2 days in San Antonio

Day by day

1. Day 1: The Alamo and San Antonio River Walk

   The Alamo, San Antonio River Walk, La Villita Historic Arts Village and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, then Tower of the Americas in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Alamo

      Its carved limestone church façade and Long Barrack are the core of a site that includes gardens, exhibits and artefacts from the battle, on a plaza being redeveloped with new museum space.

   2. Late morning

      San Antonio River Walk

      The busy downtown loop is the classic stretch, while the landscaped Museum Reach to the north and Mission Reach to the south are quieter and better for long walks or cycling.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Puffy taco

      Long-established West Side Tex-Mex drive-ins and family restaurants, several of which claim to have invented it.

   4. Afternoon

      La Villita Historic Arts Village

      Across the river, the Arneson River Theatre has stone seating terraced down to the water, with the stage on the opposite bank.

   5. Late afternoon

      San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

      Mission San José, the largest, has a restored compound wall and the carved Rose Window; Espada has a working colonial irrigation ditch and aqueduct. Together with the Alamo they were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

   6. Evening

      Tower of the Americas

      Go up shortly before sunset to see the city in daylight and as the lights come on.

2. Day 2: The Pearl and Market Square (El Mercado)

   The Pearl, Market Square (El Mercado), King William Historic District and Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair, then San Fernando Cathedral in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Pearl

      On weekends its farmers' market brings in growers and food vendors from the region.

   2. Late morning

      Market Square (El Mercado)

      It is the setting for many festivals, with mariachis and folklórico dancers on weekends, and Mi Tierra Café y Panadería is famous for its year-round Christmas lights and pan dulce counter.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Breakfast tacos

      Neighbourhood taquerías and drive-throughs across the city, many serving only until late morning.

   4. Afternoon

      King William Historic District

      The Steves Homestead museum shows a Victorian interior, and the Guenther House, at the old Pioneer Flour mill on the river, serves breakfast and has a small museum.

   5. Late afternoon

      Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair

      It is the best place downtown to let children burn off energy.

   6. Evening

      San Fernando Cathedral

      Bring something to sit on in Main Plaza for the evening projection show; check the schedule for the current nights.

Before you go

• The Alamo: Church entry is free, but reserving a free time slot online can save a wait at busy times.

If it rains

• Swap in San Antonio Museum of Art (Museum Reach): Arrive along the River Walk from the Pearl, which brings you to the museum's riverside entrance.
• Swap in McNay Art Museum (Alamo Heights): Leave time for the sculpture garden and the tiled courtyard, which are among the most peaceful spots in the city.
• Swap in Witte Museum (Brackenridge Park): Pair it with the Japanese Tea Garden and the zoo for a full Brackenridge Park day.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 14–19 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.3 hours in December to 14 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Walking. The River Walk is the most pleasant way to move around downtown and continues north to the Pearl and south to King William and the missions.

More or fewer days

• One day in San Antonio
• 3 days in San Antonio

Questions travellers ask