Make your next trip to Texas extra amazing with these fun San Antonio Travel Tips and Things To Do that you can’t afford to miss!
So are you planning a trip to San Antonio, Texas?
Whether you want to visit the Alamo, the River Walk, or your just want to indulge in some really good Texas style BBQ… don’t miss these San Antonio Travel Tips and Things to Do!
I absolutely loved my visit to San Antonio, Texas and I know you will too! From popular attractions to drool-worthy BBQ, and exciting tourist spots to hidden gems the locals love, I’ll show you everything to see and do in San Antonio… on a budget!
So skip the travel guide book, and check out these San Antonio trip ideas from locals and repeat visitors instead!
San Antonio Travel Tips and Things to Do
Related:
- How to Travel Free or Cheap! {19 Brilliant Budget Hacks}
How to Visit San Antonio on a Budget:
So You’re Planning a Trip to San Antonio? To keep your vacation budget-friendly, you’ll need to plan ahead. One of the first things you’ll want to do is start stashing cash away for your ‘San Antonio Trip Fund’. Need to increase your travel fund stash? One of the easiest ways is to make extra money on the side in your free time! Here’s my favorite trick for ramping up the vacation budget…
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How to Get Cheap Flights to San Antonio:
Wondering how to get cheap flights? My favorite trick is to load up on free mileage points and airline gift cards, then use them to dramatically cut the cost on airfare! I’ve scored so many free flights this way! Are you ready to start earning your free airlines miles and gift cards? Here’s what you need to do…
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Where to Stay in San Antonio:
Wondering How to Earn Free Hotel Nights for your next vacation? It’s so much easier than you think! Here’s how I travel the world and stay at nice hotels for FREE…
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In addition to hotels, be sure to also check out VRBO for lodging on your trip to San Antonio. They have so many vacation rentals listed by owner. I’ve personally stayed at multiple VRBO rentals, and loved every one. Not only were they often significantly cheaper than the nearby hotels, they also came with a full kitchen. One even had in-room laundry!
Now do you want to know my favorite tips and tricks for saving BIG on a VRBO? These little known hacks will save you SO much money! Check this out…
How to Slash The Cost of Your Next Trip Using VRBO
Now keep reading for all the very best San Antonio travel tips and what you can’t afford to miss…
Jennifer writes: “The River Walk, you have to go to the River Walk and of course the Alamo. I used to go all the time when I was a kid and it looked huge, but as an adult, you look and think, wow, this is small. I’m from Texas and would recommend everyone visit the Alamo and the River Walk at least once.”
Amy writes: “Do the Riverwalk and the Alamo. The Emily Morgan Hotel is right across from the Alamo and your room can overlook the Alamo. Pretty awesome. If you go at Thanksgiving/Christmas time there is a HUGE tree lighting and a lighted boat parade on the River Walk that was pretty cool. :)”
Fun Tip: Take a walk along the Riverwalk at night and take in all of the night life. There are so many fun stores and restaurants to explore!
{Emily Morgan Hotel pictured above, as seen from the Alamo}
Sibyl writes: “River Walk, the Alamo, Sea World, and LOTS of good food.”
Mona writes: “One of my favorite cities to visit, and the food…if we hadn’t walked as much as we did I would have gained a 100 pounds on all the yummy food! The River Walk is my favorite place to walk, chill, have some drinks and more to eat!”
Tara writes: “Kids Magik Theatre and Traders Village. I can see Sea World from my house, love it, plus they are opening a Water Park there opening in May.”
Sheri writes: “Here are a few San Antonio Things to Do! If you have kids do Sea World, Six Flags, Morgan’s Wonderland (great for people of all abilities), San Antonio Zoo. If you like history go to the Alamo and all the other missions. The Natural Bridge Caverns, the River Walk (got to take the boat tour), HemisFair Park and La Villita if you want touristy things.
Museums include The Children’s Museum, The Witte Museum (has a big tree house with science activities geared toward kids), McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Art Museum. I could go on! If you are into sports, there’s the Spurs (of course), but there also baseball, AHL Hockey, WNBA during the summer, Arena Football, and a new professional soccer team beginning in April.”
SeaWorld Tips: Did you know there is a SeaWorld in San Antonio? Check out my tips before you head to SeaWorld…
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Claudia writes: “I’m from San Antonio Texas, too! All my family lives there! And I can’t wait to move back! The Riverwalk is a must, so is the Alamo. There is Ripley’s Believe it or Not, The Children’s Museum, the zoo and botanical gardens, The Missions, The Aztec Theatre, Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels is awesome too! Mi Tierra is a MUST and so is the Market Square!!”
Karen writes: “My family is all down there. A must hit is Panchos Mexican Buffet! YUMMY!!!”
Lauren writes: “River Walk, the Alamo, Tower of the Americas, Buckhorn Saloon, La Margaritas, etc.”
Deb writes: “Check out the Menger Hotel located next to the Alamo! It’s where Teddy Roosevelt recruited his Rough Riders! Their Sunday brunch is awesome. Cute gift shops inside too. Casa Rio is a must stop! It is the original Riverwalk restaurant! You can’t miss it with the colorful umbrellas to sit under while dining and watching the boats float down the river. During Spring/Summer nights a few times a week there is the story of San Antonio cast upon San Fernando cathedral – very interesting! Another favorite restaurant is Alamo Cafe located off hwy 281 (San Pedro). Sit on the patio and enjoy the fresh hot flour tortillas with your meal and margarita pie for dessert!”
Lindsay writes: “Circle E Candles! They are the best candles ever! They are a short drive from San Antonio, Texas.”
Tasty Tip: If you have made it all the way to San Antonio, do yourself a huge favor and experience some really good barbecue at Texas Pride Barbecue. This is truly a unique experience, from the meat cutters, to the antiques at this renovated old gas station. There was even a covered spot where all the Harley’s could park. It felt like I was at a theme park dedicated to Texas style Barbecue!
Tanja writes: “Come on down to Texas! I love the River Walk. The Pearl Brewery has a Farmers Market every Saturday. Tower of the Americas, The Japanese Tea Garden, The Alamo, The Missions, Fiesta Texas, Sea World, The Witte Museum, HemisFair Park! We love taking our guests on the River Walk Cruise. We love it here.”
Blanca writes: “I came here on a vacation and ended up moving here…lol. We have got Six Flags, Sea World, the Witte Musuem, The Museo Alameda, River Walk, San Antonio Zoo, San Jose Missions,…of course awesome food everywhere in all price ranges. If you come in late April, be sure to catch all the Fiesta activities… or if you come in mid February, check out the San Antonio Rodeo.”
Texas Pride Barbecue
Sidney writes: “San Antonio, Texas is a beautiful old city. Don’t miss the Mission Trail Tour. La Villita is a great place to see the work of local artisans. And take the river walk boat tour. You see things from the boat that are hard to get to any other way. The free trolleys are pretty handy, too. It’s one of my favorite towns in Texas. Don’t go in the heat of the summer, though. It’s too hot and humid.”
Jeff writes: “I’ve lived here for 10 years and I love this town. In addition to things mentioned, add La Villita, New Braunfels, bbq, Big Lou’s Pizza (home of the 42 inch pizza and even a 62 inch!), and Paloma Blanca on Broadway. You have to visit the Missions National Park where San Antonio’s “other” missions are. See the Alamo for sure, but go to Mission San Jose to get a better idea of what the mission life was all about.”
Tina writes: “San Antonio Things to Do? I am from SA. So many things to do! Check out the Botanical Gardens, the Art Museum, and especially the Mission Trails.”
Frugal Tip: After you visit the Alamo, try to visit all of the other 4 San Antonio Missions: Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, Mission Concepcion, and Mission Espada. They are relatively close to each other and I loved how they were all so well preserved in their original state. You can still see the original paintings on the walls. What a beautiful and peaceful places to spend some time! Plus, they’re all FREE to visit!
Holly writes: “The Magic Time Machine! This is my favorite place EVER!!! I have been going here since I was a little girl! It is amazing!”
Donna writes: “My kids love the restaurant named The Magic Time Machine. You might get served by a Ninja Turtle, Mad Hatter, Alice or tons of other characters in an interesting setting.”
Score Free Coffee at Starbucks! With so many things to do and explore all over town… you just might be needing a caffeine fix and a snack! There are so many Starbucks locations all around San Antonio, so check this out…
Starbucks Money Saving Hacks
Nicole writes: “If anyone has a child with special needs, go to Morgan’s Wonderland!”
Carol writes: “The Wildlife Park blows any zoo away and is an awesome place to bring the kids! Magic time machine is a ton of fun. If you go to the San Antonio Zoo, which I also recommend, purchase the nectar for the oversize birdcage that you can walk in. Birds will land on you to get a drink. Very cool!”
Irene writes: “I live in Houston and we go to SA at least twice a year! We Love it there! The Wildlife Ranch is Safari style, you can feed the animals as they come up to your car!! The caves are awesome too!!”
Anita writes: “We’re going to San Antonio Texas in a few weeks to visit the in-laws. The Fiesta San Antonio looks like a blast.”
Score Discount Tickets: Get up to 55% off the top places you already plan to go with a Go San Antonio Card. You can score discount tickets for a River Cruise, SeaWorld, Six Flags, Museums and more.
Tasty Tip: Rudy’s Bar-B-Q is one of my favorite spots to get barbecue where I live in Phoenix. It opened it’s first restaurant in the San Antonio neighborhood of Leon Springs. I recommend getting your Brisket moist with extra bark! Then finish off your meal with some Creamed Corn and Banana Pudding… YUM!
Rudy’s Bar-B-Q
Lisa writes: “I was there for a title I conference, to present all the way from Alliance, Ohio. Loved the Riverwalk and the Alamo, eating lunch and dinner at all the different delicious spots, and having nachos and salsa all the time. I enjoyed staying at the Palace on the River Hilton! :)”
Mary writes: “Grew up there, still visit often. Morgan’s Wonderland – a great amusement park for kids of all abilities. The San Antonio Zoo and the train at Brakenridge Park are great fun. The Children’s Museum downtown is a blast. Food on the River Walk is so so and overpriced, but you have to do it at least once. Another fun park for kids is Orsinger Park on Huebner. The Arneson River Theater at La Villita for folklorico dancing or mariachi music. Dinner at La Fogata – eat outside!”
Tasty Tip: We loved the barbecue at the Bun ‘N Barrel Restaurant. It was a fun combination of old 50’s style diner and barbecue. They also served up some really good desserts.
Stacy writes: “In addition to other mentioned places. I recommend several nontraditional places … SAS factory, Gunther House and Shilo’s Deli.”
Vikki writes: “Check out the surrounding areas too! Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Luckenbach, New Braunfels… really cool places too!”
Joie writes: “The Japanese Tea Garden is downtown by the San Antonio Zoo and it’s FREE & BEAUTIFUL! The Pearl District in historic downtown is the cutest place to shop and eat. But New Braunfels is where it’s at for River life and laid back vibes. If you’ve come this far, you’ve got to visit Gruene Hall and eat at Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar. This cute town will NOT disappoint! It provides all the Texas feels you thought you’d fine in San Antonio. 🙂 New Braunfels also has so many one of a kind things to do and see… here are a few to check out: Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, Natural Bridge Cavers, Stars & Stripes Drive-In, Buttermilk Cafe, and Schlitterbahn Waterparks. Boerne is also a super cute / fun town where kids can fish on the river while mamas shop! Blackrifle-Coffee Company is also there. I love eating at Dodging Duck Brewhaus and Longhorn Cafe.”
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So… do YOU have some fun San Antonio Travel Tips?
What are some of your favorite places to eat and San Antonio things to do?
Leave a comment & share!
Srishti Verma says
Wonderful Photography, San Antonio river walk is one of the most beautiful place to visit in Texas. When i was 14 years old, I visited the place and the beautiful area was just amazing. It is recommended travel place to visit in Texas, It has again memorize my childhood pictures. Subscribed your blog for updates.
Heidi says
That sounds like an amazing trip, and wonderful memories! The San Antonio River Walk really is such a gorgeous spot!
Rehana says
Looks like an awesome place to visit.
Jacinta says
We are heading to Texas in March and this post was INCREDIBLY helpful! Thank you for all the great tips and places to visit and see.
Heidi says
You’re very welcome, Jacinta! Have FUN on your trip!!
Claudia says
I’m from San Antonio too! All my family lives there! And I can’t wait to move back! [Currently living in Florida 🙁 ] The Riverwalk is a must, so it the Alamo. There is Ripley’s Believe it or Not, The Children’s Museum, the zoo and botanical gardens, The Missions, The Aztec Theatre, Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels is awesome too!
Claudia says
Oh completely forgot, Mi Tierra is a MUST and so is the Market Square!!
lynda says
i had a job offer but the apt were so high over $100.00 sq ft & apt mgr guy told me I could not afford San Antonio on single person budget of 13.00 hr can someone tell me if that is true or not?
Lisa @ A Little Slice of Life says
This week is Fiesta so there are parties everywhere. Fiesta is by far the best time to come to San Antonio. You get to experience all sorts of food, parades, carnival, bike rides and more.