Two years ago I had the pleasure of visiting San Antonio, TX. This city has been on my list of travel for a while. My cousin enlisted into the US Air Force and it was time for his graduation at Lackland Air Force Base. Therefore his mother and I flew over to the big state of Texas for this milestone. During this trip it was also a blessing to connect with a Facebook friend (from high school) who took time to show me and my cousin a few places around town. She was still serving in the Air Force National Guard at the time.
It’s a different culture in San Antonio for sure. San Antonio is a military town. Frequently you’ll hear the words, “Thank you for your service” if an airman is nearby. That was new to me! I heard it every time my cousin had his uniform on at the hotel and in public. I admire that level of respect. Immediately I said once I got back home I was going to start doing the same when I saw an airman. In case you didn’t know Charleston, SC has an Air Force Base. By the way, I hope all the veterans had a Happy Veterans Day! And thank you for your service!
Here’s a few places I experienced during my short visit to San Antonio.
1. The Riverwalk
You have to go downtown and check it out. There’s plenty of shops and eateries surrounding the San Antonio River. It’s filled people day and night. It’s a beautiful site. We had a little bite to eat and some drinks at Margaritaville as we sat outside with views of the river and sounds of the water flowing.
2. Tower of the Americas
The 750 ft tall building has a 4D movie theater and an observation deck filled with Texas history. It was here that we ate at the Chart House Restaurant after the Air Force graduation. In order to get there you have to take an elevator that goes up to the sky. And the elevator goes fast too! It was really cool. I really wanted to do it since I didn’t know if I’d ever go to the similar space needle in Seattle, Washington. Once we got up to the restaurant, the family and I sat down at our table and we could see the whole city! It was a great view despite the fog. One more thing, while sitting I kept saying to myself, “I think we’re moving.” Sure enough we were. So if you go, now you know ahead of time that you are slowly moving in a circle.
3. Tanger Outlet San Marcos
The outlet is about an 1 hour drive outside of San Antonio. It’s huge! On the other side of the street is another outlet as well. I bought a few items from The Children’s Place and Banana Republic. They had a Crabtree & Evelyn store (similar to Bath & Body Works) which I’d never seen before. My auntie loves their stuff. They also have Nike, Adidas, Express, H&M, and more.
4. San Antonio River
In the downtown area near The Riverwalk we caught a boat ride along the San Antonio River. It’s a great way to sightsee, learn history, and people watch, and scope out restaurants. I have some more pics below that I took on the ride. There was a bride and groom taking wedding photos on a bridge along the river. I thought it was so beautiful.
5. The Alamo
This is a popular historic site. I’ve heard about it as a child. I was able to see it while just casually walking downtown. Initially I didn’t notice it. I kept seeing people flock towards it and figured it had to be something important. The Alamo is available for tours if you want to visit. Learn more here.
More Pics Downtown San Antonio
