A Visit to San Antonio, Texas: From the Riverwalk to the Alamo

Recently, I was a visitor to San Antonio, Texas. When I make any visit to a friend's home in a city I have not seen myself, I usually arrive with preconceptions about what I will encounter. I admit I was off the "path" when I thought about what I would see and do in San Antonio.

I was pleasantly surprised to find 60-degree daytime weather and 46 degrees at night at the end of December. Since I reside where the daytime high is 28 degrees and the nighttime low is 4 degrees...well, need I say more? My coat came off and the comfort of wearing lightweight clothes returned.

My visit was during the holiday season and the famous San Antonio Riverwalk was spectacularly ablaze with lights in the evening. There is a wonderful guided tour down the river on a special boat. I waited until dark to take the boat trip so I would enjoy all of the lights along the river. The boat driver is also the tour guide and we seemed to have the driver with the best sense of humor. This, of course, made the trip even more fun and informative. All along the Riverwalk there are restaurants and shops and we enjoyed lunch at the Rainforest Restaurant. The Riverwalk is in the downtown area of San Antonio and is easily accessible; there are also a number of first-rate hotels along the riverfront and a fabulous shopping mall with over one hundred shops. Walking along the river was beautiful and relaxing and I look forward to returning one day.

Close to an entrance to the Riverwalk area sits the historic Alamo. Remember the Alamo! After reading the documentation of what happened on that famous day when our men died defending the Alamo, I realized the amazing courage and patriotism each man possessed. The men who chose to stand and fight had the opportunity to get away in time to miss the battle.

The walls at the Alamo were around 6 feet tall at best and since the number of men available to fight was so small compared to the enemy army, the men who made the decision to defend the Alamo knew they would die there. Their bravery and commitment touched my heart. There was a list of the names of men who gave their lives. As an American I often take for granted the sacrifices those who lived before me made on my behalf. The Alamo was another wake up call to me to be grateful for the rights and freedoms I enjoy here in the USA.

San Antonio has a host of other places of interest and other fun trips to take in and around the city. Now that I have seen the city for myself I can highly recommend San Antonio as a great choice for a travel destination.