The Alamo City welcomes visitors. Whether you are on a romantic trip for two or a family vacation, historic San Antonio is a gracious host. The mix of Spanish, Native American, Mexican and German cultures has woven a colorful culture.

The Riverwalk (Paseo del Rio) is the Venice of Texas and shines especially bright during the festive holiday season. The San Antonio River flows through downtown, bordered by sidewalk cafes and shops that beg you to linger. Lush green foliage, towering cypresses, oaks and willows shade its paths. Numerous hotels are located along the Riverwalk and a dozen attractions are within walking distance.

Take the kids on the Yanaguana Cruise, a slow boat ride on the two-mile river. Browse the shops at the Rivercenter Mall located on the Riverwalk. Don’t miss the IMAX Theater showing “Alamo–The Price of Freedom,” a 45-minute docudrama about the 13-day siege and fall of the Alamo. Attendees receive complimentary tickets to the Texas Adventure-Special Effects Theater. From the mall, it is just a few short blocks to the Alamo, where 189 defenders fell on March 6, 1836, after repeated attacks by Mexican General Santa Anna’s army.

Tour the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum. The 1881 bar is showcased in the restaurant. Actors in period pieces will direct you to the self-guided tour of the Texas artifacts and more than 500 wildlife species on display. Don’t miss the horned jackrabbit. Kid-pleasing attractions include the Plaza Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Both are open until nine in the evening.

As you stroll back to your hotel, take a moment to admire the architecture. San Antonio’s “skyscrapers” boast art deco details. The Alamo at night is a stunning sight. It is no wonder that the chapel is one of the most photographed facades in the nation.

On Saturday morning, visit El Mercado (Market Square). Little girls dressed in pig tails and colorful peasant blouses with matching skirts skip amongst the vendors’ stands. Later, they will be dancing for the crowds of tourists and locals who are shopping and dining. Every weekend features local entertainers. Musicians play in the open air courtyard. The smell of tacos fills the air.

Line up with the other patrons at Mi Tierra Café and Bakery. Some are there to buy baked goods and others to eat in the Mexican restaurant that is open 24 hours. Christmas lights cover the ceiling year-round and mariachis glide from table to table strumming guitars and singing.

El Mercado is the largest indoor Mexican market outside of Mexico. Shop for souvenirs at the booths and stores inside the Farmers Market Plaza where traditional Mexican merchandise such as blankets, pottery, and piñatas are sold.

A few blocks away is La Villita (little town), the original settlement of Old San Antonio. Today, artists and craftsmen display their wares in an architectural mix of homes built in the early 1800s and later.
San Antonio is a city to be savored.

Copyright 2003, M&L Publishing, all rights reserved.