As the seventh most populated city in the entire country, you can bet there is plenty to see and do when visiting San Antonio, Texas. While the city is well known for its nightlife, dining, and hospitality, there are some tourist attractions you must absolutely include in any stay. Continue reading for some of the best.
The San Antonio River Walk
As you might expect, the San Antonio River winds through the city that shares its name. The city goes out of its way to highlight the natural beauty of this river. San Antonio itself is built up about a story above the river in most places, giving pedestrians the ability to get up close to the river, while still maintaining a safe distance.
In many ways, the city is built around the waterway, and, in fact, the River Walk was seen as an important part of San Antonio’s urban renewal. Nowadays, the network of paths takes people by the Alamo, the Rivercenter Mall, Marriage Island, HemisFair Park, and an assortment of fun restaurants and bars, too.
The Alamo
A stay in San Antonio is not complete until you’ve visited the world famous Alamo. Texas’ top tourist attraction is located conveniently downtown, so you can easily incorporate it into a day of activities. The Catholic mission and compound was where the historic Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836. Nowadays, the famous attraction serves as a museum, where you can tour the actual compound and muse upon artifacts of the time.
McNay Art Museum
On the other side of the spectrum is McNay Art Museum. The first modern art museum in Texas’ history, it’s been delighting guests and fans of the art form since 1954. Named after Marion Koogler McNay, the museum’s creator, it was funded by her father’s oil money and her own love of art. She actually bequeathed her personal 24-room mansion, which has Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, to be the museum itself. As it also sits on 23 acres of beautifully landscaped land, including fountains and Japanese gardens, the surroundings are as much a part of the attraction as the art itself.
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
Due to its temperate climate, San Antonio can support many forms of life indigenous to exotic locations, such as Africa. These are just the kinds of creatures you can find, too, at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. This zoo is one of the unique kinds that actually allows visitors to drive through much of the attraction. In this way, it very much mimics a real safari! Imagine getting right up close to a giraffe, zebra, or ostrich. You can also get a good look at some animals that are kept at a much safer distance, like a rhinoceros.
With the San Antonio Spurs, an active downtown, and much more, you’d have to work pretty hard to become bored in this town. While there are countless options to explore, make sure your list of attractions begins with the four mentioned above. They’ll give you a good sense of the city and plenty to talk about when you get home. Maybe so much that you might like to make San Antonio your home! If you’re interested in learning more about the numerous and attractive San Antonio apartment homes for rent, click here to visit Lincoln Property Company’s San Antonio communities.
