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Much of downtown San Antonio can be explored on foot or by way of the trolley system that runs frequently between points of interest .
Depending on whom you ask, the number of neighborhoods in San Antonio varies. The San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau breaks the city into quadrants—Northside, Eastside, Southside, and Westside, with museums in the north, heritage sites on the east and west, and missions in the south.
Beloved Brackenridge Park has been a big part of San Antonians' lives for more than a century. The 343-acre riverside park makes an excellent setting for a picnic or a stroll, with about 3 miles of walking trails, public art, softball fields, a municipal golf course, concessions, and sights like the Japanese Tea Garden and the San Antonio Zoo. Take a 2-mile ride around the park on a miniature train that runs daily; buy tickets at the Train Depot. The mission of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy is to work as a steward of and an advocate for the park, enhancing and protecting its natural, historic, recreational, and educational resources. One of its numerous projects is the renovation of the Sunken Garden Theater, including the preservation of the historic amphitheater and its backstage facilities, redesigned landscaping, and more. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Texas State Antiquities Landmark.
The first modern art museum in Texas, the McNay was once the magnificent home of artist, collector, and oil heiress Marion Koogler McNay, who bequeathed her 24-room Spanish Colonial Revival–style mansion and its 23 landscaped acres to the city of San Antonio. It currently houses an art collection of works by Paul Gauguin, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, and more, for a total of about 22,000 works. The museum also houses the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts. Robert Tobin was a San Antonio philanthropist who assembled a world-renowned 12,000-item collection chronicling theater history. Custom tours are available for a variety of group sizes, ages, and interests.
One of San Antonio's most popular attractions, the 56 acres—34 of which are open to the public—of the San Antonio Zoo house approximately 15,000 animals representing more than 900 species. The Africa Live exhibit comes complete with special circulation and filtration systems for a state-of-the-art underwater hippo and crocodile habitat where visitors can observe them along with African fish. The Tiny Tots Nature Spot is the first zoo exhibit in the nation designed specifically for children under 5 and their families to engage in interactive experiences with nature and animals. Lory Landing is an Australian rain forest environment home to hundreds of brightly colored, active, and curious lorikeets that engage with zoo visitors; cups of nectar are available for purchase at the nearby Lory Café to feed these playful birds. Check the website for a description of other experiences, such as behind-the-scenes tours and feeding experiences available for an additional fee. Current conservation efforts at the zoo's Center for Conservation and Research focus on fish, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, and insects.
A treasure trove of Texas and regional history, art, heritage, natural history, and science, the Witte is one of the city's best museums. As you enter, walk through the H-E-B Lantern, where a replica of a giant Quetzalcoatlus overhead ushers visitors into the beginning of their journey into Texas Deep Time. The Kittie West Nelson Ferguson People of the Pecos Gallery spans the entire second floor and focuses on the prehistoric hunter-gatherers of Texas. Other demonstrations include encounters with native Texas animals that make the Witte their home and exhibits on how the People of the Pecos created rock art that has survived thousands of years. The Bolner Family Museum Store has exclusive items inspired by the museum's collections and exhibitions.
Visit this U.S. Army military history museum to learn the story of Fort Sam Houston from the late 19th century to the present. It's filled with exhibits about the site's early days, with displays that include old uniforms, firearms, vehicles, and personal papers, which you can see on a self-guided tour. The museum is located in the Quadrangle, which was once an outdoor prison and now where dozens of peacocks, deer, ducks, and other wildlife roam freely. Fort Sam Houston is a National Historic Landmark.
Step into this lovely, lush, flowering oasis within Brackenridge Park that was originally a rock quarry. A man-made 60-foot waterfall is the focus, along with beautiful rock bridges and walkways over and around lily ponds with hundreds of koi fish. The entire place is filled with photo ops perfect for Instagram. The Jingu House café at the top of the garden offers a wide variety of teas and light lunch fare.
Originally established in 1925, Kiddie Park is now located on the grounds of the San Antonio Zoo but can still be called America's oldest children's amusement park. It has a separate entrance next to the zoo's entrance. Although modern updates have occurred though the years, Kiddie Park preserves its 1920s style that made the park so popular for generations, like with its old-fashioned Ferris wheel and the popular hand-carved Herschell-Spillman carousel. Most rides are for ages 12 and under, but adults can ride on the carousel and flying saucers when accompanying a child.
Established in 1925, this is America's original and oldest children's amusement park. The Herschell-Spillman Carousel's 36 jumping horses have been revolving since it opened in 1925. A Ferris wheel, a small rollercoaster, and many other rides will keep your kids busy for hours. You can get popcorn, pizza, and more at the snack bar.
Step into 38 acres of formal gardens, wildflower-spangled meadows, native Texas vegetation, fascinating historical structures, and diverse sections designed to educate and delight nature lovers at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Here you can walk on 11 acres of Texas native trails with more than 250 plant species representing three distinct regions of Texas. The stunning centerpiece of the garden is the Lucile Halsell Conservatory, a unique collection of five exhibit rooms. A self-guided tour of the climate-controlled conservatory takes visitors through plants and flowers found in different worldwide environments from the desert to the tropics. Other highlights include the Zachry Foundation Culinary Garden, which promotes healthy food choices and encourages visitors to participate in planting, harvesting, and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables. The Kumamoto En, a gift from San Antonio sister-city Kumamoto, is a serene, authentic Japanese garden with stone walks and water features. The Family Adventure Garden encourages kids to experience more than a dozen fun spaces to run, climb, and splash.
If your kids are bored of the Alamo, head to the DoSeum, where they can explore 60,000 square feet of interactive space in galleries connected to STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) learning and discovery, along with the arts and literacy. Exhibits are geared to ages under 11, but even grown-ups will get a kick out of the Semmes Foundation Spy Academy and the beautiful Big Outdoors section, with Art Yard, Solar Tree, and WaterWorks. Visitors 18 or older without children are welcome, but will be asked at entry to present a valid driver's license and to submit to a brief automated background check. The DoSeum Store features apparel, books, gifts, and educational toys and games.
Situated to the west of Brackenridge Park, this nationally recognized private institution of higher education is known for its lush campus dotted with redbrick buildings and sparkling fountains, along with sweeping views of downtown. Trinity's curriculum is rooted in the liberal arts and sciences, with more than 110 majors and minors, more than 115 clubs and organizations, and 18 varsity athletic teams. If the timing is right, attend a show at the Ruth Taylor Theater or attend the Distinguished Lecture Series at Laurie Auditorium.
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