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San
Antonio Vacation
by Shari
Bookstaff |
A Weekend Getaway: San Antonio Vacation
San Antonio has some popular attractions and the perfect proximity
to several large Texas cities to make it a great destination for
a weekend getaway. Just hours away from Houston, Austin and Dallas,
many Texans find a weekend of fun in San Antonio. Vacation dream!
From a tour of the Alamo to a day at Sea World, a San Antonio
vacation offers a variety of activities.
Tower with a View. The Tower of the Americas in Hemisfair Park,
built for the 1968 World’s Fair, offers a spectacular view
of all of San Antonio. Vacation planning is a snap with this bird’s-eye
view of San Antonio. At a height of 750 feet, it is taller than
the Seattle Space Needle, has a fabulous outdoor walkway (not
for the acrophobic!), and a restaurant with breathtaking views
at 550 feet. The “High in the Sky Lounge”, above the
restaurant is a great place for drinks before dinner or dancing
the night away afterwards.
Splashtown USA. One of the largest water parks in the country,
Splashtown USA provides much relief from the Texas sun during
your San Antonio vacation. Located just 3 miles from the heart
of the city, spend a lazy day on the lazy river (floating on inner
tubes), jump the waves in the wave pool or try balancing and jumping
on floating lily pads. For the adventurous, you can speed down
twisting and turning water slides. Yes, everything’s bigger
in Texas! The Lonestar Luge is a water bobsled ride, spanning
the length of 2 football fields. You begin this adventure seven
stories high! Splashtown offers 20 acres of water fun with high
slides, low slides, and even water slides built into a river!
Sea World. Sea World San Antonio is more than just an oceanarium.
There are actually four parks in one, with a water slide park,
amusement park, a show park, and of course, the marine life park.
It would be tough to spend just one day of your San Antonio vacation
at Sea World, but if you live in Texas, you can plan on visiting
several times a year. The yearly passes work out pretty well if
you visit Sea World more than twice a year.
El Mercado. The Mexican flavor of a typical San Antonio vacation
extends to shopping sprees. The El Mercado, or Market Square,
is the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico. Handcrafted
items, and freshly picked fruits and vegetables are sold here
by local merchants. Some of the finer San Antonio restaurants
are also here, and most weekends you’ll find some sort of
party or festival that gives folks a reason to put on their dancing
shoes. San Antonio has a strong Mexican influence, and Mexican
holidays are bright and festive. Your San Antonio vacation has
to include a touch of Mexico.
River Walk. And last but not least, the quintessential San Antonio
experience: The River Walk. This amazing sidestep of the San Antonio
River offers gondola rides, umbrella covered tables at sidewalk
cafes, cute shops and beautiful scenery. Originally constructed
to prevent flooding, San Antonio has developed this area in the
midst of downtown into a tourist Mecca. Your San Antonio vacation
is not complete without seeing the River Walk.
Shari Bookstaff is a biology professor in northern California, where she lives with her two children. Shari is an avid nature lover, sports fan and photographer.
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