of the year, is not at all the way it looked.
Tip: Call before you go to see what the blooms are like.
Final thoughts:
San Antonio is such a fun and happening place to visit. If you have never been there is so much more to do than what I mentioned here. The riverwalk, Market Square, along with Ocho and Mi tierra are so of my favorite picks.
If you visit San Antonio and found this helpful let me know below.
XO,
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Great ideas! With RedCoach luxury buses getting around Texas now, I’m hoping to expand my horizons. I haven’t travelled much in Texas.