Shannon & Jason
Things to do in SA Town
The Pearl
The ultimate San Antonio spot for food, shopping and culture. Pearl, located north of downtown San Antonio, provides a unique experience as a top culinary and cultural destination. The mixed-use space features retail, dining, picturesque green spaces, a riverside amphitheater, and the third campus of The Culinary Institute of America. As a former brewery operating from 1883 to 2001, Pearl reflects a vivid past while embracing the future with environmentally sustainable buildings mixed with historic architecture.
Hotel Emma
This is Shannon's fave hotel in SA...if we didn't have any friends or a large family we would've gotten married here...but instead, we encourage you to go check it out while you're in town! It's eclectic and beautiful and rich in history. Located right in the heard of The Pearl District, we promise you'll dig it! The hotel is named in honor of Emma Koehler, a towering figure in Pearl history. Emma ran the brewery after her husband and Pearl president Otto Koehler died in 1914. She was an ingenious CEO who kept the brewery going during Prohibition by converting operations to dry cleaning and auto repair, and making near beer, ice cream and soda. While other breweries were shutting down, Emma kept her entire workforce employed. She turned over control of the company to a nephew in 1933, but was a formidable presence at the brewery until her death in 1943.
McNay Art Museum
Picasso, Monet, Degas, Rodin, Renoir, Hopper, O’Keefe, Calder — just a hint of what’s included in this world-class collection housed in a 1927 villa.
Brackenridge Park
A favorite of Shannon's as a kid, this is where you can ride a mini train and really feel like a local! 343 wooded acres, Japanese Tea Garden, San Antonio Zoo, Witte Museum and a miniature train to ride along two miles of track. This public park in San Antonio, Texas, is on the city's Broadway Corridor just north of downtown San Antonio.
The DoSeum
Easily one of the coolest spots in SA town! The ultimate museum for kids, where they learn by doing, creating, tinkering and mostly just having lots of fun. And the shop is crammed with cool toys and gifts.
The San Antonio Riverwalk
San Antonio is justly famous for the River Walk downtown. It was conceived in 1929 by Walter Hugman to save the river from being turned into a flood-controlled concrete wasteland. Today, it winds through downtown among 200-year-old cypress trees, historical buildings, restaurants and shops. River taxis ply the shallow waterway — catch one at Hotel Emma for a pleasant boat ride into downtown. P.S. And that’s where the Alamo is, too.
Southtown
Once dubbed “Texas’ most eccentric neighborhood” by Texas Monthly magazine, this bohemian area is also known to some locals as “Baja King William.” It’s become slightly more mainstream lately, supporting excellent restaurants (Brigid, Hot Joy, Feast and others) and new lofts and apartments popping up everywhere. But, it maintains its boho cred with many art studios and galleries — Blue Star Contemporary Art Space is a good place to see/buy art while partaking of craft beer and gourmet pizza. Restaurant pics: Southtown Pizzeria: Liberty Bar Rosario's Bliss Battalion
Las Palapas
Shannon's fave breakfast tacos, many a high school morning spent here... and Jason approves too. Real deal and not open on Sundays...if you wanna try some authentic tacos, this is your spot. A few different locations to choose from:
Chris Madrids
A San Antonio tradition, this is where you can find an amazing burger, fries and in case you need proof that everything is bigger in Texas, order the nachos. A local fave and crowd pleaser, this is worth the drive into the city.
The Alamo
Remember the Alamo? If not, go check it out and you won’t forget!