My San Antonio Guide

Our Local Expert Says:

This hotel has a great pool area that is set in a central courtyard of the hotel. Live music on the weekends by the pool.

Description:

This hotel is pure San Antonio and is the favorite choice of Texan out-of-towners. The core of the building was constructed in 1852 for a seminary, and renovations and expansions have kept the character of the original. Rooms have local flavor, with many featuring Mexican tile floors, beamed ceilings, and wrought-iron balconies. Unlike many of the other big hotels on the river, this six-floor one is not a high-rise. Rooms with a river view are level with the tall cypress trees that line the river bank, and the hotel's location on a central, yet relatively quiet, section of the River Walk is ideal. Interior rooms look out over landscaped courtyards. Since the Omni chain took over management in 2006, all the rooms have been remodeled. Most are large and are decorated with highly textured plush fabrics to set off the rustic elements of the room.

Guests can use the health club and spa at the hotel's sister property, the Watermark, just across the river. The hotel's dining room, Las Canarias, serves up its excellent American cuisine accompanied by a terrific view of the river.

Description:

Starring Saks Fifth Avenue and such upscale boutiques as Abercrombie & Fitch, J. Crew, Aveda, Sharper Image, and Williams-Sonoma, this is the crème de la crème of the San Antonio indoor malls. But there are many sensible shops here, too, including a Mervyn's department store. Food choices also climb up and down the scale, ranging from a Godiva Chocolatier to a Luby's Cafeteria.

Description:

This upscale eatery in Indianapolis serves up some of the best steak dishes in the city. Porterhouse, Double Porterhouse, Double Cut Filet Mignon, New York Strip - it all features on the menu, and you can whet your appetite beforehand with the seafood appetizers such as Lobster Bisque, Bluepoint Oysters on the Half Shell, and Smoked Pacific Salmon. Among the desserts, your best choice would be the sinfully indulgent Chocolate Velvet Cake - it will prepare you for the toll that dining here is sure to take on your wallet!

Description:

Ruth's Chris Steak House was founded May 1965 in New Orleans by Ruth Fertel. Their specialty is aged corn-fed USDA prime beef, broiled in a trademark 1800 degree oven and served on a plate heated to 500 degrees to ensure the steak is sizzling hot. They also offer fresh seafood including live Maine lobster, lobster tail and Atlantic salmon. Private dining rooms available for groups of 8-100.

Description:

Bruce Auden's award-winning Biga on the Banks is located in a spectacular setting in downtown San Antonio's modern International Center. Overlooking a romantic tree-canopied bend in the river, the historic and the new find common ground in Biga's dynamic re-emergence with ultra contemporary cuisine propelling San Antonio's recent ascent to a new level of River Walk dining. Gourmet Magazine named Biga one of the five best restaurants in Texas. Fine dining has never meant "fussy" to Chef Auden. Biga's ambiance is casual and relaxed - San Antonio style. Auden's celebrated culinary background, coupled with creative and energetic design, has marked Biga on the Banks as one of Texas' truly outstanding restaurants.

Description:

This bar pours more than 40 varieties of wine available by the glass, including more than five varieties of champagne. If none of those suit you, partake of any one of the numerous brandies or liqueurs, or enjoy a premium mixed drink from the fully stocked bar. Beautiful but small, Zinc has almost an elitist, yet friendly, feel; it is as if you have discovered the clique and have been welcomed. The crowds are small, even though it is just one block off the beaten path from River Walk.

Description:

This little restaurant is tucked away so well, you almost don't notice it. The multicultural cuisine makes decisions a challenge. Pasta, tapas, seafood, Mediterranean specialties and vegetarian dishes are popular on the menu list at Boardwalk Bistro. If you indulge, the award-winning wine list is extensive and offers several choices for even the most discriminating palate. Live entertainment, usually jazz music, is featured each Friday night. A more limited, less expensive menu is available for lunch.

Description:

One of the most acclaimed Italian restaurants in San Antonio, Paesano's has been a local favorite for decades. Tourists are most familiar with its location on the River Walk. But the one just north of downtown in Lincoln Heights, near the Quarry Marketplace, offers the same great menu in a different atmosphere. Paesano's in Lincoln Heights is relaxed yet sophisticated, a place to see and be seen. Be sure to visit on a nice day during sunset. The west room has a spectacular sunset view overlooking the Quarry Golf Course-it's a view that you would not want to miss, especially with that special someone. You can choose from a variety of dinners including red snapper sautéed with artichokes, mushrooms and white wine and shrimp with fra diavolo sauce. Of course, the restaurant would not be the same without its namesake, Gamberi Paesano (Shrimp Paesano), which is served as either an appetizer or a dinner.

Description:

This restaurant offers a mix of both Texan and Mediterranean flavors. Among its specialties and other highly requested items are the Pecan Crusted Prime Rib and the Jumbo Sea Scallops. If your taste runs more toward traditional Texas home cooking, try the Wild Mixed Grill, which consists of four different meats accompanied by potatoes. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is inviting, making this a great place when you're planning for that special dinner. Also open for breakfast and lunch.

Description:

Not as well-known as many of San Antonio's glitzier culinary stars, this restaurant in the back of a Broadway strip mall has its own body of loyal customers. The setting is nothing special, a sedate dining room with low ceiling, soft lights, and white draperies and tablecloths. But the customers don't come for the setting. No, the customers come for the excellent French food and the nonfussy atmosphere in which it is served. It's a refreshing combination.

For starters, consider caramelized pork ribs with a spicy sauce; the delicate and crispy spring rolls of shrimp, pork, and mushrooms; or a zesty crab salad with avocado. Entrees might include baked sea bass in truffle oil with artichoke hearts, or a duck breast cooked in a sauce of green peppercorns and cognac.

Our Local Expert Says:

No matter what your faith is, visiting the San Fernando Cathedral is a beautiful and moving experience.

Description:

The San Fernando Cathedral was founded in 1731 and is the oldest active cathedral in Texas. Fifteen families from the Canary Islands were the church's first members. They were a part of King Phillip's efforts to colonize the area and claim it for Spain before the French could gain a foothold in the region. Considered one of the most historically significant churches in the U.S., it has been visited by a number of dignitaries throughout its long history, including President Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1966 and Pope John Paul II in 1987. Located midway between the city center and the Market Square, the cathedral welcomes up to 5,000 people for weekend masses.

Our Local Expert Says:

Visit Mission San Jose for their Sunday morning Mariachi Mass for a religious experience with a little Texas flavor.

Description:

The wilderness that is now known as San Antonio and South Texas was primarily settled by Spanish Catholic priests. And apparently priests with exquisite taste in architecture. Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada, the four historical missions that compose what is known as the Mission Trail, all possess very distinct and beautiful detailing in their designs and constructions. The history behind each is intriguing and far too expansive to even touch upon in this review. As far as attractions go, however, this one is definitely a "must see." Admission is free.

Our Local Expert Says:

Check out the (slowly) revolving restaurant at the top of the tower and book a romantic and scenic dinner at sunset for amazing views of the city and a great dining experience.

Description:

Built for the 1968 World's Fair, the 750-foot Tower of the America's is now a multifaceted tourist attraction, with an upscale bar, two restaurants, an observation deck, and a movie theater. Instead of paying $10.95 for a ticket to the observation deck at the top of the tower, you may want to apply that money toward lunch or dinner at the Chart House restaurant or drinks at the bar (the ride is free for restaurant and bar customers). The top of the tower slowly rotates for an ever-changing view. Check out the Tower of the Americas Plaza, at street level, during the summer. Every Friday night from 7 p.m. to midnight, there are live music performances, car shows, and other free events.

Description:

Located just south of the downtown area, the King William Historic District is a residential area that was settled by German immigrants in the 1860s and named for Kaiser Wilhelm, King of Prussia during the 1870s. Many of the immigrants were talented stonemasons, and their handiwork is still visible on many of the homes. The early residents of the houses were major players in San Antonio's business community, including lumberyard owners, architects, doctors and other professionals. Visitors flock to the area to admire the large, impressive houses and walk along the pecan- and cypress-shaded streets. The district has evolved into a hip and artsy area, boasting bed and breakfasts, art galleries and quaint cafes.

Description:

Tour the San Antonio Riverwalk on these 35-40 minute tours which cover 2 1/2 miles of the Riverwalk.

Description:

La Villita means "Little Village" and it is the original home of the first settlers of San Antonio. Today, people visit La Villita for its quaint cobblestone paths, art galleries, and history. It is located on the south bank of the San Antonio River and hosts many outdoor festivals and events with live music and dancing, especially in the springtime. Don't miss a weekend dance performance of Ballet Folklorico at The Arneson River Theater, an amphitheater in La Villita, with the stage located across the San Antonio River. The Little Church, built in 1879, features a gorgeous stained-glass cross along the back wall. It's now an active non-denominational church that is also available for weddings and other events.

Description:

Established on March 2, 1879, this church forms an integral part of the history of La Villita. No particular denomination met here consistently, but it continues to exist, and is the favorite local wedding venue. The church also supports and hosts the Starving Artist Art Gallery's annual show.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Alamo is in the center of downtown San Antonio, so don't miss it. Be sure to attend one of the oral presentations given in the courtyard during the day. The storytelling will give you a good idea of what happened at this famous site.

Description:

Originally the Mission San Antonio del Valero, the Alamo is by far the most famous historical site in Texas, playing a significant role in Texas' quest for independence from Mexico. Under the command of Col. William Travis, 189 Texan soldiers bravely defended this fort for 13 days before finally succumbing to Santa Anna's massive Mexican army in early 1836. The chapel and the Long Barrack are all that remain of the fort. Saved from civilian apathy by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, the mission is now a museum containing relics from the era. Texans take the Alamo very seriously. Silence, or at least a hushed tone of voice, is insisted upon both in the chapel and on the grounds. Narrated tours are available. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

Our Local Expert Says:

Visit for the Texas Folklife Festival in June to get a hands-on experience of Texas culture. If you can't visit for the festival and you go with your kids, check out the chuckwagon storytelling time, the story is told by a real cowboy and it is very entertaining.

Description:

It's the rare visitor who won't discover here that his or her ethnic group has contributed to the history of Texas: 26 different ethnic and cultural groups are represented in the imaginative, hands-on displays of this educational center, which is one of three campuses of the University of Texas at San Antonio. Outbuildings include a one-room schoolhouse, an adobe home, a windmill, and the multimedia Dome Theater, which presents images of Texas on 36 screens. A variety of heritage festivals and kid-friendly shows and events, such as pioneer life reenactments, holography exhibits, ghost-tale storytellers at Halloween, and the like, are always on tap; phone or check the institute's website for a current schedule. An excellent photo archive here, open to the public by appointment, holds more than 3 million images. Call tel. 210/458-2298 for information on using it.

Our Local Expert Says:

Be sure to visit the curio store, "The Oddest Store in the World" full of unique, odd and downright weird stuff. Started by the founder Albert Friedrich in order to bring in extra money during the prohibition era, this store has been around since inception.

Description:

It all started in 1881 when trappers, hunters and cowboys traded deer antlers for beer or whiskey at Albert Friedrich's saloon. Now, the saloon/museum's Hall of Horns, Hall of Feathers and Hall of Fins house not only the largest, but also some of the most impressive collections of native and exotic wildlife around.

Description:

If you are looking for adventure, then San Antonio is the place to go. Steeped in Americana history, this vibrant town offers an amalgamation of versatile people, like the Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, cowboys, African-Americans and the Deep South. It is the eighth largest city in the United States, and truly the spirit of Texas. The Visitors' Bureau is the ideal source of information for tourists. It keeps you updated on the latest happenings and familiarizes you with everything that is to be known about the city. Catch the latest information on tourist attractions, hotels, museums, restaurants, nightlife, and shopping areas.

Description:

Come by the Starving Artist Art Gallery to feast your eyes on some truly artistic items - you'll be amazed to see what two human hands can create. Rare porcelain china, ornate jewelry, and other handcrafted items are all on display. If you look closely, you can see several minute, distinct forms of flowers and figurines etched into certain pieces. A visit to this gallery is a must if you're a lover of art.

Description:

This mission is located within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. It is one of the few missions along the San Antonio River that had tried to convert the local people into Catholics. The original 200 year old stone church still stands in the premises. It is a good example of Spanish Colonial Architecture. One also gets to visualize beautiful Moorish designs, wall and ceiling paintings, and other interesting design details. The pretty geometrical designs that once adorned its surface have faded away over time.

Description:

This is the "most beautiful building" in the city according to the National Geographic Society. This national historic landmark was originally the official residence of the Governor of the Spanish Province of Texas in the late 18th century. The building is like a step back in time, replete with period furnishings, small rooms with low ceilings, and thick stucco walls. The cobblestone patio features beautiful foliage and a fountain supposedly haunted by a former resident. Most noteworthy is the original keystone over the entrance, which bears the carved, double-headed eagle from the Hapsburg coat of arms along with an inscription, in Spanish, reading "finished in 1749."

Description:

These aren't just movies; they're Texas-sized movies. Epic adventures that broadcast onto a 6-story movie screen are a sight to behold. The theater offers different releases throughout the year. Located in Rivercenter Mall on Alamo Plaza, theater tickets may purchased in person or reserved by phone. Receive two hours of free parking with a validated stub.

Description:

With years of experience in the art industry and a family full of artists, owner Monte Wade sure does have a good taste when it comes to what is on display. Established in 1986, this gallery has various genres of art covered. You'll find both traditional as well as contemporary art on display. The gallery also features work by owner's sister Arlene LaDell Hayes and mother Juan Dell Wade. Come and browse through fine art in a beautiful setting.