I didn’t plan to fall in love on this trip, but I did. I tried to go about each day, my head down, focused on the tasks at hand, but this sultry temptress of a city saw me coming a mile away. The river her curves and the culture her smile, I was hopeless against her magnetic pull, just as the ocean waves lay surrender to the moon’s rise.

San Antonio checks all the boxes. History? Check. A stunning and vibrant city center? Check. Dedication to the arts, culture, and mother nature? Check, check, and check. There are design cues throughout this city that clearly show a longstanding commitment to let these elements do the design work, putting form way over function, but in all the right ways. At every step, you feel the flow of a nature trail rather than the straight, rigid lines of a city void of thoughtful planning. Sound too good to be true? You’re just going to have to come along and find out for yourself. So grab some comfortable shoes and don’t forget to pack your appetite, we’ve got a hot date with a Latina princess.

Let’s Go

From Austin, we headed south on Interstate 35, but before we get to day one, my trip to San Antonio began a few days prior to the family joining in as I had a conference to attend during the week.

Pop Quiz: What’s more fun than attending a three day conference dedicated to the steel construction industry with thousands of other people in tow?

Give up?

Well, the answer is: Attending a three day conference dedicated to the steel construction industry with thousands of other people in tow with the most violent stomach virus that you can recall in recent memory.

Oh, we had some fun this week, y’all. Now, I’ll spare you the details as I’m sure some of you might be eating dinner or at least snacking while reading this so I’ll save your appetite but please, go on ahead and let those imaginations run wild. Let’s just say that I’ll be remembered by some as “that guy”. Okay, enough of that… Again, Let’s Go.

Day One: Forces Converge at the River Offensive

No, we didn’t fight any historic or glorified battles at the river’s edge, but we sure unleashed our fury on it. Okay, fury might be the wrong word, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

As my conference wrapped on a Friday afternoon, I stepped into a nearby pub for a couple of beers with a colleague while I waited for word from the wife that she’d made it to our Airbnb and gotten checked in. Once I had the green light, I hitched a ride from said colleague just a mile or so south of Downtown into what I’d soon discover to be a wonderful little neighborhood called Southtown.

The street was lined with quaint, quiet little houses, each with their own unique character. Ours was fairly unassuming but still cute in its own right. I thanked my colleague for the ride and stepped inside to what seemed like an entirely different house.

From the first step in, the house came to life. The vibrant colors set against the vintage fixtures and original floors spoke volumes to its charm and personality. I’ve never seen art quite like this, but I definitely want to see more. The theme of Dia Day Los Muertos, a rich Mexican tradition, added a warm depth as many of the pieces were clearly dedicated to loved ones that have since passed on. Whether they were related to the owner of this amazing little place or simply part of a collection, I took a moment to appreciate and acknowledge the lives that each piece honored.

Now that the family I had joined forces again, it was time to relax and enjoy their presence for a bit as we caught up on each other’s weeks. Not long after, hunger struck us all, and it was time to unleash that fury I spoke about earlier onto a little place down the street called Blue Star Brewing Company.

As the anchor of the Blue Star Arts District in Southtown, this place had a welcoming vibe with a laid back atmosphere. We were greeted before we made it through the opened front doors of the place. We got there just before the rush, so we were seated right away. We chose a spot outside as it was too nice of an evening to spend it inside. The wife and I ordered two of their custom brews, and baby girl opted for Sprite.

The beers were excellent. I got the Bulverde Pilsner, and the wife got the Flying Pig. I wanted to try them all, but those days are fortunately behind me. Speaking of, let’s change “Fury” to “A nice dinner followed by a stroll”, sound good? Yes, you got me… there’s no fury in my game anymore. I’ve lived that life and you’ll find me much more excited over puzzles and coffee these days rather than the days of old where booze and loud music reigned supreme.

And now, back to the show.

In true Martin family fashion, we ordered about five too many of everything. It’s like we black out when it comes time to order and just as we come to, we’ve spent a bucket of money and the kitchen thinks we’re a party of ten. We got the brisket poppers, the pretzels, a grilled cheese with fries, a bun-less greek burger, and an order of garlic parsley fries. All of this… for two adults and a six year old.

With the exception of the bun-less burger being a bit overcooked for my taste, the food was wonderful. The brisket poppers were really unique and the pretzels were out of this world. Even the kids grilled cheese was amazing. I highly reccomend you pay this place a visit. The outside patio makes for great people watching, the beers are delicious, and the service is great.

After dinner, we moseyed across the parking lot to the riverwalk. The riverwalk runs through all of downtown and continues through Southtown, and it is one of the coolest features I’ve ever seen in any major city. It’s well done and well maintained and there is no better place to be during Springtime in San Antonio.

After taking in the perfect evening in a thriving arts district, we decided to head back to the place and call it an early night. We didn’t know it at the time, but this was merely a tiny taste of all that this city had to offer and much, much more was to come.

Day Two: Sensory Overload, Party of Three

Day three started with the typical early rise. Feeling a bit more rested and finally getting to the better side of that stomach virus, breakfast was soon on the mind. There’s no shortage of breakfast options in this town, but we wanted something a bit off the beaten path. We always seek out the not so famous places and they usually prove to be better than ones surrounded with all the hype. We chose a place less than a minute away called La Tapatias De Jalisco.

This place was exactly what we’d hoped for… A quiet little place full of chatting locals and a staff full of welcoming smiles. We were seated right away and almost instantly had steaming cups of coffee at our fingertips, and boy was it good. We placed our food orders; I ordered the Machacado and eggs plate, the wife went with a couple of breakfast tacos, and baby girl went with a breakfast taco and a pancake.

The breakfast was as good as it could be. The tortillas were fresh, the eggs and potatoes were perfectly cooked, and the Machacado was some of the most memorable to date. Even the pancake was light and fluffy. They got it all just right. Things got pretty quiet at the table as we devoured the feast at hand. It was a meal fit for a royal family, but at a pauper’s price. Our entire bill was under twenty dollars. Yes, you read that correctly! I highly recommend this place if you ever find yourself hungry for Mexican Food in Southtown.

With our morning feast behind us, it was time to head over to the first attraction of the day, a magical place that whisks you away to another dimension. A little treasure called The Japanese Tea Garden.

After sitting in a miles long line of traffic to what we thought was the entrance to this place yet it turned out to be the line for the zoo next door, we ended up finding a paid parking lot a few blocks away from the tiny parking lot for the tea garden. I’m not a fan of mass crowds and long lines, but this one, as we were about to discover, was totally worth it. As we approached the entrance of the old stone quarry turned tea gardens, my attention was stolen by the endless array of stone work. I am a sucker for custom and artistic masonry. It’s a craft that has always intrigued me, almost as if I was a mason in another life. At every step, the stone work became more and more intricate. It felt like my heart and head were about to burst with sensory overload, but the best kind of overwhelming stimuli.

The stone work drew me into a flow like state as it wound around and weaved through the surrounding natural elements. As soon as we made it past this incredible stone feature pictured above, our jaws dropped as we gasped for our next breath…

… It’s hard to accurately describe in words just how amazing this place is. The best I could do, at least while I was there, was to let out a constant audible stream of Ooh’s and Ahh’s. There was also the occasional “Holy sh*t, check that out!” but it was mainly awe induced silence and absolute admiration. I’ll shut up now and let you take your own little virtual tour.

As if the gardens weren’t beautiful enough, the weather was perhaps even more beautiful, if that’s even possible. It was an experience that I will never forget, and you’d be wise to put this one high on your list of places to see while in San Antonio. Hell, I’d drive from Austin just to see this place again.

On our way out of the gardens, we noticed a very old structure that I had to check out. Custom masonry and history? Yes, please!

As I mentioned before, The Japanese Tea Garden was built in an old abandoned stone quarry sometime in the 1930s. At the front of the quarry sat this structure, the old Alamo Cement Company’s kiln. Alamo Cement can still be bought today, and it was incredibly cool to learn about the company’s origins. I could have stared at the details of this place for hours on end, letting each stone tell its story. I’m lucky to have a family that has patience for my obsession with history. I wandered around and gathered some more pictures, and it was off we went.

With a lesson in the rich history of this little spot on the map, it was now time to shift our focus to the future… the children.

I’d heard of this place through some online research while planning this trip, and I was told it was a must see by one of my vendors over dinner one night during the steel conference. The tickets are very affordable, and the proceeds help the museum flourish so we were happy to pay. Once inside, it was another sensory overload, but in a way that made you feel like a kid again.

Every exhibit in the museum was interactive and hands on. I’ve always been amazed at the types of educators that are still able to approach an exhibit through a child’s eyes. I tip my hat to them as it’s not an easy task, at least not for me. We toured every inch of the inside of the building but soon realized that even more amazement awaited outside.

The grounds of The Doseum were filled with fun interactive exhibits, unique landscapes, and some really unique structures. As a fellow craftsman, I was impressed with the level of skill and quality in each of these wonderful features. If you find yourself traveling with children, you can’t go wrong with a visit to this place. It’s a great experience for the whole family and it will provide memories for a lifetime.

A bit tuckered out from the tea garden tour and the energetic atmosphere of the museum, we decided to head back to the place for a bit or RNR. After a brief recharge of the batteries, we noticed that we’d built up quite the appetite. With literally hundreds of options for food in the town, and most of them being just as good as the next, we found ourselves playing a bit of roulette when it came to choosing where to eat dinner. We finally spun the globe, so to speak, and our finger landed on The Bourbon Street Seafood Kitchen.

Located on the Riverwalk, the place seemed fairly unassuming. It almost had a corporate feel to it, kind of like a bit higher end chain restaurant. I’m not sure if it is a chain, but if it is, it sure as hell proved me wrong. We were sat right away and greeted by a friendly server. We ordered a round of beers and they brought out some house bread and olive oil. The beers were ice cold and the bread… oh my gosh, you guys, THE BREAD! It was so perfect in every way. The olive oil mix that they served to dress it with was divine as well. We were off to a great start…

Next came out food orders. The wife opted for the Diablo Pasta, baby girl went with a burger and fries, and I had no clue of what to get, so I asked the waiter what he thought was the best dish on the menu. He didn’t hesitate… The Redfish Diablo. So, I went with that. After some more convo with the family unit and a bit more (probably too much) of the bread, our food arrived.

The food looked great. I quickly took back any thought of a corporate or chain restaurant vibe as the smell of the food was even better than the looks of it. We all dug in…

We’ve all heard people say “It was better than sex!” when they describe certain meals they’ve had. Well, I think I actually had sex with my plate it was so good. Okay, that did not come out the way I intended it to so let’s try a different metaphor… Hmmm, you know what, forget it. I’ll just say that it was the best piece of Redfish that I have ever had and the sauce was something from another dimension in space and time. I would have paid two hundred dollars for this plate, no questions asked. Thankfully, I paid less than a quarter of that. It was nearly indescribably good and I want to go back there right now. My wife’s pasta dish was simple and clean and super tasty as well. Perfectly cooked pasta and another sauce to die for. Even the kid’s cheeseburger was excellent, much better than any fast food burger and the fries were some of the tastiest I’ve had. They were even good reheated! All in all, this place blew every expectation of ours out of the water and we now have yet another favorite place on the San Antonio Map.

Once we came out of our hypnotic states of food ecstasy, we decided to walk along The Riverwalk for a bit. It was another incredible evening outside so it was a no brainer.

We had no mission on our walk. We simply wanted to stroll along the water’s edge and take in all of the sights and sounds of such a thriving area. As we walked, there was a commotion that grew louder with each step. It wasn’t a commotion of something wrong, but more like that of a bunch of people having a really good time. Once around the bend, we discovered what all the fuss was about.

We stumbled across a bar called Elsewhere, a very fitting name. It felt like we’d just stepped into the wardrobe and straight into Narnia. This is one of those places that I wished I would have both designed and built. There was nothing cliche about it, and it demanded your attention as it inspired your creativity and sense of wonder. The cocktail menu was just as unique, and the food looked and smelled amazing. We didn’t stay here long, but we put it on the list of spots to spend time at the next time we find ourselves in San Antonio. Below are just a few examples of this awe inspiring place.

After a bit more walking, taking in the perfect evening air, I wanted baby girl to experience something that any sugar-loving six year old would enjoy… A trip to VooDoo Doughnut.

If you’ve never had the chance to visit a VooDoo doughnut location, please make it a point to do so. Yes, they sell doughnuts, just as hundreds of thousands of other places do across the country, even the world, but NO ONE sells doughnuts like these. Not only are they wonderfully unique, they are the best tasting doughnuts you’ll ever eat. Here, take a look.

I know, right?! Trust me, you’ve got to check them out. Soooo good! I don’t eat sweets much at all anymore, but I damn sure made the exception for one of these bad boys. Worth every gram of sugar and every calorie.

After our sugar crash, we lounged around the place a bit, and I caught up on some writing. It wasn’t long before the day (more like the week) caught up with me. I hit the bed hard and was instantly asleep.

Day Three: Get Me Home.

I’d love to tell you about all of the Sunday adventures we had before we set our sites homeward, but nothing on our list made the cut. I was drained almost to E from the conference, my friend the stomach virus, and a fun-filled weekend with the family. We decided to pack up and head out, but there was still the question of lunch. We’d talked about many places that we wanted to eat while in town, but we opted to save those for next time. Instead, we hit up an old favorite in Austin. Yes, I know that this blog is about adventures outside of the capital city, but you’re going to hear about this place anyway.

If you’re ever driving down Interstate 35 through Austin, just north of downtown, and you say to yourself, “I’m hungry.”, well don’t ignore that feeling and type Amaya’s into your navigation and let your belly rest assured that help is on the way.

Yes, Amaya’s Taco Village is a legendary Austin establishment. Famous for their enchiladas and tacos, I don’t know of a single person that has ever left this restaurant disappointed. The food is incredible, the Margaritas are divine, and the service is always consistent. Please note that they are always busy, so make sure you’re not in a huge rush. They get to people pretty quickly, and it is well worth the wait. I’d already shifted gears back into “Home” mode so I failed to get any pictures, but you have my word that this place lives up to the hype and then some.

I’m so grateful for this trip. I’m not sure if I mentioned this earlier, but this was not our first time to visit this intoxicating city. We’ve spent many a weekend here and have seen many of the typical must see places such as the Alamo, The Missions, River Center, and much more. All of these are incredible places. San Antonio has gotten things so right when it comes to their ties to the history and culture of the region, but I fell in love with a different city this time. We took the roads less traveled and lived more like the locals do, and it was an enriching experience, to say the least. I’m sure that some will see the redevelopment, or gentrification (if you will) of certain areas such as Southtown in a negative light. I’m pretty sure that, along with the change, a part of the old soul was lost, but you can’t deny how good it feels to watch long abandoned and forgotten neighborhoods come back to life, just like a Phoenix rising from the ashes.

As we will all realize in our time, all good things must come to an end, and progress is inevitable. But when the next generation takes the baton with a responsibility to hold true to its culture and give that respectful nod to the stewards of the past, hope remains for the future. One day, that baton will be passed again, and I can only hope that places like Southtown will flourish for generations to come.

Thanks so much for coming along for the ride. As always, please let this be a reminder that adventure lurks around every corner. It is simply everywhere, you just have to have the wherewithal to find it. Get up, Go Outside, and Do SOMETHING.

Stay tuned for another riverside getaway, this time in a much more rural setting nestled in some of the prettiest hill country known to man. Until then…