San Antonio is known for the Alamo and the River Walk. As a Midwest gal, that’s really all I knew about the city before my mom selected it as a location for our girl’s trip. Surprisingly, San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas. It’s also only 2 hours from the beach and the Mexican border.
We flew in Sunday night on the last flight out and left first thing Wednesday morning so we had a full 48 hours, but this could easily be done in shorter time as well. I knew that we wanted to stay on the River Walk. As a loyal Hilton gal, we stayed at the Hampton Inn. I really enjoyed the location as it was on the River Walk, but not in the touristy center.
Day 1
Our first stop was the Alamo. If you stay near the River Walk, it will be a short walk for you get there. San Antonio is hot so we wanted to get there before it hit max temperatures. Plus, getting there early kept the crowds to a minimum. We spent about an hour here, but if you are into history, you may spend more. It is much smaller than you would expect. We wrote a whole guide for the Alamo you can check out.
After the Alamo, we headed to the River Walk. We heard that a great way to see the River Walk was on a river cruise. We made our way to the Go Rio River Cruises. Their 35-minute narrated river cruise was the perfect way to see the River Walk and learn more about the history behind it.
We grabbed lunch on the River Walk at Cafe Ole. We grabbed a spot outside which was really nice to sit on the water. They are well known for their 60oz margaritas, but we just got individual ones. We also split the chicken fajitas which were really good. The seasoning was top notch.
After lunch, we took it easy and relaxed by our pool. It gets so hot that you need something that is either leisurely or indoors. You will need some time to recover if you are not used to the heat.
An Amazing Dinner
That evening, we went to one of the best meals I have had in my life at Bohannon’s. Now, what makes this such an incredible meal? It was the combination of service, food quality, and atmosphere. First, they start with complimentary whipped candied jalapeño dip. It feels like a steal to get this automatically. Knowing it was our first time, our server also provided a free salad for us to split. Talk about service! We also split the ribeye, potatoes au gratin, and creamed spinach. They don’t have a set dessert menu, but we got this chocolate torte that was heavenly.
Day 2
After such an incredible meal the night before, it was hard to get up early for our San Antonio Missions tour. San Antonio is home to multiple missions. In 2015, the San Antonio Missions were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. We ended up having a private tour!
We were picked up directly from our hotel and taken to four missions in the area. Our tour guide was personable and knowledgeable. Each mission was unique and if you love history, this is a must see. I left with a much greater appreciation for this history of the area. One thing I would caution is there is much more walking than you may anticipate and it was hot without much shade, but still worth it in my book.
That tour took a few hours and after we took some time to freshen up and we ate leftovers we had from the previous day for lunch. That afternoon, we headed to the Pearl District. On the site of a former brewery, this is a complex full of a hotel, restaurants, smalls shops, and more. We grabbed an app and a drink at Southerleigh. Then, we popped into a few shops. Maybe because it was a Tuesday afternoon, but it felt pretty dead. Everything we had heard was the opposite so we may have just not gone at an optimal time.
After our time at the Pearl, we headed back to the hotel to pack before we grabbed dinner. Right near our hotel, we went to Acenar. Slightly off the main drag, it was quite unassuming, but we chose it for the good ratings. Our waiter recommended the alambres that were quite tasty. We got two kinds of enchiladas, the seafood and enchiladas verdes. We both enjoyed them very much. Add my frozen strawberry margarita to the mix and it was a nice meal.
More Travel Guides
San Antonio was quite the surprise and worth a visit. We found two days perfect without a car to experience and learn so much about this city. You can find more of my Texas travel guides here or you can explore all of my travel guides.
Xoxo
Janelle
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