The Best 3 Day Weekend In San Antonio Itinerary For Families
Do you want to plan a trip to San Antonio? Awesome! A weekend in San Antonio will provide amazing history, culture, and lots of fun. It is one of the most visited cities in all of Texas for a reason.
In this post, we are going to plan a San Antonio itinerary for the perfect weekend in San Antonio? This post is good for you if you only have one day in San Antonio or if you want to spend the full weekend in San Antonio.
I have been to San Antonio many times and I am excited to share with you some of the fun things to do in San Antonio. I will lay out a full 3 days of fun for a weekend trip to San Antonio.
Let’s plan a trip to San Antonio including a San Antonio itinerary for your weekend in San Antonio!
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Where is San Antonio Texas?
San Antonio is in the South Texas region. The closest major city is the capital Austin, Texas.
San Antonio is part of a famous tourist destination known as Hill Country. So if you are planning a Texas family road trip in this area, you will not be disappointed.
Getting To San Antonio
You could easily do a weekend trip to San Antonio if you live in Austin, Houston, or even Dallas. You can also fly into San Antonio if you are coming from another area.
Driving to San Antonio
Austin – 1.2 hours
Houston – 3 hours
Dallas – 4.6 hours
Flying into San Antonio
San Antonio has a major airport (SAT). You can rent a car at the airport and get started on your weekend in San Antonio.
If you are staying downtown and do not plan on leaving that area you could opt for an Uber instead. Another option is flying into Austin and driving down.
Parking in Downtown
There are parking spots along the streets of downtown. If you are lucky you can snag one. However, if luck isn’t on your side there are plenty of parking garages you can choose from. If you are staying downtown the hotel will have a parking garage as well.
Best Time To Visit San Antonio
San Antonio is a great city to visit all year long however, there are a few things to consider before planning your weekend trip to San Antonio. The weather is huge, you do not want to melt in the sun. Another thing to consider is festivals and events.
I have been to San Antonio in all of the seasons so I can give you a pretty good idea of when the best time to visit San Antonio is.
Summer in San Antonio
Summer is tourist season and my least favorite time to visit. I can not handle the heat. The San Antonio summer temperatures are unbearable. I felt like I was melting! It is so humid. But don’t worry if this is when you are planning your weekend in San Antonio, I am just a baby.
There are plenty of air-conditioned areas that you can run into and cool off.
One bonus about going in the summer is that you can do more water activities like floating down the river or visiting a water park.
Festivals
There are festivals every month in San Antonio. The major festivals of the summer are the Texas Folklife Festival the Cactus Pear Musical Festival. During these times, downtown San Antonio will be very crowded.
Fall in San Antonio
Fall is one of the best times to visit San Antonio. September is still very hot but if you plan a San Antonio October or November visit you will not be disappointed. The temperature will be 70-80 degrees.
A fall weekend trip to San Antonio will not disappoint!
Festivals
There are two amazing festivals during this time. The Moonlight in the Garden of Good and Evil (ghost tours) and El Dia de Los Muertos.
Winter in San Antonio
San Antonio is really festive during the Christmas season. It is the best time to visit the San Antonio Riverwalk because it is lit up with wonderful decorations. But even after the holiday season January and February are great times to visit San Antonio.
The San Antonio weather in winter is perfect around 64 to 78 degrees. January is off-season for San Antonio. It is really nice to visit with low crowds and great weather.
Winter is a fantastic time to plan a San Antonio weekend getaway!
Festivals
The Light the Way Festival is perfect to attend during the holiday season. The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo occurs in February. Both of these festivals are highly attended and downtown can become crowded.
Spring in San Antonio
I think spring is one of the best times to visit San Antonio. The weather is around 70-80 degrees. The flowers are blooming and the trees are budding. It is such a beautiful time to walk around the river.
The best time to plan a San Antonio getaway is Spring!
Festivals
Fiesta San Antonio celebrates San Antonio’s history and culture. It takes place in both March and April. The Fiesta Primavera at Market Square is a great way to spend a weekend in San Antonio. You can eat and dance all weekend long!
Now that you have an idea of when the best time to visit San Antonio, Texas is. Let’s figure out where you are going to stay on your weekend in San Antonio.
Best Places to Stay in San Antonio
If you want to plan a trip to San Antonio, you will need a nice accommodation. There are so many amazing hotels in San Antonio. I would suggest one of the many that overlook the Riverwalk.
Now, if you have a kid’s San Antonio has a JW Marriott with a waterpark. It is awesome. You might want to consider staying there for your weekend in San Antonio.
Plan A San Antonio Itinerary
As you plan your San Antonio itinerary, you can use this post as a guide for your weekend in San Antonio. You might only have 1 day in San Antonio or a full weekend trip to San Antonio, it doesn’t matter. You can adapt this information and do the things that sound fun to you.
Is San Antonio a Good Weekend Trip?
Absolutely! We focused on more of a “family” weekend in San Antonio trip. A lot of the activities we did were things the kids would enjoy. However, most people will enjoy what San Antonio has to offer.
How Many Days Do You Need in San Antonio?
This San Antonio itinerary is great if you only have 1 day in San Antonio or if you are planning a San Antonio weekend getaway. I will give a full 3 days in San Antonio list of activities.
San Antonio Itinerary
The first day of your San Antonio itinerary is packed with fun. Mainly, because if you only have one day in San Antonio this will be the guide you will want to follow.
For days 2 and 3 you can add or go at a slower pace while exploring the area.
Let’s plan a weekend in San Antonio that will be unforgettable!
Day 1
- Alamo
- River Walk Boat Ride (if you only have 1 day in San Antonio)
- Shopping
- 1 – 3 activities for the kids (Legoland Discovery Center, Sea Life Aquarium, or Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
- Eat at the River Walk
- Ghost Tour of San Antonio
Day 2
- Hop of Hop of Tour Bus ( This includes tickets to the entrance to Tower of the Americas, boat tour, Texas Ranger Museum, and the Buckhorn Saloon)
- Tower of the Americas
- Texas Ranger Museum
- Buckhorn Saloon
- Explore the UNESCO Missions Heritage Tour
Day 3
- SeaWorld or
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
1. Visit the Alamo
The Alamo is at the top of the list of places to visit on a weekend trip to San Antonio.
The Alamo is a symbol of freedom. It is a great historical site that does not take too long to view. Tickets are free but you will need to make a reservation to enter.
My Experience
Watch the video! There is a 20-minute video that goes into detail about the history and background of the Alamo. My whole family really enjoyed it. If you have the time I recommend purchasing the audio tour. It is so interesting.
2. Ripley's Believe It or Not
After visiting the Alamo, you may want to jump across the street and have a little fun. Ripley’s Believe or It or Not actually has activities your family will love.
These include:
- Tomb Rider 3D Ride
- Haunted Adventure
- Wax Museum
This is one of the attractions in San Antonio that you might want to include in your San Antonio itinerary. There is also the Sea Life Aquarium and the Legoland Discovery Center which we will talk about later.
3. Riverwalk San Antonio
The San Antonio Riverwalk is one of the most visited tourist attractions in the USA. It sees over 14 million visitors annually.
If I only had one day in San Antonio this would be at the top of my list. I also include it on the first day of the San Antonio itinerary because it is one of the highlights of a trip to San Antonio.
Things to Do on the Riverwalk
The Riverwalk lies in downtown San Antonio. It is a beautiful area with restaurants, shops, and of course the famous river.
Take A Walk
One of the best things to do at the Riverwalk is walk!! There are beautiful bridges and amazing landscapes all along the area.
Go on a Boat Ride
Going on a Riverwalk Boat Ride is the number one attraction in San Antonio. You will want to pre-purchase your ticket during the busy season (summer and holidays). Most of the time you can purchase them the day of.
There are three ticket booths at different sections of the Riverwalk.
Admission
General Admission: – $14.50
Child: $8.50 (under 6)
Senior: $11.50
The boat tour is a 35-minute narrated tour.
Is the San Antonio Riverwalk Boat Tour Worth it?
Yes, it is worth it! You only live once and you are only in San Antonio for the weekend! We really enjoyed our tour guide. She was funny and we learned a lot about San Antonio.
Shop
The Shops at the Riverwalk are located well, along the river. You can hop in a shop at some fun stores while you explore the Riverwalk area.
Eat at the San Antonio Riverwalk
The best thing to do is eat along the Riverwalk. There are so many amazing restaurants to choose from. You have a choice of authentic Mexican to good old Texas bar-b-que. You can also find famous restaurants like Hard Rock Café and Margaritaville. There are also local favorites to indulge in. This is a fun place to spend your weekend in San Antonio!
4. Shops at River Center
After you have had a chance to explore the San Antonio Riverwalk, go inside the Shops at River Center. This shopping mall overlooks the Riverwalk. It also houses the Sea Life Aquarium and the Legoland Discovery Center.
If you are visiting during a warm time this might be the perfect break from the heat. It is also a perfect time to buy some souvenirs.
A weekend trip to San Antonio wouldn’t be complete without a little shopping!
5. Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland Discovery Center
Both the Legoland Discovery Center and the Sealife Aquarium are great additions to your weekend in San Antonio.
These attractions are great if you are touring San Antonio with kids. It is indoors, fun, and one of the attractions in San Antonio that will be memorable for the little ones.
Admission
You can buy a combo ticket to both attractions for $36.99.
SeaLife Admission starts at $24.
Legoland Discovery Admission starts at $25.
These activities are perfect for a family San Antonio weekend getaway.
6. San Antonio Ghost Tour
San Antonio is full of ghosts. The tour guide told us that is what happens when you convert old buildings into hotels.
We didn’t go on an official ghost tour as we had little kids with us and didn’t want to scare them. However, we did read about a tragic accident involving a bus full of school children and a railroad track. Legend says that if you drive near the train track the ghost children will push your car over the tracks. We decided to test this out.
We put the car in neutral and our car kept rolling (this probably had to do with gravity) but we had a fun time testing out the supernatural.
Directions to the Ghost Tracks
If you want to add this to your San Antonio itinerary the address is:
San Antonio’s Infamous Ghost Tracks
2902 Shane Rd, San Antonio, TX 78223
7. San Antonio Food Tour
San Antonio has the best food! Honestly, if you wanted to plan an entire weekend in San Antonio around eating you totally could. There are so many restaurants and delicious food.
Restaurants in San Antonio
Going on a food tour is a great option if you are a foodie! I wish I could give you specific locations to try but, I have only tried some of the restaurants along the Riverwalk. The atmosphere is amazing.
As I have researched the number one recommendation is The Guenther House for breakfast. You will have to try it and let me know if it is really as good as everyone says. I think 3 days in San Antonio will give you a good amount of time to try some amazing restaurants!
Weekend in San Antonio Day 2
On to day two! If you only had one day in San Antonio please compare day 1 and day 2 and include the attractions in San Antonio that look good to you!
8. Hop On Hop Off Bus
For Day 2 of your weekend in San Antonio, I included a combination pass that includes the bus tour, boat tour, Texas Ranger Museum, Buckhorn Saloon, and the Towers of Americas.
Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
The San Antonio Hop on Hop off bus tour is excellent. There are many stops around town. You can ride the bus the entire time or you can hop off to visit an attraction and then hop back on and go to the next attraction.
The bus tour gives great insight into the city.
San Antonio Itinerary Tip
We already talked about the boat tour on day one. If you decide on a combination ticket wait till day 2 to ride the boat.
You may want to look at the Go City Pass and see if it would be a good option. It includes almost every attraction in San Antonio you could possibly do on a Weekend in San Antonio!
Let’s explore some more things you can do on your 3 day weekend in San Antonio!
9. Tower of Americas
The Tower of the Americas was built for the Worlds Fair that was held in San Antonio in 1966. This 750 ft tall building is the tallest freestanding building in the United States. It is 87 ft taller than the Seattle Space Needle and 67 ft taller than the Washington Monument.
Go to the Observation Deck
You can take an elevator to the top. Once you reach the top you have a 360-degree view of San Antonio. There are two levels at the top one is enclosed, the other you actually go outside. You can feel the wind on your face as you walk around the tower.
A 4D short movie is also included in your ticket price.
We actually went up and had a fun time! It is worth a trip to the top!
Restaurant – Chart House
There is also a restaurant at the top of the Tower of the Americas. If you want to have lunch or dinner with a view make a reservation. Dinner is around $30-$40 per meal.
Day 3 - Amusement Park Day
On the last day of your weekend trip to San Antonio, you might want to try out one of the awesome amusement parks. There is Sea World San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
10. Sea World San Antonio
I love SeaWorld. It is a great park. There are shows, roller coasters, and an amazing water park.
Plan a Trip to SeaWorld San Antonio
Planning a trip to SeaWorld San Antonio is worth it! My first experience with SeaWorld was in San Antonio. It was amazing! I can still remember the shows and how amazing the trainers were. They have some really great coasters too. It is a perfect thing to do in San Antonio with kids!
Admission:
Ticket prices start around $50 for a single-day ticket.
I work with SeaWorld so if you are interested in going ask me for discount codes in the Facebook Group. I usually know of the best promotions that are going on.
11. Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags knows how to do coasters! There are some amazing intense rides at Six Flags.
If you are going to San Antonio with kids, this is another great San Antonio attraction you can not miss out on. You could easily spend all day enjoying all the rides and shows.
Admission and Hours:
Ticket prices start at $34 a day. Hours vary depending on the season.
Are you Ready for a Weekend in San Antonio?
I hope this Weekend in San Antonio itinerary helps you plan a trip to San Antonio! Remember, you can do any of these activities in the order you prefer.
A weekend in San Antonio is a perfect amount of time to explore and enjoy all the amazing things to do in San Antonio. I hope you have a fabulous time on your San Antonio weekend trip!
Think about taking a day trip from San Antonio to Buda, Austin, Canyon Lake or to Magnolia Market while you are in Texas.
If you have questions just ask in the Facebook Group!
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I loved San Antonio when we visited years ago. I’m sure it’s changed so this three-day itinerary will be a great resource when we visit again.
There is enough fun things to do to keep you busy for 3 days!
Love San Antonio no matter the time of year. Beautiful at Christmas. Great blog with so much information that will help travellers immensely.
Thanks!
Id love to visit San Antonio, all of these look wonderful!
It is a fun city!
So much to do in San Antonio! I’d love a return visit. My only time there was over a long weekend to see my dad, who was undergoing experimental treatment for cancer. I didn’t see the city at all.
It would be a lot different being a tourist.
This San Antonio itinerary looks like a ton of fun! I would love to see the Alamo and take a boat ride. What a beautiful city!
That was on the top of my list too!
Excellent ideas for a quick trip to San Antonio! This would be perfect for a long weekend or quick getaway.
Totally doable for a long weekend!
San Antonio sounds like so much fun!
It is so much fun!
3 days in San Antonio sounds like the perfect amount of time to thoroughly explore this awesome location. I am definitely adding some of these suggestions to my list!
Oh good!
You were able to do so much on your weekend in San Antonio. I’ve always wanted to walk the Riverwalk.
It is really cool!
My niece is currently a school teacher in this area! It is such a great area! So beautiful down by the river!
It is so nice by the riverwalk
Your photos are lovely! I had no idea that San Antonio is so scenic. I’d love to visit at Christmas time.
We went one year at Christmas and it was pretty crowded!
A river in the heart of a city! Gives me Greece and gondola vibes. San Antonio sounds fascinating! I loved this article, thank you.
It is lovely!
The kids would love the amusements parks, but I think I would prefer the food tour! Sounds like we could totally spend a whole weekend there.
There is so much to do in San Antonio!
What a great itinerary. I think I would enjoy the winter visit just because it looks so darn pretty!
It wasn’t crowded when we went in January!
I’d be down for an Alamo trip!
I liked the Alamo!
Thanks so much for the suggestions of this area! San Antonia has always been on my bucket list, so I will definitely be keeping these in mind!
It is a great city to visit!
We really enjoyed using the BikeShare to ride the RiverWalk and visit the missions when we were there last year. I would highly recommend using the e-bikes though. Somehow the RiverWalk was uphill both directions!
E-bikes is a good suggustion. I didn’t notice the up hill factor!
What a thorough and informative post! I’ve been to San Antonio once many years ago but your post has made me want to go again!
We have been so many times but, we visited like tourist this last time!
I had no idea San Antonio was that beautiful. The riverfront looks gorgeous. Looks like a place I’d love to visit with my kids.
My kids had a fun time…there are some kid friendly things!
I would love to do the bike share to see more of the city 🙂
That would be fun!
This is a wonderfully thorough list of things to do in San Antonio. It sounds like a great place to visit and your pictures make it look beautiful.
It is a fun place to visit for a weekend trip!
Riverwalk is so awesome! Would love to follow tour three-day itinerary of San Antonio…so much to do and see.
For sure!
Your itinerary for a weekend in San Antonio sounds wonderful. I would love to visit during on of the festivals for certain.
That would be fun!