Three-Day Itinerary for Fiesta San Antonio

Day 1

9:30am Check into La Mansion del Rio. With its south-of-the-border elegance and north-of-the-border comforts, this historic hotel is the perfect base for this festival and within easy walking distance of much of the action as well as good dining and many attractions.

10:30am Head east on Crockett Street to the Alamo, a mission that became the scene of a bloody battle in the fight for Texas independence.  Take a walk through what's called "the cradle of Texas liberty," a quiet attraction tucked in a bustling commercial district.

11:30am Bus or taxi south to the Mission Trail. The second stop on the trail is Mission San Jose, the grandest in terms of size and architectural detail and once called the "Queen of the Missions." At noon, witness an event that's truly part of San Antonio: Mariachi Mass.

1:30pm Taxi back to the River Walk and stroll to Rio Rio for Tex-Mex favorites. Save plenty of time to snag an outdoor table with a view of the river and passing tourist barges.

3:00pm Tour the River Walk on foot or by barge (hop aboard near the kiosk at Rivercenter Mall or across from the Hilton Palacio del Rio.)

7pm Grab a bus for a ride out to the Sunken Gardens in Brackenridge Park for A Taste of New Orleans. Gumbo, jambalaya, Cajun catfish, boudin, and beignets top the offerings while everything from jazz to salsa to big band sounds keep things hopping.

9:30pm The perfect end to a night of Cajun food is an evening of Dixieland jazz at Jim Cullum's Landing at the Hyatt. Jim Cullum and his jazz band play New Orleans-style Dixieland several nights a week; local talent fills the playbill on other nights.

Day 2

9am Take a morning walk to the King William District for breakfast at the Guenther House, built in 1860. Decorated in Art Nouveau style, the restaurant serves up breakfast favorites plus a Texas standby: biscuits and gravy, not surprising since Guenther made his fortune with the neighboring Pioneer Flour Mills.

10:30am Stroll King William historic district, home of the city's stately mansions built during the 19th century. Satisfy your curiosity about what lies inside those homes with a tour of the most opulent, the Steves Homestead, which boasts a natatorium as well as the finest furnishings and detail work of its era.

12:30pm Head back to the River Walk for lunch at Zuni Bar and Grill, with selections that start with blue corn nachos as well as andouille and brie quesadillas and then progress to specials such as roasted poblano peppers filled with shrimp and mozzarella and spicy fajitas served with black beans.

3pm Catch the story of the Alamo at the IMAX Theater. The 45-minute docudrama is one of the best film versions of the 13-day siege, giving viewers a real sense of participation in the action. From a rolling thunderstorm over the rugged Texas landscape to the daybreak siege by Santa Anna's troops, this movie makes viewers feel as if they are witnessing the fateful battle and the days leading up to it. 

4:30pm Do as visitors have done since 1925 and take the Pilgrimage to the Alamo, a tribute to the heroes of that battle. Groups walk from Auditorium Circle silently to the former mission where the name of each of the Alamo defenders is called out and echoes against the stone walls.

5:30pm Get thee to Boudro's, many San Antonian's favorite River Walk eatery. Arrive early for a good chance at a riverside table. This is an evening of frozen margaritas, fun, and festivities all from the comfort of your table.

Start with a cactus margarita, a frozen concoction with a jolt of red cactus liqueur.  Follow that eye-opener with an appetizer of smoked chicken or crab quesadillas or crab and shrimp tamales.  Save room, though, for Boudro's specialties — coconut shrimp, pecan grilled fish fillet, or the specialty of the house, blackened prime rib. 

6pm Thousands of people pack the banks of the river but enjoy the parade from your table. The Texas Cavaliers' River Parade features over 40 floats, each bursting with musicians, singers, and celebrities.

10:30pm Head over for a nightcap at Dick's Last Resort, one of the rowdiest places on the river.  Here the waitstaff likes to crack jokes and toss out matchbooks decorated with old photos of topless women; ladies, check out the restroom decorated with photos of scantily clad hunks and vending machines offering fluorescent condoms.

Day 3

8am Start the day with breakfast at Schilo's Delicatessen, which opened as a saloon in 1917 but became a deli with the coming of Prohibition.

9am Head to the Institute of Texan Cultures  to explore the 30-plus ethnic cultures that settled Texas.  Don't miss the dome slide show four times daily for a look at the many faces of the Lone Star State.  Most days you'll find costumed docents moseying throughout the museum, ready to explain the role of a chuck wagon cook on a cattle drive or the rigors of life as a frontier woman. 

11am Walk over to the Tower of the Americas, the symbol of the 1968 World HemisFair and a landmark of San Antonio. The Tower soars 750 feet, but visitors view the city from the observation deck at 579 feet.  A one-minute elevator ride whisks you up to the observation deck for look at the city through high-powered telescopes.

12:30pm Hop a VIA trolley and head west to Market Square and Mi Tierra, the restaurant that never sleeps. Twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year, this San Antonio institution serves up some of the city's best Tex-Mex fare in a festive eatery garnished with year-round with Christmas decorations. Tex-Mex delights comprise the menu: enchiladas, carne asada, quesadillas.  Strolling troubadours take requests for Mexican ballads. Just as authentic is the adjacent panaderia, a Mexican bakery exuding its own tasty aromas: fresh tortillas and polvorones, cookies topped with cinnamon and sugar.
           
2pm Start partying at Fiesta del Mercado, where five stages showcase mariachi, Tejano, jazz and rock music. Pop inside El Mercado, the largest Mexican marketplace in the US for a real south-of-the-border feel.

5:30 Party the evening away at the biggest Fiesta event: A Night in Old San Antonio, better known by its nickname, NIOSA (nie-o-sa). The party, featuring music and food in 15 cultural areas, takes place in La Villita, a restored 18th century village on  the River Walk.  Dance to western, conjunto, oompah, or mariachi performances and when you've worked up an appetite stroll over to the food booths selling everything from escargot to German sausage to antichuchos, a spicy marinated meat.

8pm Walk to the Mariachi Festival, one of the oldest in the country. Amateurs and pros battle for the spotlight.

10:30  Follow the River Walk to Howl at the Moon, a sing-along bar that features dueling pianos.  Not for quiet types, the bar is filled with folks singing along to show tunes and classic rock 'n roll songs. Next door, finish up the evening with some jazz and a martini at Swig.