I hear the words long weekend and I am booking a trip. This Memorial Day weekend, I spent it in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio might be most famous for Tex-Mex food, the River Walk, and the Alamo but wait until you see what else this awesome city has up its sleeve.
Being in southern Texas, San Antonio has a rich and interesting history with the Battle of the Alamo and its colonial missions. With its close proximity to Mexico, you will find a blend of American and Mexican culture that creates magic!
I would recommend renting a car when visiting San Antonio, so you can explore different parts of the city. If you are solely staying downtown and around the river walk, then the city is extremely walkable. However, we went out to see the missions, and spent a day in Fredericksburg so a car was definitely needed.
Where To Stay: Omni La Mansión del Rio
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. We wanted a hotel with a pool since the temperature was going to be in the 100’s when we were visiting.
We loved our stay at the Omni. It was directly on the river, with riverwalk access. The pool was small, but it was so hot we didn’t care. They even brought our complimentary popsicles one day to everyone at the pool!
Parking tip: valet is $49 a night, however there is a parking garage across the street that is only $15 a night, so that is where we parked.
What To Do
Riverwalk
The riverwalk is probably the most popular thing in San Antonio, making it also the more touristy. Steps below street level and lined with Cypress trees is a fascinating and vibrant section of the city that makes it one of a kind! But, it was crowded. Personally I do not enjoy chain restaurants, but every chain under the sun can be found on the riverwalk. It was hard to find a spot to eat on the river that wasn’t a chain.
It is also open container on the riverwalk, so you can grab a drink and stroll.
I recommend taking a boat ride down the river to learn more about the history of San Antonio and the riverwalk itself. Tip: There are 3 locations you can buy tickets with the most popular in the heart of the River Walk under the Market Street Bridge across from the Hilton Palacio del Rio and they are $13 a person. Boat Rides run from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily year-round (weather permitting)There is no time, so you just get your tickets and then you can get in line to go on your boat tour anytime you would like that day.
The Alamo
Even if you haven’t visited Texas or San Antonio in particular, you have likely heard of the Alamo. The Alamo was initially built in 1718 but the structure you see today was established in 1744. The grounds of where the Alamo resides is rather large but the Alamo itself is much smaller than I had anticipated. Today the Alamo is a shrine to remember the ugly battle that occurred at the site of the Alamo and how Texas gained its freedom.
Tip: The best time to take photos with the Alamo is after it closes around dusk. That way you won’t have a million tourists in your photos.
Pearl District
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. If I were to move to San Antonio, it would be in this neighborhood!
In 1883 the Pearl Brewery opened for business and by 1916 it was the largest brewery in Texas. Because the area got its start with the Pearl Brewery, the neighborhood eventually became known as the Pearl.
Tip: Free parking under the highway, which is just a few blocks away from The Pearl!
Missions
Visiting the San Antonio missions also known as the Missions Trail consists of 4 different missions that run south of downtown San Antonio along the River Valley. We only went to the main mission and we personally thought that was enough to see and learn.
Each mission you see on this trail had its own community with everything they needed including the church, protected by a fortress, and housing.
Market Square
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. This nostalgic place will give you all the Mexico vibes as vendors sell products made in Mexico.
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. 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.
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
Day Trip To Fredericksburg
The Texas Hill Country in Fredericksburg is the largest wine region in Texas making it an awesome destination for wine tasting. We decided to spend the whole day in Fredericksburg and we are so happy we did! It was only about an hour drive from San Antonio.
We started our morning at Twisted Sisters bakery for some breakfast tacos and one of their massive cinnamon rolls!
Before our long day of wine tasting, we decided to stroll down Main Street, and this was one of the highlights. Boutiques, western shops, cafes, home decor stores, bars, just about anything you would imagine in a small town USA Main Street! Definitely stop at The Mercantile – it was so cute we stopped twice!
After our shopping we headed out to our wine tastings. Here are the wineries we stopped at! I highly recommend making reservations!
- Augusta Vin – The prettiest winery we went too! The grounds were just gorgeous and they had tables on a lawn, patio, inside, and a 2nd floor. The wine was super good, but the pours were tiny.
- Fat Ass Ranch & Winery – We went obviously because of the name! It’s super fun, perfect for a girls trip or a bachelorette. A tasting is $10 and you get a free glass to take home. Their wines tend to be very fruity and a little too sweet for me except for the Frozen Sangria!
- Baron’s Creek Winery – Y’all know I love rosé, and that is their best seller, and it did not disappoint! The back patio was gorgeous and gave off European vibes. We ordered a hummus, and were disappointed that is came in a plastic tray, the presentation was not there compared to how fancy the winery itself was.
- Heath Sparkling Wines – If you are a sparking wine fan, this is a must stop! They offer a unique “multi-sensory” tasting experience which involves the champagne flight paired with a perfectly selected accompaniment, in addition to a virtual tour. Then, you can just head on over to Grape Creek Vineyards on the same property and check out some of their award winning wines!
We are truly beer girls at heart, so in the middle of our wine tastings we had to stop at the brewery! Altstadt Brewery is everything you want in a German brewery. It looks like a castle so it fits in perfectly with all of the wineries. This is a great stop if you are with your man, also a beer lover, or just need a pretzel to soak up all of the wine. We enjoyed a flight and a pretzel and it was just what we needed.
Where To Eat:
La Panderia
If there is one breakfast place you need to try in San Antonio, look no further. You can’t miss it because there is usually a line out the door, but trust me it is worth it! Try all the pastries your little heart desires. Don’t skip the Mexican Hot Chocolate! We had the avocado toast and it was delicious as well!
Tip: We went early Friday morning and there was no line and we got a table! So avoid weekends if possible!
Bird Bakery
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. We came here for breakfast for some pastries, and then of course had to try some mini cupcakes! The lemon and red velvet were our favorite!
*If you want to check out a few boutiques – there are about 5 right in the area of Bird Bakery. It was perfect to go here for breakfast and then do some shopping!
Mi Tierra
If you are going to check out market square, the most popular place to eat 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. The decor is out there, but super cute!
Henry’s Puffy Tacos
Have you ever heard of a puffy taco? It is a flour or corn tortilla, but fried so it gets super fluffy! They are delicious. Henry’s is known for their puffy tacos and they were so good! I had the guacamole and chicken, and mom had a chicken and bean and cheese. Definitely find yourself a puffy taco or 2 during your stay in San Antonio!
Bar Loretta
In a part of town called Southtown or King William neighborhood, this restaurant was so yummy! It has the coolest vibes and the food was remarkable, it says it has modern Texas cuisine. Definitely take some time in Southtown to walk around this hip neighborhood. Full of stores, bars, antique shops, and restaurants – we really liked this part of town. It is a great area to grab a drink too!
We started off with the most refreshing cocktail – Junebug vs. Hurricane – Brooklyn Gin, Muddled Strawberries, Fresh Lemon, Sparkling Wine. Then we split an appetizer – Cumin Dusted Rock Shrimp – with Flash fried, smoked guacamole, cilantro crema. For our entree we had the Peppered Beef Tenderloin – Potato gruyère gratiné, grilled asparagus, red wine mushroom demi. WOW everything was so good!
Hill Top Cafe – Fredericksburg, TX
Now this isn’t in San Antonio, but we stopped here after the wineries and it was probably our best meal of the trip! Don’t be alarmed when your GPS tells you you have arrived, because it is just off the side of the road in an old gas station. Bluesman Johnny Nicholas’ eclectic American eatery in a funky 1930s gas station with live music. But the food is so so good. We had the special of blue crab stuffed shrimp, and it was heavenly it was so so good! We stayed for the live music, and it was just a lovely evening!
San Antonio makes for the perfect long weekend getaway!
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