ski4me

I am going to SA for spring break with a 5 yr old. I will be staying with my sister who just moved there from Dallas.

I am looking for some non-touristy things to do and places to eat: good barbque, seafood, mexican eats, shopping-cool clothes, adult and kid, texas ranch furniture and accessories, day trips within 1 1/2 hours.

We've visited SA several times and have already done (and enjoyed) the tourist places, just looking for something new.

Thanks!!

emd

Last summer a friend who lives in S.A. took me to this really cool place called the Antique Rose Emporium. It is two places combined in one- an incredible outdoor nursery w/several different rustic almost "theme' areas of gardens, fountains, sitting areas, blooming fruit trees, rose gardens, etc. Huge outdoor areas. Then there are also two indoor small shops w/unusual small antiques, iron pieces, old cool stuff, and books. It was a really cool place and I think your child could run around and enjoy all the birds and butterflies this place attracts. I don't know the S.A. area that well so can't help you on location, but look it up and see if you can get to it. It is somewhat off the beaten path and out in an area just outside the city proper.
Also, if it is warm enough to swim, and even if it isn't, go to Blanco state park, about 45 min. outside the city. A river runs through the park, and if it is warm enough to swim there is a rope that kids jump off of into the water. Great swimming. Even if you don't swim, the park is beautiful and has nice trails, ducks, and your 5 yr old would like it too. This was a big highlight of our visit.

emd

I just posted to another poster's question on San Antonio, so look just below your post and you will see another post w/lots of good recommendations, alot of them non-touristy. Title is "san Antonio, things to do and see"

carrolldf

Good Barbeque: Rudy's or Tom's Ribs (each has more than one location depeding on where you will be)
Good Mexican: El Jarro's (281 and Bitters)
Seafood: Well, we aren't really known for seafood but for fish I like Barnacle Bill's (1st choice) or Sea Island. Clear Creek is popular for CatFish.
Shopping: North Star Mall is probably best choice with best selection of shops and Department Stores (Foley's, Macy's, Saks, Dillard's); more upscale than other shopping malls except maybe River Center. Several other shopping areas include the Forum (1604 and 35), Huebner Oaks (I10 and Huebner), and Northwoods (281 and 1604).
Day Trips -- since you mentioned shopping, you may want to go to San Marcos to the Outlet Malls. Other things within an hour and a half include Austin, Fredericksburg, and New Braunfels.

ski4me

Thanks emd, this is exactly the kind of places I am looking for. I did see the other post on SA but I have already done all of the missions, river walk, kinds of places and am looking for the kinds of places locals go to.

Carrolldf thanks too. I think you helped me out w/locations when my sister was apt shopping.

Are there any special places to eat that have been really well known by the locals for along time? You know the kinds of places you must go to first to go eat after you have moved away from town and come back visit?

Also, are the Forum, Huebner Oaks, and Northwoods mall areas or more specialized?

Thanks!

emd

ski4me, I will contact my friend who lives in SA this weekend and ask her about places to eat. She took me to some great little unknown places but I didn't pay enough attn. to the names at the time last summer. Will get back to you later on that.

Seamus

Well, if you like down home Tex Mex Blanco Cafe is a local legend - as one of my friends notes, it sure ain't posh but the lard is really fresh. Many people swear by Mi Tierra. I'm not among them, but the food is not awful by any means. It's also located right in El Mercado/Market Square, where you can see and buy many of the most popular things sold on the border without having to make that awful drive.
Forum, Northwoods and Huebner (pronounced Heeb-ner)Oaks are typical shopping centers with the usual mix of big box chain and niche stores that you find almost everywhere. Locals semi-jokingly refer to North Star as the busiest mall in Mexico, as on any given day quite a large part of the shopping crowd is from Mexico. If you want to do some recreational shopping it's probably the best place in town for that.
For seafood, Pappdeaux on Loop 410 near North Star is a safe bet, though maybe not the best place for a 5 year old.
Have you been to the Children's museum?

sundowner

I'll agree with carrolldf on several items -
Seafood = Sea Island has excellent seafood at a reasonable price. Charbroiled shrimp and the fried shrimp are our favorites. Nice kid meals also. The food at Barnacle Bill's is also good.
Mexican - El Jarro's is real good but our favorite is Los Barrios on Blanco Road. Their home-made corn tortillas (you have to order them) are good enough to make a meal. It's more casual than El Jarro (in my opinion). Lots of families dine there.
Barbeque - we don't usually eat barbeque when we go out to eat but when we do it's Tommy Wilson's BarBQ.

The town of Fredericksburg makes for a fun shopping day - and the town of Blanco has lots of antique shops.

Have fun!

emd

ski4me: Antique Rose Emporium has a website: www.antiqueroseemporium.com and if you click on "about us" you can do a slide tour of some of the gardens at their San Antonio location

carrolldf

I think everyone has their own favorite mexican restaurant and will insist that their's is THE BEST in town. Me and my family are that way about El Jarro's. A friend took me to El Jarro's in 1984 when I was here house hunting shortly before I moved here. When I moved to SA a couple of months later, it was the first place my mother and I went after we stopped at the apartment to unload our cars and take a shower (we had camped out between Arizona and SA due to our pets). It turned into a weekly event. Later, after I was stationed outside of San Antonio, it was always the first place I'd head for anytime I visiting. When I retired from the AF and returned to San Antonio, the weekly visits resumed. When I travel, especially if I'd had to miss our friday night at El Jarro's, we've been known to stop there on the way home from the airport. So, I guess that El Jarro's (at least for me) would fit the definition of "the kinds of places you must go to first to go eat after you have moved away from town and come back visit". I will admit it's not the most casual Mexican restaurant in town, but since I come from a family of "early eaters" (we usually have dinner by 6 pm), we usually miss the crowds. If you go late, especially Friday or Saturday, there is always a wait.

Many of my friends like Alamo Cafe -- which serves some Tex Mex and also food like Chicken Fried Steak.

I know several people who head for Rudy's as soon as they come to town. It's very casual. Wonderful brisket. Try the cream corn....even if you don't normally like cream corn. It's definitely not like the stuff you get out of a can.

ski4me

TTT