Looks like the wife and I will be heading to San Antonio for a conference at the end of October, we will be staying down town at the Embassy Suites San Antonio - Riverwalk Downtown. Any good restaurants or sights that are a must. We will not have a car so public transportation or taxi will be our way of getting around.
Ross
Lots of good stuff around the Riverwalk. Try the puffy tacos. (can't think of the name of the 'famous' place that has them)
The Alamo, and some of the Missions just outside of town are worth a cab ride.
Would that be Henry's?
It has been awhile since I have been in San A. The Riverwalk is great. They used to have a great comedy club down town. Public transportation is good. Do not remember the names of the food joints, but they do have a few good ones.
We went to Boudro's Bistro for dinner and Barriba Cantina on the riverwalk. We enjoyed both places. Boudros has a nice pecan crusted lamb.
Been to the Riverwalk 3 times but can't remember the names of anything ;D ::)
One thing I do remember is that everything gets jammed packed so you want to try to eat dinner early if not get ready to wait.
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1. Casa Rio. On the riverwalk, been there for 50 some odd years at the same place. Good basic Tex-Mex and reasonable pricing
2. Schilo's on the street level next door to Casa Rio. Good German style food, home-made root beer is the way to go here.
3. Texas de Brazil. Not on the Riverwalk, but an excellent Brazilian style steakhouse. Better than Fogo de Chao IMHO.
4. Bohanon's. Again, not on the Riverwalk, but a local owned steakhouse that knows their way around beef. Very pricey but worth it. Dry aged steaks, Kobe beef, they've got it.
These places are all within walking distance. You can grab the trolley and ride to Market Square for a treat. La Margarita has great fajitas and a party atmosphere. Mi Tierra is ok for breakfast, Christmas decorations up year round.
As far as other places on the river, it's pretty much a crapshoot. Most of them are geared for the tourist that more than likely won't ever be back, so the service and food leave a lot to be desired. Pat O'Brien's is nothing like New Orleans except for the name and decor.
The bar at the Menger Hotel (Alamo Plaza) is a must for the restoration and historical thing. Also Mi Tierra Cafe y Panadería in the Mercado is good fun.
Second on the Teddy Roosevelt Bar at the Menger only if it's not real crowded. Sometimes the cigarette/cigar smoke is overwhelming.
Thanks for the replys, looks like we will be within walking distance to the Menger and the Alamo. We love walking and if I booked the right hotel Alamo Square is about six blocks one way and the Menger is four blocks the othere way. Mind you I might have screwed up. Using Google Earth to locate Alamo Square and The Menger. :o
Alamo Plaza and the Menger sit side by side with each other.
Opppps I got the Menger mixed up with the Market just west of the Hotel. Both good places to go visit from what I have been told. Thanks for staightening me out on that one. Will definatley be spending a day or so aroind the Alamo area. Love history so I am looking forward to this trip.
Bet I know what you'll say when you see the Alamo for the first time.
You can get all your souvenir shopping done at the Market (Mercado) (and don't forget to try Mi Tierra).
Tienen un viaje bueno.
Dang I gotta learm me some spanish, spending a lot of time in Mexico, San Diego, Florida and Texas. We have very few Spanish speaking up heree in British Columbia, just got Rosetta Stone. Who says I'm too old to learn.
Too bad you won't have wheels. Driving the Mission Trail is one of the highlights of going to SA.
Wheels will also take you to Natural Bridge Caverns.
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Might have to rethink the wheels thing, maybe rent one for a day or two.
If you can get a car for 24 hours, you can do a LOT of sightseeing. I highly suggest the Mission Trail. Make sure you take your camera. There's a lot of history there.
Dirty Nelly's! Not sure if its still there. If it is, its a good time :)
Check out Dollar Rent-a-car. They have cars for around 22 bucks a day for that time period. Be sure to click on the 'city special' to see the sale pricing.
Nelly's is still there with peanut shells on the floor
Thanks Squirt, it is not the price of renting, it's having SWMBO navigating and me driving....not a good combination. ;) We decided a few years ago that taking transit was safer for our relationship. But that being said we may get one for this trip seeing there a so many places to get to.
Quote from: RossP on September 19, 2012, 11:11:44 AM
Thanks Squirt, it is not the price of renting, it's having SWMBO navigating and me driving....not a good combination. ;) We decided a few years ago that taking transit was safer for our relationship. But that being said we may get one for this trip seeing there a so many places to get to.
What if she did the driving and you navigated? Or maybe not... :-X
Same problem re: driving and navigating - we ended the discussion by getting an inexpensive GPS unit for the car. Best money we ever spent.
Mark (in Ottawa)
Quote from: Mark in Ottawa on September 19, 2012, 12:51:41 PM
Same problem re: driving and navigating - we ended the discussion by getting an inexpensive GPS unit for the car. Best money we ever spent.
Mark (in Ottawa)
Oh heck that don't work either, she hates car GPS's. We have rented cars with a built in GPS and she will not let me turn it on. All she says is they are not reliable, and they take you places you should not go. She points out about the couple that trusted their GPS a few years ago in Utah and they got lost andd stuck. The husband tried walking out for help and died, they found the wife days later. Well I tell SWMBO that I would never take off down a dirt road but she just hates them.
As for letting her drive, she drove in Florida last year as the car was rented in her name, never again. She will not listen to my navigation instructions but gets mad when she makes a wrong turn so no more renting of cars if she is driving. We find it best for our marriage if we do not rent but use transit and cabs to get around when traveling.
Like I said maybe this time we will rent a car for a day just to do the Mission Trail.
The only problem with the Mission Trail is that it goes the wrong direction (SSE from SA) and misses the really important sites for smokers (NE of SA) - places like Taylor, Luling, Elgin, & Lockhart. If I had to choose, I'd be less cultured and better fed. Come to think of it, I'm already less cultured and better fed.
I like the way the turtle thinks......
Quote from: RossP on September 19, 2012, 03:24:40 PM
Quote from: Mark in Ottawa on September 19, 2012, 12:51:41 PM
Same problem re: driving and navigating - we ended the discussion by getting an inexpensive GPS unit for the car. Best money we ever spent.
Mark (in Ottawa)
Oh heck that don't work either, she hates car GPS's. We have rented cars with a built in GPS and she will not let me turn it on. All she says is they are not reliable, and they take you places you should not go.
Like I said maybe this time we will rent a car for a day just to do the Mission Trail.
Ross,I can understand your wife's point. Heck, more times than I like to remember, my GPS took me to the nearest brewpub instead of home. Then there was this distillery...who knew that was there? Then there was this place called Hooters...then the meat department at Restaurant Depot....then....Dang GPS! ::) ::)
Quote from: Salmonsmoker on September 19, 2012, 05:52:26 PM
Quote from: RossP on September 19, 2012, 03:24:40 PM
Quote from: Mark in Ottawa on September 19, 2012, 12:51:41 PM
Same problem re: driving and navigating - we ended the discussion by getting an inexpensive GPS unit for the car. Best money we ever spent.
Mark (in Ottawa)
Oh heck that don't work either, she hates car GPS's. We have rented cars with a built in GPS and she will not let me turn it on. All she says is they are not reliable, and they take you places you should not go.
Like I said maybe this time we will rent a car for a day just to do the Mission Trail.
Ross,I can understand your wife's point. Heck, more times than I like to remember, my GPS took me to the nearest brewpub instead of home. Then there was this distillery...who knew that was there? Then there was this place called Hooters...then the meat department at Restaurant Depot....then....Dang GPS! ::) ::)
Now that is the GPS I want :o
Quote from: RossP on September 19, 2012, 06:14:34 PM
Quote from: Salmonsmoker on September 19, 2012, 05:52:26 PM
Quote from: RossP on September 19, 2012, 03:24:40 PM
Quote from: Mark in Ottawa on September 19, 2012, 12:51:41 PM
Same problem re: driving and navigating - we ended the discussion by getting an inexpensive GPS unit for the car. Best money we ever spent.
Mark (in Ottawa)
Oh heck that don't work either, she hates car GPS's. We have rented cars with a built in GPS and she will not let me turn it on. All she says is they are not reliable, and they take you places you should not go.
Like I said maybe this time we will rent a car for a day just to do the Mission Trail.
Ross,I can understand your wife's point. Heck, more times than I like to remember, my GPS took me to the nearest brewpub instead of home. Then there was this distillery...who knew that was there? Then there was this place called Hooters...then the meat department at Restaurant Depot....then....Dang GPS! ::) ::)
Now that is the GPS I want :o
Yeah, but would SWMBO go for it?
So we are going to get a car for a couple of days, so if you could go to just one place to eat were would you go?
Quote from: RossP on September 25, 2012, 10:07:50 PM
So we are going to get a car for a couple of days, so if you could go to just one place to eat were would you go?
I'd drive Miles to get me a Puffy Taco that Squirt talks about ;D Mmmm Puffy Taco :-X
Yah I have been looking at them Puffy Tacos, they look interesting, going to have to give them a try when we are there. I think Henry's is the place to go for them.