San Antonio, Texas… A city with an incredibly deep history rooted in hispanic culture that can be found throughout the city in its food, architecture, traditions, and more. It’s currently the 2nd most populated city in the state of Texas and is home to iconic sites like The Alamo, the famous San Antonio River Walk, and the largest Mexican Market outside of Mexico. With so much history and culture, it’s easy to see why San Antonio is the most visited city in the state. We had the pleasure of spending one day exploring San Antonio, and truly enjoyed our time. Obviously, we couldn’t do it all in our short visit, but we did put together this itinerary for our fellow time-crunched travelers… Or if you want a little more relaxed visit, you could spread this out over a weekend.
*Be sure to check out our “One Day in San Antonio” travel vlog for a closer look at our visit!
Now, let’s get to it…
9:00am: Coffee/ Breakfast
Mi Tierra Cafe & Bakery (where we went - 218 Produce Row)
Mi Tierra Cafe has been a San Antonio institution since its opening in 1941. You can choose to eat at their Tex-Mex restaurant for an authentic Mexican breakfast, or browse their famous Mexican bakery case filled with traditional pastries and delicious candies. We knew we were in the right spot when there were no English translations on the bakery case and the sweet girl behind the counter spoke very little English.
Shotgun House Coffee Roasters (1333 Buena Vista St)
Brown Coffee Co (812 S Alamo St)
Commonwealth Coffeehouse & Bakery (611 Hemisfair Blvd)
Original Donut Shop (3307 Fredericksburg Rd)
10:00am: Explore the Historic Market Square (514 W Commerce St)
This 3-block, outdoor plaza is lined with more than 100 shops and restaurants making it the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico! If you want a real taste of San Antonio culture… This is where you come! Take some time to just wander in and out of the shops and stalls taking in the smells, sights, and sounds of this San Antonio staple.
12:30pm: Lunch
Pollos Asados Los Norteños (where we went - 4642 Rigsby Ave)
What started as a food truck on Rigsby Avenue back in 2006 has now turned into a full blown San Antonio institution… Or should I say addiction! You can get whatever you want, as long as you get the chicken… And some green sauce!
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery (136 E Grayson St Suite 120)
Smoke Shack BBQ (3714 Broadway)
Food Hall at Bottling Department (312 Pearl Pkwy Building 6)
2:00pm: Tour The Alamo (300 Alamo Plaza)
No trip to San Antonio would be complete without a visit to The Alamo! Tours are free but reservations are required, and we highly recommend adding the audio tour to your reservation ($9). They also offer guided tours for $40.
4:15pm: Explore the famous San Antonio River Walk
As the #1 attraction in Texas, the River Walk is full of dining, shopping, and cultural experiences making it well worth a visit! You can also opt to take a cruise along the river for $13.50/adult. It’s a 35-minute narrated cruise where you’ll learn about San Antonio’s rich history as you take in the sights from the water. We totally recommend this option!
6:30pm: Dinner
Chart House/Bar 601 (where we went - 739 E César E. Chávez Blvd)
Pro-Tip: If you want the expensive view without the price tag, Bar 601 offers an excellent happy hour menu (food & drinks) Mon-Fri 4:30 pm-7 pm which also happened to be perfect for sunset viewing during our visit! (check sunset times for your visit)
Cappy's Restaurant (5011 Broadway)
Boudro's Texas Bistro (on the River Walk - 421 E Commerce St)
We hope that this itinerary helps you plan your visit and make the most of your time in San Antonio! If you did find it helpful, please consider heading over to our YouTube Channel and subscribing for more travel content and following us on Instagram. It would mean the world to us!