South Texas Plains · Outdoors & Wildlife

San Antonio Zoo

San Antonio Zoo includes the historic Friedrich Aquarium, an operating 1948 aquarium with both freshwater and saltwater animals inside the larger Brackenridge Park zoo.

Photography: Wikimedia Commons

Plan the visit

San Antonio Zoo at a glance

Where is San Antonio Zoo?: San Antonio Zoo is near San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County.
When is the best time to visit San Antonio Zoo?: Fall through spring for comfortable outdoor walking; summer visits are best started early with indoor habitats used during peak heat.
Do I need to plan ahead for San Antonio Zoo?: Friedrich Aquarium is an exhibit within San Antonio Zoo. Check the current animal map, zoo hours and any habitat notices before planning specifically around the aquarium.
Who manages San Antonio Zoo?: San Antonio Zoological Society

The place

Why San Antonio Zoo belongs on the list

San Antonio Zoo is unusual among the zoo entries in this collection because it still operates a named aquarium. The Friedrich Aquarium opened in 1948 and remains listed by the zoo as home to both freshwater and saltwater animals, giving the larger park a distinct historic aquarium component.

Aquatic life also appears beyond that building. Africa Live includes fish alongside its larger African habitats, while other water-associated species appear across the zoo. Aquarium-focused visitors should therefore use the current map rather than treating Friedrich as the only place to look for aquatic animals.

The zoo’s Brackenridge Park setting makes it easy to combine with nearby family and cultural stops, but San Antonio heat can shape the day. Start early in summer, use Friedrich and other indoor areas during the hottest period, and verify any habitat closures before making a special trip for one exhibit.

The details

Plan the visit

Nearest town: Near San Antonio, Texas
Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable outdoor walking; summer visits are best started early with indoor habitats used during peak heat.
County: Bexar County
Address: 3903 N. St. Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78212
Entry & reservations: Friedrich Aquarium is an exhibit within San Antonio Zoo. Check the current animal map, zoo hours and any habitat notices before planning specifically around the aquarium.

Official visitor information

Tours & bookable experiences

Add an experience around San Antonio Zoo

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Quick answer

Planning a visit to San Antonio Zoo

What is San Antonio Zoo?: San Antonio Zoo includes the historic Friedrich Aquarium, an operating 1948 aquarium with both freshwater and saltwater animals inside the larger Brackenridge Park zoo.
When is the best time to go?: Fall through spring for comfortable outdoor walking; summer visits are best started early with indoor habitats used during peak heat.
What should I know before arriving?: Friedrich Aquarium is an exhibit within San Antonio Zoo. Check the current animal map, zoo hours and any habitat notices before planning specifically around the aquarium.
Where is it?: Near San Antonio, Texas, in Bexar County.

Field notes

What to know before you go

Conditions, closures, fees and availability can change. Use these notes to plan, then confirm the latest details with the official site before making the drive.

What you’ll find

Freshwater and saltwater animals

Don’t miss

Friedrich Aquarium
Africa Live aquatic habitats
Brackenridge Park setting

Good to know

Best time to go: Fall through spring for comfortable outdoor walking; summer visits are best started early with indoor habitats used during peak heat..
Friedrich Aquarium is an exhibit within San Antonio Zoo. Check the current animal map, zoo hours and any habitat notices before planning specifically around the aquarium.

Build the trip

Places that pair well with this stop

Nearby places, worthwhile detours and combinations for adding water, history, outdoors or a full weekend around this destination.

Close enough for the same trip

Nearby places

Places ordered by straight-line distance when reliable coordinates are available.

San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum combines modern and contemporary art, works on paper, sculpture, theater arts and changing exhibitions with the Spanish Colonial Revival residence and landscaped grounds of Marion Koogler McNay's former estate.
Best season: Year-round indoor museum; fall through spring is best for spending additional time on the 25-acre grounds and sculpture-filled campus.Updated Aug 2026
- Modern and contemporary art
- Spanish Colonial Revival mansion
- 25-acre sculpture campus
Explore this place
Approx. 2 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
San Antonio Museum of Art
San Antonio Museum of Art occupies the historic Lone Star Brewery complex on the Museum Reach of the River Walk, with global collections spanning ancient Mediterranean cultures, Asian art, Latin American art, European painting and contemporary work.
Best season: Year-round indoor museum; fall through spring is especially pleasant for arriving by the River Walk's Museum Reach or combining the galleries with nearby outdoor stops.Updated Aug 2026
- Global art collections
- Historic Lone Star Brewery
- Museum Reach of the River Walk
Explore this place
Approx. 2 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
The VA national cemetery in San Antonio is one of Texas' major military memorial landscapes and the burial place of generations of service members, including multiple Medal of Honor recipients. Use the cemetery to connect San Antonio's long military identity with individual veteran stories, memorial traditions and the modern National Cemetery Administration system.
Best season: Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Spring and fall usually offer the most comfortable weather for walking the grounds.Updated Aug 2026
- veterans
- Medal of Honor
- San Antonio military history
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Approx. 2 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
Artpace
Artpace is a free contemporary art center in downtown San Antonio built around an internationally recognized artist-in-residence program, with rotating exhibitions of work created by Texas, national and international artists.
Best season: Year-round indoor art destination; fall through spring is most comfortable for walking between Artpace, downtown plazas and nearby cultural stops.Updated Aug 2026
- International Artist-in-Residence program
- Free contemporary art exhibitions
- Texas, national and international artists
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Approx. 3 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
The Alamo
San Antonio's best-known historic landmark: the former Mission San Antonio de Valero, where more than three centuries of mission, military, revolutionary and preservation history converge in the heart of downtown.
Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable downtown walking; in summer, visit near opening for cooler temperatures and lighter crowdsUpdated Aug 2026
- Historic Alamo Church and Long Barrack
- Alamo Exhibit and the Ralston Family Collections Center
- Living History demonstrations and interpretation of the mission and 1836 battle
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Approx. 3 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
SEA LIFE San Antonio Aquarium
A downtown San Antonio aquarium at the Shops at Rivercenter with an ocean tunnel, sharks, rescued sea turtles, stingrays, seahorses, jellyfish and a touchpool.
Best season: Year-round; the indoor setting works well in summer heat and can be folded into a downtown River Walk and Alamo day.Updated Aug 2026
- Ocean tunnel
- Sharks and rescued sea turtles
- Stingray Bay
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Approx. 3 miles away

Around San Antonio

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Other destinations connected to San Antonio.

San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
San Antonio Aquarium
An interactive northwest San Antonio attraction combining sharks, stingrays and marine life with animal encounters involving birds, reptiles and mammals.
Best season: Year-round; it is primarily an indoor family attraction and works well as a heat or rain backup.Updated Aug 2026
- Sharks and stingrays
- Interactive animal encounters
- Rainforest reptiles
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Approx. 8 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
San Antonio River Walk
San Antonio's 15-mile river corridor links the famous below-street downtown promenade with the Museum Reach, Pearl and the Mission Reach, combining cypress-shaded walks, restaurants, public art, river cruises and some of the city's most important historic places.
Best season: Fall through spring for the most comfortable walking weather; summer is best early in the morning or after sunset, while the holiday season brings some of the River Walk's most recognizable evening lightsUpdated Aug 2026
- The classic below-street downtown river loop with cypress trees, stone bridges, restaurants and river cruises
- Museum Reach trail and public art extending north toward Pearl
- Mission Reach trails connecting the river corridor with San Antonio's Spanish colonial mission landscape
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Approx. 3 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Four Spanish colonial mission communities south of downtown San Antonio—Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada—preserved along the San Antonio River as living parish, architectural and cultural landscapes connected to the city's UNESCO World Heritage story.
Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable walking and biking; summer visits are best early in the day with shade and water built into the routeUpdated Aug 2026
- Mission San José and the park's main visitor center
- Mission Concepción's preserved church and stone architecture
- Mission San Juan and the agricultural landscape
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Approx. 7 miles away
San Antonio · Comal County
Natural Bridge Caverns
A major Hill Country cave attraction north-east of San Antonio where guided routes descend through enormous limestone rooms, stalactites, stalagmites and flowstone, with multiple cavern experiences and above-ground family attractions surrounding the natural limestone bridge that gave the site its name.
Best season: Year-round underground, where cavern temperatures stay comparatively stable; spring and fall are most comfortable for combining cave tours with above-ground attractionsUpdated Aug 2026
- Discovery Tour through the original cavern rooms
- Hidden Wonders tour and large underground chambers
- Natural limestone bridge at the cavern entrance
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Approx. 18 miles away
San Antonio · Comal County
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
A 500-acre drive-through safari beside Natural Bridge Caverns where visitors travel in their own enclosed vehicles among more than 500 animals from dozens of species, then continue through walkable animal areas and optional guided safari experiences.
Best season: Fall through spring for comfortable temperatures; the ranch recommends morning arrival for animal activity and lighter crowds, especially on weekends, holidays and summer daysUpdated Aug 2026
- Self-guided drive-through safari across 500 acres
- More than 500 animals representing roughly 40 species
- Giraffes, antelope, bison and other free-ranging hoofstock
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Approx. 18 miles away
San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
Casa Navarro State Historic Site
The restored home and property interpret the life of José Antonio Navarro, a Tejano statesman, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and influential early Texas leader. Casa Navarro adds an indispensable Tejano perspective to a San Antonio history itinerary that can otherwise lean too heavily on military sites alone.
Best season: Year-round; spring and fall are usually the most comfortable for outdoor portions of a visit.Updated Aug 2026
- Tejano history
- José Antonio Navarro
- San Antonio
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Approx. 3 miles away

Build a better day

Pair this stop with something different

Nearby parks, water, towns, history and outdoor places that complement this destination.

Castroville · Medina County
Castroville
Castroville is a Medina River town west of San Antonio where Alsatian settlement history, preserved nineteenth-century architecture, a large historic district, Landmark Inn and riverfront parks create one of Texas's most distinctive European-heritage small-town visits.
Best season: Fall through spring for historic walking and riverfront trails; warm months for park and pool recreation with heat planningUpdated Sep 2026
- Castroville Historic District
- Alsatian heritage
- Landmark Inn
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Approx. 26 miles away
New Braunfels · Comal County
New Braunfels
A German-Texan Hill Country city built around the Comal and Guadalupe rivers, with tubing, historic neighborhoods, Gruene and strong access to Canyon Lake.
Best season: Late spring through early fall for river recreation; fall through spring for town exploringUpdated Sep 2026
- Comal River
- Guadalupe River
- Gruene Historic District
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Approx. 27 miles away
Spring Branch · Comal County
Guadalupe River State Park
Four miles of Guadalupe River frontage between San Antonio and the Hill Country, pairing cypress-lined swimming and paddling water with trails, camping and access to the protected Honey Creek landscape.
Best season: Late spring through early fall for river time; fall through spring for comfortable hiking
- Four miles of Guadalupe River frontage
- Swimming, tubing, paddling and fishing when river conditions allow
- Hill Country trails through prairie, oak woodland and river corridor
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Approx. 27 miles away
Bandera · Bandera County
Bandera
A Medina River Hill Country town where cowboy heritage meets public river swimming, tubing and paddling, with music, horseback riding and access to rugged country west of San Antonio.
Best season: Late spring through early fall for Medina River recreation; fall through spring for riding and town exploringUpdated Sep 2026
- Medina River swimming and tubing
- Bandera City Park river access
- Cowboy and ranching heritage
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Approx. 40 miles away
San Marcos · Hays County
San Marcos
A Central Texas city built around powerful artesian springs and the clear San Marcos River, with tubing, paddling, a walkable downtown and a major university presence.
Best season: Year-round for spring-fed water; warm months are busiest for river recreationUpdated Sep 2026
- San Marcos River tubing
- City Park public river access
- Spring Lake and The Meadows Center
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Approx. 43 miles away

Add some water

Nearby water stops

Lakes, rivers, springs and coastal places that can fit into the same trip.

Wimberley
Blue Hole, Wimberley
A spring-fed swimming area on Cypress Creek inside Wimberley's Blue Hole Regional Park, shaded by mature cypress trees and managed through a seasonal reservation system that protects the experience from uncontrolled crowding.
Best season: May through early September for reserved swimming; the surrounding regional park is open year-roundUpdated Aug 2026
- Spring-fed Cypress Creek swimming beneath mature cypress trees
- Reservation-controlled seasonal swim sessions
- Shaded lawns and regional-park recreation outside the swim area
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Approx. 44 miles away
Blanco · Blanco County
Blanco State Park
A small Hill Country park wrapped around a mile of the Blanco River, with limestone dams, swimming, fishing, paddling and shaded picnic areas within walking distance of downtown Blanco.
Best season: Late spring through early fall for river time; fall and spring for picnics and fishing
- Blanco River swimming and wading
- Historic limestone river dams
- Fishing and paddling
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Approx. 44 miles away
Wimberley · Hays County
Jacob's Well Natural Area
A deep artesian spring and karst opening near Wimberley that forms the headwaters of Cypress Creek, protected within a Hays County natural area with trails and tightly managed water access.
Best season: Fall through spring for trails; the natural area remains a hiking destination while swimming is closedUpdated Sep 2026
- Artesian spring opening
- Cypress Creek headwaters
- Hill Country karst geology
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Approx. 44 miles away
Johnson City · Blanco County
Pedernales Falls State Park
Thirty miles west of Austin, the Pedernales River pours across broad shelves of Hill Country limestone, creating a dramatic falls area plus separate places for swimming, hiking, camping and river access.
Best season: Fall through spring for hiking; warm months are popular for swimming in designated river areas
- Pedernales Falls overlook and limestone river terraces
- Designated swimming and tubing access away from the falls area
- Hill Country hiking and biking trails including Twin Falls Nature Trail
Explore this place
Approx. 60 miles away

Add some Texas context

Historic stops nearby

Historic sites, small towns and road-trip stops that add context to the route.

San Antonio · Bexar County · South Texas Plains
Spanish Governor's Palace
The Spanish Governor's Palace is an eighteenth-century Spanish Colonial residence in downtown San Antonio and the last visible architectural trace of the Presidio San Antonio de Béxar complex.
Best season: Year-round historic house; fall through spring is most comfortable for combining the interior rooms and courtyard with a longer downtown heritage walk.Updated Aug 2026
- Spanish Colonial architecture
- Presidio San Antonio de Béxar
- Eighteenth-century rooms and courtyard
Explore this place
Approx. 3 miles away

Keep the day outside

More outdoors nearby

Parks, caverns and outdoor destinations that pair naturally with this stop.

Lockhart · Caldwell County
Lockhart State Park
A small Central Texas state park beside Clear Fork Creek, notable for wooded trails, a historic CCC-built recreation landscape and the only golf course in the Texas State Park system.
Best season: Fall through spring for hiking and golf; summer visits are best early or late in the day
- Historic nine-hole state-park golf course
- Civilian Conservation Corps structures
- Short wooded and creekside trails
Explore this place
Approx. 54 miles away
Gonzales · Gonzales County
Palmetto State Park
A small, lush park near Gonzales where dwarf palmettos, swampy lowlands, the San Marcos River and a CCC-built landscape create scenery that feels unexpectedly subtropical for Central Texas.
Best season: Fall through spring for hiking; warm months for paddling with humidity precautions
- Dwarf palmetto groves
- San Marcos River paddling and fishing
- CCC-built structures
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Approx. 54 miles away
Austin · Travis County
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The University of Texas at Austin's native-plant botanical garden in South Austin, where designed gardens, prairie restoration, an arboretum, family garden and nature trails show how Texas wildflowers and native landscapes can be beautiful, resilient and ecologically useful year-round.
Best season: Spring for wildflowers, fall for comfortable trails and native grasses, and year-round for designed native gardens; bloom timing always depends on weather rather than a fixed calendar dateUpdated Aug 2026
- Texas native-plant gardens and ecological landscape design
- Seasonal wildflower displays and bluebonnet areas
- Texas Arboretum and walking trails
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Approx. 61 miles away
Fredericksburg · Gillespie County
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
A massive pink-granite dome north of Fredericksburg with nearly 21 miles of hiking, a famous summit climb, rock climbing, stargazing and a newly opened backcountry trail system.
Best season: Fall through spring for cooler hiking; summer heat and exposed granite can be intense
- Summit Trail to broad Hill Country views from the granite dome
- Nearly 21 miles of hiking trails, including new backcountry routes
- Rock climbing and bouldering with required check-in at headquarters
Explore this place
Approx. 75 miles away

People also visit

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Austwell · Aransas and Refugio counties County
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
A vast coastal refuge north of Rockport protecting marsh, oak woodland and tidal flats best known as the principal wintering ground of the endangered whooping crane.
Best season: November through March for whooping cranes; spring and fall for migrationUpdated Sep 2026
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- Coastal marsh and tidal flats
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Approx. 128 miles away
Wadsworth · Matagorda County
Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge
Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge protects coastal marsh and bay habitat near Matagorda Bay, with public use focused on wildlife-dependent recreation and seasonal waterfowl hunting in a remote Texas Mid-Coast setting.
Best season: Fall through early spring for waterfowl, migratory birds and cooler coastal conditions.Updated Sep 2026
- Matagorda Bay coastal marsh
- Migratory waterfowl habitat
- Remote wildlife observation
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Approx. 170 miles away
Brazoria · Brazoria and Matagorda counties County
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 70,000 acres from Gulf beaches and coastal marshes inland through prairie, wetlands and bottomland forests along the Brazos and San Bernard river systems.
Best season: Fall through spring for migratory birds and cooler hiking; spring migration is especially strong in forest tracts.Updated Sep 2026
- Coastal marsh and prairie
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Approx. 180 miles away
Houston · Harris County
Houston Zoo
Houston Zoo no longer has a stand-alone Kipp Aquarium, but aquatic animals remain part of the zoo, with the Galápagos Islands habitat carrying forward a major marine and coastal focus.
Best season: Fall through spring offers the most comfortable outdoor zoo weather; summer visits are best started early with indoor and shaded habitats during peak heat.Updated Aug 2026
- Galápagos Islands habitat
- Aquatic animals across the zoo
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Approx. 186 miles away
Glen Rose · Somervell County
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
A drive-through conservation center near Glen Rose where giraffes, rhinos, antelope and other species roam large Hill Country pastures tied to endangered-species breeding and education.
Best season: Fall through spring for cooler driving and more active animalsUpdated Sep 2026
- Drive-through wildlife safari
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Approx. 192 miles away
Houston · Harris County
Sheldon Lake State Park & Environmental Learning Center
A 2,800-acre pocket of wetlands, prairie, ponds and woods on Houston’s northeast side, with free entry, accessible trails, fishing and an 82-foot observation tower overlooking the park and distant skyline.
Best season: Spring and fall for comfortable trail weather and birding; the park is open year-round
- John Jacob Observation Tower with views across the wetlands and toward Houston
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Approx. 201 miles away

Keep exploring the region

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South Padre Island · Cameron County · South Texas Plains
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Best season: Year-round; summer connects naturally with a South Padre beach trip, while winter can be especially meaningful for understanding cold-stun rescue work.Updated Aug 2026
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Approx. 243 miles away
Corpus Christi · Nueces County · South Texas Plains
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Best season: October through May for milder weather; summer works for beach days with heat, storms and surf conditions checked closelyUpdated Sep 2026
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Approx. 150 miles away
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Approx. 158 miles away
Corpus Christi · Kleberg County · South Texas Plains
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South Padre Island · Cameron County · South Texas Plains
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Best season: October through May for milder weather; summer works for beach days with heat, storms and surf conditions checked closelyUpdated Sep 2026
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Approx. 245 miles away

Texas Explained

Understand the Texas behind the trip

Go beyond the destination with the systems, landscapes and history that explain why this part of Texas looks and works the way it does.

Texas RegionsSee how geography changes landscapes, climate and travel across the state.Read guide →Cultural RegionsUnderstand the settlement, migration and traditions behind different parts of Texas.Read guide →Farm-to-Market RoadsLearn the road system that still shapes how many Texas destinations connect.Read guide →

Explore all 10 Texas Explained guides →

Continue exploring

Build the weekendStart a Texas itinerary with San Antonio Zoo already on the route.More like thisMore places across Texas with the same kind of appeal.Explore the regionSee what else belongs on the route.Check the calendarAdd festivals, fairs and seasonal events.Look nearbyFind stories and places tied to San Antonio.