While in balmy San Antonio, I stayed along the famed Riverwalk — a section of the Rio Grande that is canaled off into a loop. The river continues to run through the city, but within this built up loop shops, restaurants and open air cafes line the riverside walkways. Water taxis and flat bottom history-touring boats propel up and down the canals. At night, several of the boats are illuminated in brilliant green, blue, and purple stringed lights. And most weekend evenings, live music reverberates up and down the walkways.
If you come to San Antonio craving Tex-Mex food with a view, the assortment of Riverwalk restaurants and cantinas is a sure bet. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, margaritas, sangria pitchers and much more! Several restaurants along the canalways line-up outdoor seating, paired with colorful umbrellas, adjacent to the calm, lapping waters. Passengers on boats navigating the canal wave to diners. In their wake, small waves ripple down the canal, sending the local ducks bobbing along.
While dining at one of the riverside restaurants, I was amused to find that the ducks who traverse the canals are very accustomed to the presence of humans, eating along the river. So much so that one very brazen duck took to pestering a table of four. With an expectant call for attention, he stood behind two of the chairs waiting for a handout. And when one did not come, he became more insistent — poking his beak at the chairs and nipping at the lady’s purse. A duck shake-down in progress.
In addition to the shops and restaurants, the Briscoe Western Art Museum and McNutt Sculpture Garden are also within the confines of the Riverwalk sidewalks. While there is a fee to visit the Museum, the Sculpture Garden is free to wander through.
The Museum and Sculpture Garden are very close to an amphitheater, along the opposite bank, which hosts outdoor concerts.
A few blocks over from the Riverwalk is the site of the Alamo, as well as part of the Mission Trail. The Alamo is not owned by a private company, but rather by the state and the people of Texas. Touring the Church and the grounds is free, but donations to its upkeep and restoration are encouraged. Self guided audio tours are also available for purchase in the courtyard outside the Church.
The tour traces the Alamo from its humble beginnings as a Spanish mission known as the Mission San Antonio de Valero, to an army garrison, to a warehouse, to its present day memorialization. A short video inside the Long Barracks building is also available for viewing, which charts the events leading up to the infamous 90 minute battle for the Alamo. I’d highly recommend stopping by!
