What a difference a day makes. We took off on Saturday afternoon from our B&B in the King William section of San Antonio. It was about three blocks to the Riverwalk. It was about 35 degrees and rainy and the walk was a bit slippery. There were ducks swimming up the river and very few people walking. Frankly I was at a loss after at least a half hour to see what it was that makes this such an attraction. We left the walk at La Villita, a historic arts village and spent about an hour checking out all the eclectic shops located there. This is a very interesting place to shop with local artists and crafters intermixed with the more mundane souvenier and tee shirt vendors. I bought some small stained glass pieces to bring home as gifts.

Sunday the weather was in the 60's and the sun was shining. Linda and Harry took us to eat at Casa Rio. It was established in 1946 and was the first restaurant on the River walk. We didn’t realize what a historic location we were visiting. We don’t know much about Mexican food but with Linda Kaye’s help we all ordered delicious meals. The views are amazing and it is really in the center of everything that is going on at the Riverwalk.

When we had finished lunch we went on a river cruise. The boat moved slowly through the canals with a running commentary from the driver. He pointed out the historic locations and gave us some interesting facts about the buildings. We enjoyed every minute especially watching all the people walking, shopping and eating along the banks of the river. You will cruise by a riverside theatre, The Hard Rock Café, A Mall and a whole lot more.

What today seems like the perfect balance of commercial endeavors and natural beauty was a long hard battle that even the Alamo is hard pressed to overshadow. In the early part of the nineteenth century it became apparent after a devastating flood that the River needed to be controlled. How this was accomplished and how this became what it is today is owns a great deal to the foresight and persistence of a group of very dedicated people. It wasn’t until the 1960’s that the River Walk that we know today began to take shape. It is hard to imagine San Antonio without it and yet there were many who fought to have the river built over. San Antonio has done an amazing job of keeping some areas park like and making the rest an area filled with lively entertainment, food and shopping.

San Antonio's River Walk is a tourist's paradise. You will find shops, restaurants, and hotels lining the San Antonio River. With sidewalks, stairs to the street level, historic sites to tour, and boats floating lazily down the canals, you will find plenty to enjoy in this area of San Antonio.

On our trip to San Antonio, we stopped here and walked around for a few hours. There is endless stuff to see and do. The first trip we made, we stopped in the early afternoon, late morning, not much was open and not too many people were out. We ended up eating at McDonald’s since is was kind of low-key and not much action going on. The McDonald’s was on a street corner at a great location to view some of downtown and a quick walk across the street from the river walk.

On our way through the second time, we stopped later in the evening when it was dark. The streets of the River Walk were lined with people and every restaurant was packed full. The sights and sounds of the night were enjoyable for the atmosphere. We did not eat here this time either, just walked around again and enjoyed the lights and the activity of the river.

The river has a little place where you can purchase tickets to ride a boat down the river. We never got the opportunity to do this because of the weather but it sure will be something we do next time. The cost is around $5 a person and it takes you through the whole river walk. This is just another option for seeing all the shops, hotels, and restaurants the River Walk has to offer.

The River Walk is a great experience whether busy or slow, light or dark. We sure enjoyed both and hope next time to be able to take a boat ride around the river.

Restaurants, clubs, shopping, people-watching: the San Antonio Riverwalk has it all. After eating a delicious lunch at Casa Rio, the oldest restaurant along the Riverwalk, my family and I took our full stomachs for a Riverwalk "cruise." It was 35 minutes of a guided tour along the Riverwalk, explaining everything from the foliage, who lived where, and recommendations for dining and lodging. Afterwards, we took our newfound knowledge of this very proud and historic city and walked along the same route we had just ridden along. This way, we could stop in the shops we were interested in, steal glimpses of what people were eating at the numerous restaurants, and stop atop a few of the bridges to just watch. We even picked up a few more bits of knowledge as other cruises rode by!

The San Antonio river walk proved to be interesting to both myself and my son during a recent visit. Although I was worried that he would be bored walking along the river, I do not believe anyone would be bored with a couple hours of walking and dining in downtown San Antonio.

We began strolling casually along, enjoying the many things to see on the river walk. Because the river turns, we alternated from sunlight to light shade, to dark shade under the bridges. It was a photographic challenge at times, but kept us from getting very hot as we walked along.

The walkway is directly next to the water. There is definitely a hazard of falling in, and we found ourselves gasping a couple of times as young kids ran around and challenged the forces of inertia and gravity. The advantage of being that close is that you can hear the informational tidbits tossed out by the tour-boat captains. Listen to them as they go by and you'll learn even more about San Antonio.

If you go hungry onto the river walk, you'll be fine. There are plenty of good restaurants with tables in the shade on the banks of the river. We had already eaten, so we didn't sample the food, but the smells were great. Some of the restaurants will have what we labeled "cutie magnets" – young, attractive ladies out front saying hello to the folks walking by, offering them good seats in their restaurants. I heard one gentleman ask the hostess what discount she could offer if they ate there, and she quickly told him of a coupon-less 2-for-1 entrée offer they could have. So ask - their jobs are to get you to sit down. Let them up the ante a bit.

Take your time and notice the sculptures, statuaries, and fountains along the walk. And most importantly, notice the people. You'll see all kinds along the river walk.

This tour is a must! Sit back and relax for 20 minutes while the boat is driven around the river. Bring a camera; you will want to take pictures to remember your visit. The tour guide explains the history of the San Antonio Riverwalk, as well as the sights you will see along the way. You will see ivory-covered bridges, trees that are hundreds of years old, places to shop, and old buildings that are works of art. Pictures to follow soon!!