14 of the best things to do in San Antonio

09.09.2024 - 19:52 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 9, 2024 • 6 min read

One of the oldest urban centers in Texas, San Antonio is packed with impressive landmarks from centuries past. Yet despite the years – the city celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2018 – San Antonio remains firmly rooted in the present with sprawling markets, cutting-edge museums and a vibrant dining and drinking scene.

There’s much to see and do in the second-largest city in Texas, from strolling the banks of its iconic River Walk to spelunking at Natural Bridge Caverns. Whether you’re traveling solo or with family and friends, countless incredible activities await you. Find your next adventure with this guide on the best things to do in San Antonio.

San Antonio is best known for the Alamo, a former Spanish mission church transformed into a shrine after American revolutionaries died defending it against Mexican troops. Inside, you can wander through the 18th-century church and visit the Long Barrack where Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and others made their last stand. 

Afterwards, you can peruse the rifles, cannonballs and uniforms on display in the Alamo Exhibit, with much of the collection donated to the museum by British rockstar Phil Collins. The former Genesis frontman has had a lifelong passion for the Texas landmark, which he reveals in his book The Alamo and Beyond: A Collector's Journey, published in 2012.

The Living History Encampment gives a taste of life from the 1830s with costumed interpreters giving talks that focus on medical practices, weaponry, clothing and food. On weekends (Friday through Sunday at 11:30am and 2pm), you can seek musket firing demonstrations on the street in Alamo Plaza.

Planning tip: Admission to the church is free, but it’s best to reserve a timed entry slot so you’re not left waiting to enter. You can get a bit more out of your visit by booking an audio tour (available in five languages) or a one-hour docent-led guided tour. For more no-cost excursions, check out this San Antonio free things to do round-up.

Stretching across 38 acres, San Antonio's best-loved green space has a mix of formal gardens, tropical greenhouses and meandering pathways that take you through wild landscapes full of native Texan flora. The San Antonio Botanical Garden’s Lucile Halsell Conservatory is a complex of five futuristic glass structures that allow visitors to experience tropical forests, desert scapes and a fern grotto complete with a shimmering waterfall. Kids can tromp through water and roll down hills in the Family Adventure Garden.

Planning tip: Find out if there are any special events at the garden while you’re in town, including outdoor sculpture exhibitions, Texas bird walks and botanical cocktail hours. Lightscape transforms the grounds into a fantastical