Alamo City has history and fun

By Benjamin Olivo
San Antonio Express-News

Ride a roller coaster. Feed the camels. Walk the missions. Bet on a horse.

Yes, really. Maybe not in one day, but these are just a few of the attractions San Antonio has to offer.

This is a city that's both fun and historical, and here are the places to prove it.

Top of the list

River Walk. Next to that historic little mission called the Alamo, the River Walk is San Antonio's defining attraction.

Lined with restaurants, shops and clubs, it's the hot spot for tourists and longtime San Antonians alike.

The city holds an annual River Parade that dates back to 1941, when then-Mayor Maury Maverick Sr. asked the Texas Cavaliers, a civic group, to organize a river pageant to celebrate completion of the river beautification project that gave birth to this beautiful attraction, which began with a 1929 plan by architect Robert Hugman to turn the river's banks into a park.

Today it is Texas' No. 1 tourist attraction — the Alamo is No. 2 — and it draws more visitors every year than the entire state of Hawaii.

The Alamo, (210) 225-1391. Originally Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo is the location of the famous 1836 battle between the Texians and the Mexican army led by Gen. Santa Anna. A short orientation film is shown every 20 minutes. Open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunday. Free admission.

Tower of the Americas, (210) 207-8615. The Tower offers a bird's-eye view of the city's treasures — the Alamo, the Christmas lights outlining the winding River Walk, the castlelike buildings of Our Lady of the Lake University and rolling hills almost 25 miles into the peaceful Hill Country.

As many as 5,000 people a day check out the sights from 58 stories, or 750 feet, above downtown and HemisFair Park.

HemisFair Park. The 15-acre park was the site of the 1968 World's Fair and is home to several educational facilities (including the National Autonomous University of Mexico, or UNAM), museums and convention facilities, a children's playground, cascading waterfalls and interesting sculptures and art installations.

Brackenridge Park is the place where San Antonians trek first to save picnic spots for the major holidays such as Easter.

The San Antonio River, not far from its headwaters, rolls the length of the park on its journey to the Gulf of Mexico. You can drive through the park, play some golf or have a relaxing Sunday barbecue. The park is home to the San Antonio Zoo, a miniature train, a carousel with wooden horses and the Japanese Tea Garden.

San Antonio Zoo, (210) 734-7184. The zoo features more than 3,500 animals of 750 species and notable horticultural exhibits. Situated at the headwaters of the San Antonio River, the zoo encompasses 25 landscaped acres. Hours are seasonal; call for more information or visit www.sazoo-aq.org.

The Institute of Texan Cultures, (210) 458-2300. The Institute showcases the history and accomplishments of 27 ethnic groups that settled Texas. The complex served as the State of Texas pavilion during HemisFair '68, and its exhibits echo the theme of the fair: 'The Confluence of Cultures in the Americas.'

The Institute's annual Texas Folklife Festival attracts thousands of people to its grounds for multicultural food, music, dance and more.

Theme parks

SeaWorld San Antonio, Ellison Drive at Westover Hills Boulevard off Texas 151 (west of Loop 410; inside Loop 1604), (210) 523-3611. Shamu has always been the big draw, but there are shows and exhibits featuring dolphins, beluga whales, sharks and penguins. Thrill rides also are a part of the formula with the roller coasters Steel Eel and the Great White. The water park Sky Tubin' at Lost Lagoon is open in the summer. Daily admission costs $37.99, $27.99 for ages 3-11, $34.99 seniors; all plus tax. Season passes cost $54.99. The season runs from March to December and operates daily Memorial Day weekend until the middle of August. Call or visit www.seaworld.com for more information and discounts.

Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Interstate 10 West at La Cantera Parkway, north of Loop 1604, (210) 697-5050 or (800) 473-4378. This season the park added Scooby-Doo Ghostblasters, The Mystery of the Haunted Mansion, a dark ride for kids based on the 1960s cartoon. For those wanting a little more pep in their rides, there are the Superman Krypton Coaster, the Rattler, Poltergeist, Scream and others with frightening names. Armadillo Beach water park is open during the summer. Daily admission is $36.99, $22.99 for kids 48 inches and shorter, $24.99 for seniors, not including tax. Season passes cost $69.99. The season runs from March to October and operates daily Memorial Day weekend until the middle of August. Call or visit www.sixflags.com for more information and discounts.

Horse racing

Retama Park, access from Interstate 35 North, north of Loop 1604, (210) 651-7000. The park holds two meets a year, the Spring Quarter Horse Meet and the Thoroughbred Meet. It regularly holds Fifty-Cent Nights, offering dirt-cheap prices on hot dogs, beer and admission. The track is also open year-round for televised simulcast and wagering with gates opening at 10:30 a.m. Simulcast admission costs $2. Live-racing admission varies, but no more than $2.50. Live-racing post times vary. Call for more information or visit www.retamapark.com.

Water parks

Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort, Liberty and Common streets, New Braunfels, (830) 625-2351. The Travel Channel named it the best water park in the country for the third-straight year. It's one of the few that incorporates a river (the Comal) into many of its rides. The 65-acre park also has tube chutes, pools, kiddie water playgrounds and shady picnic grounds. Daily admission costs $27.70, $22.95 for ages 3-11. Season passes cost $96.99, $63.99 for ages 3-11. The park is open from April to September and operates daily Memorial Day weekend until the middle of August. Call or visit www.schlitterbahn.com for more information and discounts.

Splashtown, Interstate 35 at Splashtown Drive, (210) 227-1400. San Antonio's water park offers more than 50 rides and attractions for everyone in the family, from the seven-story Lone Star Luge to the water playground Kid's Kove. Daily admission costs $21.99, $16.99 for kids 48 inches and shorter, $13.99 after 5 p.m. The park is open from April to September and operates daily Memorial Day weekend until the middle of August. Call or visit www.splashtownsa.com for more information and discounts.

Historic

King William Historic District, Any given Saturday morning, tourists and locals alike walk block after block through the 19th-century Texas neighborhood of restored Victorian homes. The district begins at the corner of King William and South St. Mary's streets. The Steves Homestead, 509 King William, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily for tours. $3, children 12 and younger admitted free. Call (210) 225-5924, for more information.

The missions, The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park comprises Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission San Francisco de la Espada. To tour the four missions, follow the Mission Trail markers beginning at Roosevelt Avenue and Mission Road at Roosevelt Park. They are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For free guided tours, call (210) 534-8833.

Spanish Governor's Palace, 105 Military Plaza, (210) 224-0601. Built as a private residence in 1722, the adobe home housed the 32 Spanish governors who ruled Texas from 1722 to 1821. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $1.50; 75 cents for children 7-13; free for children younger than 7.

Etc.

Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, (210) 207-3250. Formal and informal gardens on 33 acres with winding footpaths. The garden also offers plant sales, live music and festivals throughout the year. Admission is $4; $2 for seniors, military and students; and $1 for ages 13 and younger. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Rivercenter, 849 E. Commerce St. (210) 225-0000. This downtown entertainment and shopping complex features two major department stores, dozens of shops and restaurants, an IMAX theater, (210) 225-4629, plus regular movie theater, and a food court that faces a manmade lagoon on the River Walk. Also part of the complex is the Marriott Rivercenter hotel.

Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, Houston and Presa streets, (210) 247-4000. Most people come here to check out the Buckhorn Hall of Horns. It also features a grand curio shop, a full-service saloon, a period arcade and rare trophy animals. Admission costs $8.99; $8 for seniors 55 and older; $6.50 for children 3-11. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

La Villita, Alamo and Nueva streets, (210) 207-8610. Once home to the Canary Islanders who settled in San Antonio in the 18th century, "the little village" now houses more than 25 artisans in shops featuring handcrafted items. Shops open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Market Square, 514 W. Commerce St., (210) 207-8600. Perhaps the city's best-known cultural center houses the city's best-known Mexican restaurants, the two-story marketplace El Mercado and the Farmers Market. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Ripley's Believe It or Not! & Plaza Theater of Wax, Alamo Plaza, (210) 224-9299. The museum includes theme galleries filled with more than 500 one-of-a-kind exhibits from the beautiful and bizarre collection of Robert Ripley, including a gallery called "Galveston 1900: Hurricane Disaster." President George W. Bush is the latest wax figure to join the more than 225 figures from Hollywood, horror, history and religion.

Ripley's Haunted Adventure, Alamo Plaza, (210) 226-2828. After getting past Stumpy — a ghoul at the entrance who tries to entice people inside — the haunted warehouse uses special effects, ghoulish actors and lots of dismemberment for optimum fright. Children 7 and younger are not admitted. Adults must accompany children 8-12. Call for hours and admission.

Kiddie Park, (210) 824-4351. This vintage children's amusement park is located just minutes from downtown, adjacent to Brackenridge Park. Touted as 'America's Original Kiddie Park,' the family-run park features an antique carousel, lots of toddler-sized rides, concession stand and picnic tables.

Natural Bridge Caverns and Wildlife Ranch, (210) 651-6101. located about 20 minutes north of San Antonio on I-35, boasts one of the largest caverns in the United States. A two-mile-long cavern system discovered in 1960, Natural Bridge Caverns is designated a state historical site and national landmark.

The Wildlife Ranch, (830) 438-7400, located next door to the caverns, offers visitors a drive on the wild side. Feed more than 500 wild and exotic animals — more than 50 species from all over the world — right from your car as you wind through the park.

bolivo@express-news.net