Things to do in San Antonio

25 activities, venues and outings in San Antonio, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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Alamo Helicopter Tours
San Antonio Helicopter Tours
Offers exciting and breathtaking views of San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country, including sites such as the San Antonio River, Downtown, the Botanical Gardens and Historic Mission.
Mon–Sat 10AM–5PM$77.50-1795.00
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Crownridge Canyon Natural Area
Crownridge Canyon Natural Area is an excellent spot for a quick hike or trail run, and nature lovers will appreciate the variety of native plants (including a wildflower field) and animals often seen in the park. It's roughly from downtown, close to many good quality amenities for pre- or post-hike activities. It offers of paved and natural trails through a preserved Texas Hill Country landscape. The main trail is a low level of difficulty, suitable for most ages. No dogs or bikes are allowed on the trails. The park has a free parking lot which usually has enough parking.
Daily, sunrise to sunsetfree
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Eisenhower Park
Eisenhower Park is roughly 20 miles (30 km) from downtown, close to many good quality amenities for pre- or post-hike activities. The park has a good size parking lot, and parking is free. It also has onsite facilities you can rent if you'd like to have a social gathering on park grounds. The park offers of paved and natural trails through a preserved Texas Hill Country landscape, providing plenty of opportunity to observe local plants and wildlife as well. The park is dog- and kid-friendly (it has a playground and children's rock wall), but bikes and other recreational transport options are not allowed on the trails. Trail difficulty ranges from easy to moderately intense -- some trails might be challenging for those who find it hard to climb up and down rocky inclines.
Daily, sunrise to sunsetfree
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Friedrich Wilderness Park
Friedrich Wilderness Park has a fairly extensive network of hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty through a preserved Texas Hill Country landscape. Total trail length is approximately. Some trails are paved and some are natural, with options for most skill or mobility levels. This is an excellent spot for bird watching or enjoying native plants (including a wildflower area). It's in northwest San Antonio, roughly from downtown, close to many good quality amenities for pre- or post-hike activities. Kid-friendly, but no dogs or bikes are allowed on the trails. The park also offers nature classes for children. The park has a free parking lot, but on busy days it fills up quickly and you might have to park on the street and walk to the trailhead.
Daily, sunrise to sunsetfree
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Incarnate Word Cardinals
UIW Cardinals
The teams of the University of the Incarnate Word, whose campus is on Broadway near Breckenridge Park and the zoo, are a fairly new addition to Division I, having joined the Southland Conference in 2013. Unlike UTSA, the football team plays on campus and in the second-level FCS.
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Majestic Theatre
Recognized as one of the most ornate facilities in the country, the Majestic has long held a special place in the archives of Texas theatrical and architectural history. In the heart of downtown San Antonio, the Majestic was designed and built in 1929 by John Eberson for Karl Hoblitzelle's Interstate Theatres, and stood proudly for many years as the largest theatre in Texas and the second largest motion picture theatre in the country. It was intended to be the most modern and ornate building in South Texas - complete with new sound and projection equipment - and was the first theatre in the state to be totally air-conditioned.
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Mission Adventure Tours - Kayaking
Guided and unguided kayak trips on the San Antonio River, as well as specialty guided kayak trips on the Median River, Comal River, San Marcos River and many other rivers throughout central and west Texas. Mission Kayak also offers beginner kayaking classes, large group and corporate tours, as well as team building events.
$49-81 depending on trip length
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San Antonio Gunslingers
The Gunslingers are San Antonio's Arena Football team. They play at the Alamodome in the NAL.
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San Antonio Missions
The Double-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the San Diego Padres plays at Wolff Municipal Stadium.
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San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio is home to the five-time NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs who play at Frost Bank Center. After falling into a dry spell, the Spurs are now rebuilding behind young French mega-prospect Victor Wembanyama.
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San Antonio Walks
Professional guided tour. This is not a highlight reel, but real storytelling about the city's rich history. Captivating and educational. Voted: Best Tour in San Antonio. Member: Texas Travel Industry Association.
Mon-Sat 9:15AM, 12:15PM, 4PM; Sun 9:15AM, 12:15PM$21; under 6 free (cash only)
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SeaWorld San Antonio
A marine life theme park which is home to the world-famous Shamu the killer whale. There are also thrill rides, a small water park, as well as sharks, an aquarium, penguins, seals and sea lions, and an opportunity to pet and feed dolphins.
Vary seasonally. See website for hours.$55
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Segway Tours
San Antonio Segway Tours enables you to tour downtown San Antonio on a Segway. Learn to ride a Segway and tour beautiful and historic downtown San Antonio. Tours leave from and range from 1 hour to 2.5 hours. Tours depart 7 days a week, 6 times daily.
$39-59
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Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Home to several thrill rides and exciting shows, Fiesta Texas is an entertaining theme park geared to people of all ages. It has a really interesting water park and the ride the Boomerang is recommended.
Hours vary seasonally. See website for hours$71.99 at the gate, $51.99 online
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Bat migration
Texas is one of the best places in the world to observe bat migrations. Every night at dusk in the summer, thousands of bats emerge from their "hangouts", including under urban bridges, and many people come to watch. Local conservation organizations host weekly events to explain the migration.
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Fiesta!!!
Fiesta is a yearly event held in San Antonio in late April. Fiesta is a 10-day, city-wide, fun-filled, multi-cultural celebration. Many family-oriented events take place during this time, as well as many events geared towards adults. With over 100 different events, it's the biggest party and greatest community benefit in the state of Texas. One of the most fun events of all Fiesta, is Oysterbake on the St. Mary's University campus. It kicks Fiesta off with a bang, has plenty of food (chicken on a stick, oysters, fried oysters, corn, corn in a cup, meats on sticks, pizza, you name it. Friday of Oysterbake is usually more family-oriented with a 1980s or '90s band headlining the festivities. (Previous headliners: Eddie Money, Loverboy, Night Ranger, Smashmouth) Saturday is a jam-packed day of fun, food, music and booze. More modern acts will headline the main stage, there will be a country stage, and a tejano stage. Previous acts include: Three Days Grace, Chevelle, Puddle of Mudd, Hinder, Lit, 10 Years, Buckcherry (bad year), and The Veer Union. If you're single, Oysterbake on Saturday is your time to shine. Otherwise, you'll have an awesome time with friends or family.
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Greenway Trails
Howard Peak Greenway
The Greenway Trails are growing collection of of hike/bike trails for the most part located in the floodplains of San Antonio's creeks and rivers. Some but not all the trails are interconnected. The trails themselves either asphalt or concrete and wide enough for cyclists to pass each other. Trails are open during daylight hours for walkers, runners, bikers, roller skaters bird watchers and others. There are more than 65 trailheads, most with parking and many with amenities such portable toilets and bike tools. For cyclists, the speed limit is 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) and e-bikes are allowed on trails. Dogs must be leashed.
Sunrise-sunset dailyFree
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San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is an annual agricultural fair and entertainment event in early February. It provides world class rodeo action and entertainment to people of all ages. Everyone who's anyone in country music plays during rodeo time, simple as that.
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San Japan
San Japan is a three-day anime convention held every Labor Day weekend. Attendees are drawn to the event to purchase merchandise, appreciate cosplay, and visit panels featuring famous guests from the voice acting and animation industries. As one of the largest Anime Conventions in Texas, just over 20,000 registered attendees descended upon San Japan in 2019. You don't have to be a hardcore anime fan to appreciate this event; plenty of other nerdy subculture can be found in and around the Riverwalk over the course of these three days.
Price varies according to badge type.
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Texas Folklife Festival
The Texas Folklife Festival is an annual four-day celebration in the second week of June, of the diverse ethnic and cultural groups that settled our state. Some 45 groups bring their stories, crafts, music, dances, and foods to share with visitors in a vibrant blend of education and entertainment.
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UTSA Roadrunners
The city's main college sports attractions are the teams of the University of Texas at San Antonio, whose main campus is off Loop 1604 just west of the northern interchange with I-10. UTSA has been in the American Athletic Conference since 2023. Most venues are on campus, but the football team plays at the Alamodome. Notably, the football team drew more than 35,000 fans per game for its first season in 2011.
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Morgan's Wonderland
5223 David Edwards
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Natural Bridge Caverns
26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd
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Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
Home to a great drive-thru Safari Park!
Hours vary seasonally. See website for hours$22; seniors $20; 3-11 $13.50
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San Antonio FC
A USL Championship club, playing at Toyota Field.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to San Antonio (CC BY-SA 4.0).