San Antonio, TX Guide

About

Though San Antonio has long been one of the top tourist destinations in the United States thanks to a unique union of cultures and attractions, it’s a fantastic place to live, too. Visitors flock to the city’s world-famous river walk, the Alamo, and other historic missions (earning Texas its first World Heritage Site designation). It’s also home to major theme parks Sea World San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas. For residents, it’s all just part of the colorful landscape that makes the city unique. With influences from the Spanish, Mexican, German, Irish, and Czech immigrants who settled the area—some as far back as the 17th century—San Antonio is a true melting pot of people proud of their Texas home. The city also has a large number of veterans living within its borders, thanks to a whopping four military bases, Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base, Camp Bullis, and Fort Sam Houston. Vibrant Black, Indian, and LGBTQ+ populations round out the diversity of heritage and experiences that make it such a friendly, welcoming place whether you’re new to town or a longtime San Antonian.

Officially established in 1837, San Antonio is located about 80 miles southwest of Austin and, according to the 2020 Census, has a population of 1.43 million, making it the 7th largest city (and 24th largest metro area) in the nation. Located at the southern end of the Texas Hill Country, the city has several unique residential neighborhoods, including Downtown/River Walk, Alamo Heights, the Historic Pearl, Castle Hills, Converse, Lavaca, Dominion, Ingram Hills, Southtown, La Cantera, Olmos Park, Jefferson Heights, The Rim, and Prospect Hills. Similar to Texas’ other large cities, San Antonio apartments run the gamut from sprawling, multi-building communities and the occasional high-rise to older properties with fewer units and stylish, boutique rentals—with price points to fit nearly any budget. The cost of living in Texas is lower than in many states, so it’s possible to get more bang for your buck in San Antonio, especially when compared to other cities ranked in the top 10 by population.

Subtropical weather in San Antonio equates to mild winters with snow a rarity, only 83 days of rain, and plenty of sunshine. Summer months can be extremely hot and humid, but air-conditioning and swimming pools are more than plentiful. In fact, it’s rare to find apartments in San Antonio that don’t have pools available to their residents. And for those who don’t have access to a pool where they live, several options are available, including public pools, swim clubs, water parks, and day passes to splash around at some of the city’s hotels and resorts.

Getting Around

Because of the abundance of land in Texas, cities tend to be really spread out. San Antonio covers 505 square miles, making cars a real necessity, whether it’s a personal vehicle or through the use of a rideshare service or taxi. The city’s source of public transportation, Via Metropolitan, offers bus service throughout the city, but other modes of transportation are definitely far more convenient. Certain neighborhoods and districts are bikeable and pedestrian-friendly, but more for exercise than means of transportation, so it can’t be emphasized enough that Texas cities really are all about the car. San Antonio International Airport offers several nonstop flights daily to cities across the state, the nation, and several destinations in Mexico.

Food & Drink

San Antonio is famous for its Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants, but frequent visitors to San Antonio have discovered the delicious fact that the city has an exciting culinary scene. Not only is San Antonio home to one of only four Culinary Institutes of America campuses and the talented chefs it produces, San Antonio was designated in 2017 as a Creative City of Gastronomy by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). So, in addition to the traditional taquerias and Tex-Mex joints you'd expect in Texas, you’ll also find world-class steakhouses, burger stands, and BBQ joints (it is Texas, of course), alongside Asian, Jamaican, Indian, and Italian eateries from mom-and-pop holes in the wall to trendy, impeccably designed spaces.

Casual dress is the norm for nearly every restaurant in town, making it comfortable and accessible to everyone, though people enjoy the places where they can dress up a little more, too. One of the most exciting food destinations can be found at the Historic Pearl, a restaurant, retail, and apartment district in the former buildings used in the operations of Pearl Brewing Company for more than a century. A food hall and some of the city’s hottest tables are among the culinary offerings, as well as pop-up food stalls during weekend farmers markets. Food trailers and carts have long been a tradition in town, and it’s not uncommon to see carts rolling up outside nightclubs to feed hungry partiers tacos and burritos at 2:00 a.m. To really focus on a specific genre of food and drink, San Antonio has its own Taco Trail, BBQ Trail, and Margarita Trail, where you can take a deep dive into those three all-time favorites of the region.

The bar scene covers a broad spectrum of styles, from quaint wine bars and craft cocktail dens to large dance clubs catering to Tejano, country-western, and R&B crowds. San Antonio has around 20 breweries, a couple of handfuls of distilleries, and access to dozens of wineries nearby in the wine-growing regions of the Texas Hill Country.

Shopping

Several traditional indoor malls are sprinkled throughout the city, but outdoor shopping centers anchored by big-name national retailers continue their upward trend as the most prevalent shopping experience here. Boutique shops, art galleries, and specialty shops can be found in several neighborhoods, too. However, for a more unique-to-San Antonio shopping experience, La Villita Historic Arts Village and El Mercado (often billed as the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico itself) are fun places to get souvenirs, works of art—and maybe an ice-cold margarita as a reward for all the walking.

Things to Do

It may sound cliché, but there truly is something for everyone in San Antonio, whether you want to immerse yourself in history and culture or plummet down the tracks of some of the world’s most insane roller coasters. You can get a lay of the landscape on a double-decker sightseeing bus (something we recommend for new residents as much as out-of-town vacationers). The River Walk is the #1 attraction in Texas, so it definitely has a touristy side dominated by hotels and chain restaurants—a fun place to sit on a patio or hop on a river cruise for dinner, drinks, and a little bit of history from the tour guide. The River Walk has another side, however, that’s lined with apartments, the occasional hotel, the San Antonio Museum of Art, and all the shops, restaurants, bars, and apartments that make up the Historic Pearl property. This section of the River Walk is less crowded and a great place to get some exercise or walk your dog. Historic sites include The Alamo and four Spanish colonial missions (Concepción, San José, San Juan, and Espada). Six Flags Fiesta Texas has thrill rides galore, along with a massive water park, and Sea World San Antonio has its own share of heart-pumping roller coasters and water park rides in addition to its famous shows. Several museums, galleries, the San Antonio Botanical Garden, performing arts venues, Tower of the Americas, the San Antonio Zoo, full-service spas, ghost tours, mural tours, and an immersive arts experience called Hopscotch are several more popular options for cultural enrichment.

Colleges & Universities

San Antonio is home to several major institutes of higher learning, including the University of Texas at San Antonio, St. Mary’s University, Trinity University, Our Lady of the Lake University, St. Phillip’s College, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio - UT Health San Antonio, Texas A&M University – San Antonio, University of the Incarnate Word, and San Antonio College.