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SAN ANTONIO: MORE TO REMEMBER THAN JUST THE ALAMO
Any trip to
San Antonio has to include a
tour of the Alamo. Steeped in history
and truly a symbol of our nation’s courage and ultimate sacrifice for
freedom, the Alamo’s past and present is a must see. With original
structures dating back to the early 1700s, a museum housing exhibits on the
Alamo’s historic past, a library filled with books and documents on
Texas History, a gift shop, and the memories of the heroes of the Alamo,
it is truly a history-lovers Mecca.
But there is a lot more to San Antonio than just history. The San Antonio Botanical Garden, opened in 1980, is a unique 33-acre living museum. Formal and display gardens, herb and sensory gardens, desert and tropical pavilions, cactus gardens, the Texas Native Trail representing three distinct regions of the state of Texas, and a truly unique Watersaver Lane that teaches responsible landscaping with plants suitable to various climates all make for a wonderful day exploring the great outdoors.
The Riverwalk area of San
Antonio is like a city unto itself. With below ground walkways, shopping,
dining, accommodations, amphitheaters, gardens, river sightseeing tours,
and people watching, you could spend your entire visit exploring the city
without ever having to cross a street. Our sublime room at the
Watermark Hotel & Spa overlooked
all the action and we had one of our most memorable meals overlooking the
river and the riverwalk festivities at
Las
Canarias in the Omni La Mansion del Rio.
The newest up-and-coming area of San Antonio is the Pearl. Known as Pearl Brewery, which brewed Pearl beer from 1883 until 1985 when it’s parent company purchased the Pabst Brewing Company and assumed the Pabst name, the Pearl Brewery has been closed since 2001. But the property is now the crown jewel in revitalization efforts in north San Antonio. With plans to create an urban mixed-use facility including residential lofts, retail, special event venues, and dining, the Pearl looks to become the new pearl of the expanded Riverwalk project. One of the earliest tenants of the Pearl is the Culinary Institute of America, offering a culinary arts certificate program and a popular selection of Latin American food enthusiasts programs.
Thus, whether it’s the history of the Alamo or tasty Tex/Mex cuisine, San Antonio has an awful lot to experience…..and remember.