The Alamo | Things to Do In San Antonio, Texas

During our summer concert tour, M and I had a stop in San Antonio, Texas to perform at the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival. We were there with just enough time to perform and fly back, but before our return flight, we had a few hours free during the afternoon and we wanted to make the most of it. 

With the Riverwalk and the Alamo only a short drive away, we couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to enjoy a bit of American history and relax with a lunch along the river.

This wasn’t my first trip out to Texas – I had been to Galveston to board a cruise I performed on back in 2007. But this was the first time that I had the chance to do any exploring.

Our first stop was the Alamo. It was an absolute must for us, especially since I’m a history buff and M likes anything even remotely ‘cowboy’ related.

The Alamo is a mission that was originally known as Misión San Antonio de Valero. It is the site of a turning point in the Texas Revolution, when the Mexican Army advanced on Texan troops garrisoned at the mission.

Today, the mission is a UNESCO world heritage site and museum open to he public.

The Alamo was surprisingly small, so we finished our exploring relatively quick. And with time to spare, we took a quick walk down to the Riverwalk to grab a bite to eat.

Normally I’d do a bit more research on which restaurant we’d visit, but we didn’t think we’d have much time so we chose something based on the food we saw on the tables and the number of people seated. We ended up settling for TexMex at Rio Rio where we shared chips and a trio of salsas. I got a margarita and street tacos while M ordered the Mahi Mahi fish tacos. Everything was delicious.

The Riverwalk is sometimes called the “American Venice” and it’s easy to see how the comparison can be made. The Riverwalk is a flight of stairs down from the main streets and the city, so you almost feel transported to another world or another time as you stroll past the shops and restaurants.

Riverboat tours are also available – including a dinner cruise! The next time we’re in the area I’d love to see the King William historic district or visit the Pearl Brewery.

The day we visited was hot and humid and there was no escape from the heat. If you go when it’s warm, we definitely recommend dressing for the weather and staying hydrated. 

The Alamo

300 Alamo Plaza
San Antonio, Texas 78205

Regular Hours: 9:00am – 5:30pm
Summer Hours: 9:00am – 7:00pm

What about you?

Have you visited San Antonio, Texas?

We’ll be back early this year, so if you have any tips for places we can visit when we’re out in the area again, I’d love to hear what they are in the comments below!