San Antonio itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in San Antonio, day by day: the Alamo, the River Walk, La Villita, the Tower of the Americas and the Cathedral of San Fernando first, then the Museum of Art, the Spanish Governor's Palace, Market Square and the missions, and the Witte Museum, the Botanical Garden and Blue Star as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
San Antonio in 1 day
Day 1
Tower of the Americas
A 229-metre observation tower built for the 1968 HemisFair, with a revolving restaurant and views over the city and the surrounding hills.
La Villita
Historic arts village of restored 19th-century houses near the River Walk, with craft shops, galleries and restaurants.
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The former mission where the Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, now a free shrine and museum of Texas history.
San Antonio River Walk
Network of landscaped paths one level below the downtown streets, lined with restaurants and cafes, with river boat rides.
Cathedral of San Fernando
Cathedral on Main Plaza dating from 1738, among the oldest in the country, with a nightly light show on its facade.
San Antonio in 2 days
Day 1
Tower of the Americas
A 229-metre observation tower built for the 1968 HemisFair, with a revolving restaurant and views over the city and the surrounding hills.
La Villita
Historic arts village of restored 19th-century houses near the River Walk, with craft shops, galleries and restaurants.
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The former mission where the Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, now a free shrine and museum of Texas history.
San Antonio Museum of Art
Art museum in the former Lone Star Brewery, strong in ancient Mediterranean and Latin American art.
Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
Saloon and museum beside the Alamo with antlers, Texas Ranger exhibits, a wax museum and a historic bar.
San Antonio River Walk
Network of landscaped paths one level below the downtown streets, lined with restaurants and cafes, with river boat rides.
Day 2
Cathedral of San Fernando
Cathedral on Main Plaza dating from 1738, among the oldest in the country, with a nightly light show on its facade.
Spanish Governor's Palace
Adobe building of 1749 that was the home of the captain of the Spanish presidio, restored as a small museum with a courtyard.
Market Square
Three-block outdoor plaza known as El Mercado, with Mexican crafts, restaurants and mariachi music.
Mission Concepcion
Stone mission church of 1731, among the best-preserved of the Spanish missions, with faded original frescoes.
Mission San José
The largest of the city's Spanish missions, a World Heritage site with a church, granary and mill, known as the Queen of the Missions.
San Antonio in 3 days
Day 1
Institute of Texan Cultures
University of Texas at San Antonio museum at HemisFair on the many cultures that settled in Texas.
Tower of the Americas
A 229-metre observation tower built for the 1968 HemisFair, with a revolving restaurant and views over the city and the surrounding hills.
La Villita
Historic arts village of restored 19th-century houses near the River Walk, with craft shops, galleries and restaurants.
Arneson River Theater
Outdoor theatre with the stage on one bank of the river and grass seating on the other, used for summer shows.
Alamo Mission in San Antonio
The former mission where the Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836, now a free shrine and museum of Texas history.
San Antonio Botanical Garden
Botanical garden with a glass conservatory, a Japanese garden and regional Texas landscapes.
San Antonio River Walk
Network of landscaped paths one level below the downtown streets, lined with restaurants and cafes, with river boat rides.
Day 2
Witte Museum
Museum of natural history, science and Texas culture in Brackenridge Park, with dinosaurs and a large collection of Texas objects.
San Antonio Museum of Art
Art museum in the former Lone Star Brewery, strong in ancient Mediterranean and Latin American art.
Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
Saloon and museum beside the Alamo with antlers, Texas Ranger exhibits, a wax museum and a historic bar.
Cathedral of San Fernando
Cathedral on Main Plaza dating from 1738, among the oldest in the country, with a nightly light show on its facade.
Spanish Governor's Palace
Adobe building of 1749 that was the home of the captain of the Spanish presidio, restored as a small museum with a courtyard.
Market Square
Three-block outdoor plaza known as El Mercado, with Mexican crafts, restaurants and mariachi music.
Day 3
Guenther House
Home of the Pioneer Flour Mills founder in King William, now a small museum, bakery, restaurant and gift shop.
Blue Star Contemporary
Contemporary art centre in the Blue Star Arts Complex south of downtown, with galleries, studios and free exhibitions.
Mission Concepcion
Stone mission church of 1731, among the best-preserved of the Spanish missions, with faded original frescoes.
Mission San José
The largest of the city's Spanish missions, a World Heritage site with a church, granary and mill, known as the Queen of the Missions.
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Spanish mission of 1716 with a small stone church and farmland trails, part of the UNESCO-listed missions south of downtown.
Watch: San Antonio
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to San Antonio
Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) have the most comfortable weather, with wildflowers in spring. Summers are very hot and humid, and winters are mild with the occasional cold snap. Fiesta in April, with parades and events across the city, is the busiest time, and the River Walk's holiday lights shine in late November and December.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in San Antonio on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in San Antonio on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in San Antonio on GetYourGuide
- Sightseeing pass: save on San Antonio's top attractions with Go City
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in San Antonio with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for San Antonio
- The Alamo is free to enter, but timed tickets can be reserved ahead and are worth booking in busy seasons.
- The River Walk is lively in the evening, but the river boat cruise is quieter in the morning.
- San Fernando Cathedral shows a nightly light and sound show on its facade, so plan an evening visit for it.
- The Spanish missions south of downtown are best done together, with a car, a bike on the Mission Reach trail or a tour, on one day.
- Summer is hot, so plan outdoor stops for the morning and use the River Walk's shade in the afternoon.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Alamo Mission in San Antonio: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Arneson River Theater: Zereshk, CC BY 2.5
- Blue Star Contemporary: Brownings ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buckhorn Saloon & Museum: Gaberlunzi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cathedral of San Fernando: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Guenther House: Leaflet, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Institute of Texan Cultures: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- La Villita: Johnpeter2008 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Market Square: Zereshk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mission Concepcion: Liveon001 ©Travis Witt, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mission San José: Liveon001 ©Travis Witt, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mission San Juan Capistrano: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- San Antonio Botanical Garden: BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0
- San Antonio Museum of Art: Zereshk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- San Antonio River Walk: Kkmd ( talk · contribs ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Spanish Governor's Palace: Lutz Fischer-Lamprecht, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tower of the Americas: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Witte Museum: Witte Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
