San Antonio Ideas for Things to Do

When you go to Sea World, the current ticket deal is buy one day get the rest of the calendar year for free. You can also buy tickets online. I would suggest that you upgrade one ticket to the annual pass. I think it's all of a $20 difference and with it you get free parking ($15) (unless you upgrade to the "better" parking), 10% off food and stuff, a souvenir cup (that costs $8 if you buy it regular, and you can get 99 cent refills all day with it). When we took our two kids that's what we did, and it totally paid for itself in one day, although we went two.

I figure with today's prices, anyway to save a couple of bucks is helpful.

Have fun!!!

Hi M.,

We have been to Sea World A LOT! San Antonio has a great zoo. It is older than the Fort Worth zoo, but you can get closer to the animals. Get there early. It gets REALLY HOT by noon. It also has a train.

About 10 miles south on I-35, you can visit Natural Bridge Caverns. They have a drive-thru wildlife park. They also have an area where you can buy bags of sand (with various types of quartz and fools gold) and pan for various gemstones. My kids love that (from age 4 and up). The caverns are neat too.

You can also visit the market center. It is a mexican market with great mexican restaurants and shopping.

In Rivercenter mall on the Riverwalk, they have an I-Max Theater.

The boat cruise on the Riverwalk is a lot of fun.

Fiesta Texas is built in an old rock quary. It is hotter than the face of the sun this time of year.

Jim's Restaurants has great homestyle food at reasonable prices. 24 hour full menu. I think my kids like it as much as the vacation.

Good luck!

On your way down, just north of Austin is Inner Space caverns.(Watch for signs on I-35) Great sight, wonderful education, and takes about an hour to go through. Heartily recommend it.

My 3yo nephew has gone to the San Antonio Children's Museum (http://www.sakids.org/) and loved it! Also has been to the Austin Children's Museum (http://www.austinkids.org/). We went this May we did Sea World and also did the Natural Bridge Caverns (http://www.naturalbridgecaverns.com/) and my 4 yo LOVED both! We didn't have time for the children's museum though.

Have fun!

i like the boat tour too. also it really only take about 15 minutes to see the alamo so don't plan alot of time for that. i think there is an imax theater right next to the alamo. i don't know how much time you have but natural bridge caverns isn't too far away. your kids are a great age to go see the cave and there is a wildlife park there too.
we went to sea world last friday, had so much fun. be prepared for a lot of walking. it is a pretty big park.

It's a fun trip! But be prepared for it to be hot and crowded on the riverwalk on the weekend. Also--long lines at some of the good places to eat. We were ready to eat, but would have had to wait 45 minutes for a table where we wanted to go. So-we were unprepared schedule-wise.
Across from the Alamo is a really fun tourist trap--the Hall of Mirrors. I think you and your girls would love it. It's air-conditioned:) and you can go through several times.
One other responder mentioned Schlitterbahn, which is in New Braunfels (about 20-30 minutes away), and that is super fun!

M.,

I know going to the Alamo is a very popular tourist thing to do, but I think it is so boring!! It is an automated voice and you just walk around, reading the signs. If you and your husband are history buffs and find that kind of information interesting, then you will like it, but your girls will be bored stiff.

Fun things to do (besides Sea World and the Riverwalk)include: Six Flags Siesta San Antonio, Shlitterbaum (I think that might be in Austin? Or in between Austin and San Antonio), a chldren's museum, an IMAX. Have fun!

Take the boat tour on the river. It's pretty cool and interesting. We also like eating at Mi Tierra at Market Square. Buckhorn Saloon is fun. It's basically a small museum with oddity animals.