San Antonio is most well-known as dwelling to The Alamo and its well-known San Antonio River Stroll. However do you know that San Antonio can also be the “Theme Park Capital of Texas”? Or, that it’s considered one of two cities in the USA which might be designated as UNESCO Artistic Cities of Gastronomy? What shocked me most are the variety of public parks, festivals, and reasonably priced sights that you would be able to get pleasure from when visiting San Antonio with children.
With fabulous resorts, delectable meals, wealthy tradition, enjoyable sights, and a well-preserved historical past, San Antonio is an ideal choose for a household trip that gained’t break the financial institution. And it’s particularly pretty to go to San Antonio for a winter trip or spring break when the temperatures aren’t within the triple digits!
Need to know extra? Let me offer you 5 compelling the explanation why San Antonio is nice for households.
Causes to Go to San Antonio with Youngsters
Editor’s Be aware: I visited San Antonio as a part of a press journey hosted by Go to San Antonio. All opinions are my very own primarily based on my private expertise. This publish might include affiliate hyperlinks. That implies that when you click on on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I could obtain a small fee.
Oodles of Theme Parks
Thrill seekers and animal lovers prepare! There are 4 amusement parks / water parks inside a brief drive of San Antonio, plus a LEGOLAND Discovery Heart and SEA LIFE Aquarium within the Retailers at Rivercenter downtown. You may even add in a day on the San Antonio Zoo to spherical it off. With this a lot pleasure, you possibly can simply spend every week in San Antonio and by no means get bored.
Households with children of all ages and skills will discover their match with these enjoyable choices:
SeaWorld San Antonio
The biggest of all of the SeaWorld Parks, SeaWorld San Antonio affords smile-inducing animal encounters, 10 stomach-clenching thrill rides, and an space only for the little ones (with Rescue Jr. coming quickly.) Along with the primary park, you should buy a joint ticket to additionally expertise the Aquatica water park and Discovery Level, with its Dolphin Lagoon and Explorer’s Reef Aquarium.
SeaWorld is understood for its curler coasters, that are all the time breaking data because the tallest, longest, or quickest one thing. However what doesn’t get sufficient consideration is that it is likely one of the largest marine animal rescue organizations on the earth. Its marine animal habitats and animal practices are independently accredited, reviewed, audited, and licensed by premier zoological and animal welfare organizations to not solely meet, however exceed, the very best requirements of animal care. I spent a great deal of time speaking to the animal care groups about their analysis, feeding, breeding, and care of the animals and walked away impressed.
SeaWorld not solely introduces households to marine life, educating children concerning the animals and hopefully inspiring a want to guard pure habitats, however there are additionally enjoyable methods to work together with the animals. These animal interactions vary from behind-the-scenes excursions to land-based encounters, all the best way to in-water experiences.
I had an opportunity to participate in a penguin interplay and it left me giddy with pleasure! After a brief instructional program, I suited as much as enter the rear of the penguin exhibit alongside the animal caretakers. Because the penguins are fed buffet-style, that means they’ll eat every time they need, there are not any incentives or rewards for the penguins to work together with people.
However penguins are curious and social creatures and plenty of quickly waddled over to say howdy. Some simply wish to look, however others get pleasure from a smooth contact on the again. I’m undecided I’ll ever make it to Antarctica, however attending to see penguins up shut like that is such a pleasure.
Simply be sure to examine the hours and opening days earlier than planning your journey as whereas SeaWorld is open year-round, it isn’t open on daily basis outdoors of the summer season months.
Professional tip: Lower your expenses by consuming outdoors of the park. The Jerk Shack and Suck It (ramen and noodles) are two family-friendly, reasonably priced, and scrumptious choices only a quick drive away. Don’t miss the empanadas and the juicy jerk rooster at The Jerk Shack.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
With sixteen curler coasters and thrill rides, plus the Hurricane Harbor water park with its 20-plus water slides, splash areas, and Texas-shaped wave pool, pleasure awaits at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Six Flags additionally affords particular occasions like Youngsters’ Boo Fest, Fright Fest, Oktoberfest Meals Pageant, Vacation within the Park, Mardi Gras, Spring Break, and the particular Viva La Fiesta!
Simply remember the fact that the park has restricted hours and opening days outdoors of the summer season and particular occasions so remember to examine the web site earlier than you go.
Professional tip: You’ll get monetary savings when you purchase your tickets on-line versus on the gate.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort
The Schlitterbahn Waterpark and Resort in New Braunfels is positioned about an hour outdoors of San Antonio in Texas Hill Nation. This huge waterpark affords an enormous number of river rides, swimming pools, and waterslides, and adventures. It options 4 sections, every of which is as massive as most regional waterparks.
Actual waterpark fanatics may even flip it right into a mini-vacation by staying on the Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark Resort, which affords every little thing from normal lodge rooms to a multi-room trip dwelling. When you keep throughout the waterpark season, waterpark admission is included in your reservation.
Morgan’s Wonderland
I’ve saved essentially the most particular of the 4 theme parks for final as a result of Morgan’s Wonderland is really distinctive. Opened in 2010, Morgan’s Wonderland is the world’s solely “ultra-accessible” theme park. It was designed from the bottom up for people with particular wants and their family and friends. There are 25 accessible sights, plus a waterpark, to create a spot the place “everybody can play.”
Every trip has a minimum of one trip car with roll-on wheelchair entry, besides the zip line which requires a switch. The traditional carousel has been reimagined to remove flashing lights and loud music for these with sensory points, and it affords each stationary and transferring automobiles, together with bench seating and roll-on entry. There are even apply trip automobiles for a lot of sights, together with movies that you would be able to watch along with your children earlier than you go.
The water park, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, has 5 splash pads and one river boat trip. Upon getting into the water park (which requires a ticket add-on), you possibly can make the most of the altering rooms and make use of the waterproof wheelchair valet if wanted.
Professional tip: Upon request, visitors with disabilities are welcomed with no cost. You can too request a Pleasure Entry Cross, which provides you precedence lane entry.
Wealthy Historical past & Tradition
San Antonio embraces its wealthy and numerous tradition. Not like different cities, it strives to repurpose and reuse buildings to take care of the character of its neighborhoods. Everybody has heard of The Alamo (how can we overlook, proper?) and this historic website is likely one of the hottest vacationer locations in all of Texas.
In case you aren’t conversant in the Alamo, it’s a historic Spanish mission that grew to become the positioning of a pivotal battle throughout the Texas Revolution in 1836. Outnumbered Texian defenders, together with well-known figures like Davy Crockett and James Bowie, held out for 13 days in opposition to Mexican forces earlier than being defeated. Regardless of the loss, “Keep in mind the Alamo!” grew to become a rallying cry for Texas’ eventual independence from Mexico.
When you haven’t been to the Alamo, you might wish to get there earlier than Might 2025, as a result of that’s when development will start on the roof of the primary church constructing and will probably be coated in a steel construction till 2027. Even now, there may be quite a lot of work being accomplished within the Plaza to create a brand new museum. That museum will home your complete assortment of Alamo artifacts that has been gathered through the years by rockstar Phil Collins. You may see a part of the gathering as we speak within the Displays constructing (which requires a separate ticket).
Many individuals go to the Alamo and are disenchanted to search out it’s smaller than they anticipated and there isn’t a lot to see inside (bear in mind, a battle was fought there!) Nevertheless, there are 5 missions that you would be able to go to in San Antonio and a few are way more spectacular than the Alamo.
The Missions have been constructed by the colonizing Spaniards and used to guard them and the native indigenous in instances of want. Subsequently, these are fairly massive compounds constructed round a central church. I’d extremely suggest visiting the Mission San Jose. The Nationwide Park Service operates 4 of the San Antonio Missions (simply not the Alamo) and it’s the solely UNESCO World Heritage Web site in Texas.
If you wish to go to extra of the Missions, you possibly can simply lease bikes from the BCycle stations and comply with the Mission Attain part of the River Stroll bike path. Every Mission is about 2.5 miles aside.
To return even additional within the historical past of the world, go to the family-friendly Witte Museum. The Witte showcases Texas historical past, science, and pure heritage with many interactive reveals and hands-on actions (plus outdoors play areas!). You may go all the best way again to prehistoric instances with dinosaur fossils, be taught extra about Texas wildlife, and recognize the historical past of the area’s indigenous peoples.
The Museum is positioned on the fringe of historic Brackenridge Park, which covers 349-acres and is on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations. The Park can also be dwelling to the start stretch of the San Antonio River, the Japanese Tea Backyard, Sunken Backyard Theater, and the San Antonio Zoo.
Professional tip: To save cash on San Antonio sights, think about buying the San Antonio CityPASS, which gives entry into 4 sights of your alternative together with: The Alamo, Go Rio San Antonio River Cruises, San Antonio Zoo, The Tower of The Americas, The DoSeum, San Antonio Botanical Backyard, Witte Museum, and the San Antonio Museum of Artwork.
Scrumptious Meals
Keep in mind how I discussed that San Antonio was named a UNESCO Artistic Metropolis of Gastronomy? (Tucson is the one different such metropolis within the US) It is a reflection of not simply the wealthy culinary heritage, but additionally a recognition of the efforts to maintain these flavors and mix them with new influences. In San Antonio you will see every little thing out of your traditional touristy eating places like Rainforest Cafe, Laborious Rock Cafe, and Dick’s Final Resort, to real native gems.
To search out the native favorites, it helps to interrupt away from the downtown River Stroll and discover among the different districts and neighborhoods. Southtown is the place you will see genuine Tex Mex delicacies that’s reasonably priced and family-friendly, equivalent to Burgerteca, LaLa’s Gorditas, Eddie’s Taco Store, and Nicha’s Comida Mexican. An ideal alternative to offer these a attempt is whenever you go to the Missions or Confluence Park.
The Pearl District is a vibrant, revitalized space that was as soon as dwelling to the historic Pearl Brewery, which operated from 1883 till it closed in 2001. In the present day, it’s a stylish neighborhood that includes a mixture of eating places, boutique retailers, residences, and cultural areas. There’s loads of open area for youths to run round and a mixture of eateries from an off-the-cuff meals corridor to native Tex-Mex to worldwide delicacies.
Along with eating places, the Pearl hosts a weekend farmers market, reside music occasions, and the Culinary Institute of America’s San Antonio campus. Greatest High quality Daughter is a cute Chinese language-American restaurant with loads of family-style dishes and attractive appetizers that youngsters will get pleasure from.
Downtown is extra than simply the eating places alongside the River Stroll. When you head to the road degree, you will see native favorites like La Panaderia. This bakery and cafe is an ideal spot for breakfast or lunch.
You probably have a automobile, it’s also possible to pattern among the nice spots within the metropolis outskirts. I already talked about The Jerk Shack, however one other to not be missed is Stix and Stone, a Mexican-Asian fusion restaurant from Chef Leo Davila. The Sticky, Sticky Ribs, Massive Purple and Barbacoa tacos, and churro bread pudding are all implausible.
Superb Artwork
You will see enjoyable public artwork all through downtown San Antonio, however one expertise you possibly can’t miss is The Saga. This distinctive video artwork projection by worldwide artist Xavier de Richemont depicts the historic discovery, settlement and improvement of San Antonio. Set to music, this show is projected onto the San Fernando Cathedral and takes place each Tuesday by way of Sunday at 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. within the Principal Plaza.
If you’re visiting San Antonio with teenagers, they’ll recognize the Instagramability of the interactive artwork reveals at Hopscotch. Hopscotch is an immersive artwork area with extremely interactive reveals like a large ball pit, an interactive trampoline that controls digital projections, digital “spray portray”, perspective-bending shows, and extra. This distinctive artwork area is really memorable.
For extra conventional artwork lovers, the San Antonio Museum of Artwork (SAMA) homes an in depth assortment of over 30,000 items. Situated in a former brewery advanced alongside the River Stroll, the museum includes a numerous array of artwork, together with historical Greek, Roman, and Egyptian works, Latin American artwork, Asian artwork, and up to date items. Its assortment additionally consists of important works of American and European artwork, in addition to folks and regional artwork. Simply bear in mind: admission is included within the San Antonio CityPASS!
Public Parks
San Antonio is also dwelling to many public parks that provide family-friendly actions which mix nature, tradition, and recreation — totally free! I’ve already talked about Brackenridge Park, one of many metropolis’s largest and hottest parks that’s dwelling to the San Antonio Zoo and the attractive Japanese Tea Backyard. The Japanese Tea Backyard is lush and serene, it’s a excellent zen escape with koi ponds, stone bridges, and greenery. The park additionally affords picnic areas, strolling trails, and playgrounds, making it excellent for a time out with children.
Hemisfair Park, positioned in downtown San Antonio, is a vibrant city park that features a inventive play area full of playgrounds, splash pads, and climbing constructions for youngsters of all ages. The park additionally hosts household actions like story time, exercise carts, and blocks.
Confluence Park, positioned on the southern stretch of the San Antonio River, focuses on environmental schooling and sustainability. There are open areas and trails which might be excellent for biking, mountaineering, and having fun with the outside.
Past biking, strolling, and enjoying in these public parks, it’s also possible to benefit from the metropolis from the water with a kayak tour with Texas River Firm. Alongside the Mission Attain part of the river, you possibly can even spy wildlife equivalent to heron, hawks, turtles, and extra.
The place to Keep in San Antonio with Youngsters
There are numerous nice family-friendly inns in San Antonio, whether or not you select to remain downtown or at a resort additional out. Some prime picks embrace:
- Intercontinental San Antonio River Stroll – if you wish to keep on the town however on the quieter part of the Riverwalk, the brand-new Intercontinental is an ideal luxurious alternative with a full service restaurant, espresso store, and rooftop pool and bar.
- Hyatt Regency Hill Nation Resort and Spa – get pleasure from San Antonio and rest in Texas Hill Nation. The Hyatt Regency is a family-friendly resort full with a lazy river, golf course, and even a FlowRider wave machine.
- J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Nation Resort & Spa – this luxurious lodge is near wineries, SeaWorld, and the Retailers at La Cantera. On property, you possibly can benefit from the River Bluff Water Expertise, a nine-acre water park that includes a 1,100-foot lazy river.
Discover different locations to remain in San Antonio:
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Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Writer of We3Travel. A former advertising government and journey advisor, Tamara is an award-winning journey author and acknowledged knowledgeable in household journey. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Journey Journey Commerce Affiliation, and serves on the Board of the Household Journey Affiliation. She can also be the writer of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Trip Professionals journey podcast.