San Antonio with the Kids

When we were recently planning our family trip to Texas, I immediately knew that I wanted to start in San Antonio. I had heard great things about the city and thought it would be the perfect place to start our tour of The Lone Star State.

I can tell you that when we told people we were heading to Texas, we got a lot of questioning, particularly about how we were going to be traveling at the hottest time of the year. August in Texas is indeed as hot as they say, but given the right amount of planning and an itinerary that includes air conditioning, swimming and good Tex Mex, kids should be able to handle it.

I didn’t mind the weather talk – I knew I ‘d love San Antonio, and I did. It was a great entry point for my family. For one thing, it’s an easy city to get around. For another, there is plenty do with kids from history at the Alamo and its many missions to culture and history at its many museums and attractions. There are also amusement and water slide parks (including one of the biggest in America). The city’s River Walk, which is entirely below street level, is a sight to behold, and makes San Antonio one of America’s magical, unique cities.

Before you book your trip, be sure to download an app called SAVE (stands for the San Antonio Vacation Experience) to get coupons and discounts on tickets to attractions, restaurants, tours, shops and at least 15% off your hotel stay. I found it extremely useful.

Here’s the low-down on where to stay, what to do, where to eat and how to get the most of your trip to San Antonio – with the kids in tow.

Where to Stay

The Hotel Contessa is perfectly situated on the banks of the River Walk. It’s also the only luxurious, all suites hotel in the city. Every room was built to cater to families who want comfort and space and they also offer modern decor, soft bedding, relaxing sofas, oversized bathrooms and a large living room with a sofa bed offering additional privacy, always a blessing when traveling with kids. The hotel’s vibe is sophisticated and welcoming with staff pulling out all the punches to make us feel right at home – from the concierge, who was full of helpful ideas on where to go (and where not to go) for dinner to the bartender, who we managed to spend time with while the kids were resting in the room. Best of all, the rooftop pool offers a hot tub and beautiful view of the city. We all witnessed our first set of Texan bats over our head while going for a swim and cooling off from our adventures. Breakfast in the hotel is either by buffet or menu in the lower level restaurant facing the River Walk, and my son indulged in chocolate chip pancakes while we munched on Mexican omelets and drank cups of hot java. It was also really easy to hop onto the River Walk, grab a shaved ice or take a cab to the market for authentic Tex Mex from the hotel. Valet parking made it really easy for us to get in and out. The hotel is located at 306 W. Market Street  or call 1-866-435-0900 for reservations.

Eilan Hotel & Spa is located just outside the city center in the Texas Hill County and was a slice of heaven for all of us after a long day out at Schlitterbahn. Part of the Marriott collection, this boutique hotel offers comfort expected by the chain and also better rates for rooms than you would find in the city center, and it’s so worth the visit. The hotel’s architecture was inspired by the Mediterranean and is completely exquisite with pillars, marble tiling, an elegant Romanesque terrace and a winding staircase. There is a beautiful outdoor pool to use after a busy day of sightseeing and a path that goes around the hotel to take an evening stroll. Our room was air-conditioned and spacious, with two Queen-sized beds with lush linens, a desk, a coffee maker, Wifi access and a flat-screen TV. The look and feel is sophistication with an international flair. The hotel is located at 18603 La Cantera Parkway or call 855-739-4118 for reservations.

For dinner, we ate at Sustenio restaurant & bar, which was simply sublime. A farm to table restaurant, we indulged in ceviche, deviled eggs, flatbreads, southern brisket, honey fried chicken and seared salmon. It was quintessential Texan cuisine, created by Chef Stephan Pyles. We drank delicious wine and tried various appetizers and desserts – including the butterscotch pudding with salted caramel was perfection. My son, who was not a Tex Mex fan before the meal, converted after having the Tortilla Soup. It was a real culinary experience.

What to Do

We were only in San Antonio for a few days but due to the compactness of the city center, research and guidance from Visit San Antonio, the local CVB, we managed to do what we wanted to do. Here is a list of our top picks:

The River Walk

The River Walk is nearly 15 miles of winding passages along the river that can be viewed by a stroll or boat ride and is a must do. It’s literally the largest urban ecosystem restoration in the nation and it’s quite a spectacle and a welcome to any stroll (or stroller, for that matter)-loving family. Most hotels have passages that join up with the River Walk or offer steps that take you down, as ours did at The Hotel Contessa. The downtown portion is full of restaurants with outdoor patios, lovely bridges, fountains, artwork, lily pads and well-kept foliage. We passed by a Mariachi band singing and dancing in the evening and joined in and watched.

A good way to get orientated to both the city and the River walk is by boat, and on our first night we jumped on the Rio San Antonio Cruises. The line was long but the wait (30-40 minutes) was worth it, as it offered interesting background and provided a historical context to the area. The kids were as amused and entertained as we were, giving us views of both sides of the River Walk. The cruises run all day and tickets are quite affordable, particularly for young kids.

Sight Seeing

We took a ride around town on Alamo Trolley, a hop on/hop off tour, starting at the Alamo, and going past sites including Mission San Jose’, Mission Concepcion, Market Square and the Institute of Texan Cultures. The option of jumping off allowed for flexibility and the chance to manage our self-guided tour, making stops in La Villita, a restored art district, and St. Paul Square Historic District, where we witnessed restored, historic buildings centered around the 1902 Southern Pacific Railroad Depot and had lunch at the Guenther House’s restaurant, Pioneer Flour Mills, offering yummy American & Tex Mex fare.

You can’t visit San Antonio without a trip to the Alamo, but as locals confided in me, it doesn’t take long to walk around this small monument, which was true. Founded in 1718 as the very first mission in San Antonio, it’s also the site where the Texans fought against Santa Ana’s army in 1836. Today it’s a shrine to the men who died defending it, the most famous being recognized as Jimmy Crockett (I was glad to recognize a familiar name from my childhood education). There’s a wall of history we read from start to finish which also gave us a better idea about Texan history. Before visiting the Alamo, to keep your kids interested, visit the adjacent AMC Rivercenter 11 with Alamo IMAX and catch “Alamo…The Price of Freedom.” My kids probably appreciated the movie more than the actual landmark but I was happy they got a dose of history.

Fun/Amusements

I managed our time in San Antonio wisely, giving the kids time to explore Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, Guinness World Records Museum and Tomb 3D Adventure Ride and Arcade. At Ripley’s Believe it Or Not, they wandered around the Odditorium’s 500 exhibits and rode their 4D adventure. My son particularly enjoyed Guinness, which brought his favorite books to life. We joined them in the Haunted Adventure, which was pretty horrifying.

We also paid a visit to The Witte Museum, San Antonio’s science and natural history museum. Locals told us it would give us a sense of the story of South Texas with its thousands of rare artifacts and demonstrations, and it did. There are interactive, hands-on activities, an outdoor area and climbing rock wall.

For exercise, we headed to Schlitterbahn, a water park 45 minutes outside the city center. Again, we were advised by locals to make the trip to one of the nation’s biggest water parks, featuring 4 miles of slides, chutes, water coasters, water playgrounds, pools, lazy rivers and more. The only drawback? The lines were crazy, as school hadn’t started yet in Texas.

Where Else to Eat

Mi Tierra, located in the very busy Market Square, must mainly cater to tourists (though we were referred by two locals), with its massively sized restaurant, Christmas lights as decor, a big bakery and Mexican singers gracing the room. The lines are long – we had to wait 45 minutes but enjoyed hanging at the bar drinking margaritas and shirley temples. We ordered big plates of chips and queso, salsa, enchiladas, tacos, beans and rice. After dinner, we walked around the market and looked at knick-knacks and other kitsch, touristy items.

Zushi Sushi was my son’s choice, as he desperately needed a change of scenery after consuming what he considered a lot of Mexican food. We negotiated by having sushi one night, a food we all love, and spent an evening devouring eel, spicy tuna rolls, avocado, and other Japanese delicacies.

See above: The Contessa Hotel, Guenther House and Sustenio

Time to Myself

I was invited to the Mokara Spa during my stay in San Antonio, so I nipped away from the family for a morning. It was just a 10-minute walk from The Contessa, where I had stayed the night before. I was treated to a complimentary Aromatherapy Massage, which was heaven on earth. The therapist used oil blends, which we chose together, and she explained how she would be applying pressures to stimulate my nervous system. Having recently had an accident where I damaged some of my muscles, I wondered if the treatment would decrease some of my muscular tension. The unique full body massage experience, drawn from a fusion of eastern and western techniques, enabled my therapist to focus on body, mind and spirit and I have truly felt better ever since.

The Mokara Spa has received kudos from Travel & Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, and it’s easy to see why.  They offer a complete menu of treatments and services guaranteed to restore the body and mind.  Other services include massage therapy, body treatments, facials, manicures, pedicures and hair care services. They also have sanctuary lounges where I sat with a warm compress over my eyes, under a wool blanket and hot tubs, a steam room and sauna where I veg’d out. The spa is located at 212 West Crockett Street. You must book an appointment today to have your own lavish, fulfilling Mokara experience, by calling 210-396-5840 or 800-830-1500. 

Overall, San Antonio was quite memorable. If you’re planning to visit, you only need a few days, but make the most of them, just like we did.

Disclosure: Some of the items mentioned in this post were complimentary, such as the two hotel visits, the spa treatment, the meal at Sustenio, our visit to many of the attractions in San Antonio including Schlitterbahn.