Many people associate this Texas city with a losing battle, but San Antonio is about much more than the Alamo. Between the Riverwalk, the missions, the shopping and the fabulous food—which ranges from Tex-Mex to German—the city offers a crowd-pleasing mix of old and new culture. Thanks to the mostly mild weather and the walkable city center, San Antonio has long been a buzzing hub for business conferences, and the Alamo naturally attracts a parade of school trips and tour groups. But when you visit San Antonio you'll also find a friendly, unfussy atmosphere, offering a depth of history and natural beauty to boot.
Things Not to Miss in San Antonio
Read Travel + Leisure's San Antonio travel guide to explore this vibrant city, including these popular sights:
• The Alamo
• The Riverwalk
• The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
• Mi Terra
• The King William district
• HemisFair Park, the site of the 1968 World's Fair
When to Go to San Antonio
From fall through spring, San Antonio boasts mild, tourist-friendly weather, while winter and spring may bring rain and sporadic cold spells. Summer is hot, however, so be prepared. Most places you'll visit will be nicely air-conditioned, but walking outside in 100-degree-plus temps can be tiring. Early summer is a more palatable time to visit San Antonio than late summer, and in June, San Antonio hosts the Texas Folk Life Festival. If you come during the summer, take a day to visit to the beloved (and cool) Schlitterbahn Water Park, north of the city in San Marcos.
On the other hand, the city knows how to celebrate Christmas. Glowing luminaria line the Riverwalk, which makes for a lovely photo op. San Antonio travel peaks again in the spring when the Texas wildflowers begin to bloom. The state flower, the bluebonnet, blossoms in April. To see even more wildflowers, venture just out of town into the Hill Country. One of the city's biggest parties of the year, Fiesta, is also in April.
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