Texas is a huge diverse state, associated by many by oil, the desert and cowboys who are fiercely proud of their home. Much of this originated in San Antonio, which at one stage was claimed by Mexico and the influence remains.
San Antonio is known as home to the Alamo, a Spanish mission where in the 19th century a group of Texans took a stand against Mexico, hugely outnumbered and fought to the death for independence. The Alamo remains as does the many influences in San Antonio: Spanish, Mexican as does a city which is on the up and has a beautiful riverwalk downtown. These are the many reasons we want to visit San Antonio
We want to stay at the Hotel Emma
An authentic choice, with the history and ambience of San Antonio, Hotel Emma was a 19th century brewhouse and is now a 146-room river front hotel on the northern edge of San Antonio, in the Pearl district. From here you can rent a bicycle or even take a river taxi to downtown in minutes. Or stay in the Pearl district which has wide selection of restaurants, bars and shops.
The hotel itself is designed in our favourite industrial style whilst retaining the Texan charm. They’ve repurposed old equipment of the brewery to form chandeliers, and intimate seating. There is also a rooftop pool, gym and a library. You are greeted with a margarita on arrival. There is a spa set to open this year. The rooms are all large with high ceilings, furniture is made from hardwood and in the brewhouse tower rooms, concrete flooring which will appeal to the minimalist. The terrace room has a balcony with extensive views, where you can sit outside and enjoy a nice margarita, which a Texas must.
We want to eat and drink at La Fogata and White Elephant Coffee
Although invented in Mexico, the tequila-based margarita is all over Texas and it’s many authentic eateries. They don’t come more authentic than at La Fogata. The dishes are served based on traditional recipes from Mexico and most importantly they have award-winning margaritas which can be enjoyed indoors or take advantage of the South Texan weather (perhaps avoiding mid-Summer where it can get too hot), outside.
Boutique coffee roasters are starting to pop up all over Texas and one we want to particularly visit in San Antonio is White Elephant Coffee. Set in a light blue cool industrial building, the beans are globally harvested and locally roasted and they serve up many coffee variations.
We want to workout at The District San Antonio
Always wanting to try something different, we’d love to test out The District gym which is mainly focused on bouldering and climbing. It has a great setup for this and we’d love to give it a go.
We want to visit The Alamo and Riverwalk
The Alamo is a must-visit to see how brave men fought for independence of Texas from Mexico while vastly outnumbered force stood fast, till the death. You can walk through the building which has been well preserved and also around the gardens around it which are kept in pristine condition. Finally, another must is to take a nice day and walk around the Riverwalk and explore all the restaurants and bars which are situated right on the water.
Are you a resident of San Antonio or visited the area? What locations would you recommend we visit? We’d love your feedback. Let us know in the comments below.
