San Antonio, la ciudad con todo: romance, history, arts, culture, nature, food & drinks

San Antonio, Texas, has it all and más! And now there’s a guidebook to help you explore the city’s most fabulous treasures before you kick the bucket.

“100 Things To Do in San Antonio Before you Die” (Reedy Press, 2016) by yours truly is my love letter to San Antonio. I wrote it for both visitors and residents. My latest book, “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” is now available.

The Alamo City—the seventh-largest municipality in the United States—conveys a small-town vibe. It’s filled with friendly locals who are happy to share what they love most about their ciudad: Barbacoa! Los Spurs! The River Walk! Fiesta! Breakfast tacos! The museums! Parades! Smoked brisket! The green spaces! Margaritas! And on, and on.

For a city that pre-dates the Declaration of Independence, San Antonio has a youthful vibrancy that belies its age. On any given day, something is being celebrated. Join the party that is San Antonio! Bienvenidos to America’s best town.

It all began at HemisFair ’68

My love affair with San Antonio began in 1968 at HemisFair, the World’s Fair, when I was seven years old. Even at that age, I knew San Antonio, which was celebrating its 250th birthday, was a special place. On summer vacations, it seemed like all roads led to the Alamo City. Bongo Joe was the first street musician I ever experienced, and I remember drinking ice cold, homemade root beer at Schilo’s, not far from where he performed. I moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college freshman. Over the years, I’ve witnessed San Antonio grow and prosper, and I could not be more in love with my adopted city.

Thanks, TC!

A gigante thank you to Taco Cabana (#53 on the list) for helping to launch my book with my fellow San Antonio bloggers. The margaritas were heavenly, and I think I ate my weight in chicken flautas and bean and cheese nachos. To borrow a saying from my Southeast Texas roots: “A good time was had by all.”

Denise Barkis Richter, Ph.D., author of “San Antonio’s Passport to Fun,” has been blogging about San Antonio since June of 2010. Follow her at facebook.com/SanAntonioTourist so that you’ll never miss a post. Her love affair with the Alamo City began at Hemisfair in 1968. She moved to San Antonio in 1979 as an 18-year-old college student, and San Antonio has been her home ever since. Denise completed certification to become a professional tour guide in 2019. Please contact her at sanantoniotourist at gmail dot com if you’d like for her to curate a fabulous San Antonio experience for you!