San Antonio – what a name, right? It sounds so Spanish, and true to the name of this Texas city, there’s a lot of revisiting its Spanish colonial past when you go out there to enjoy the several things to do in San Antonio. 

Texas is one of the best states to visit in the USA, not just among locals but also among international visitors, too. You’ve got the beauty of Austin, Houston, and Dallas, to name a few. But do you know that the most attractive of all Texas’ cities is San Antonio? It’s pretty much one of the oldest urban centers in Texas as well. San Antonio continues to treat visitors to its cosmopolitan blend of people and lots of culture. 

San Antonio is loaded with exquisite centuries-old landmarks. But despite its clinging to the past, the city is still firmly rooted in the present, as evident from its sprawling markets, cutting-edge museums, and a vibrant dining and shopping scene. 

There are so many things to do in San Antonio, Texas’ second-largest city, from strolling the banks of its iconic waterway to cycling past architectural masterpieces dating back from the 18th century.

10 Best Things To Do In San Antonio

Fulfill your travel dreams. Explore San Antonio, Texas like never before. Here are the best things to do in San Antonio. 

1. Look Back At San Antonio’s Spanish Colonial Past At The Alamo

Among the first of the many things to do in San Antonio is visiting the Alamo. This is San Antonio’s most iconic landmark. A former Spanish mission church, here, 189 Texas fought and lost their lives in 1836 during a 13-day siege by Mexican ruler, President Antonio López de Santa Anna. This fight urged Texans to struggle for independence. Today, the Alamo serves as a tribute to these fighters, displaying artifacts that belong to its most famous defenders, such as Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and James Bowie. 

There are various things to do in San Antonio when you’re here. Insider, you can explore the 1700s church and visit the Long Barrack where the likes of Crockett and Boone made their last stand. 

You can also visit the Alamo Exhibit where you can peruse the rifles, cannonballs, and uniforms displayed there. Then, you may also head to the Living History Encampment that gives a taste of the locals’ way of life during the 1830s with costumed interpreters giving talks about this. And, during the weekends, if you still have the time, you may seek musket firing demonstrations on the street in Alamo Plaza.

2. Take An Invigorating Stroll Along The River Walk

Believe it or not, San Antonio is home to an attraction that offers a refuge from the hustle and bustle of daily life, the River Walk or the Paseo del Rio. Many travelers who have been here in the past say that the best way to see San Antonio is to stroll along the River Walk. There are so many things to do in San Antonio while you’re here. 

The River Walk is also touted as giving tourists a slice of Europe in the heart of this Texas city’s downtown. It comprises a scenic network of pedestrian walkways and canals that extend over a dozen miles. 

It’s also convenient to explore this city. You’ll never have to mix with the main traffic as its waterside paths are below the downtown streets. You can stroll past its landscape gardens and sidewalk cafés, linger on cypress-shaded footbridges crisscrossing the water, and watch street performers fill the air with mariachi music, a musical genre from Mexico that has become very popular in Texas.

Welcome to our “things to do in San Antonio” guide! Here is another related story you might want to read: 21 Photography Spots In San Antonio, Texas

3. Smell The Fragrance Of Roses At The San Antonio Botanical Garden 

There are more things to do in San Antonio that will offer you some relaxation and retreat from the stresses of daily life. Stretching 38 acres, the San Antonio Botanical Garden, touted as the city’s best-loved green space, offers a mix of formal gardens, tropical greenhouses, and winding pathways that will treat you to the diversity of native Texan flora. 

Here, you can visit the Lucile Halsell Conservatory, a complex comprising of five futuristic glass structures where you can experience tropical forests, a fern grotto with a shimmering waterfall, and desert scapes. Your kids will love it here at San Antonio Botanical Garden. 

4. Witness Thought-Provoking Exhibits At The McNay Art Museum

If you fancy viewing magnificent art pieces from the past, visiting the McNay Art Museum, also known simply as the McNay, is one of the things to do in San Antonio that you must try. 

Set in a Spanish-colonial Revival mansion north of the city’s downtown, the McNay has been catching the attention of visitors since it opened in the 1950s. It is also Texas’ first modern art museum, presenting an impressive collection of art pieces dating all the way back to the Medieval period. But, there are also works from the 1800s and 1900s, particularly those from Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keeffe, Vincent van Gogh, and the like. 

Ready to take your museum experience to the next level? The McNay Art Museum also hosts the most thought-provoking exhibitions in San Antonio, such as the life of the Black community, unmasking Asian-American stereotypes, and avant-garde costume makers, among others. 

5. Go Missions-Hopping

As you read earlier, San Antonio is brimming with stories of its Spanish colonial past, so it is just usual to see missions dotting the city. If you want to further explore these missions, choose to embark on a missions-hopping tour.

This tour highlights the San Antonio Missions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of five missions nearby each other. You’ll be led by a guide who knows the area and its story so well. You’ll see various missions of the site, including the Alamo Plaza, La Villita Historic Arts Village, and Espada Aqueduct.

From traveling back in time to immersing yourself with the city’s food culture, there are so many things to do in San Antonio. Take a look at this list of the best San Antonio food tours. 

6. Explore San Antonio By Night

As the night falls in San Antonio, the city turns into a dazzling spectacle, and you can tour San Antonio by night. This is a narrated driving tour and cruise along the River Walk. You’ll start at the Tower of the Americas where you can marvel at the illuminated skyline from the tower’s observation deck, the tallest observation tower not just in the city but across the state. 

Then, you’ll get the chance to take a night cruise along the river where you’ll see landmarks all illuminated, such as the Old Mill Crossing – San Antonio’s first neighborhood – La Villiata, and more. The last part of this tour is a narrated drive through the lighted streets of the city, as well as its landmarks, such as the Alamo Square. Looking for an unforgettable San Antonio experience? Then, you should not skip this on your things to do in San Antonio list. 

7. Tour Mission San José

Another of the best things to do in San Antonio is touring Mission San José. This historic and beautiful mission is one of the most popular attractions in this Texas city. It was founded in 1720, but since the 1833 Mexican secularization act, the mission experienced a long period of gradual decline. Thus, many of its remarkable original structures have since been rebuilt and restored through the years, which you will also learn about as you tour this mission. 

Looking to satisfy your food cravings while enjoying the things to do in San Antonio? How about trying Chinese cuisine in this Texas city?

8. Jog And Feed The Ducks At Brackenridge Park

San Antonio is not only filled with so many architectures from its Spanish colonial past, but also parks where you can relax, such as Brackenridge Park. There are also so many things to do in San Antonio when you are here. 

Brackenridge Park has been known among locals and tourists who visit this place as where they can seek refuge from the Texas heat and the swarms of tourists. It features rustic stone bridges, shaded walkways ideal for strolling, the Japanese Tea Garden, and the San Antonio Botanical Garden. 

You can also take advantage of the park’s golf course, jogging trails, and athletic fields. Or, watch outdoor concerts being held here. You may also bring some bird seed to feed the ducks floating along the San Antonio River.

9. Enter A Dazzling Cave

Meanwhile, if you are looking for things to do in San Antonio where you can make memories you can take with you wherever you go, how about entering a cave? You can do this at the Natural Bridge Caverns. Take your whole family with you here!

The Natural Bridge Caverns are the largest known natural caves not just in the city, not just in the state, but across the USA. The name is juxtaposed with the fabulous natural limestone slab bridge spanning the entrance of this cavern’s amphitheater.

Walking along the paved and lighted walkways, you can see the cave’s astonishing formations in its underground chambers. Kids can also visit a replica where they can experience mining for gold and other gems. It’s magical here.

10. Take A Break From The Texas Heat At SeaWorld San Antonio

San Antonio gets its dose of the Texas heat, so tourists who visit here look for places where they can conquer this heat. One of these places where you can take a breather is at SeaWorld San Antonio, a sizable marine theme park and amusement park.

Aside from beating the heat, you can also take part in the various activities that the park offers such as getting up close and personal with penguins, dolphins, sea lions, and even sharks, yikes! 

The park also offers plenty of opportunities for you to cool down such as its pool and water slide areas. If you need some adrenaline rush, SeaWorld San Antonio has got you. You can ride the Steel Eel hypercoaster or the Great White inverted roller coaster for an experience of a lifetime.  

Texas is big, beautiful, and wonderful. Aside from discovering the things to do in San Antonio, how about heading over to Houston, another great city in Texas?

Things To Do In San Antonio: Airlines That Fly To This City

You cannot afford to miss out on the fascinating things to do in San Antonio. So to make sure your trip is smooth sailing, find out the airlines that fly to San Antonio.

• Japan Airlines
• American Airlines
• All Nippon Airways
• United Airlines
• Korean Air 
• Delta Air Lines
• EVA Air
• Cathay Pacific 

Unravel The Alamo City

San Antonio is nicknamed “the Alamo City” and since it is no less than the home of the Alamo, a historic Spanish mission and fortress compound Roman Catholic missionaries founded in the 1700s in what is now San Antonio. 

The city also has a lot of stories to tell. San Antonio was founded in May 1718 when a Spanish expedition from Mexico established the Mission San Antonio de Valero. This mission, which later became known as the Alamo, was one of the five founded in the area and was named after St. Anthony of Padua.  

Today, much of this history is reflected upon San Antonio’s landmarks, consisting of various structures built by the Spanish then. But San Antonio is more than just a place filled with Spanish colonial architectures. There are many other things to do in San Antonio, from taking a riveting walk along the River Walk, to visiting its various parks and gardens. San Antonio is looking forward to seeing you.