San Antonio

Long before San Antonio made its way onto national travel lists, visitors flocked to this culturally-explosive city to experience Tejano culture, float down the River Walk, and of course, to ‘Remember the Alamo!’ As the years have passed, San Antonio has grown and its attractions have expanded to include new neighborhoods and cultural and historical experiences, the likes of which don’t exist in the rest of the Texas. Whether you’re visiting San Antonio for a weekend or longer, you’ll want to check out all the best restaurants, bars activities and things to do in San Antonio.  Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also learn more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now. 

San Antonio— like its sister city, Austin—is in the midst of a culinary renaissance. While barbeque havens and Tex-Mex spots still abound, the past few years have breathed new life into SA's culinary scene, making dinner one of the best things to do in San Antonio. Our list of the best restaurants in San Antonio (like Mixtli’s menu) is always changing, but you can expect historic spots to mingle with newcomers and oyster houses to share space with pancake joints. Here are the best places to dine in San Antonio right now. And while you're out on the town, try one of the best bars in San Antonio, too.  Our experts scour the city for great dishes, great value and insider info. So the EAT List is a unique, authentic snapshot of San Antonio's ever-evolving dining experience right now. It could be a mega-hyped destination restaurant or a pop-up-turned-permanent joint in a shipping container: if it’s on the list we think it’s terrific, and reckon you will too. Eaten something you love on this list? Share it under the hashtag #TimeOutEatList to show your appreciation.

Despite its status as one of the largest cities in America, low-slung, low-key San Antonio is all about enjoying life with the familia. Our list of the best things to do with kids in San Antonio starts with the city’s historic must-stops, the River Walk and the Pearl neighborhood, but San Antonio isn’t shy about the theme parks, either, including local outposts of SeaWorld and Six Flags. Yes, South Texas is toasty in spring, summer, and fall, but the locals are pros at cooling off with AC-chilled indoor activities like bowling and lots of splash at local water parks. Fill out your family time with a meal at some of the best restaurants in San Antonio and a rest at one of our favorite, affordable hotels.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Antonio

As one of the best weekend or day trips to take from Austin, San Antonio offers a rich variety of things to do, combing history, revelry, great restaurants and museums that rival some of Austin’s best museums. And if you’re staying for more than a day, you’ll want to check into one of the best hotels in San Antonio for a comfortable homebase to rest your head between adventures. From hotels planted on the tourist-driven River Walk and boutique digs by the historic Alamo to family-friendly spots in Downtown, the best hotels in San Antonio are reason enough to visit this growing Texas city.

Call on your friends or wrangle in the kids, because the best brunch spots in San Antonio are calling your name. Brunch in San Antonio is generally a casual experience full of frozen margaritas and endless mimosas, bigger-than-Texas waffles and pancakes, and Tex-Mex favorites like chilaquiles and huevos rancheros. That’s not to say that the Alamo City’s brunch scene can’t be stylish and chic—we have those spots on the list, too! Some restaurants and bars even blend Texas favorites like gulf shrimp, brisket, and chorizo into unique dishes you won't find anywhere else. Whether you’re a foodie or just starving for a good meal, these top brunch restaurants are sure to hit the spot.  RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in San Antonio

Culture, art, and music are the three staples of any good San Antonio event. The city blends these ingredients in different ways: Catch a parade on land or on the water, dance to country or Tejano music, and stand in awe of contemporary art at a museum or a rodeo. The best events in San Antonio usually take place on the River Walk or at the Historic El Mercado, and there's a good chance you'll stumble upon a party, festival or attraction at either location on any day of the year. Attend any event on this list and you’ll quickly discover that San Antonio locals like to celebrate—big, loud, often, and with family and kids—because that’s the San Antonio way.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Antonio

Most people visit San Antonio for attractions like the River Walk or the yearly Fiesta festival, but while you’re here, you might as well take advantage of the diverse selection of museums in San Antonio. The art museums are both architecturally attractive on the outside and full of a mix of ancient and contemporary works on the inside. Some museums highlight what makes Texas so special, while others focus on tragedies that occurred a world away. A few aim to attract visitors who like quirky and interactive exhibits that beg to be shared on Instagram or families looking for things to do with kids. Whether you’re looking for weird, provocative, or awe-inspiring, you can take your pick from this ultimate list of museums in San Antonio.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Antonio  

As the seventh largest city in the United States and the most-visited city in the Lone Star State, the best attractions in San Antonio make sure to cater to both locals and visitors. Get your blood pumping at local amusement parks or stroll through picturesque San Antonio parks to rekindle the romance between partners. Families looking for things to do with kids and solo travelers can often be found exploring San Antonio sites that highlight the city’s colonial, Mexican, and western history in fun and interesting ways. We’ve gathered the best things to see and do, so you can spend less time researching the attractions, and more time having a blast in San Antonio.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Antonio

It’s a bold statement, but San Antonio’s park system may be one of the most impressive in the United States. In addition to a national park within city limits, San Antonio boasts one of the oldest parks in the US, plus wide-open green spaces with archeological sites, extensive water features, and amenities the likes of which rarely exist in parks elsewhere. Locals put their parks to good use year-round, hitting the trails on bike and foot in the morning for a workout, or on the weekends when they drag out the mobile grill for a full day of warm San Antonio weather, a barbecue, and good times. (Parks also rank high on our list of the best things to do with kids in San Antonio.) No matter if you’re looking for a bit of quiet space in nature to destress or a place to swim, the best parks in San Antonio have you covered. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Antonio

Welcome to the Time Out DRINK List, our handpicked ‘best of’ the San Antonio bar scene. While there are plenty of things to do in San Antonio, some of the city's best attractions are its many, diverse bars. If you want to experience the best bars in San Antonio, check out local  favorites like Bar America (#3), one of the oldest bars in the city, and The Bang Bang Bar (#5) or explore hidden speakeasies like Jazz, TX (#2), The Green Lantern (#10) and George's Keep (#8), located on the edge of one of the best hotels in San Antonio. There's a saloon for every taste in River City, just don't forget to fuel up at one of the best restaurants in San Antonio before you hit the town.  Drank somewhere on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDrinkList. You can also find out more about how Time Out makes recommendations and reviews bars here. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in San Antonio

With its winding Riverwalk, the historic Alamo, warm weather and even warmer hospitality, San Antonio draws 26 million tourists every year. For visitors travelling on a shoestring, San Antonio doesn’t offer dirt-cheap hotels or hostels to crash in, so most of the hotels on this list aren’t as cheap as you may find in other areas. But the city is among the more affordable touristy American cities, with reasonable prices on food, museums and entertainment. These are the best hotels to look at when traveling on a budget, without sacrificing comfort and convenience.