We LOVE San Antonio! It’s a big city that doesn’t feel overwhelming and is SO welcoming. Military City USA, the Alamo City, whatever you call it – it’s the top tourist destination in Texas. I had no idea San Antonio was so popular! If you’re visiting, or live here, here are some of our favorite restaurants, activities, or parks with our kids. Let me know if I missed anything you love!
The DoSeum
Looking for a fantastic children’s museum?! Run to The DoSeum. My toddler is obsessed with the mini H-E-B and Whataburger. We love visiting and meeting friends here. They have a Bakery Lorraine inside for lunch or coffee and great areas outdoors as well.
OrderUp
We love this restaurant! It has a super extensive menu and the most delicious cookies. It’s fast casual so perfect when you need a lowkey option for lunch or dinner.
The Missions
When we have visitors we love going to the Alamo or to the other Missions in the Missions National Park. The Alamo requires free tickets for a timed entry (check their website for the most up-to-date information) and it’s definitely worth going inside the church. If you have time and a car I would definitely recommend heading south of downtown to Mission San Jose. It’s the best preserved Mission and is super educational. You can even bike the entire Mission trail if you’re so inclined!
Landa Library
We are big library people – we always have so many books! – and we love the Landa Library because of the shady outdoor area. It’s one of the only fully-shaded playgrounds in San Antonio. Perfect for grabbing some books and having a picnic under the trees.
The Pearl
The Pearl District is a super popular spot in SA – for good reason. It has a splash pad, food hall, and tons of exciting restaurants and shops. They also have a super fun farmers market on the weekends! We love meeting friends for lunch or dinner or just hanging there as a family. We go at least once a month – sometimes more – and it never gets old. We love Down on Grayson with kids or without, but if you’re sans kids I HIGHLY recommend drinks at Sternewirth in Hotel Emma and dinner at Brassiere Mon Chou Chou.
Two Brothers BBQ
We haven’t experienced playgrounds at restaurants before San Antonio – and it’s amazing! Two Brothers BBQ has amazing food AND an expansive *shaded* patio with playground.
Voigt Park
This is a bit of a trek from downtown but perfect for those in the North side of the city. Voigt Park in Hollywood Park has the BEST splash pad! It’s free and fully enclosed – aka your kids can’t run away. It also has two (small) playgrounds within the splash pad enclosure. Plus there is a lot of shaded seating – win.
Torchy’s
One of our favorite places to grab tacos is Torchy’s! It’s not unique to SA but it’s delicious every time and easy with kids.
The Original Donut Shop
Everywhere we live we prioritize finding amazing donuts – and these are the best we have found in SA. They also serve delicious Mexican food if you want more than just donuts. AND they have a drive-thru!
This isn’t an extensive list but rather some of our top places in SA! Some other favorites are the San Antonio Zoo and Hardberger Park. I hope you enjoy the Alamo City and the amazing culture and hospitality of everyone here.
