One Perfect Day in San Antonio, Texas: First Time Tourist Itinerary

First time in San Antonio and not sure what to Do on your day trip itinerary?

Compared to Houston, the best attractions in San Antonio are very possible to see in just one itinerary-packed day. One of the best places to visit in Texas, San Antonio is a big city that doesn’t really feel like a big city. Almost everything touristy lives in the heart of downtown San Antonio, making virtually all the attractions very walkable.

So how can you spend one day in San Antonio? In this travel guide, create your own perfect one day San Antonio itinerary covering all the popular attractions, especially if you’re a first-time visitor. (Or just ctrl+copy my sample itinerary below.)

Sample Itinerary: How do I spend a day in San Antonio?

Get ready for a packed day and night of the best things to do in San Antonio, Texas!

1. If you’re coming from the north: Stop by the Japanese Tea Garden on your way into town
2. Tour the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park – San Jose Mission if you’re visiting one
3. Stroll along the Mission Trail via bike or walking
4. If there’s time: On route to downtown, tack on the Historic Market Square and San Fernando Cathedral
5. Park for the rest of the day: Check out Alamo Plaza on the way to remembering The Alamo
6. Walk half of The River Walk in the day on the way to La Villita Historic Arts Village
7. Have dinner on The River Walk before ending the night in South Town

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Top Tour Picks in San Antonio

TOP 5 INTERESTING TOUR PICKS IN SAN ANTONIO

👻 Strange things have happened here in the streets of San Antonio, hear the haunted, paranormal tales of notorious Texas events in this Haunted History Ghost Tour. (⭐4.5/5) 🏛️ Experience the rich history of San Antonio on this half-day tour visiting the iconic historical missions with a local guide. (⭐5/5) 🛴 Explore San Antonio by Segway on a 1.5-hour tour that takes in the highlights of historic downtown San Antonio (⭐5/5)  🍻 Not sure what to do at night? Join San Antonio’s haunted pub crawl, taking you through the Alamo City’s notorious history and its most haunted pubs. (⭐4.5/5) 🤠 Get a taste of Texas by experiencing the thrill of a live rodeo on Saturdays, featuring bull riding, barrel racing, and more, as well as a live country band. (⭐4.5/5)

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Day Time Things to Do in San Antonio, Texas

Visit the Historic Missions

San Antonio has five historic missions in total, with the Alamo being one of them. The other four are Mission Conception, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. Altogether, these Spanish colonial missions are a part of the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

So what is a mission? Taken straight from San Antonio.gov, a mission’s purpose was to “convert Native American groups to Christianity, assimilate them into Spanish society, and promote settlement in the region.” These religious communes became the building blocks for the city.

A 16 mile designated Mission Hike and Bike Trail connects all the missions on a path that follows the river, which is quite pretty. There are rental bikes in various places all along the trail system.

Tip! The missions are not all near one another. If you only have time for one (or two if you include the Alamo): the most impressive would probably be Mission San Jose.

👉 Learn the rich history of San Antonio on this half-day tour visiting the iconic historical missions with a local guide. (⭐5/5)

Mission San Jose Address: 299 Woodhull Dr, San Antonio, TX 78214

Remember the Alamo

Definitely touristy, the Alamo is San Antonio’s and maybe all of Texas’s most famous attraction and probably something you remember from your middle school history textbooks. In the Battle of the Alamo, two hundred brave men stood against the incoming Mexican army to take a stand to the death inspiring the rest of the nation.

The more I learn about Texas history, especially the Texas Revolution, the more I discover its uniqueness from the rest of America, even though the themes are similar. You know, themes like resistance to oppression and struggle for independence.

For a first-time tourist, I would say that this is a must-do. It’s also close to all the other first-timer things to see in San Antonio and with a free price tag, so why not?

👉 Visit the Alamo and other San Antonio highlights by a 1.5-hour Segway tour (⭐5/5)

Address: 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205

Alamo Plaza

If I were a kid, I would love Alamo Plaza. Scratch that; I still love it as an adult. This downtown area is completely set up for tourism. It is filled with souvenir shops and usual tourist trap activities like Madame Tussauds, Legoland, Sea Life, The Amazing Mirror Maze, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, etc. It’s also right next to Alamo Plaza. Think that was on purpose.

San Fernando Cathedral

If you like visiting churches, this old cathedral is filled with history and beauty. Located in downtown San Antonio facing the Main Plaza, the San Fernando Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedrals still active in the United States.

Address: 115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205

La Villita Historic Arts Village

For the more artsy folk, on the southern bank of the San Antonio River Walk, La Villita Historic Arts Village is a cute artisan village with over 25 shops and art galleries for local handmade goods. The buildings are unique adobe structures, and they have a lot of events throughout the year.

Hours: Everyday 10am – 6pm, Sunday 11am – 4pm
Address: 418 Villita St, San Antonio, TX 78205

Historic Market Square

Apparently the largest Mexican market outside of Mexico, Historic Market Square also brings live entertainment and fun almost every weekend.

Address: 514 W Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78207

Bonus: Japanese Tea Garden

For some reason, I love visiting cities Japanese Tea Gardens. So even when short on time, when I heard that San Antonio has a very large, intricately decorated, and free Japanese Tea Garden, I just had to make a detour.

Note: This is much further compared to other places to visit in San Antonio. If you are coming into the city from the direction of Austin, the Japanese Tea Garden will be en-route before hitting the city center.

Address: 3853 N St Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212

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Night Time Things to Do in San Antonio, Texas

Walk along the entirety of the San Antonio River Walk

The San Antonio River Walk is beautiful in the day but so lively at night too. All the trees are draped with lights reflecting off the river. During the holidays, carolers on boats even fill the air with a cheery ambiance.

In the heart of San Antonio, a one+ mile section of the river winds in a loop surrounded on both sides with restaurants and shops. But having to go up and down the stairs to cross the bridges, it takes around 45 minutes to complete the River Walk horseshoe.

Or….ride a Boat along the Riverwalk

Besides walking the San Antonio River Walk, you can also cruise on it. Go Rio offers boat tours along the river while narrating San Antonio’s history and fun facts. The tour lasts 35 minutes and costs $14.

Get Insulted at Dick’s Last Resort Restaurant

Have you ever wanted to get insulted by your waiter and be mad at lousy service? Well, that’s the gimmick of the restaurant Dick’s Last Resort on San Antonio’s River Walk.

Address: 223 Losoya St, San Antonio, TX 78205

South Town

A couple more blocks from the River Walk and you can walk to South Town for some nightlife. This area has some of the best restaurants, comedy clubs, and bars, and it’s a great place to end the night, at least for us.

Tips: Parking

Parking lots in San Antonio can be super expensive. I made the mistake of not checking before entering, and it was $18 for maybe 2 hours. The guy in front of me had a $30 ticket.

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Other Fun Places in San Antonio With More Time

Most cities cannot be fully seen in one day, including San Antonio. If you are interested in adding to your itinerary, here are some other fun things and day trips.

• Natural Bridge Caverns – Day trip to the underground chambers of this spectacular cave
• Buckhorn Saloon & Museum – Cowboy culture in the oldest saloon in Texas and admission includes two museums
• King William Historic District – A neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Tower of the Americas – That tower you see in the distance? Well, you can go to the top for $14
• San Antonio Botanical Garden – 33-acre museum of plants
• San Antonio Zoo – Museum of animals in the same park as the Japanese Tea Garden
• Enchanted Rock State Natural Area – Good option if you’re looking for some hiking nearby
• Pearl Farmers Market – open-air grocery store every Saturday (9am-1pm) and Sunday (10am-2pm)
• San Antonio Museum of Art – RTW ancient to contemporary art museum

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Where to Stay in San Antonio

🏘️ WHERE TO STAY IN SAN ANTONIO

Romantic Stay on the Riverwalk: Inn on the Riverwalk (⭐9.0) Top Luxury Stay: Drury Plaza Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk (⭐8.9) Top Budget Stay: Hotel Gibbs Downtown Riverwalk (⭐9.3)

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FAQs: One Day in San Antonio

Is one day enough for San Antonio?

It is possible to see and do a lot in San Antonio in one day, but it really depends on your interests and how much time you want to spend at each attraction. San Antonio is a city with a rich history and culture, and there are many attractions that are worth visiting.

If you only have one day in the city, it’s a good idea to plan out your itinerary carefully and prioritize the attractions that you most want to see.

What is there to do in San Antonio for a few hours?

If you only have a few hours to spend in the San Antonio, then I would focus on staying in the center of downtown. I would spend all your time mainly focusing on:

1. Visiting the Alamo
2. Take a stroll along the River Walk: You can easily spend a few hours exploring the area and checking out the many shops and restaurants that line the walkway.

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Is San Antonio Texas Worth Visiting?

You really only need one day in San Antonio to see the highlights, but if you don’t have time on your road trip, I wouldn’t be too sad about missing this Texas city.

That being said, San Antonio is a vibrant and historic city with a rich culture and a wide variety of attractions to explore. After going to the city’s must-see’s, it’s also woth spending time to experience the city’s vibrant arts and music scenes as well as it’s outdoor recreation opportunities in the surrounding Hill Country region.

If you have 24 hours in San Antonio, then make sure to hit these spots on a San Antonio initerary:

• San Antonio River Walk
• The Alamo
• Mission San Jose

Other Related Posts in Texas

• Austin
• Dallas
• Houston
• Boquillas Crossing in Big Bend National Park

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