"Must do" in San Antonio area?

[Glitter and Guns]

I am expecting one of my DDs will probably qualify to compete at a state academic meet in San Antonio in March. If she does it gives me a good excuse to head down that way and introduce my daughters to the area. Neither of them have ever been down there (been to the hill country, just not to SA), and truth be told, I haven't been down there for years myself. I have a 12 year old and a 10 year old and am looking for "Texas" stuff. They are good at museums so if there is something really amazing we could work that in. I know they should probably see the Alamo, but are there better options for missions in the area? I quite sadly remember the Alamo as being so touristy. I am not looking for the "indoor water park" type vacation spots.

Also, while I can find a good hotel, I was wondering if anyone knows of any place that is really cool and kind of cultural to the area? I don't know yet where the Math & Science competition will be held, but we could easily change hotels for the next couple of nights to get to some place more interesting. I will be looking for suggestions for "local" favorites for food. We can do anything from linen table clothes to great pub food, to sitting on the hood of the truck to eat - we are versatile! I will be making the drive from DFW to SA, so anything amazingly cool along the general way could be worked in, too.

THANKS!!!

 

[Chupacabra Hunter]

"DDs"? please explain....

 

[Glitter and Guns]

Sorry, netspeak for "dear daughters" (or "damned daughters" depending on how strongly the hormones are running that day).

 

[Chupacabra Hunter]

ah....ok... I surmised one d might stand for daughter but the first d puzzled me.... DD in guyspeak means just that ..DDs as in it regards to size......

 

[Chupacabra Hunter]

Try the Institute of Texan Cultures ...... and Longhorn Salon.....

 

[Glitter and Guns]

ah....ok... I surmised one d might stand for daughter but the first d puzzled me.... DD in guyspeak means just that ..DDs as in it regards to size......

Should have thought about the market here, sorry. Been online for 12 years, it is a standard acronym. Didn't even think twice about it.

 

[Chupacabra Hunter]

Should have thought about the market here, sorry. Been online for 12 years, it is a standard acronym. Didn't even think twice about it.

Today is the first time I see DD stand for Dear Daughter..... I guess Im just a caveman........

 

[Willy]

I thought it was "daily driver". Isn't there a recreation of the Alamo West of town that was used in the filming of the John Wayne movie. I'd rather see that than the real one nowadays. The Riverwalk boat tour is alright. You may see other stuff during the ride.

 

[majormadmax]

There's the obvious (The Alamo, Riverwalk, Downtown area to include the aforementioned Longhorn Salon) and the not-so-obvious (Mission Trail, Japanese Tea Garden, SA Museum of Art). Try the Official San Antonio Visitor's Guide and see what meets your fancy. There are a ton of things to do in this town, and an almost equal number of places to eat so come hungry!

Cheers! M2

 

[M. Sage]

There's the obvious (The Alamo, Riverwalk, Downtown area to include the aforementioned Longhorn Salon) and the not-so-obvious (Mission Trail, Japanese Tea Garden, SA Museum of Art). Try the Official San Antonio Visitor's Guide and see what meets your fancy. There are a ton of things to do in this town, and an almost equal number of places to eat so come hungry!

Cheers! M2

Those are all good. The Buckhorn has a good little tourist trap-style museum that's kind of fun.

The McNay if you want the hoity-toity art museum.

 

[TxDad]

My favorite place to stay is the Menger hotel. Its right across the street from the Alamo. I was thinking about staying there in a few weeks when I go down there.
Plus, some believe its haunted...
Downtown San Antonio Hotels | Menger Hotel, Texas

 

[M. Sage]

Oh, and food places. Head out to Bracken (just outside 1604 on the east side of town) for the best burger you'll ever have at the Bracken Store Cafe.

Inside San Antonio, hit Lulu's and buy a cinnamon roll or two (trust me; it only takes one or two) to take back with you. They make great gifts.

 

[majormadmax]

Oh, and food places. Head out to Bracken (just outside 1604 on the east side of town) for the best burger you'll ever have at the Bracken Store Cafe.

Bracken does have excellent burgers, but if you don't feel like going all that way you can try Lord's Kitchen just south of Ft Sam. Just not on Sunday, of course.

If you prefer hot dogs, try King's Court Frankfurter Express.

For BBQ close to downtown (well, the zoo actually), then Augie's Barbed Wire Smokehouse BBQ right next to Brackenridge Park, the Japanese Tea Gardens (a great place to walk off lunch afterward!) and the zoo is an excellent choice! Just get there early as it gets crowded!

Downtown our first choice is usually Shilo's Delicatessen, try their homemade root beer!

Buckhorn Saloon (whoops, sorry 'bout that!) has good food but it's the museum and all the wildlife exhibits that draws folks in. As Sage says, it's a little touristy but it's still fun!

Honestly, you can easily spend an entire day (and evening) walking around downtown; especially with the expanded Riverwalk. It's a great way to see the city!

And if you're a blues enthusiast, stop by the Gunter Hotel and check out the plaque to the King of the Mississippi Delta Blues, Robert Johnson. He recorded over half of his known catalog in room 414 there in 1936. In 2009, John Mellencamp recorded the song Right Behind Me in the very same room for his album No Better Than This!

Cheers! M2

 

[Chupacabra Hunter]

A local favorite burger joint is Chris Madrid's. I take the family there when in SA. The Haunted Ghost tours are kinda fun and interesting with lots of history.

 

[Elbe]

I grew up in SA. I suggest the following:

Downtown: Alamo, riverwalk, La Villita, Shiloh's Deli, Mi Tierra Restaurant, Institute of Texan cultures and just on the edge of downtown is the historic King William District with old beautiful homes. El Mirado Mexican restaurant on St. Mary's is good (been there forever).

In my opinion most of the Mexican food restaurants in SA are superior to the ones in DFW, so try some of them, the mom and pops, avoid the chains,be adventurous with restaurants there.

Also, there is the Witte Museum and the McNay Museum. Although M.Sage called it hoity toity, the grounds and house are beautiful and used to be free. I spent some time hanging out in the ponds and gardens of the McNay as a kid since it was walking distance from my house.

See some of the missions if you can, however, they are very spread out and some are in sketchy neighborhoods as I recall.

As far as driving down from DFW; if you take 35 south, stop in the town of Greune, near New Braunfels. It is old and charming and the Gristmill Restaurant is good. A more "country and small town" scenic route is to take 281 south to San Antonio. It takes longer than 35 but I prefer that way if I have the time.

 

[M. Sage]

I'm not going to look down on the McNay. It's just extremely nice, that's why I called it "hoity-toity."

The missions are on the south side, so you are going to wind up driving through some sketchy places, but I didn't feel like they were in bad neighborhoods. The neighborhood near the Witte isn't all that great, either.

 

[TexasRedneck]

When ya'll git down, holler - sounds like a good excuse for a "mini-meet" with the SA group!!!!

 

[TimberWolf7.62]

My favorite place to stay is the Menger hotel. Its right across the street from the Alamo. I was thinking about staying there in a few weeks when I go down there.
Plus, some believe its haunted...
Downtown San Antonio Hotels | Menger Hotel, Texas

+! on the Menger or the Emily Morgan, on the other side of the Alamo.
If you have the chance, try the Prickly Pear Margarita at Rio Rio Cantina on the Riverwalk.

 

[Bithabus]

Zoo

 

[Jason]

I've been online since late 1993 and I've NEVER heard DD used in these terms...