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San Antonio's five missions, including the famed Alamo, are the largest collection of Spanish colonial architecture in America. These medieval looking structures today look much the same as they once did and are must-see treks. Start with the Alamo,a in downtown San Antonio, a top-ten U.S. historic site according to the History Channel. (continues below)
Over 2,000 Historic Landmarks
San Antonio has preserved more of its historic infrastructure than many American cities and its more than 2,000 designated historic landmarks testify to that, from the quaint King William Historic District to the Spanish Governor's Palace, which the National Geographic Society describes as "the most beautiful building in San Antonio."
Walkable Downtown
Ten museums are located within a two-mile radius of San Antonio's compact, walkable city center, including Smithsonian affiliates Museo Alameda and the Institute of Texan Cultures. The McNay Art Museum, one of America's top three small museums, according to the Wall Street Journal, has an eclectic collection of modern masterpieces. The Witte Museum features South Texas culture, history, and natural science, and has 180,000 artifacts in its permanent collection, while also hosting traveling exhibits from around the world. The San Antonio Children's Museum's dozens of interactive exhibits teach children about the world in a fun way, and the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum & The Texas Ranger Museum tells the story of the American west. San Antonio has one of the most important emerging contemporary art scenes in the world and is home to over 40 performance venues, including at least eight outdoor stages, showcasing local, regional, national and international acts.
Famed San Antonio River Walk
The lush River Walk meanders through downtown San Antonio then heads north along the Museum Reach. The Pearl Brewery complex at the north end is a beautifully repurposed turn-of-the century industrial plant, home to one of only two branches of the premier Culinary Institute of America, with a growing cluster of restaurants owned by some of the city's culinary luminaries and interesting local shops. From the Pearl, take a river cruise to the downtown commercial district, lined with bistros, sidewalk cafes, shops and galleries. Along the way, stop at the San Antonio Museum of Art to view the renowned collections of Latin American and Asian art, as well as Egyptian and Greek antiquities. The River Walk is being expanded south and north over the next few years, and there is more and more to do.
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