by John Wolfskill

Created on: February 22, 2007   Last Updated: August 13, 2009

The sprawling city of San Antonio is big, friendly and chock full of history. One of the city's highlights is the world famous San Antonio Zoo, which boasts over 3400 animals; many of them endangered in their native habitats. The zoo is interesting not only because of its sheer size, but in the way the animals are displayed using the tree-lined San Antonio River and the limestone cliffs of an old rock quarry as a superb natural setting.

A few short blocks south of the zoo you'll find the famous Mission San Antonio de Valero, better known as The Alamo (the Spanish word for cottonwood). Despite the buzzing crowds you'll manage to see everything of interest without much confusion, including an informative 25-minute video that explains in detail the historic battle of the Alamo.

Did you know that the Alamo was not always treated as a shrine, or even a beloved old building? Since the historic battle, which lasted for thirteen days in March 1836, the mission has served as an Army barracks, a food warehouse, a mercantile store and even a makeshift hotel. The architecture of the mission, too, has changed over the years. During one of several renovations the trademark stone bump that appears in the front facade over the front doors was added to make the building look more like a classical Spanish mission.

From the Alamo it's only a short walk east to San Antonio's world famous Paseo Del Rio, or River Walk. In the 1920's this 2-mile long canal was built along the San Antonio River, the waterway that wends through the heart of downtown. The canal was built to provide flood control and attract tourists to the city. The river channel has since been modernized and increased in length and depth several times.

The downtown shopping area, too, has recently undergone a corporate makeover with upscale chain hotels, exclusive restaurants and a three-story shopping mall at its core. The main attraction of the River Walk is a fleet of 40-foot motor launches, each operated by a garrulous and knowledgeable guide who takes you on a whirlwind 45-minute tour of downtown.

About thirty miles northwest of San Antonio along Texas SR 16 is the hamlet of Bandera (Pop. 950). Bandera is the self-proclaimed Cowboy Capital of the World'. Each Labor Day weekend the town sponsors the All-American Cowboy Get-Together, a festival that includes a cowboy art show, cowboy poetry reading, cowboy collectibles and tons of cowboy music.

The town has a unique history that dates back to the Spanish Conquistadors.

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