It’s that time again!
Estimated Cost: $250
2 adults, 2 nights, parking, tickets for the boat ride around the riverwalk, and meals.
This time I’m setting off to a place I’ve been wanting to see since I moved to Texas in 2009 – San Antonio. South from me by about 4 hours, I set sail with two points of interest in mind. First, The Alamo. Second, the Riverwalk. I was ready.
Looking at the map, I picked a hotel that was a 10 minute walk from these two sights. I didn’t understand just how close it all was until I was there. I am not used to historical buildings being smack in the middle of town among shops and restaurants. It’s super convenient, however, and I really enjoyed the walking.
First, the hotel I stayed in was very western. It had a history and was in a great spot. The Best Western Plus Sun Suites has free wifi and complimentary warm breakfast. It was super nom. Sadly, I went to the Denny’s a couple minute walk from the hotel and stood for 10 minutes and never was even acknowledged. Uncool, Denny’s. That’s ok, the hotel had a store with microwavable meals since I got there a wee late for ordering anything. The room was super comfy though, it was quite roomy and the view from the window was right at downtown so all in all, it was a nice experience. The attention to detail and convenience made it the perfect night. Even better, the next day I left my soul in the parking lot after checking out so I could walk around all day. It actually costs about $13/day to park at the hotel so I wanted to get use out of it.
My first goal of the day was to get in the history and see The Alamo. This is a big part of Texas history and goes WAY back to roots in the early 1700s when it was built for a Spanish mission. Since I grew up in Atlanta, I was not abreast of in depth Texas history but I have always wanted to see this historic spot. I was excited to learn about all the changes it went through and eventually about how we came to “Remember The Alamo” and appreciate the sacrifices made there. Unfortunately, there are no photos inside but the grounds are lovely! The chapel and the building to the left is all that reminds of the original compound. Those whose lives were sacrificed in these buildings shall not be forgotten. When you walk along the inside and look at the relics left from this unfortunate battle, it makes you appreciate the attitude people had about their land and way of life back then. This was epitome of wild west when it comes to territory. Mexico wanted to reclaim it and take away their cannons. Those in this area held up signs saying, “Come and take it!” They took it very seriously and was quite ready to die, and most did, at The Alamo. I did not know that Davy Crockett was part of this battle. So, I definitely learned a lot. I’d also like to point out how AWESOME the exhibit was for Bowie, the Bowie knife heir who also died at The Alamo. The technology when examining these state of the art knives and swords was the best I probably have witnessed in person.
After this somber moment of remembrance, I was ready to enjoy some time at the Riverwalk. The photo at the top of this was the #1 photo I wanted to take. That photo is all over Google if you look up San Antonio Riverwalk. It’s just a classic and I needed that in my life. Unfortunately, there are quite a bit of those fun umbrellas so I was afraid of being disappointed by my own excitement. Fortunately, I just needed to do a bit of walking. There are so many shops and restaurants along the water way. Honestly I did a bit of walking through it to get to The Alamo because I really could not comprehend how close it all was. I was so delighted by just walking around. I was there on a perfect weekend because there’s only certain times the mayor allows for the street vendors to have their stands out and I got to see it. SO much unique art and merch to check out! Since I needed to see ALL THE THINGS, I hitched a ride with Rio San Antonio Cruises. Learning about the city through a relaxing boat ride is the best. Just so cool how such an accessible water way was in the middle of everything.
The whole downtown is so walkable and there really is a lot to see. There are all kinds of tours and monuments and places to NOM. It’s easy to do in a day trip so if you’re in the area or passing through, be sure to check it out. For all the rest of my photos, check here.
Be sure to keep an eye out for June’s adventure in North Carolina where I get to hang out with family I’ve never met in the birth place of my father. Until next time!
Queen Meranda 