Two Days in San Antonio

Walking along the peaceful San Antonio riverwalk, you may be surprised to learn San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas. There is a lot more to San Antonio than the riverwalk and the Alamo. We rented a car and added a two days in San Antonio during a trip to Austin. Check out our itinerary along with must see places and restaurants:

Day 1

The Alamo

San Antonio de Valero (commonly referred to as the Alamo) is one of five Spanish colonial missions in San Antonio. In 2015, these missions as a group were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the Alamo is the most recognized attraction in San Antonio and it is free to visit, there really is no reason why you would not visit the Alamo.

First reactions about the Alamo is the size. It’s SMALL; we only spent about 1-hour there. Depending on when you visit there may be a line to enter the church. They sell photos and tours, but we recommend exploring the Alamo on your own. The outdoor video provides a comprehensive overview on the history and more information than you ever needed to know about the site.

RiverWalk

Located steps from the Alamo, is the famous San Antonio RiverWalk. We recommend taking a river cruise when you arrive. It is a quick and efficient way to see all of the main attractions while learning the history of San Antonio. It is also a great way to pick out restaurants to visit during the rest of your stay. The tour takes about 35 minutes and travels 1.5 miles along the riverwalk. We bought tickets on the spot and hopped on the next available boat. Don’t forget to grab a beer at the ticket booth, there are no open container laws along the riverwalk so you will want to take full advantage during the tour!

The riverwalk spans more than the downtown area and it is 15 miles long; perfect for walking, running, and biking. We recommend renting bicycles and visiting the four 18th-century Spanish colonial missions located right along the riverwalk: San José, San Juan, Espada, Concepción.

San Fernando Cathedral

The San Fernando Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church, the oldest church in Texas, and one of the oldest churches in the United States. It is open for visitors from 6am to 6pm daily. In the evening a 24-minute film called, San Antonio: The Saga, is beautifully displayed on the facade the of the cathedral.

The film exceeded our expectations as the lights display perfectly on the church. If you want to see the show plan ahead as it only runs on certain nights of the week. There is plenty of space to watch the show, but there are only a few chairs in the area.

Day 2

Lulu’s Bakery

As seen on Man vs. Food and Buzzfeed, this bakery is home to the 3lb Cinnamon Roll. Yes, you read that correctly, a

three

pound

cinnamon roll!

In person this cinnamon roll is bigger than you can imagine. It arrives at your table piping hot with so much icing that it drips off the side of the plate. We split the cinnamon roll between four people and still could not finish it! Don’t be shy and dive right into the middle of the roll, where its warm and full of cinnamon and hot sticky icing. Obviously the best part! How much does a 3lb cinnamon roll cost? Well at $11.99, it’s a deal that can’t be beat.

Lulu’s is a casual bakery that has become popular with tourists due to publicity on their cinnamon rolls, but they are also well known for their chicken fried steak. Lulu’s is open 24 hours, but we recommend visiting in the morning so you have all day to walk around San Antonio and work off your cinnamon roll!

El Mercado (Market Square)

The largest Mexican market in the United States with over three blocks of shops, vendors, food, and crafts. MiTierra claims to have some of the best Mexican food available 24 hours a day. We didn’t get to try it (still full from the 3lb cinnamon roll) so we can’t say for sure, but we will try it on our next trip. We spent an hour exploring the vendors at the market. This is the place to go if you need to pick up souvenirs!

King William District

This historic section of San Antonio dates back to the 1790s and it is considered one of the prettiest neighborhoods in the United States. There are Greek Revival, Victorian, and Italianate style homes in the neighborhood. Visit the King William Association for a walking map and the knowledgable members will answer any questions that you have on the area. Bonus – the association has clean restrooms and a water fountain if you are exploring on a hot day! We walked down King William Street and headed toward Blue Star Brewing to have a beer while enjoying another view the riverwalk.

Tower of the Americas

A 750 ft landmark can be seen from all over San Antonio. The tower was built in 1968 for the World’s Fair. Adult tickets to the Observation Deck cost $14, but we recommend going to Bar 601 in the tower for happy hour. It is free to go up to the bar and if you arrive before sunset you can enjoy daytime and nighttime views of San Antonio. We enjoyed discounted drinks and appetizers for less than the cost of admission. You can even walk around the Observation Deck before taking the elevator back down to the ground.