My San Antonio
HEB
Various Locations
H.E.B is a regional chain of grocery stores that has exactly what you're looking for -- literally. H.E.B. tries to tailor their products to suit the needs of a given neighborhood. It is really neat as you shop around various stores and various aisles and the various products that fit that community. Grocery shopping on Saturdays is the best day because they load you up with all kinds of free samples throughout the store. The prices are good and the variety is great. Many of their store sell gasoline at a great price. I would suggest that you get some of their fresh seafood. They have been upgrading quite a few of their stores to look a lot like their Central Markets, a higher, much higher, end store.
Taco Cabana
Various Locations
It all started with a taco stand in 1978 and now this is by far one of the best food-to-go Tex-Mex restaurant chains of (in)
The Mexican
(210) 223-3913
For more than 50 years, the Karam family-owned Mexican Manhattan Restaurant has been the place for
Chris Madrid’s
(210) 735-3552
A locally owned family business, Chris Madrid's is perfect for a family outing on a Saturday afternoon. The specialty of the house is the made-to-order tostada hamburger with homemade refried beans, chips, onions, and creamy cheddar cheese on a delicious beef patty then they top it with homemade salsa for a delicious treat.
GET BAR-B-Q TO GO
Bill Miller Bar-B-Q
Various Locations
For nearly 60 years, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q has been
ENJOY A BIG BREAKFAST
The Magnolia Pancake Haus
606 Embassy Oak, Suite 100 (between West Avenue and Highway 281-S, south of the Bitters Road-West Avenue intersection)
(210) 496-0828
The Magnolia Pancake Haus has prided itself on offering the best breakfast experience seven days a week.
Jim’s Restaurant
Various Locations
In business for over 60 years, Jim's Restaurant (or Jim's) is a family friendly coffee shop chain that caters to power lunches, late night bull sessions and cram sessions during final exam weeks.
DO LUNCH WITH THE LOCALS
Bunsen Burgers
210-590-6066
A rarity: A themed restaurant that isn't tacky and possesses personality. Operated by a group of movie enthusiasts who also know how to cook and run a business, Bunsen Burgers is a 1950s sci-fi burger joint. With items like the Manhattan Project (chili cheeseburger), the Mushroom Cloud (mushroom burger), Atomic Fries (chili cheese fries) and Milky Way shakes, Bunsen Burgers is quickly becoming San Antonio's best kept secret for lunch or dinner.
EAT ASIAN FOOD
Il Song Garden
6905 Blanco Road
This family-owned Korean restaurant has relied on old-fashioned word-of-mouth to maintain its steady business.
Many of you know that Thai food is right at the top of my food chain. I could eat it everyday, if I had the chance. This is a nondescript establishment that happens to serve some of the best Thai food in the city. From soups (Thai chicken and rice) and spring rolls to basil eggplant and tofu to the catch of the day (basil fish, ginger fish), Thai Pikul is a welcome alternative to the typical buffet-style Asian restaurants.
ENTERTAIN THE KIDS
San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium
3903 N. Saint Mary's St.
Opened in 1914 (thanks to the generosity of leading citizen Col.
The Mission Trail and the
There are bike trails and nature walks that connect the unique missions to downtown and make up
This is a great place to get out and stroll through the heart of the city and get away from the noise above. The restaurants, photo spots, the hotels and all the fun this place offers is a must experience more than once because you will catch yourself saying, “When did they change that?” Something new to see each time you visit. See my review.
You can walk or stroll through the artisan shops that surround La Villita, which means "little village," a historic neighborhood on the south bank of the
www.
Various locations throughout the city. I took some pictures of this branch. Wow, the colors, the architecture, the everything. Just walking around the outside is worth the price of admission, which is free.
Farmers Market at
514 W Commerce St
(210) 207-8600
The Farmers Market at historic Market Square in downtown San Antonio always has live music from mariachis to conjunto bands on weekends. You will find fresh fruits and vegetables and specializes in Southwestern and Mexican foods. There are even some arts and crafts to buy.
This is a free monthly event that my friends said used to be the area's best-kept secret, but after several stories in the local paper, the crowds can be quite large checking out the work of local artists in galleries and restaurants that line Alamo Street.
MEET NEW PEOPLE
Blue Star Arts Complex and Blue Star Brewery
1414
This is one place that takes part in the First Friday Art Walk. The Blue Star Brewing Co likes to showcase a
Club Cohiba
1015 Navarro (in the basement of the Havana Riverwalk Inn)
Club Cohiba is a bar and grill with a Latin flavor that attracts a mix of singles, couples and young professionals looking for a place to meet up and/or hang out.
Sam’s Burger Joint
330 E. Grayson
www.samsburgerjoint.com
The city's swing dancing society shows up every week for their events. The music and food are great, and this is a place where you are free to get up and cut a rug. Who would have thought you could have so much fun at a burger joint. Check out their extensive calendar of events on their web page as well as photos from past shows.
BE ACTIVE OR HAVE A PICNIC
Brackenridge Park
3700 N. Saint Mary's St.
Adjacent to the San Antonio Zoo, Brackenridge Park is probably the most popular and most visited park in all of S.A. They say it is spread over 340 acres,
TAKE FIDO
The dog park here offers plenty of room for your pets to roam. All the trails are well the cities dog lovers unite annually for the Pooch Parade in
ENJOY GREAT CITY VIEWS
There's always the panoramic views from the Tower of the
Only pedestrians are welcome, meaning no bikes, inline skates, etc. But there's plenty of hiking trails and an observation deck that show off the city skyline.
4301 Broadway
The best-kept secret for beautiful views of the
The
They have seating along the river or you can eat inside. We chose the sidewalk. You will have to wait a bit if you want toe at outside because every tourist and their family wants to as well. They will take your name and your ID when they give you a little pager to notify you that your table is ready. It is not too ad of a wait if you get there pretty early.
The service is as good as it gets along a busy walk way. The birds and the ducks can be pretty obnoxious, unless you think they are so cute that you want to share your meal with them. I really believe most people just wanted to watch the ducks fight over the chips. Well, maybe just the children. It is nice. The tables are clean and the area is well kept.
They have a pretty extensive menu. You can access it on line before you go. We did, which really sped up our service. We ordered right as we sat down. I had the Taco salad and Stefan had the Quesadillas. He said that they were the best ones he had ever had. Now, he is German, but he loves food. The chips and salsa were plentiful, but the salsa was much better than the chips. They are pretty well known for there Chili Con Carne. It has a real history and it’s all written up in the menu. We ordered a bowl and it was as good as they say.
I really enjoyed their Lime Vinaigrette House Dressing. It had a taste that I will soon forget. Drinks were very reasonable, but I wanted water with a lime and added some sweet and low. A very refreshing limeade along with my salad.
We really enjoyed the entire experience and would suggest that everyone take some time and sit under the colorful umbrellas that line this historic part of the Riverwalk.
The hotel is conveniently located within walking distance from the Alamo and the world-famous River Walk. You can get out and enjoy shopping at La Villita Historic Arts Village, Rivercenter Mall and Market Square, the largest Mexican marketplace outside Mexico. You can even ride the local trolley to the many attractions within a mile of the hotel, such as the Tower of the America and IMAX Theater.
They offer free high speed internet and have a business center on the first floor. They have a pretty good exercise room as well as a pool and hot tub. The parking may be a little problem as you have to park across the street. That will run you 8 bucks, but if you want to park in one of the limited spots right along side the property, that will cost you $16.
They serve a really good complimentary hot breakfast bar each morning. I like this as we don’t have to worry about getting up and finding somewhere else to spend more money. They have really cool showerheads, comfortable beds with four pillows on each one, a refrigerator and microwave in the room and just a really clean property.
You'll receive excellent service and amenities while here and I would recommend that this be the place to lay your head while experiencing San Antonio. And if you're lucky, you might walk out with handcuffs.
You can actually spend hours walking the Riverwalk. Some must sees along the way, the statue of San Antonio, the La Villita , which was San Antonio's first neighborhood. Now, it is home to many stores including unique art galleries, crafts, jewelry and clothing stores. It also is home to many delicious restaurants which enrich the experience with the taste of San Antonio. The large hotels that dot the way, The Alamo, just off the walk, the water fountains, the Hard Rock Café, the tour boats, I like to wave at the people as they go by to see how many will wave back. Kind of like at the zoo. The Rivercenter shopping mall has all the major dept stores and good eats as well as so much more. There are plenty of websites out there, so Google away.
There is a nice shaded park in front of the Alamo in case you are looking for a place to stop and rest. Across the street from the Alamo you will find the Visitor's Information Center with free brochures and advice on what to see in San Antonio. There is also a City Tours office which provides guided tours and free information about the San Antonio area.
While at the Alamo, you will have plenty of photo ops, but you can not take pictures inside. The building is now air conditioned, so that makes the step inside even more inviting. It is free to visit, but there are numerous donation boxes scattered around. I like to carry some pocket change with me and drop it in. There is a lot to do and a lot to see here, but the real fun comes in what you will hear. The tour guides and staff are always willing to answer any questions you may have. There are signs and posting all over, so you can’t miss anything. I think the most interesting thing I heard was a lady talking to her husband and she said, I am not making this up, “It is really interesting how they built this right in the middle of the city?” I wanted to just die laughing and then, I realized just how sad that statement was. Oh well, maybe she will read some of of the information provided. This is a great place to spend part of your day. Enjoy.
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
