San Antonio Favorite Tips by ATXtraveler Top 5 Page for this destination

Mission Gun Turrets

Favorite thing: One of the things that is interesting to me about the San Antonio Missions, is that these locations were more than just missions. These were communities that were built in hostile lands at the time, with many different people fighting over the land and the mission itself. Between the actual Spanish missionaries, Native Americans that were remaining native as well as those who had been converted, Mexicans moving north, and Americans moving south, there were always people fighting over these missions.

The interesting part about these gun positions to me were how small the holes were. It seems like there would be just enough room to stick a rifle out the slot, but then there would be not much room to see what you were shooting at. I guess the main point of these positions were to maintain an amount of safety from people shooting inward, so I assume this was a good give and take.

If you are interested in looking at these up close, the best place is in Mission San Jose.

National Park Rangers

Favorite thing: During your trip to San Antonio, you will likely stop in and see one or more of the missions. The missions carry on a unique combination of church and state, as the grounds are primarily owned and maintained by the National Park Service, while the actual cathedral and services are still privately run by the Catholic church and the parishes of San Antonio. It is one of the most clear cut examples of how church and state can co-exist in harmony even though they are separate entities. In particular, you will get excellent information and guidance if you take advantage of the National Park Service’s Rangers. They were highly knowledgeable and passionate about educating you on the topic of the San Antonio Missions, and best of all, it is a free service!

Spanish Cross of Burgundy

Favorite thing: As mentioned before there have been six flags that have flown over Texas for the history of its existence, and one of the first was the Spanish Cross of Burgundy. This flag represented Spain’s colonial empire in the Americas, which was in rule from 1520 to 1785 in Texas. This cross is known as a Saltire, or two crossed branches with their limbs cut off. This design became known as the Cross of Burgundy and was a symbol of Philip I who is the father of Charles I, the King of Spain in 1516. This cross could be found throughout the Spanish Military in both the land and sea.

Riverwalk Murals

Favorite thing: One of the beautiful things about San Antonio’s Riverwalk area are the various murals that can be found on a lot of the trails. A lot of time and effort has clearly gone into these beautiful artistic representations of the city, and the historical events of this town are recorded here. In this particular mural, you can see the six flags over Texas, the modern look of the city, its history with the Alamo and other missions, and of course the Riverwalk itself which binds most of these elements together.

The Alamo Statue

Favorite thing: “In Memory of the Heroes who sacrificed their lives at the Alamo. March 6, 1836, in the defense of Texas. They chose never to surrender nor retreat, these brave hearts with flag still proudly waving, perished in the flames of immortality that their high sacrifice might lead to the founding of This Texas.”

True Patriots in every sense of the word, the people who gave their lives at the Alamo are beautifully remembered outside the Alamo grounds with a wonderful statue presented 100 years after the battle that founded Texas occurred. The statue contains the names of each person who died in the battle, 189 in all. Some of the well known figures are also immortalized in full body portraits surrounding the statue. I definitely recommend spending 10-15 minutes reading every name, and you will get an appreciation of just how important these 189 men were to the state.

La Villita Amphitheatre

Favorite thing: The Shops at La Villita are a major attraction for the shoppers in the group, however if you are like me and can take it or leave it going through tens of little shops selling similar souvenirs, then I would recommend walking to the river side of the shops, and enjoying some music in the open air amphitheatre. There always seems to be something playing here, and when we went there was some sort of band orchestra competition, which meant we were able to hear a great number of songs for free! The steps are made of concrete and double for seats, so if your rear is not as well padded as mine is, it would be in your best interest to bring a cushion or folding chair.

Riverwalk Entrance

Favorite thing: The Riverwalk is an integral part of downtown San Antonio, with many entry and access points. Although it is actually a large square pattern for the most part, you will likely find yourself crossing backward and forward from the north side to the south side or the west side to the east side of the river. Every once in a while I found myself walking up the stairs at a given point to get my bearings and see which portion of the Riverwalk I was currently at. Also, if you are not entering the Riverwalk from one of the main parking structures like the mall or one of the hotels located on the walk, you will want to look for these type of signs to point you where to walk down to get to the river.