What To Do in San Antonio Texas

San Antonio is a lively big city in Texas, with a small town heart. The city is packed with fun activities and tourist attractions, from the famous River Walk to the historic Alamo, from bustling restaurants to the tranquil Mission Trail. If you’re wondering what to do in San Antonio, read on to discover the top 10 things to do in San Antonio Texas! 

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1. Walk Along the San Antonio River Walk

The San Antonio River walk is one of the most popular things to do in San Antonio. The River Walk is a series of paths along the banks of the river, starting in central San Antonio and winding all the way out of town. In fact, the full San Antonio Riverwalk is a rather lengthy 15 miles / 24km!

The most famous part of the San Antonio riverwalk is the 2.5 mile / 4km section in central San Antonio, which is located one story beneath the street level. This section features a narrow canal-style river with paths on both sides, filled with lively and vibrant restaurants, bars and shops.

At only 2.5 miles, it’s easy to stroll around the entire central San Antonio Riverwalk in around an hour. If you prefer a bit of solitude, aim for early morning before the crowds of tourists descend on the River Walk. If you love a bustling atmosphere and people watching, venture down in the early evening when the paths and bars are packed with revellers.

If you’re up for an adventure and want to explore the rest of the River Walk outside of the main city centre, hire a bike and take the River Walk path around the San Antonio Missions (see 4 below).

Location: The River Walk is in Downtown San Antonio, with the east section starting near the corner of E Commerce St and S Alamo St.

Cost: Free

2. Take a San Antonio River Walk Boat Cruise

I suggest both walking around the River Walk and taking a San Antonio River Walk Cruise, as the views and experience of the river are quite different from each.

The River Walk Boat Cruise is a 35 minute guided river cruise, where the boat driver provides some really interesting information about San Antonio’s culture, history and buildings. The boat trip travels around the the main natural rectangular part of the river and the man made ‘T’ section that was built for the World Fair in 1968.

The River Walk cruise is particularly pretty at night time when the lights are on, and is probably at its most spectacular between Thanksgiving and the New Year when the River Walk holiday lights are turned on – all 100,000 of them! There are also dinner boats if you fancy splashing out on a special evening.

Location: Find a GO RIO Cruises ticket booth along the River Walk to purchase your ticket and board your boat. The boat cruises run from 9am to 10pm daily.

Cost: The San Antonio River Walk Cruise costs $13.50 for adults and $7.50 for kids. You can purchase your ticket at a GO RIO Cruises ticket booth or online in advance.

3. Soak Up Texan History at The Alamo

You can’t take a trip to San Antonio without visiting The Alamo, one of the most famous tourist attractions in San Antonio, and indeed in all of Texas. Be that as it may, pretty much all I knew about The Alamo before visiting was the vague familiarity of the war cry ‘Remember The Alamo!’.

Lucky for me, The Alamo offers excellent guided tours which offer a fascinating and in-depth journey into the history of Texas and the Battle of the Alamo. At the end of the hour long tour, I not only had a pretty good history lesson but also a vivid picture of some of the most iconic moments of the Battle of the Alamo, as the passionate guides really bring the stories to life. 

For those who aren’t familiar with The Alamo (which means ‘cottonwood tree’ in Spanish), The Alamo started its life as a Spanish Mission in the 1700s. By the 1800s, there were Spanish, Mexican and US settlers in Texas. During the Texas Revolution from 1835-1836 (also known as the War of Texas Independence), Mexico and Texas colonists raged a war that ultimately resulted in Texas gaining independence from Mexico. Texas later became part of the United States in 1845.

The 1836 Battle of The Alamo was one of the most pivotal battles in Texas’s fight for independence. The Texans had taken refuge in The Alamo, and were severely outnumbered by the Mexicans, with around 200 Texans vs. 2000 Mexicans. Following a 13 day siege, the Mexican troops took The Alamo and in a brutal battle killed all the Texan men inside. The women and children were sent to tell the Texan General to surrender or they would suffer the same fate. Texas stood steadfast and refused to surrender.

Later in 1836, a large Texan army stormed the Mexican army under surprise, shouting the cry ‘Remember the Alamo!’. The Texan army defeated the Mexicans, caught the Mexican President, and gained independence when Mexico surrendered. And that, is a very brief history of Texan independence! 

Today, the main buildings that are still standing in The Alamo are the pretty church and barracks. Much of the battle happened in the former plaza, where little remains today. 

Location: The Alamo is located in Alamo Plaza, just a few hundred metres from the east side of the River Walk. The Alamo is open from 9am to 7pm in summer and 9am to 5:30pm the rest of the year. Aim to visit in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds. 

Cost: Entry to The Alamo is free. Guided tours cost $15, and run hourly on the half hour. Book online at least 24 hours in advance or in person at The Alamo (subject to ticket availability). Guided tours take around one hour and are highly recommended for history buffs. If you’re tight on cash but still interested in history, read the on-site information boards and watch the free 17 minute video.

4. Visit the San Antonio Missions on the Mission Trail

The San Antonio Mission Trail is around 10 miles of the River Walk that connects five historic Spanish Missions (churches) in San Antonio. The Missions and can be visited by car, by bus or by walking or biking along the beautiful river path that joins the Missions. The Missions are all pretty and located on lovely grounds. If you want to check out the interior of the churches, then make sure you visit on a day when the church is not holding services.

The Alamo: The Mission Trail starts with The Alamo, the most iconic and historic of all the Missions (see 3 above). While The Alamo can be visited as part of the Mission Trail, The Alamo is in Downtown San Antonio so also combines well with the River Walk and other city sites in one day. The other four Missions are out of town, so can all be visited together on the second day of your San Antonio itinerary.

Mission Concepcion: Mission Concepcion, in the photo above, is the best preserved of all the Spanish Missions in San Antonio. The Mission is an imposing stone church with a beautiful bell tower. This Mission is around 3 miles / 5km from The Alamo.

Mission San Jose: The next Mission San Jose is around a further 2.5 miles / 4km from Mission Concepcion. Mission San Jose is, IMHO, the most picturesque and pretty of all the San Antonio Missions. The main church is a functional working building, but the highlight is the big archway ruins and lovely large grounds that surround the church.

Mission San Juan: Around 3 miles / 4.8km further down the river, you’ll find Mission San Juan. This Mission is largely ruins with a rather understated working church, so could be skipped if you’re short on time or feeling ‘all churched out’.

Mission Espada: The final Mission on the San Antonio Mission Trail is Mission Espada, which is the smallest of all the San Antonio Missions but still very pretty. Mission Espada is only 1.3 miles / 2km from Mission San Juan and marks the end of the Mission Trail.

Location: The Mission Trail starts at The Alamo and ends at Mission Espada, with around 10 miles of River Walk trails connecting the 5 Missions. You can drive, take the bus from The Alamo which visits all 5 Missions or bike or walk the Mission Trail along the pretty River Walk. I loved cycling along the river, which is pretty flat and well signposted with historic information. You can hire a bike from Blue Star Bike Shop or using the San Antonio BCycle Bike Share which has docking stations at all the Missions.

Cost: It is free to visit the San Antonio Missions. Expect to pay around $20 to hire a bike for half a day. Alternatively, join a San Antonio Missions Tour for around $75 to see the highlights of the Missions and take the hassle out of planning out of your day.

5. Chill Out at the Trendy Pearl Brewery

Pearl is a trendy San Antonio neighbourhood just a short distance from downtown, which came recommended to me by a friend-of-a-friend as a great place to dine out. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and was wowed when I rocked up in front of Pearl Brewery. The district is right up my street with its trendy industrial warehouse style.

The Pearl Brewery is a former historic working brewery dating back to 1883, which has been transformed into a mixed-use space including restaurants, cafes, boutique shops, event spaces and public areas. Far from feeling touristy, when I visited on a Sunday Pearl Brewery had the vibe of a bunch of locals and visitors alike chilling in the green lawn with families and dogs or dining in the many cafes, bars and restaurants. The perfect people watching spot, and not bad for budding photographers!

Location: The Pearl Brewery in is in the trendy Pearl neighbourhood, located around 2.5km / 1.6 miles from the River Walk.

Cost: Free to visit, with a wide range of food and drink options to suit most budgets. Bring a picnic to the big lawn, dine for less at the food hall or splash out at one of the upscale cafes and restaurants.

6. See the Majestic San Fernando Cathedral

The San Fernando Cathedral is a gorgeous Roman Catholic cathedral in downtown San Antonio. The church was built in the mid-1700s, later expanded in the late-1800s into its existing gothic style, and restored in 2003.

Just across the road from the cathedral stands the equally majestic Bexar County Courthouse, a historic red sandstone courthouse which was built in the 1890s. The courthouse can also be spotted from the San Antonio riverwalk cruise.

While you won’t need to spend much time here (unless you’re planning on attending a service), the cathedral isn’t much of a detour from the River Walk so is worth a quick squizz and photo. The church is located in a plaza square which is a nice spot to rest if you have tired legs.

Location: The San Fernando Cathedral is located in Main Plaza, just a couple hundred metres from the west end of the River Walk.

Cost: Free

7. Explore the King William Historic District

The King William Historic District is a gorgeous neighbourhood in San Antonio with a high concentration of incredible historic mansions. In the mid-1800s, many wealthy German immigrants settled in the King William area and made the district their home. The result is around 25 blocks of 19th-century European style mansions, with German, Victorian, Italian and Greek influences.

If you like grand old architecture (guilty!), then I can promise that the King William Historic District will not disappoint. The area is relatively concentrated so is perfect for walking or cycling. I meandered up and down the streets on my bike without much pre-planning, but if you prefer to be organised (and avoid back-tracking like me!) then check out this interactive map with information on the history of the houses.

If you’re short on time, focus on King William St itself which boasts some of the most impressive (and frequently photographed!) houses. If you have longer, head south of Pereida St and travel up and down Crofton Ave, E Gunther St, Wickes St and Adams St.

Asides from historic houses, the King William area and nearby Southtown are trendy neighbourhoods packed with boutique shops, bars, cafes, micro-breweries, art galleries, parks and the San Antonio riverfront. With so much going on, it would be easy to spend an entire day chilling here! 

Location: The King William District is around 1 mile / 1.6km south of the River Walk. It’s close to the Mission Trail, so combines well with a visit to the Missions.

Cost: Free

8. Get Your Thrills on at a San Antonio Spurs NBA Basketball Game

Basketball is an exhilarating and fast-paced but easy to follow game, which makes it perfect for sports fans and novices alike. The San Antonio Spurs are the local team in the US NBA (National Basketball Association) League. The NBA season runs from the end of October until April, followed by playoffs and finals in June, with teams playing multiple times each week (sounds exhausting!).

One of the best things about watching an NBA game is that it’s jam packed with entertainment. As well as the half-time show and cheerleaders, expect the game to stop at random intervals during each quarter (I’m no sports fan, but maybe someone called time-out) and for entertainment to suddenly roll-out.

Location: The San Antonio Spurs play home games at the AT&T Centre, around 5 miles / 8km east of downtown San Antonio. Grab an Uber to avoid the hassle of public transport and parking.

Cost: San Antonio Spurs ticket prices vary, from $20 or less for the ‘cheap seats’ in the balcony (seat numbers in the 200s), all the way up to many hundred for a court-side seat or an eye-watering several thousand dollars for a box suite (yikes). If you can afford it, it’s worth getting the mid-price plaza seat tickets (seat numbers in the 100s). These seats are in the middle part of the AT&T Centre so have good views with a great atmosphere.

9. Visit the Historic Market Square

Historic Market Square, also known as Produce Row, is a pretty walking street near downtown San Antonio. The street is lined with shops and market stalls selling Mexican curios and art, has a range of excellent Mexican restaurants and is brightly adorned with colorful flags and decorations. If you fancy a fiesta feel, visit on the weekend as Market Square has live entertainment most weekends.

You simply cannot visit Texas without experiencing local Tex-Mex food. Historic Market Square has many Mexican restaurants, but arguably none as iconic as Mi Tierra. Mi Tierra is a feast for both the eyes and the belly, as it’s decked out in super bright and eclectic Mexican decorations strung from pretty much every available space.

Mi Tierra serves classic and comforting Tex Mex cuisine, from fajitas to queso to enchiladas. There’s also a bakery onsite, so make sure you leave room for a sweet treat at the end! Mi Tierra often has long but fast moving lines. You’re welcome to ease into your meal with a tasty margarita or beer at the bar while you wait for your table. It will be worth it!

Location: Mi Tierra is located at the end of Historic Market Square, around two blocks or 10 minutes walk from San Fernando Cathedral (6 above).

Cost: Free to roam around Market Street. Restaurant prices vary but are generally mid-range.

10. San Antonio City Tour

Simply cannot decide what to do in San Antonio or prefer to have it all planned for you? Why not join a San Antonio tour and forget about the hassle of planning your vacay! Another great thing about taking local tours is that you can often fit a lot more in than if you’re relying on getting around by yourself, so a tour is a good choice if you’re short on time. Plus, you’re guaranteed to learn more by having a local host show you the sites.

If you want to experience the best that San Antonio has to offer and pack a lot in in just one day, then you should join a full day San Antonio tour. This well reviewed tour covers most of the highlights from this post, including The Alamo, the San Antonio River Walk, some of the Missions, the King William Historic District and Historic Market Square. Phew, that’s a lot to cover in just one day in San Antonio! 

If you’re short on time or prefer smaller group tours, then check out The Real San Antonio Small Group Highlights Tour. This tour does just what it says. It’s a small group tour covering some of the highlights of San Antonio outside of downtown, including the King William District and one of the Missions. This makes the tour the perfect complement to your San Antonio weekend trip if you’re happy to cover the more central city sites like the River Walk and Alamo on foot in your own time. 

Location: Varies by tour.

Cost: Varies by tour, expect to pay around $30 for a short tour or $50-$100+ for a full day tour.

I hope this San Antonio travel guide has helped you to discover the best things to do in San Antonio Texas! 

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