12 Things To Do On The San Antonio River Walk, TX

Is determination thing amended than stream walks surrounded by lush landscapes and cypress-line paths (and vibrant metropolis life) connected a balmy evening?

Welcome to the legendary San Antonio River Walk, besides known arsenic the Paseo del Rio; a 15-mile oasis successful the bosom of a blistery Texas city.

The San Antonio River Walk is what volition crook your content of America’s seventh largest metropolis from a heaving metropolis representation into scenes of memorable wows.

Not lone is it peaceful, but determination are truthful galore things to bash connected the San Antonio River Walk.

I consciousness truthful tranquil conscionable reliving the River Walk done these photos. Our travel to San Antonio was short, with the volition of taking my Dad to spot the Alamo, which was a lifelong imagination of his.

We did however, person clip to research the River Walk.

It’s a spot I volition ever spell backmost to whenever I’m successful the city. After each visit, I observe much astonishing things to bash successful San Antonio, including exploring nearby Texas Hill Country.

In this guide, I volition uncover to you each the champion attractions connected the San Antonio Riverwalk truthful you tin marque the astir of your visit.

Where is The River Walk successful San Antonio?

It begins astatine the University of Incarnate Word College, conscionable 4 miles northbound of the city, and flows done astir 5-miles of downtown San Antonio earlier yet joining the Guadalupe River and flows each the mode to the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s divided into 3 sections: The Downtown Reach, The Museum Reach, and the Mission Reach. The full magnitude of the Riverwalk is 15 miles.

Attractions successful Downtown Reach of the San Antonio River Walk

The downtown country is the astir fashionable portion of the Riverwalk since it’s truthful adjacent to immoderate of the different main attractions successful San Antonio.

Below are immoderate of the champion things to bash successful downtown San Antonio Riverwalk.

1. Walk Along The Riverwalk Path

The San Antonio River Walk has been named by immoderate arsenic the American Venice. But alternatively of aged satellite European charm, it has the sights, sounds and flavors of Native America, Old Mexico and the Wild West.

A small much earthy and edgy than Venice.

Brightly colored umbrellas enactment the banks of the San Antonio River, arsenic diners and merrymakers beryllium astatine tables underneath relishing successful the festive spirit.

Colorful, (and brightly lit astatine night), barges walk nether arched chromatic bridges, which assistance you determination from 1 broadside of the stream to research the galore restaurants, bars and unsocial attractions.

The shady cypress, oaks, and willows, springiness disconnected a tropical, exotic aura.

You people gaffe into a tranquil tone arsenic soon arsenic you measurement down onto the stream walk.

It’s a cleanable lucifer to the cobble chromatic streets surrounding the historical Alamo connected the thoroughfare level conscionable above.

The Hyatt Hotel provides a nationalist locomotion done connecting the River Walk to the Alamo done a beauteous municipality parkland lined with fountains.

Mornings are a bully clip to spot the main portion of the River Walk, erstwhile the crowds are smaller and the airy filters softly done the trees.

2. Watch the Mariachi Bands

At nighttime the River Walk takes connected a antithetic quality with the sparkling lights reflecting connected the h2o and mariachi bands playing to the diners spilling retired from the River Walk restaurants.

If you’re looking for things to bash connected the San Antonio River Walk astatine night, past caput to the downtown territory and support your ears connected the crushed for mariachi music.

Get yourself a cocktail and bask the unrecorded euphony nether the glowing fairy lights connected the stream walk.

3. Try The Deviled Eggs astatine The Esquire Tavern

One of the champion bars connected the River Walk is The Esquire Tavern, which is simply a vintage-inspired, old-fashioned tavern that has go good known for its exquisite nutrient and mezcal selection.

One of the astir fashionable dishes connected the paper is the deviled eggs, which are truthful good seasoned it’s hard to picture however bully they are.

4. Take a River Barge Cruise

One of the astir fashionable things to bash connected the San Antonio River Walk is simply a relaxing 35-minute narrated stream cruise.

With a operation of unrecorded guides and recorded commentary, you’ll bask the sights of downtown and the Pearl Brewery District from a relaxing vessel tour.

The cruise besides runs connected a hop-on, hop-off ground truthful you tin simply dismount the barge astatine assorted points erstwhile you privation to research connected the crushed for a while, and rejoin the cruise erstwhile you’re acceptable to research immoderate more.

The cruise passes respective of the apical sites connected the River Walk, including the Alamo, San Antonio Museum of Art, Pearl Brewery, and the Market Square.

5. Do Some Boutique Shopping

Get successful immoderate buying and eating astatine Rivercenter, which is simply a 4-level buying promenade with implicit 100 streets, 6 restaurants, arsenic good arsenic IMAX theatres and a Marriott hotel.

Shop for boutique items specified arsenic handcrafted jewelry, oregon prime up immoderate locally made produce.

6. Check retired La Villita Historic Arts Village

Stop successful to cheque retired the caliche artifact and stucco structures in La Villita Historic Arts Village.

It’s a postulation of boutiques, creation galleries and restaurants that day to the mid-1800s erstwhile European immigrants lived and worked there.

7. Catch a Show astatine Arneson River Theatre

Just extracurricular of the entranceway to La Villita is an outdoor theater, the signifier sits crossed the river, abstracted from the amphitheatre benignant seating.

The open-air theatre was built successful 1939-1941 and was named aft the begetter of the stream walk, Edwin P. Arneson, who was the determination technologist for the River Walk.

The signifier sits connected 1 broadside of the river, and the spectators connected the other. It tin spot astir 800 people.

There are connected mean astir 200 performances a year, from theatre to philharmonic performances, truthful beryllium definite to cheque retired what’s connected with the La Villita Historic Arts Village erstwhile you go.

This portion of the River Walk is besides celebrated for the celebratory parades they big passim the year, peculiarly erstwhile 1 of the nonrecreational sporting teams win.

We were fortunate to beryllium successful San Antonio backmost successful 2007 erstwhile the San Antonio Spurs won the NBA championship.

It was fantastic watching the players interval by connected the stream boats barges with crowds of fans cheering them on.

Like Chicago, they dye the stream greenish connected St Patrick’s Day.

8. Check retired the Aztec Theater

Another theatre worthy checking retired is the Aztec Theater, which was built successful 1926 and is listed connected the National Register of Historic Places.

It has stunning architecture, made from columns, sculptures and murals.

Attractions connected The Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Walk

The Museum Reach country is an 1.33-mile hold that features ocular and aural works of art, terraces landscaped with autochthonal plants and pedestrian entree to the San Antonio Museum of Art, and the historic Pearl Brewery complex.

9. Watch the Ford Holiday River Parade

Around Christmas time, is the Ford Holiday River Parade, which is an yearly parade showcasing illuminated floats, wherever unrecorded bands play and section celebs travel to perform.

It has been going for much than 30 years and contains much than 1.8 cardinal LED lights.

The parade starts at the bluish portion of the stream adjacent the Southwest School of Art.

The lawsuit is simply a foundation lawsuit which raises wealth for children’s charities.

10. Walk Through Brackenridge Park

The River Walk continues for different 2 miles done Brackenridge Park, wherever you’ll find brushed shady trails winding done the woods and attractions like the Japanese Tea Garden, Sunken Garden Theater, Witte Museum, and the San Antonio Zoo.

We didn’t get a accidental to locomotion on this section, but we did spot parts of it connected our hop connected hop disconnected circuit of San Antonio, which gave america a bully overview of the city.

The Museum Reach conception of the San Antonio River Walk is looks quieter and has a much section flavor.

11. Check retired the Pearl Brewery Complex

The way heading northbound goes to the Pearl Brewery complex, which is filled with immoderate of the city’s trendiest stores, bars, and restaurants.

The Pearl Complex was the astir recommended happening for america to bash successful San Antonio isolated from the Alamo and River Walk.

The Pearl Brewery was founded successful 1883 and implicit the period has go the crown jewel of San Antonio.

It’s not conscionable a brewery, but a assemblage of innovative and world-class restaurants and bars. It’s besides the abstraction wherever the Pearl Farmers Market operates each Saturday and Sunday to merchantability workplace caller nutrient to section arts and crafts.

Hotel Emma is simply a San Antonio boutique edifice housed wrong the Pearl Brewery and receives rave reviews.

Attractions connected The Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Walk

12. Check retired the Spanish Colonial Missions

South of downtown the way volition instrumentality you down the eight-mile Mission Reach to the 4 sister Spanish assemblage missions, Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan, and Espada.

These missions person earned UNESCO World Heritage status.

This portion of the stream locomotion is the nation’s largest municipality ecosystem restoration and volition springiness you entree to miles of further hiking and motorcycle trails.

How to Experience the San Antonio River Walk

The Downtown and Museum Reach sections of the River Walk are unfastened 24/7, which provides you with endless opportunities for exploration, time oregon night.

The Mission Reach is unfastened during daylight hours lone truthful program accordingly.

The cardinal loop of the San Antonio River Walk tin beryllium enjoyed by walkers oregon vessel cruisers.

The North and South extensions of the San Antonio River Walk are perfectly suited to joggers and cyclists (and walkers too).

You tin get connected the h2o to research the stream connected barge cruises oregon kayaks with Go Rio Cruises. They usher you done much than 30 canoe chutes implicit airy rapids successful shallow water.

You tin get a B-Cycle for arsenic small arsenic $10 a day, arsenic agelong arsenic you dock it each fractional an hour. There are aggregate stations on the trail.

You tin besides rent an electrical assisted motorcycle from Blue Star Bicycles.

San Antonio Bike Tours caters to riders of each acquisition levels.

Dine astatine the Iron Cactus

The Iron Cactus Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar is 1 of the champion Mexican restaurants connected the San Antonio River Walk.

It’s a Tex Mex fusion with dishes like Mexican Meatloak, Baja Fish Tacos, Tequila marinated fajitas, hickory grilled salmon, and burgers.

My parents aren’t adventurous eaters truthful I was disquieted astir Visiting a Tex Mex restaurant, but they had plentifulness of options for those who don’t similar exotic  and spice.

The Iron Cactus has implicit 100 antithetic Tequilas, and named apical 10 10 tequila bars successful the state by Spirits and Cocktails and apical 25 Tequila Bars successful the state by USA TODAY.

We’re not usually tequila drinkers having horrible memories of articulator sick suck foul tasting tequila shots successful our twenties.

But determination is simply a singular quality betwixt the crappy tequila utilized for articulator sip sucks and those authentic grant winning Mexican tequilas utilized successful blase cocktails.

When successful San Antonio…you cannot spell past having a margarita erstwhile visiting a Mexican restaurant, particularly 1 truthful classy arsenic the Iron Cactus.

Upon proposal from our server, we ordered the other strong Iron Cactus Double Barrel made from Herradura Double Barrel Reposado, Cointreau.

It’s mixed with caller lime foodstuff and integrated agave nectar.

Craig and I shared it. It was deliciously creaseless and subtle.

I truly loved the sensation of this tequila and it whitethorn beryllium a caller mode for maine to attack this celebrated liqueur. Shots begone.

The nutrient was arsenic delicious and the paper extensive, including gluten escaped options.

Our affable waiter recommended the Pescado del Mar arsenic his favourite crockery connected the menu.

It’s seared Atlantic Cod topped with chaotic caught gulf shrimp and bay scallops all nicely tied unneurotic successful a citrus-butter condiment and served with sauteed spinach and the cilantro lime rice.

It was delicious, but I was benignant of jealous of Craig’s Southwest Paella.

A cleanable premix of shrimp, mussels, bay scallops, jalapeno Texas sausage with lobster cream.

I know, your rima is watering right?

After spending the time astatine his beloved Alamo, however could my Dad not bid the Travis Burger?

We finished our repast with Mexican Donuts and my favourite gluten escaped dessert, Vanilla Bean Espresso Creme brulee.

I snuck a illustration of the donuts and they were sensational!!

And here’s a look astatine each the desserts connected offer.

The Iron Cactus has premier presumption connected the stream beforehand and what I loved astir it that separates it from the different galore restaurants you’ll find connected the San Antonio River Walk is the deficiency of the different restaurants surrounding it.

It’s connected a overmuch quieter and peaceful portion of the river, which feels somewhat much upmarket and refined.

The ft postulation is separated by a ample chromatic planter container and shaded by trees.

The Iron Cactus is popular, truthful beryllium definite to reserve a array up of time. We ate arsenic guests of the restaurant.

Video: the Alamo and San Antonio Riverwalk

Where to Stay connected The San Antonio River Walk

In request of a spot to stay? Here are immoderate places we urge you enactment connected the San Antonio River Walk…

The Emily Morgan Hotel

We stayed astatine the Emily Morgan Hotel, the authoritative edifice of the Alamo, and an historical edifice of America.

Our country overlooked the Alamo. The edifice is located close adjacent the Alamo, the River Walk and wrong walking region of galore downtown San Antonio attractions.

It’s stylish and elegant and volition heighten your San Antonio humanities and taste experience. We stayed arsenic guests of the Emily Morgan Hotel.

Omni La Mansion del Rio

This is 1 of the astir fashionable hotels connected the River Walk fixed that it’s a favored affable edifice with valet parking, an outdoor pool, and a fittingness center.

It besides has a tropical courtyard and a restaurant, Las Canarias, which has 3 levels and has views of the River Walk.

The impermanent rooms are spacious and elegantly styled, with marble bathrooms, and immoderate adjacent person a balcony overlooking the river.

FAQs About San Antonio River Walk

Here’s what radical usually inquire america astir visiting the San Antonio River Walk…

Final Thoughts connected Visiting San Antonio River Walk, Texas

There are plentifulness of things to spot and bash connected the San Antonio River Walk. It was a implicit opposition from the remainder of the city, and to beryllium honest, it didn’t adjacent consciousness similar we were successful a city!

Exploring the River Walk was 1 of the highlights of our travel to San Antonio. Even our kids loved it.

We’ll decidedly beryllium backmost adjacent clip we’re successful the city.

More Texas Travel Tips

Need much inspiration for your travel to Texas? Check retired these different guides…

• Things to bash successful Big Bend National Park
• In Dallas, we visited the JFK Museum.
• And 1 of our favorites – a time with Chip and Jo successful Waco, Texas
• Enchanted Rock State Park – hiking the acme trail
• A 4-wk Dallas to Boston Road Trip

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