San Antonio questions

You don't need to walk the entire riverwalk. I think of it as 2 parts.

1. U shaped (or maybe horseshoe shaped is a better TX reference), 1/2 of which is lively with restaurants & shops, and the other 1/2 which can be skipped

2. a spur off the the U that connects towards the mall and the 2 Marriott hotels.

The Riverwalk isn't something you just go and see - it's an area that you go to to enjoy. Stroll a couple of times a day as you are out and about, or more likely pre & post dinner to enjoy the activity & hubub & people watch. Hanging out on the riverwalk for a drink or dinner is part of the enjoyment.

A boat ride is a nice way to see the whole area and also be seen - on a good day the boat ride is interactive, waving to the crowd, etc.

In my many trips to SA I've only ever been to the Alamo, which is right near the riverwalk.

I've been to all four missions and thought they were very interesting, it's worth an afternoon to follow the trail. I think it took us about 2 hours to see them, it was a few hours ago, so not 100% sure. The above poster gave you all the info on the Riverwalk.

The boat ride would be an enjoyable way to see the Riverwalk. And J62 is right about it being a good place to hang out and have a meal or a drink. I would not miss the Alamo if you have not been there. It's a short walk from the Riverwalk.

The missions are close together and you can see all of them if you rent a car. And if your parents are 62 or over, they can buy a special lifetime admission pass to national parks, monuments, historic sites, national wildlife refuges and recreational areas for a one time payment of $10. They sell them at the entrance to the missions and all national parks.

Have a great trip!

Re: Riverwalk

J62 hit the nail on the head. The Riverwalk is more like an area than like a path. There are bridges everywhere on you can walk back and forth and crisscross whereever you want. At the northeastern corner of the horseshoe-shaped Riverwalk is the Alamo, and the southeastern La Villita, a touristified Spanish neighborhood. The northern and eastern section of the "horseshoe" is crowded with restaurants and bars while the western and southern section is quiet. Everywhere it is park-like with lush exotic vegetation. A boat ride is a most relaxing experience.

"The" Riverwalk is in fact a man-made loop branch of the river. The total length of this loop is a little less than one mile.

The actual San Antonio River has riverwalks on both sides which are more natural (no restaurants). It is a nice 1-mile walk from the loop southwards to Guenther House and the historic King Williams district.

Re: Missions

In fact, San Antonio has five missions, including the Alamo. It is very easy to see them all within half a day, because it is just a few minutes driving time between one and another mission. We found it very rewarding to see all five missions (the Alamo is least interesting), because they are all different and each one offers some new aspects. My tip: have a picnic at one of the missions - the grounds are beautiful and they have picnic tables.

There is a new section open on the Riverwalk which travels north to the San Antonio Art Museum (called the museum reach). Parts of the old path around the restaurants are uneven and crowded. You can walk the mile or so, or my suggestion is to choose the barge, which is corny, but entertaining. October weather is (normally) very pleasant. The Mission trail is nice, start at Mission San Jose, where the visitor center is located. If you want to immerse yourself, attend a Sunday Mass.