Some Ideas for Your Visit to San Antonio
Bob Jensen at Trinity University
I maintain a page of links for San Antonio at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/sanantonio.htm
This includes many facts about our city and region that may really impress you.
Trinity University has a jogging trail which I never go near (sigh). And spring is long gone in Texas (sigh again).
But in March and early April, the Texas wild flowers are spectacular. Although it has nothing to do with accounting, I thought some of you might like to see some Texas wild flowers on our campus. These photographs were taken by Mike Schweitzer (who works in the physical plant) --- http://www.trinity.edu/departments/physical_plant/Wildflowers/Wildflowers2003.htm
In the ranches and roadways of Texas, there are enormous fields of wild flowers. Preserving these was Lady Bird Johnson's passion in life. The Johnson Ranch between Johnson City and Fredericksburg may be of interest to some visitors to Texas. It is a national park that features bus tours through the park --- http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/lbj/lbj.htm
Also see http://www.k5kj.net/texas.htm
For those American Accounting Association members attending the August 2002 annual meetings in San Antonio, I thought I might mention a few things. In my time, I've witnessed two professional football teams come and go, two professional hockey teams come and go, and an explosion of country clubs and housing developments. The only major professional team remaining is the great Spurs NBA basketball team that will be moving from the Alamodome into a new Sports Arena next season. There is a minor league baseball team (the San Antonio Missions) that plays in a nice new stadium.
Take a look at the Calendar of Events at http://www.mysanantonio.com/
The historic Alamo (the cradle of Texas liberty even though the Texans lost the battle and won the war) is a must see for history buffs, but I think it is a bit overhyped for tourists. There are also various underhyped missions around San Antonio; the most beautiful is Mission San Jose with its rose window. Close by the Alamo is the historic Menger Hotel where Teddy Roosevelt held court with the Rough Riders. There is the Teddy Roosevelt Bar modeled after the House of Lords Pub. The Menger dining room has a wonderful Sunday brunch. The historic Buckhorn Saloon is a short walk from the Marriott hotels. Perhaps there are some good shows or concerts scheduled for our beautiful Majestic Theatre.
Also close by is the Tower of America’s, built in 1968 for Hemisfair which has an observation deck to see the panoramic view of San Antonio along with a restaurant at the top which revolves 360 degrees. The meals in the revolving tower are moderate in price and quality. Close by is the Rivercenter Mall with a food court and also some sit-down restaurants to choose from. There is also an IMAX theatre and a Comedy Club. Walking down from the Mall is our most famous tourist attraction --- the Riverwalk of San Antonio. You will find places to eat, from Casa Rio Mexican Restaurant, the Presidio (472-2265) on the river, Little Rhein Steakhouse (atmosphere is great, but in August it will be too hot outdoors), Morton’s Steakhouse (expensive), and the very popular Boudros on the Riverwalk (224-8484). My favorite place to take guests for a fun time is the sing-along Irish pub called Dirty Nelly’s (on the river) under the Hilton Hotel. If you like jazz, The Landing (near the Hyatt Hotel) will be for you. The Landing has live music most nights with excellent musicians. There are also other night clubs along the Riverwalk like Howl at the Moon (very, very popular) and Planet Hollywood. If you stroll down the river you will find many other places to eat and drink. You can also take a boat ride that will give you some history of the area (this is really a fun thing to do).
The Hemisfair Plaza is a great place to walk and jog, and there are some arts and crafts shops. The Texas Institute of Cultures is next door.
Close on the other side of the freeway is Sunset Station, a restored train depot that has clubs and restaurants, including a Ruth Chris Steakhouse. Sunset Station is very close to the Alamodome, but it is unlikely that there will be any events of interest scheduled in the dome during the AAA annual meetings. There is a trolley ride from the Rivercenter Mall to and from the Dome. The Marriott Rivercenter headquarters hotel is connected to this Mall.
The many hotels within walking distance of the Riverwalk all have restaurants with what you expect in a major hotel. The Fairmount Hotel is small and historic hotel with an expensive restaurant. This hotel’s amazing when you look at it while knowing that it is the largest intact building ever moved (and moved across a bridge no less). Within a short distance from downtown (but too far to walk from the hotels), I highly recommend lunch at the Guenther House Restaurant in the Pioneer Flour Mill (210-227-1061). I think it is only open for lunch.
If you want to take a short drive, or to take a trolley-car ride, there is a Mexican-style market on Houston Street. It features Mi Tierra’s Café and Bakery (210-225-1562). You can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner there. In the evening the Mi Tierra has strolling Mariachi singers to entertain each table. Mi Tierra sits in a Mexican Market that is much like you will find in Mexico itself.
The neat part about the trolley ride is that on the way back it will take you through the historic King William District with its restored Victorian houses. I am not so crazy about the food at Mi Terra's, but there is a lot of fun and laughter and atmosphere that you would expect from a Mexican-style restaurant in San Antonio.
Additional TexMex restaurants closer to the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel include the following:
Boudro's On The Riverwalk (210-224-8484) --- More upscale and almost five stars
Casa Rio 430 E. Commerce St. (210-225-6718)
Las Canarias ((210- 518-1000) --- More upscale and almost five stars
Mexican Manhattan, 110 Soledad (210-223-3913)
The best food for the money is at Cappy’s on Broadway (828-9669)—try the Mint Juleps. But this is not within walking distance and does not offer much in the way of surrounding atmosphere. Much further out there is a restored mansion/restaurant called The Lodge in Castle Hills (349-8466). Tom's Ribs is my favorite for Texas-style BBQ, but there is also a County Line BBQ (229-1941) much closer (within walking distance) from the Marriott Hotels. And of course there are many, many other restaurants. Keep in mind, however, that San Antonio is not really a five-star restaurant city. San Antonio is a military town (multiple army and air force bases) and does not have the big oil and ranching spenders like you find in Houston and Dallas. We're poor folk down here, but we salute a lot.
The best Sea World in the U.S. is here in San Antonio. You can spend more than one day there, especially if the kids are along. There is also Fiesta Texas, which I think would be more fun at night. There are some tremendously expensive golf courses and many reasonable municipal courses as well. But in August, I think it’s too hot to golf except maybe early, early in the morning. The really expensive and luxurious course is part of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort near Sea World. They also have some good places to eat and drink there, and with their very own water park.
For those of you that would like to kick up their heels, there is the Far West Rodeo (with live bull and mechanical bull riding) with big-name bands on the weekend. It is about a $15 cab ride from the Marriott Hotels. Further out, northwest of San Antonio is Helotes, home of Floore’s Country Store where Willie Nelson and Ray Price got their start. Sit outside on the large patio and listen to some good music and eat some good bar-b-que. Out in Leon Springs is an area of restaurants and clubs, along with the Leon Springs Dance Hall.
For shopping, the Rivercenter Mall is attached to the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel is a good place, but the serious place to shop would be the biggest mall in San Antonio called North Star Mall (about a $12 cab ride from downtown). Look for the pair of giant cowboy boots outside the mall. It has the major department stores and hundreds (or so it seems) of smaller shops.
If you have the time and a rent car, a must see would be a drive up into the Hill Country. Fredericksburg, Texas (less than two hours away) is a great town for shopping small shops and for eating some really good German Food. Also close by northwest of San Antonio is Castroville, Texas, an Alsace community filled with antique stores and historic homes. The most visited site in Texas is the enormous outlet mall in San Marcos (about 75 miles north) on some of the most nerve-racking freeway construction in the U.S. If you drive that way, take time to stop in an old German town called Gruen north of New Braunfels. You might want to visit the Fredericksburg Butterfly Ranch & Habitat (see http://www.livebutterfly.com/ )
Whatever you see and whatever you do, I think that you will really enjoy our Texas hospitality and our truly enriched mixture of Hispanic, Cowboy, Army, and Air Force cultures. The main military bases include Ft. Sam Houston (an Army Medical Command Center that specializes in various treatments, especially for burns), Lackland AFB (all Air Force inductees go through basic training at Lackland), and Randolph AFB (a fighter pilot training base). There are also smaller military bases (like Brooks AFB) and Camp Bullis. Our largest base called Kelly was an enormous airplane maintenance base plus a military intelligence center. I think the Air Force still runs the intelligence center, but the maintenance facilities have been privatized (Boeing moved in big to take advantage of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the Air Force to build Kelly's facilities).
For persons in and around the San Antonio area, there may be some interest in the Lost Maples State Park Home Page at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/lostmap/index.htm
Maps --- Type
"Maps" into Google --- http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en
Maps and Driving Instructions --- http://www.mapquest.com/
International Maps from MapBlast! --- http://mapblast.com
Hope this helps!
I maintain a page of links for San Antonio at http://www.trinity.edu/rjensen/sanantonio.htm
This includes many facts about our city and region that may really impress you.
You may also want to take a look at the Tourist Guide at http://www.sanantonioinsider.com/
I thought you might like these WOAI chat room one liners forwarded by Debbie Bowling. Some of these do not make any sense to me, but I've lived here for a mere 20 years
YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN IN SAN ANTONIO TOO LONG IF...
...you know exactly how to get to the "Ghost Tracks" from anywhere in town.
...you think "pro-choice" means flour or corn tortillas.
...you've never been to the Alamo.
...you think a health drink is a Margarita without salt.
...you think being able to read the Taco Cabana menu makes you bilingual.
...you used to live in a neighborhood you wouldn't even drive through now.
...there has been a road crew on your street since before the Alamodome was built.
...Playland park...enough said
...you remember when KTSA was the #1 station in town.
...you know Dan Cook coined the phrase "it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings".
...your idea of culture is wearing a Spurs T-shirt.
...you think the last supper was at Mi Tierra restaurant.
...you do your shopping at the Flea Market.
...you have 3 Rodeo outfits but have never been on a horse.
...you see "Selena Lives" bumper stickers all over town.
...your subwoofer has twice the value of your car.
...you remember the Captain Gus show.
...your White mother learned how to make Tamales & Menudo from your neighbors.
...you know the "real" definition of FIESTA is "stay home if at all possible".
...you have ordered Mexican food at a Chinese restaurant.
...you ever went to get breakfast tacos at Taco Cabana on Christmas morning.
...you remember the Joske's Christmas display.
...you remember Joske's.
...you know that Wheatley and Brackenridge is the same school.
...you know who plays in the Chili Bowl, Gucc. Bowl, and Frontier Bowl.
...you remember TG&Y, Woolworth, & Woolco.
...you remember when JC Penney's had a restaurant.
...you learned to drive at Espada Park.
...you ever went swimming at Espada Park.
...you ever had an Elephant ride at the zoo.
...you remember hamburgers from Whopper Burger.
...you know all about the "Dancing Diablo" and the "Donkey Lady".
...you've been to Midget Mansion.
...you remember the Gunslingers.
...you remember the parade sniper.
...you know that the Alamo is one of the 5 missions in town.
...you've been to the Aqueducts.
...you're elementary field trip was to the Butter Crust Bakery.
...you're senior trips were to either Astroworld or Six Flags.
...you know that 1604 is also known as the "death loop".
....you ever wondered why there isn't an interchange at I-37 North & 410.
...you remember when Ingram mall wasn't even there.
....you remember it was cool to go to Alladin's Castle in Windsor Park Mall.
....you remember there was no Best Buy, Rolling Oaks and Rivercenter Mall. and Retama.
....you remember the Quarry was just that...A Quarry.
....you remember there was only Santiko's theaters.
....you remember the Hockey Team wasn't the Iguanas', but the Dragons.
....you remember the Water Park (A couple of slides on a hill) across the highway from Splashtown.
....you remember Street parties during Fiesta.
....you remember only being able to afford Ol' Milwuakee Quarts on pay day.
....you remember when St Mary's street was hoppin' rather than knifin'.
....you remember Pistol Petes Pizza, the Par 3 off of O'conner and IH-35, and O'conner ending at Friesenhan Park.
....you remember Beer Balls, Raybans, and styrofoam coozies.
....your remember Nickle Night at Jus' County ..Playland Park...yeah it was said before, but wasn't it fun?
...you remember when loop 410 was the outskirts of town...