San Antonio, Texas - things to do?

Hi

I'm heading to San Antonio, Texas at the end of February next year for a conference.  I will have some free time and wonder if anyone has any insight on what's the best things to do and/or see whilst I'm there - aside from the alamo of course! 

Thanks (I'm very excited!)

San Antonio - great town to visit, HORRIBLE town to live in!

Obviously, if you're going to do the Alamo, cut across the road and wander the Riverwalk too.  I highly recommend planning to have a meal on the river if you can; many restaurants have tables plonked out alongside it (well, safe distance from), and it's an extremely enjoyable experience.  Casa Rio is my all-time favorite - good food, good atmosphere, and all of that.

The mission tours are also pretty snazz:
http://www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/guidedtours.htm

The Alamo Drafthouse theatre is a pretty fun experience too:
http://www.drafthouse.com/westlakes/

The Flying Saucer is an ace hangout:
http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/sanantonio

Um... I'm sure other people can recommend better things.  My point of view is completely colored by the fact I was stationed there for 4.5 years before breaking free of the military and immigrating to England.

The stuff she said!  I <3 San Antonio - just from visiting, but I've never lived there - it's the coolest part of Texas as far as I'm concerned (she says, never having visited Austin).  Way cooler than DFW, Houston, blah!

I took DH on the 'mission trail' while we were there, to show him that we really do have some old, historic buildings in the US (although not many) that haven't been torn down in order to put up something plastic. 

Also, El Mercado - the Mexican market part of San Antonio is good! 

There's also a Sea World there if you're into that kind of thing. 

The stuff she said!  I <3 San Antonio - just from visiting, but I've never lived there - it's the coolest part of Texas as far as I'm concerned (she says, never having visited Austin).  Way cooler than DFW, Houston, blah!
There's also a Sea World there if you're into that kind of thing. 

It is far cooler than DFW and Houston, you are correct! (I'm such a turncoat on my own hometown... lol)

Yes, there is Sea World, which my best friend says is pretty amazing, actually. Also, Innerspace Cavern is down there, if you are into seeing natural things, I've heard its incredible. http://www.myinnerspacecavern.com/

If you want to hire a car and take a little drive (about an hour from SA, I think), you won't be far from New Braunfels and Gruene which are amazing little towns in the Texas Hill Country with some nice restaurants and German bakeries. It's such a nice part of the state, I love it there (who says Texas is flat?!  ) I don't remember much else from my time spent in San Antonio, as there are a lot of bars there and I think I spent most of my time in those. 

I don't remember much else from my time spent in San Antonio, as there are a lot of bars there and I think I spent most of my time in those. 

That doesn't sound like you at all? 

Sea World definitely is neat if you like that.  I've not been to any of the caverns in... 15 years?, but I never heard anything negative from any of my friends that checked them out.   There's a lot of neat things like that all the way up in San Marcos, such as Wonder World, the aforementioned Inner Space Caverns, and the glass bottom boat tours at the Aquarena Center:

http://www.aquarena.txstate.edu/

Oh yes... and Houston smells funny.  And Dallas will always rock my heart, even if it's not the same town I left a decade ago.. sneef.

That doesn't sound like you at all? 

LOL! Ahem, I mean.... no, it doesn't sound like me at all. 

Since I used to work on the Riverwalk and was just there....

My recommendations...

boundro's make a reservation - I was a manger there and MY fav food - table made gauc yummmmmmm

If you have time do the needle stratosphere thing it was kinda neat.

Want to get out? We enjoyed the British Pub mad dogs and Howl at the moon piano bar...

Do the short river cruise - its kinda fun but it will be cold in Feb so bring a jacket!

Thanks everyone!  Hotel & Flights booked so it's just a matter of counting down time now...

Where are you staying? I have stayed a few places my favorite was obviously the Hotel Contessa we got upgraded to the executive suite which my DH said was as big as his house lol Got it pretty decent priced on Orbitz too!

We're staying at the Hyatt Rivercentre...it has a rooftop jacuzzi!

Ohh fancy! That is a nice hotel!

ENJOY!