Amazing Overnight in San Antonio

As the oldest municipality in Texas, San Antonio was named in 1691 and officially founded as a Spanish outpost in 1718. Having been part of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas and then the United States, it feels like there is a story on every corner. We would liked to have spent more time in this beautiful city, but we only allotted an overnight during our 1,300 mile return trip from Spring Break. Here’s how we spent it…

The San Antonio Riverwalk almost never was. After decades of flooding destroyed buildings and killed hundreds of people, the city decided to build a dam, bypass the iconic riverbend and pave it over with a sewer. In the 1920s, a Conservation Society led by architect Robert H. H. Hugman proposed a system of floodgates be installed to control water flow and create a beautiful canal with walking paths, bridges, shops and restaurants to draw people to the city.

Many businesses accessed at modern street level are built upon older foundations that are visible from the river walk. Ornate staircases and bridges allow for one of the most enjoyable pedestrian experiences we’ve had.

A hotel on the river walk seemed like a must for our one night in town and the Hampton Inn & Suites San Antonio Riverwalk was just the ticket, affording us a fabulous view of the river from our patio and easy access to stroll the city. Being welcomed by Max the lobby longhorn decked out in St. Patrick’s Day flair and the Texas shaped waffles in the complimentary continental breakfast definitely enhanced our San Antonio experience.

After decades working in special events, we typically try to avoid touristy spots on holidays, but couldn’t resist a stroll on the river walk even though it was St. Patty’s Day. Wait times at the restaurants were quite long, but since there are two sides to the river and the downtown area is almost 5 miles, the walk was full of life, but not uncomfortably crowded.

For Disney fans, the night experience felt like being in the Pirate’s of the Caribbean ride, minus the pirates;) GO RIO river cruise tickets are available for purchase online (and often Groupon) so you don’t have to wait in that long ticket line once you get there.

While grabbing a drink at the Little Rhein Prost House we were pleasantly surprised to learn we were dining at the oldest two-story building in San Antonio! A German ale house might seem out of place in Texas, but there is actually an exceptional amount of German influence in the area due a large immigration push in the mid 1800s.

Keep an eye out for plaques outlining historical significance and don’t forget to wander around at street level to see even more beautifully lit gems like the San Fernando Cathedral (once occupied by Santa Ana and site of Jim Bowies wedding) and the stunning county courthouse.

In the morning, the river walk feels like strolling through a European village. With beautiful landscaping and intricate architectural detailing that gets lost in the crowds at night. There are several places to stop and have a bite, but since we had free continental breakfast and were on a mission to get to Carlsbad by nightfall, we didn’t indulge.

We wandered from the hotel to the Alamo Plaza and were stunned by the different details visible in the daylight sprinkled with little hints of St. Patty’s Day flair. In 1981, the Hyatt Regency included a connection between the Alamo Plaza and the River Walk, providing tourists with an architecturally stunning adventure from street level to the river.

We also got to see how hard the facilities work to keep the lights working and sidewalks and water clean for everyone to enjoy. We stood on our balcony for a couple of minutes marveling at the little trash boat cleaning the waterway in the morning.

When traveling in the south, we are always on the hunt for some great BBQ, so we decided to try this amazing spot just down the street from our hotel. The line was out the door, but we knew right away that cafeteria style joints like this move fast. The kids were able to burn off some energy on the large, well-lit lawn while we grabbed a drink and analyzed the plates coming out of the door.

Several of their meats were gone by the time we got to order, but luckily for us, our favorites were still available. My husband judges each BBQ joints based on their ribs, but for me, the proof is in the brisket and they both melted right into our mouths. Our favorite sides were the jalapeno cheese rice and beans, but the slaw and potato salad were flawless too.