San Antonio 3 Day Itinerary

As the most visited city in Texas, San Antonio has something for everyone. If you are a first time visitor, the below San Antonio 3 Day itinerary is for you! It is detailed, but of course can be adjusted, and gives you a good idea of the downtown area as well as some of the more popular neighborhoods.

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Where is San Antonio TX?

San Antonio is the second-most populous city in Texas, located in the U.S. Some people consider this the South, some the Southwest, and some consider Texas a region of its own.

The city’s location within Texas is towards the south and in the center of the state, about 80 miles SW of Austin and 200 miles due West of Houston. Because of this close proximity, San Antonio is the most visited city by Texans themselves.

San Antonio has been designed with the downtown in the middle of an interstate loop, I-410. I’ve created this itinerary to remain within Loop 410 so that there isn’t a ton of time spent driving. If you visit San Antonio for a second time, there is a lot to do and restaurants to visit that are outside of the loop (let me know if you are interested in recommendations for that). Texas is sprawling and there is a lot of land, San Antonio is no different, even though it is a city.

This San Antonio 3 day itinerary should keep you busy, but with plenty of time to wander and explore, without spending too much time in the car.

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Day One | Downtown San Antonio

Day

Brunch will be at Snooze located in the Alamo Quarry Market on the northern side of San Antonio. Now this is a mid-size chain but they are only located in a few states in the U.S. (we don’t have them in Illinois) and they are delicious. If you have one near you, or you just want to go someplace local, go to Guenther House instead.

Back to Snooze, they have a wide menu so everyone will find something, great cocktails, but the star of the show is you can get a pancake flight. That’s right. A pancake flight.

After brunch, go back downtown and visit The Alamo, it’s probably the most historic place San Antonio is known for (and no there is no basement). For those that claim there is no history to the U.S, the Alamo dates back to 1836. You can take a guided tour or walk around yourself. As important and iconic as The Alamo is, it’s actually not that big, so you won’t be spending a ton of time here.

Once you have gotten a chance to check out The Alamo, take this opportunity to walk along the river. San Antonio’s River Walk is a 15-mile pedestrian walkway along the San Antonio River. About 5 miles of this river runs through downtown San Antonio and is sprinkled with restaurants and shops. Note there are some tourists traps and shops filled with nothing but tchotchke’s, but just avoid those.

It’s completely free to walk and is open 365 days a year. If you have 45 minutes to spend, take a narrated river cruise, where you’ll learn all sorts of interesting things about San Antonio.

Night

You’re in Texas, and it’s time for some Mexican food. My favorite Mexican restaurant is Rosario’s Southtown location. Their chips and salsa are great and so are their margarita’s, it’s what Tex-Mex should be.

After dinner, it’s time for a show. A light show that is! The San Fernando Cathedral is located right downtown and the city projects a light show onto the facade of the building every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, at various times. The current show is by a French artist and is a visual representation of the history of this city. There are vendors outside so grab a glass of wine and watch the show.

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Day Two | Historic King William

Day

Another day, another brunch, this time at Stella’s Public House where you can grab a mimosa flight (can you tell I love flights?

After brunch it is time to get the body moving and walk around the King William Historic District. This article from SanAntonio.Gov does a great job of explaining the history behind the district, but it’s a beautiful neighborhood with gorgeous homes and again, for those who say there is no history in the U.S., you’ll find some here.

If your trip is flexible, once a year in April, the city hosts The King William Fair, which is a big deal in the city. There’s a parade, and street performers and everyone walks around wearing a flower crown and drinking cocktails. It’s a fun time!

Night

Last night we had Mexican and tonight it’s time for BBQ. There are a lot (and I do mean a lot) of BBQ places in the city, and if you ask five people what their favorite place is you could easily get five different answers. But Dignowity Meats is a little lesser know, probably due to the location, but is amazing! I seriously crave their burnt ends.

If you haven’t been to a proper BBQ place before, do yourself a favor and look at the menu before you order. You’ll go up to the window and order your meats by the lb and your sides, and they’ll call you when it’s ready. All the seating is outdoors and they have games at the table while you wait. The food is the best! The neighborhood is safe, it’s just not the most touristy so I don’t think it gets its due. It was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives if that gives you a vibe.

Depending on when you visit, this is the night for some real entertainment. San Antonio fiercely loves their beloved NBA Basketball team, the San Antonio Spurs. If you can catch a game, great! If not, the Majestic Theater host some of the best musicals or stand-up acts that tour the country. The theater was built in 1929, but in Spanish-style architecture, something not seen every day.

Day Three | The Pearl

Day

The Pearl is a very unique place. The former brewery turned thriving community is probably the coolest place in San Antonio. Every Saturday and Sunday they hold a Farmers Market, and that’s what is on the agenda today. Stop by Local Coffee and grab some caffeine. Then take your time enjoying wandering the Farmers Market and the entirety of The Pearl.

Once you’ve gotten your fair share of the Farmers Market, go behind Hotel Emma (more on the hotel later) and you’ll find the River Walk again. If you walk south you will walk towards downtown. It’s about a 2-mile walk on the river from The Pearl to downtown. I like to walk down and back and get a little movement in before dinner, but you do you. Note, the River Walk goes under some bridges…and sometimes there are bats. If you are like me, run!

Night

Now back at The Pearl for the last night and it’s time for Mexican Street Food at La Gloria. Sometimes there is a long wait, so be prepared. Ask to sit outside, order the Queso Fundido, a Mangonada and thank me later. The Mangonada is where I discovered my love of chamoy, in fact, it inspired my Mango Margarita recipe.

Lick Honest Ice Cream is what you’ll want to do for dessert. An ice-cream shop based in Austin, they create unique flavors but use farm-fresh ingredients. They carry dairy-free too!

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Where to Stay in San Antonio

Remember how I said we would get back to Hotel Emma? Well, that’s because it’s my recommendation for where to stay. It’s at The Pearl so there are a ton of things to do right outside your doorstep and the building, which was built in 1894, is absolutely stunning.

If it’s a little outside of the budget, and your first time visiting, then I recommend choosing one of the many hotels on the River Walk. When I’m new to a city one of my biggest things is feeling safe where I am, and most often that equates to being where the people are.

San Antonio is home to some gorgeous resorts, but those are more of a drive away, in Hill Country.

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How to Get Around San Antonio

As I mentioned, San Antonio is spread out geographically, just like Texas. You generally need a car to get around, but I’ve tried to keep this itinerary tight so there is minimal driving and you don’t have to rent a car if you don’t need to. The furthest place away is brunch at Snooze on the first day. If you rent a car, great! If you don’t, I’m not sure that it would be worth two Lyft rides so then I would take my Guenther House replacement suggestion.

Lyft’s and Uber’s are easy to find and that’s my preferred method of getting around (I like to enjoy a cocktail or two on vacation). Public transportation is minimal so I wouldn’t plan on using that.

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When to Visit San Antonio

Contrary to what some may believe, San Antonio does have seasons. It gets cooler, sometimes cold in the Winter, and scorching hot in the summer! Spring and Fall are the best time to visit when the temperatures are pleasant and you can walk around, and dine, outside.

As mentioned above, if you are interested in visiting during King William Fair, that is in April.

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Only 2 Days in San Antonio?

San Antonio can totally be done in only 2 days. In order to modify this itinerary for 2 days in San Antonio, take the morning of day 2 and the evening of day 3. Oh and on day 1 definitely dine at Guenther’s, you don’t want to drive to Snooze if you are short on time.

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What is There To Do in San Antonio For 4 Days?

While there are still a ton of things to do in San Antonio, the McNay Art Museum and Fiesta Texas are just a couple, if you will be vising an extra day, I recommend getting out of the city and visiting Fredricksburg. Fredricksburg is a town about 70 miles away in Hill Country and is known for wineries and shops lined up along the main street.

If you want to be a little more active, Enchanted Rock is 17 miles north of Fredricksburg. It’s a mountain in Hill Country made of beautiful pink granite and has 11 miles worth of hiking trails, including to the summit.

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