For several years I have wanted to go to San Antonio. Living only a few hours away, it just did not seem right that we had not been able to make it out there for one reason or another. Well, I finally got the chance to spend a little time out there. For spring break, we decided to go to Corpus Christi and my husband surprised me by stopping downtown on the way to Corpus. Of course, I was very excited. San Antonio has so much history and is a great tourist town to visit. I guess I had been there once when I was really little, but I had not been within the past decade and felt I needed to see things again. San Antonio has tons of great activities for all ages. There is a theme park (Fiesta Texas, which I think is now owned by Six Flags), Sea World, San Antonio Zoo, the Alamo, and the Tower of the Americas. There is also the River Walk, which has tons of restaurants, hotels and shops, little theaters, malls, Market Square, and tons of other things that are great to do and see when on a trip.
Our trip was short here (just a few hours, so I am not an expert an all that San Antonio has to offer.) We did, however, get to visit both the River Walk and Market Square. The days we visited, the weather was slightly overcast and drizzly, so it was not a great experience for what both had to offer. Nevertheless, we had a great time and I got to at least get out and walk around and see a few things.
Quick Tips:
This part should be interesting since we did not stay for too long but I can think of a few things that might be helpful and worth mentioning. Parking in the downtown/River Walk area is a little tricky, there are lots of places to park but the price for just a few hours is pretty high. is the average price for around 4 hours and some for the whole day. This is not too bad if you are going to be there for the whole day, but we were only going to be there for less than two hours. With luck, we found this parking lot that was for 90 minutes, but a minute more and it goes to and then, of course, to for the whole day. So we had to make sure we got a move on, and were back within that hour and a half.
The River Walk is a little bit confusing if you do not know where you are. Make sure to look at a map and try to remember where you are and where you need to go. There are several maps throughout the river walk which must be because it is so confusing.
Having only been to both the River walk and Market Square for a few hours, I would say both are a great adventure and are a must-do. Both have lots of shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Be careful of the crowds in Market Square on the weekends and holidays; it gets kinda crazy.
Best Way To Get Around:
The best way to get around the River Walk is by foot. The same with Market Square. The only problem with both places is they are pretty far from each other to walk from one to the other, so you are going to have to drive and pay for parking at both places. You can walk all around the River Walk both at the river level and the street level.
Market Square is a little secluded and cornered-off, so you stay right there and walk around looking at shops, restaurants, and enjoying the entertainment.
I think pretty much anything else is close to the River Walk and you could park and walk all around downtown. Just remember to be careful of the parking lots, look for something not so expensive, especially if you are there only for a short time.