Expanded River Walk, theme parks, missions among San Antonio highlights
Flowers drape over the new “Museum Reach” section of the River Walk in San Antonio. A $72 million overhaul upriver from the River Walk has transformed a dry, weed-choked eyesore into a manicured waterway with whimsical art, benches and fountains that can be passed on foot or by water taxi. (Associated Press photo)
From Sunday’s Life section of The Oklahoman.
Texas Getaways: Historic San Antonio offers memorable fun for visitors
SAN ANTONIO – With its historically unforgettable slogan, it’s easy for San Antonio visitors to remember the Alamo.
But the Texas city offers myriad other attractions, including four more Spanish colonial missions, the newly expanded River Walk, theme parks, a giant Japanese garden and more.
For more attractions in the city, go to www.visitsanantonio.com.
On a mission
San Antonio started out as a community of five Spanish missions built along the spring-fed San Antonio River. All five missions – San Antonio de Valero (also known as the Alamo), San José, Concepción, San Francisco de la Espada, and San Juan Capistrano – are open to the public. People can hike or bike to the missions via the 12-mile Mission Trail.
On the river
The River Walk, or Paseo del Rio, is perennially one of Texas’ top attractions. Stores, restaurants, saloons and more line the banks of the San Antonio River. People can stroll along past waterfalls, fountains and public art, or they can take a river taxi or cruise.
The new “Museum Reach,” just opened at the end of May and connects the River Walk to the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Pearl Brewery, an urban retail and restaurant redevelopment with a rich history.
The Buckhorn Saloon and Museum near the River Walk is one of the city’s more unusual attractions. Along with cold beer, Texas bar food and a curio store purported to be the world’s oddest, the museum’s holdings range from shrunken heads to a two-headed calf to wax figures of historic Texans.
The Japanese Tea Gardens near San Antonio’s Brackenridge Park have recently been renovated. (San Antonio Convention and Vistors Bureau photo)
With a twist
The Buckhorn isn’t the only peculiarity in town. Across from the Alamo, the Guinness Book of World Records offers record-breaking feats and artifacts, from the funky to the frightening. Or people can get spooked at the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, a year-round haunted house, and the Tomb Rider 3-D adventure ride and arcade.
At the Plaza Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, more than 500 oddities are displayed in the Ripley’s galleries, and Brad Pitt, Britney Spears and Stephen F. Austin are among those immortalized in wax.
Near Brackenridge Park, an old quarry has been converted to a Texas-size version of a Japanese tea garden, which recently underwent renovations to make it even more beautifully serene. Brackenridge Park also is home to the San Antonio Zoo and the family-friendly Witte Museum.
At the market
The city’s historic Market Square consists of El Mercado, Farmers Market Plaza and Produce Row. Advertised as the largest Mexican market outside Mexico, El Mercado boasts 32 retail stores selling hand-crafted goods, jewelry, Mexican vanilla and more. Farmers Market Plaza offers more than 40 shops, along with live music and dance entertainment every weekend. And Produce Row provides even more shopping opportunities.
SeaWorld San Antonio offers a Shamu show titled “Believe” featuring the high-flying orca whale. (San Antonio CVB photo)
With a theme
Sharks, dolphins and penguins are kept in the menagerie at SeaWorld San Antonio. Rides like the Steel Eel or Great White will make you shriek, provided the killer whales’ graceful acrobatics haven’t taken your breath.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas appeals to thrill-seekers with a slate of rides like Scream, Poltergeist and Superman Krypton Coaster. White Water Bay features a variety of rides, from the relaxing White Water Canyon to the 60-story-tall Tornado.
Families also can get wet at Splashtown, a 20-acre water park with more than 50 rides and attractions. And the 65-acre Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, considered one of the world’s top water parks, is just north of San Antonio in New Braunfels, on the banks of the Comal River.
-BAM
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