2 Best Sights in San Antonio, Texas

A National Park Service site and the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Texas, the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is located on the Southside about 10 minutes south of downtown. Except for the Alamo, San Antonio's missions constitute the park and all four are active Catholic parishes to this day. Established along the San Antonio River in the 18th century by Franciscan friars, the missions stand as reminders of Spain's most successful attempt to extend its New World dominion northward from Mexico. The missions had the responsibility of converting the natives (primarily American Indians) to Catholicism. The missions were also centers of work, education, and trade. They represented the greatest concentration of Catholic missions in North America, and were the basis of the founding of San Antonio. The four missions from north to south are Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They are roughly 2½ miles apart from one another, but driving between them is easy—they are connected by Mission Road and Mission Parkway—and there is free parking at each mission. Admission to all missions is free. The visitor center and store for the park district is at Mission San Jose. Pick up a map of the grounds there and ask about upcoming special programming; the park is regularly alive with community gatherings, artists working plein air, festivals, and more.

At the heart of San Antonio, this one-time Franciscan mission established in 1718 as Mission San Antonio de Valero stands as a revered repository of 300 years of Texas history. It is a monument to the 187 Texan and Tejano (Texans of Mexican descent) volunteers who fought and died here during a 13-day siege in February and March of 1836 led by Mexican dictator General Antonio López de Santa Anna. The Texan army lost, but the defeat inspired an April victory at the Battle of San Jacinto with the rallying cry "Remember the Alamo," spurring Texas toward independence from Mexico. Today the historic shrine (Alamo Church) and Long Barrack are the only structures remaining from the 1836 battle. Explore the serene gardens featuring a 16-pounder cannon exhibit, Living History Encampment, Statues of Heroes walk, and illustrated Wall of History. Admission to the Alamo Church is free but requires a timed ticket (reserve online) to keep the crowds at a minimum inside the shrine; with your timed ticket, you can upgrade to the Victory or Death 45-minute audio tour for $9, which also gives you entry to the Alamo Exhibit with its unique artifacts and historical documents. A one-hour Alamo Tour with an experienced Alamo history interpreter is $40. The Young Texans Tour for kids of all ages is $30.