SAN ANTONIO – RIVERWALK AND THE ALAMO

As my plane bounced down the runway I glanced at my smartphone as it brightly glowed 8:11pm.   After three flights on two different airlines, and a total of 15 hours, I had finally arrived at San Antonio airport. 

First stop-Hertz rental counter.  A check for rates the week prior at www.kayak.com brought up prices around $200 a week for an economy car.   After several unsuccessful bids at www.priceline.com I finally managed to secure a mid-size Toyota Corolla at Hertz for $156.45 including all taxes and fees.  All rental car companies are located off-site so you need to exit baggage claim and look for the SHUTTLE VANS sign which are located in the center isle.  I waited about 15 minutes before the Hertz shuttle arrived.  The drive to the off-site location took 8 minutes.  A driver’s license was all that was required to exit their lot.  My hotel was the Hampton Inn & Suites at 411 S Flores Street.  Siri confirmed that it was 10 miles from the airport and she guided me down I-35 South, arriving at the hotel in a short 15 minutes.

The Hampton Inn & Suites proved to be a great location.  The property offers FREE parking, FREE Wi-Fi and FREE full American breakfast which included waffles, eggs, ham, hash browns, toast, bagels, muffins, cereal, fruit and much more. Better yet, it was located less than a five-minute walk to the Westin Riverwalk and half the price.     

Riverwalk is often described as the “American Venice”.  A pedestrian street featuring a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, it’s a place where you can find a plethora of bars, shops and restaurants, as well as experience the sights, sounds and flavors of Native America, Old Mexico and the Wild West all blended together. Make sure you set aside time to take the guided boat trip.  

Perhaps the most important historical landmark and most visited site in all of San Antonio, with over 2.5 million visitors annually, is the Alamo.

Before you visit the Alamo, I would suggest that you first head over to AMC Rivercenter 11, located at 849 E Commerce Street, and enjoy “ALAMO, The Price of Freedom”, playing on the giant IMAX screen.  This is a tribute to the 189 Texans, Tejanos and settlers who defended the Alamo for 13 days against the Mexican Army under General Santa Ana.   The show runs 48 minutes and will help you understand the strength, courage and American spirit of those that fought for Texas independence and created the battle cry for generations of American’s, “Remember the Alamo”.

Another fun activity is the Hop On Hop Off double decker bus, offering eighteen stops, including Pearl Brewery, Texas Ranger Museum, Riverwalk and the Alamo.  Stop 1 is located at the Visitor Center next to the Menger Hotel.  The buses begin at 9:00am and depart every 20 minutes.  It takes about an hour to make the complete loop if you don't get off.  Once you get off, another bus will come by every 20 minutes.  Keep track of your time because the last bus leaves stop #1 at 5:30pm. I purchased tickets through Groupon but be sure to read the fine print, as there are several black out dates. Offering several different package options, Viator offers several viable options. 

If you get off at Market Square, El Mercado (stop #13) be sure to check out Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery.  Started in 1941 by Pete and Cruz Cortez with a small three-table café,  it now remains open 24 hours a day and can accommodate 500, offering traditional Tex-Mex dishes.  Decorated with Christmas lights year round, Mi Tierra is truly a world famous landmark. 

All photos by Tamie Richardson