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Texas is one of the most visited states in the US. It’s no surprise as the Lone Star state is full of diverse landscapes from the beaches of the Gulf Coast to the Piney Woods of East Texas to the mountains of Big Bend. Then there are the big metro areas full of fascinating history, amazing food, and a rich arts and music culture. Along with Houston, Dallas, and Austin, San Antonio is one of the four biggest and most visited cities in Texas.

While all of the big Texas cities are full of museums and great places to eat, each city has a distinct vibe. With the River Walk and the Spanish Colonial architecture, San Antonio has a charm all of its own.

To really experience all that the city has to offer you’ll need more than a weekend trip to San Antonio. With 3 days in San Antonio you’ll be able to get a good taste of the city by visiting the highlights. You’ll learn about the diverse history and mix of cultures from the early Spanish colonizers, through the Texas Revolution with Mexico, and the city becoming part of the US.

The following 3 day San Antonio weekend getaway can be followed for any 3 days in San Antonio, but make sure to check opening hours first.

3 Day San Antonio Weekend Getaway

San Antonio CityPass

Save money by purchasing the San Antonio CityPass. Almost all of your activities in this San Antonio itinerary will be covered by the pass. You can choose 4 attractions from the 8 available attractions. The 8 attractions are: San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio Museum of Art, The DoSeum, San Antonio Botanical Garden, The Tower of Americas, Go Rio San Antonio River Cruises, Witte Museum, and the Alamo Church & Exhibit (starting March 1st). These are all described within the itinerary below.

The attractions are listed above from most expensive to least expensive for regular adult ticket prices. You’ll gain the most value from choosing the most expensive activities, but the best value is really choosing the places you want to visit the most!

From the date of purchase you have one year to activate the pass. Upon activation, the first use, it is valid for nine days. Simply show the QR code on your phone to gain admission to the 4 attractions of your choice. Attractions do not need to be chosen ahead of time.

Buy the ***San Antonio* *CityPass*** today!

San Antonio Itinerary: Day 1

Known for the Alamo and the River Walk, downtown San Antonio is the best part of the city. When exploring downtown on day 1, walk between places by strolling along the River Walk.

Downtown Walking Tour

My travel itineraries almost always start out with a walking tour. It’s a good way to gain an understanding of the history and culture of the place you are visiting. Despite how much research I do ahead of time, local guides always have additional recommendations. It’s a fun way to meet other travelers too. Begin your San Antonio weekend getaway with a walking tour.

Amigo Walking Tours leads free walking tours. Sometimes free tours skip around in the historical timeline. It makes sense as they want to share things along the route. This tour was well structured with both stories about the physical places in front of us, while giving the history in a fairly chronological order. History can be boring or fascinating. A lot depends on who is telling the history. My guide Sebastian did an excellent job. He was very knowledgeable, yet enthusiastic, while engaging everyone in the tour.

If the Amigo Walking Tour doesn’t fit into your schedule for your weekend in San Antonio, consider one of the following tours. There is a wide variety of walking tours to choose from depending on your interests.

The Heart of Old San Antonio tells the story of San Antonio and includes all the highlights. The History Through Art guided tour combines the public art of the city with the historical sites. The HerStory history walking tour shares San Antonio’s past through the stories of women.

If you’re a foodie you’ll enjoy the food and culture walking tour. The Ghost and Murder walking tour covers the eerie side of San Antonio.

Briscoe Western Art Museum

San Antonio is home to several art museums that feature world class art. If you can only choose one art museum to visit I would pick the Briscoe Western Art Museum as it is very unique to Texas and the southwest. Through art, the museum celebrates the different groups of people and cultures that have called the American West home for the past decades and centuries.

The galleries cover history from various perspectives. Portrayals of women of the west and female artists are in one gallery. Native Americans and other Southwest natives are featured in another gallery that reminded me of all the fantastic art in Santa Fe. A large diorama in the Battle of the Alamo section provides a good visual history of that fateful day. The collections of cowboy gear and tools along with the cowboy and vaquero paintings really makes you nostalgic for the old American West.

While it is a smaller museum, I liked being able to take my time to thoroughly enjoy the art and read the descriptions without feeling rushed to have enough time to see everything.

Lunch

All of the following lunch spots are downtown near the River Walk, but not directly on it. I provided some suggestions below under “dinner” if you would like another meal directly along the River Walk.

After a recommendation from a hotel worker I ate at KK Thai Lao & Sushi. It’s a very casual Asian restaurant a couple blocks away from the Alamo and the River Walk. The prices are good and despite the lower ratings, my Pad Mee was quite scrumptious.

I had a few other spots on my list downtown that I never got a chance to try including Pinkerton’s BBQ. Their smoked duck and sausage jambalaya sounded interesting. It has good reviews and often sells out, so it is best to visit at lunchtime.

My hopes of eating at Texan Sizzle were dashed when I arrived and saw the note on the door with new hours. Known for their Texas cheesesteak it’s a hole in the wall gem.

Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia is a historic restaurant serving Tex-Mex. Located in Historic Market Square it provides a fun Mexican environment.

The Alamo

Remember the Alamo! It’s funny, most people have heard that phrase, but a good majority of those people couldn’t say exactly what they are remembering about the Alamo! Known today as the Alamo, it was originally Mission San Antonio de Valero. It is one of five San Antonio Missions started by the Spanish in the 1700s.

It is most known for the Battle of the Alamo in 1836 when Texas was fighting for their independence from Mexico. Don’t take my word for it, visit the Alamo for yourself.

Visits to the grounds and inside the church are free. Timed church entry tickets are required. Tickets to the Alamo exhibit need to be purchased separately. It is also an option with CityPass. The exhibit is mainly artifacts from the Alamo and that time period. My favorite part was the large diorama with the accompanying voice narration. The story of the Battle of the Alamo was told as different parts of the map lit up. Overall the exhibit was interesting, but it focused more on artifacts than information about the artifacts of the Alamo.

Outside of the church there is a long informational panel with history. It’s quite crowded, but it has a lot of details. There is also a courtyard with statues of the most notable people from the Alamo. Inside the long barracks there are a couple of exhibits and a very thorough movie. Live demonstrations from the Texas Revolution times and musket firing demonstrations take place some days (usually on the weekends).

I actually enjoyed all the free exhibits more than the paid one. It depends on your interests, but I would recommend saving your CityPass for a different attraction.

Guided tours are available for an extra fee. In 2027 a brand new visitor center and museum will be opening.

River Cruise

Go Rio is the official and only river cruise tour provider. As one of the biggest tourist attractions in San Antonio I expected the river cruise to be, well, touristy! There’s nothing wrong with being touristy, places are touristy for a reason, but sometimes they are over-hyped.

While popular, the river cruise was a lot of fun! It wasn’t an audio tour and didn’t feel like the guide was reading off a script. He definitely made the tour his own by adding in his own stories and commentary alongside the facts and history.

Tours run from 10am – 10pm daily and last about 35 minutes. There is no set schedule and you can board from any of the three ticket office boarding docks. All three are marked on the map. Buy your ticket online or use CityPass. No need to wait in the ticket line if you have an online ticket. All you need to do is show your QR code before boarding.

Dinner

In general the River Walk doesn’t have the highest rated restaurants. Similar to many touristy hotspots, the atmosphere is the main draw. It’s worth having dinner at least one night along the River Walk though.

While most of the restaurant reviews for restaurants along the River Walk left a lot to be desired, the Little Rhein Prost Haus is an exception. The German restaurant is at the end of the busier section of the River Walk, but still offers views of the cruises going by and people out and about from the two level patio bar. With live music many nights it’s a really nice atmosphere. The food is delicious too! A German restaurant may not sound like the typical Texas cuisine of tex-mex, Mexican, or BBQ, but there used to be a large population of Germans in San Antonio. Once you take the walking tour described above you’ll know all about it!

For something more upscale, Boudro’s is another option with great reviews. The New American bistro has been around since 1986. Make sure to have a reservation.

Tokyo Cowboy is another highly rated option. From the name you can guess that it’s a fusion of Asian and BBQ. It’s a shame I didn’t get to try it myself as it is my favorite food combination.

Next door to Tokyo Cowboy is Hugman’s Oasis. This Tiki bar is a fun place to go for a drink after dinner.

San Antonio Itinerary: Day 2

On day 2 of your San Antonio weekend getaway, head south to spend the day at the San Antonio Missions. End the evening high above San Antonio at the Tower of the Americas

San Antonio Missions

Along with Mission San Antonio de Valero (known today as the Alamo), the Spanish started four other missions in San Antonio. Together they make up the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Texas. The Alamo is run by the state, but the other four colonial missions make up San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which is part of the National Park Service.

Located along the San Antonio River from south to north they include: Mission Espada, Mission San Juan, Mission San Jose, and Mission Concepción. Mission San Jose is the biggest with a NPS visitor center. Bring your NPS passport book as there are stamps for each mission. This is the only mission with free ranger walking tours. There are exhibits in the visitor center as well as in the Mission itself. All four are free to visit.

How to Get to the Missions

With a car you can easily drive from one mission to another. Without a car you may want to consider a guided half day sightseeing Missions Tour that includes transportation between all 4 missions. A Spanish Missions Bike tour is another option. You’ll bike 13 miles along the San Antonio River and visit three of the missions.

You can also visit on your own without a car. The San Antonio River Walk is about 15 miles long. All of the Missions are located along the San Antonio River. From downtown to Mission Espada, the farthest mission in the south, it is about a 10 mile walk or bike ride along the river walk. This section of the river walk is quite different from the busy, commercialized parts of downtown.

While you could walk to and from all of the missions, that is a bit ambitious for most people! I took a bus to Mission San Jose, walked to Mission Concepcion, and then returned downtown by bus. B-Cycle stations are located at each mission site. You can rent bikes for a 24 hour period and cover a lot more ground!

There is free parking and restrooms at each of the missions. This map is a handy guide to the entire river walk with points of interests, the missions, restrooms, and other helpful markers.

Lunch

There is not a lot of food along the southern river trail. It’s a good day to bring a picnic and eat at one of the many parks or benches.

Tower of the Americas

The Empire State Building in NYC, the Space Needle in Seattle, the Willis Tower in Chicago…..every city has their towering skyscraper with an observation deck. In San Antonio it is the Tower of the Americas. Built in 1968 for the Hemisfair World’s Fair, it is 750 ft high.

Upon arrival check in at the outdoor window. After showing your QR code from your online ticket or from CityPass you’ll receive a wristband. Your wristband gives you access to take the elevator up to the observation deck and to watch a 4D movie.

A glass elevator takes you to the top in 43 seconds. You can spend as much time as you would like from the indoor and outdoor observation decks. Inside you can learn about the six flags that have flown over Texas. Time your visit for just before sunset so you can see the city in daylight, at sunset, and at night.

Before or after going to the observation deck you can watch one of three 4D movies downstairs. The movies start every 20 minutes and alternate. I was most interested in the Skies Over Texas. I knew the movies started every 20 minutes (on the :00, :20, :40), but I didn’t realize there were three films that rotated. Make sure you check the schedule when you arrive and time it for your preferred show.

Dinner

For a fine dining experience with a view dine at Chart House in the Tower of the Americas. You’ll be treated to panoramic views of San Antonio all night as the restaurant slowly revolves.

For something nearby, but more casual, head to Dough Pizzeria Napoletana or Rosario’s. Box St All Day Brunch isn’t open for dinner, but if you are in the area earlier in the day they are known for a delicious brunch.

Of course any of the restaurants downtown and on the River Walk that I shared on day 1 are options too.

San Antonio Itinerary: Day 3

Many of San Antonio’s attractions are north of downtown around Breckenridge Park. On the last day of your San Antonio 3 day itinerary, choose from the many things to do in this area and finish using your CityPass. Even if you only spend an hour or two at each place, it will be tough to visit them all.

After choosing your daytime attractions, finish off your last night in San Antonio at the Pearl.

San Antonio Zoo

Some zoos can feel kind of sad, but the San Antonio Zoo is among the nicest zoos in the US. It’s not a huge zoo, but there are plenty of animals to see. I really enjoyed the Neotropica area with jaguars, leopards, and monkeys. It was cool to see a jaguar walk on the panther walk through their enclosure and over the pedestrian walkway.

Most people go to zoos to look at the animals and skip right over the informational signs. Seeing the animals is the main attraction, but the signs were well done here. They were pretty short, but provided interesting facts about the animals.

Unlike many zoos there aren’t any free shows or experiences. There are quite a few additional experiences, but they all come at additional costs. One experience is feeding the giraffes. You can stand nearby and watch other people feed them for free. Not quite the same, but close!

Buy tickets online or use CityPass. As it’s the most expensive attraction on CityPass it’s definitely a good one to choose to use with your pass.

Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden offers a beautiful place for a short walk. The free gardens include a waterfall, a koi pond, stone bridges, a Japanese style pavilion, and lovely winding paths. It didn’t feel too serene on a busy Sunday afternoon, but I could see it being more peaceful during the week.

There are public restrooms nearby off of N St Mary’s St between the garden and the zoo. The free gardens can be accessed from N St Mary’s St or from a trail across the street from the main zoo entrance.

The nearby Sunken Garden Theater often has events.

San Antonio Botanical Garden

On the eastern side of the park is another garden, the San Antonio Botanical Garden. The gardens are a well maintained urban oasis. Buy tickets online or use your CityPass.

Whether it is a museum, zoo, botanical garden, aquarium, or other attraction that can be found in many cities, I always gravitate to the sections that connect to the place locally. At the San Antonio Botanical Garden that is the Texas Native Trail. It is divided into three trails to represent three areas of Texas, the South Texas Plains, the Hill Country, and the Pineywoods of east Texas. Each features native flora from that region along with some historical buildings.

I love the idea of the family adventure garden. I’m sure kids have a blast playing here in the 15 different unstructured play areas that encourage imaginative play in nature.

Witte Museum

The Witte Museum has a little bit of everything. The Dinosaur Gallery, People of the Pecos Gallery, and the Texas Wild Gallery make up the permanent natural history exhibits. The Body Adventure is a 4 floor interactive way to learn about your body. Outdoors there is a mini open air museum with a couple of historic buildings.

I’m not much into natural science, but the Texas Heritage Center piqued my interest. After taking walking tours and visiting many museums in both Austin and San Antonio, I had a pretty solid knowledge of Texas’ history. In this exhibit I learned a lot of San Antonio focused history that I hadn’t learned anywhere else. There were some interesting stories of specific people from San Antonio and a good look at the ranching history of the state. I’m really glad I didn’t let the natural history focus of the museum sway my decision to visit.

In addition to the permanent exhibits, special exhibits cover a wide range of topics.They may require an additional admission that can be bought in person. Purchase your ticket online ahead of time or visit the museum with CityPass.

The DoSeum

If you’re planning a San Antonio weekend getaway with kids, you’ll want to visit the DoSeum. As I walked past the museum I was wishing I could go explore it with my nephews. The exhibits are designed for infants through 10 year olds, but from the look of the exhibits I know I would have fun! Use your CityPass for free admission.

BBQ Lunch

Not eating BBQ in San Antonio would be like visiting without seeing the Alamo or walking along the River Walk. There are two BBQ places conveniently located on the western and eastern sides of the park.

Augie’s Barbed Wire Smokehouse is near the zoo and the Japanese gardens. Smoke Shack BBQ is across the street from Witte Museum and about a 15 minute walk to both the DoSeum and the San Antonio Botanical Garden. They both serve all the classic BBQ meats and sides.

San Antonio Museum of Art

Another museum to consider adding to your San Antonio weekend getaway that is included on the CityPass is the San Antonio Museum of Art. You can also purchase tickets online. It’s a nice 30 minute walk along the northern River Walk from downtown. As it is only a 10 – 15 minute walk you can visit the museum before or after going to the Pearl.

Shopping and Dinner at the Pearl

These days it seems like every city has at least one historic area that was turned into a cool, modern mixed use development area with shops and places to eat. San Antonio’s version is the Pearl. It’s full of local, independent shops like Adelante Boutique, Feliz Modern Pop, and Rancho Diaz. Any bibliophiles will want to visit The Twig Bookshop. Most of the stores are open until 5pm on Sundays and 6pm the rest of the week.

For your dining pleasure you’ll have many good choices. The Food Hall at the Bottling Department has a diverse range of selections. Go with a torta, a Mexican sandwich, from Chilaquil if you can’t choose. Oh, so good! After ordering your food choose from indoor or outdoor seating.

For a sit down meal, dine at Best Quality Daughter. The Asian fusion restaurant has a great atmosphere and even better food.

There is also a farmers market every Saturday and a makers market on Sundays.

Other Things to Do in San Antonio

With only 3 days in San Antonio it’s unlikely you need more suggestions. After a week in San Antonio I still had a lot of the following places on my list. They are marked on the map and you can switch out activities or add them in as needed.

San Antonio Festivals: Check the event schedule to see if you are visiting when any parades, festivals, or special events are happening. Western Heritage weekend and the San Antonio Rodeo in February is a fun time to visit. Fiesta in April is another popular time to come to the city.
Ruby City: A free contemporary art center.
Blue Star Contemporary: Another free contemporary art museum.
Villa Finale: A historic home with tours on the historic King William St.
McNay Art Museum: A 1929 mansion that showcases European and American art.
Casa Navarro State Historic Site: The former home of José Antonio Navarro is now a museum that celebrates his life.
Spanish Governor’s Palace: Built to protect Mission San Antonio de Valero, this presidio was constructed by the Spanish in the 1700s.
Majestic Theatre: See a show at this historic theater built in 1929.
The Buckhorn Saloon & Museum: It’s two museums in one. The Buckhorn museum has a large collection of taxidermy animals and the Ranger Museum includes Texas Ranger artifacts.
SeaLife Aquarium: An aquarium with a walk through tunnel and touching pools.
Hopscotch San Antonio: An immersive art experience.

San Antonio Weekend Getaway FAQ’s

When Should I Visit San Antonio?

San Antonio is busiest around New Year’s Eve, the San Antonio Rodeo (February), and Fiesta (April). Around Christmas and NYE is a great time to see the holiday lights on the River Walk. The annual Rodeo and Fiesta are both long standing annual traditions. They are all fun times to visit, but also the most crowded and expensive.

Mid to late January, March, October, and November are good times for nice weather without as many crowds.

It’s a scorcher in San Antonio from May through September. If you don’t like the heat, stay out of Texas in the summer!

How Do I Get to San Antonio?

When visiting from out of state, fly into San Antonio International Airport. It is a 10 – 20 minute drive from downtown.

From within Texas you can take Amtrak. The San Antonio Amtrak station is just east of downtown. You can take the train from Austin in the North, Houston from the East, or El Paso from the West.

Megabus and Greyhound have bus routes to San Antonio from many cities.

How Do I Get Around San Antonio?

You’ll want to make the most out of your San Antonio weekend getaway by staying downtown near the River Walk. You’ll be within walking distance of the majority of the things to do in this San Antonio itinerary. A lighted carriage or a pedicab are fun ways to get around.

Public transportation in the US can be questionable in many cities. I actually found San Antonio’s buses to be some of the best. I could reach everywhere I wanted to go using a bus and they were usually on time. As long as you check the bus times, the ride time isn’t much longer than the drive time. At the current price of $1.30 a ride or $2.75 for a day pass, it’s definitely worth it to save on Uber or Lyft fares.

Ubers and Lyfts are readily available. You can also rent a car, but I would avoid doing this if you stay downtown. Daily parking adds up quickly.

There is also the Go Rio Shuttle that goes around the downtown RiverWalk and up to the San Antonio Museum of Art. There are 1 day and 3 day passes.

Where Do I Stay in San Antonio?

You’ll definitely want to stay downtown near the River Walk if you don’t have a car. While the hotels are more expensive, you’ll save time and/or money not having to bus or taxi as much. The River Walk is San Antonio’s biggest claim to fame, so even with a car it is the place to stay.

Towneplace Suites Downtown

I stayed at Towneplace Suites, only a couple blocks off the River Walk. It is a little cheaper than staying directly on the river, but still very close. E Houston Street to the west of the hotel had a few homeless people at night, but it still felt safe to walk alone in the evening. There are always a lot of tourists out and about.

It can be loud with live music at night. I asked for an upper room on the quiet side (along Broadway) and the noises were pretty faint from the 6th floor.

If you’re only spending 3 days in San Antonio, you probably won’t need all the amenities, but like all Towneplace suites, rooms come with a full kitchen, desk, and a couch. The service was excellent and they went above and beyond to accommodate my requests.

Other Places to Stay

La Hacienda Inn: Located about a 20 minute walk to the eastern side of the River Walk, this is a good budget option.
Fairfield Inn & Suites Downtown/Market Square: This is another good hotel with lower rates, but only a 15 minute walk to the southwest side of downtown. It’s very close to a HEB grocery store.
The Crockett Hotel: This 3 star hotel is located in the heart of downtown, but has cheaper prices than other hotels in the area.
Menger Hotel: If the rumors that this hotel is haunted don’t scare you, stay at this historic German hotel next to the Alamo.
The Mokara Hotel: With a prime location directly on the River Walk, the 4 star hotel is the perfect place for a luxury stay.

I hope you’re even more excited for your San Antonio weekend getaway now! If this San Antonio itinerary helped you prepare for your trip please consider supporting me by Buying Me a Coffee.

An Incredible 3 Day San Antonio Weekend Getaway

3 Day San Antonio Weekend Getaway

San Antonio CityPass

Buy the ***San Antonio* *CityPass*** today!