19 Best Sights in San Antonio, Texas

Beloved Brackenridge Park has been a big part of San Antonians' lives for more than a century. The 343-acre riverside park makes an excellent setting for a picnic or a stroll, with about 3 miles of walking trails, public art, softball fields, a municipal golf course, concessions, and sights like the Japanese Tea Garden and the San Antonio Zoo. Take a 2-mile ride around the park on a miniature train that runs daily; buy tickets at the Train Depot.

The mission of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy is to work as a steward of and an advocate for the park, enhancing and protecting its natural, historic, recreational, and educational resources. One of its numerous projects is the renovation of the Sunken Garden Theater, including the preservation of the historic amphitheater and its backstage facilities, redesigned landscaping, and more. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Texas State Antiquities Landmark. 

The world's first theme park designed and built for individuals with special needs, 25-acre Morgan's Wonderland is completely wheelchair-accessible, with playgrounds, attractions, and rides specially built to accommodate wheelchairs, like the colorful carousel and the Whirling Wonder Ferris Wheel. Traditional swing areas also feature wheelchair swings. The Wonderland Express perimeter train ride gives an overview of Morgan's Wonderland and Morgan's Inspiration Island, the latter with five tropic-themed splash pads and a Riverboat Adventure Ride that travels through a jungle setting. And because not everyone's wheelchair is suited for a watery environment, there are complimentary waterproof wheelchairs and protective accessories for guests.

The inspiration for such an amazing place is Morgan Hartman, daughter of native San Antonian businessman and philanthropist Gordon Hartman and his wife Maggie. The Gordon Hartman Family Foundation pursues Gordon and Maggie's goal of helping people of all ages with special needs. Morgan Hartman is now 27 and is greeted like a rock-star when she visits her namesake park. Special needs children and adults are admitted to the park free of charge. Before planning a visit, call or check their website for seasonal hours and closings. 

Thirty minutes north of downtown San Antonio, you can trek down 180 feet below the earth's surface for a half-mile walk through this beautiful, historic cavern system. Take the original Discovery Tour to explore the largest show cavern in Texas with its stalagmites, stalactites, flowstones, chandeliers, and soda-straw formations. The more adventurous (and physically fit) can take the Adventure Tour to get down and dirty (read: muddy) like a real spelunker. Caverns are cool with high humidity. Wear comfortable shoes with good traction. Trails can be wet, and climbing and descending stairs are involved. Tour prices can vary by date. Surface attractions include a four-level ropes course, seven zip rails, and climbing towers. Booking and buying ahead is recommended for cavern tours. 

Set within 100-foot-tall quarry walls, this amusement park features five themed sectors highlighting Texas's rich diversity, from the state's Mexican and German culture to its rip-roarin' Western past. Nine roller coasters are here, including Batman: The Ride, Boomerang Coast to Coaster, the hybrid wood/steel Iron Rattler, the spinning/twisting Pandemonium, the "spaghetti bowl" Poltergeist, the family-friendly Road Runner Express, Superman: Krypton Coaster (the largest steel coaster in Texas), and the Goliath, a 50-mph body-blasting suspended looping coaster. The Dare Devil Dive Flying Machines that imitate the maneuvers of acrobatic dogfights is the tallest ride of its kind in the world. There's also Scream, a 20-story tower-drop ride. The park has about 40 rides in all, and its Whitewater Bay water park is open seasonally. Rounding out the offerings are many excellent family-friendly live musical shows.

A treasure trove of Texas and regional history, art, heritage, natural history, and science, the Witte is one of the city's best museums. As you enter, walk through the H-E-B Lantern, where a replica of a giant Quetzalcoatlus overhead ushers visitors into the beginning of their journey into Texas Deep Time. The Kittie West Nelson Ferguson People of the Pecos Gallery spans the entire second floor and focuses on the prehistoric hunter-gatherers of Texas. Other demonstrations include encounters with native Texas animals that make the Witte their home and exhibits on how the People of the Pecos created rock art that has survived thousands of years. The Bolner Family Museum Store has exclusive items inspired by the museum's collections and exhibitions.

At this popular and diverse arts center, you can enjoy several restaurants and bars and pay a visit to Blue Star Contemporary, the longest running contemporary art venue in San Antonio. The complex also houses individual galleries and art houses. You can bike or run along the river, too. Admission to the complex is free, but individual venues may charge a fee. 

This is a stunning museum that celebrates the art, history, and culture of the American West, located in a beautifully restored 1930s San Antonio Public Library building on the River Walk. The museum is named in honor of the late Texas governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife Janey Slaughter Briscoe. Highlights of the collection include a monumental bronze sculpture, John Coleman's Visions of Change, that represents both Native Americans and cowboys. Featured works include those by Frederic Remington, Allan Houser, Martin Grelle, Charles Marion Russell, W. Herbert Dunton, and more. There are 14 galleries on three levels, housing paintings, sculpture, photography, and artifacts reflecting Native American art, Spanish and Mexican colonial-era art, and Western folk art. The beautiful McNutt Sculpture Garden is free and open to the public, with access from the River Walk and an entrance on Market Street. 

Visit this U.S. Army military history museum to learn the story of Fort Sam Houston from the late 19th century to the present. It's filled with exhibits about the site's early days, with displays that include old uniforms, firearms, vehicles, and personal papers, which you can see on a self-guided tour. The museum is located in the Quadrangle, which was once an outdoor prison and now where dozens of peacocks, deer, ducks, and other wildlife roam freely. Fort Sam Houston is a National Historic Landmark.

The site of the 1968 World's Fair, Hemisfair is in the process of being transformed into a 40-acre public space for the city. The site currently houses some of San Antonio's best-known attractions: the Tower of the Americas, the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, and the Mexican Cultural Institute, as well as the Yanaguana Playground and Splash Pad for children, which was recognized by the Urban Land Institute as an outstanding example of a vibrant, open urban space. Parts of the park are currently under construction; the Mays Family Foundation donated $1 million to build a garden in their matriarch Peggy's honor, a 25,000-square-foot space near the remaining historic homes on the site. The park is open every day from 5 am to midnight, and almost any time of day or night you will see people on the walking paths, dog walkers (dogs must be on a leash), and residents and visitors enjoying community programming like free concerts and outdoor workouts. Hemisfair is also home to various annual festivals and city celebrations. Check their website for upcoming events.

Step into this lovely, lush, flowering oasis within Brackenridge Park that was originally a rock quarry. A man-made 60-foot waterfall is the focus, along with beautiful rock bridges and walkways over and around lily ponds with hundreds of koi fish. The entire place is filled with photo ops perfect for Instagram. The Jingu House café at the top of the garden offers a wide variety of teas and light lunch fare. 

Established in 1925, this is America's original and oldest children's amusement park. The Herschell-Spillman Carousel's 36 jumping horses have been revolving since it opened in 1925. A Ferris wheel, a small rollercoaster, and many other rides will keep your kids busy for hours. You can get popcorn, pizza, and more at the snack bar.

Originally established in 1925, Kiddie Park is now located on the grounds of the San Antonio Zoo but can still be called America's oldest children's amusement park. It has a separate entrance next to the zoo's entrance. Although modern updates have occurred though the years, Kiddie Park preserves its 1920s style that made the park so popular for generations, like with its old-fashioned Ferris wheel and the popular hand-carved Herschell-Spillman carousel. Most rides are for ages 12 and under, but adults can ride on the carousel and flying saucers when accompanying a child.

Built from more than 1.5 million LEGO bricks (50,000 for the Alamodome alone), just the sight of Miniland San Antonio is worth the price of admission. It's a stunning replica that includes some of the city's most popular landmarks, including the Alamo, River Walk, Tower of the Americas, and much more. The cars even obey traffic signals, and the river boats glide down the river. Designed for families with children ages 3–10 to play together, the bright, colorful space features themed play areas, LEGO-theme rides like Kingdom Quest and Merlin's Apprentice Ride, and creative workshops with LEGO Master Model Builders. There's also a 4D Cinema featuring short films with LEGO characters. During December, check out the LEGO Holiday Bricktacular. An expansive shop features LEGO kits to make your own, well, just about anything.

Downtown's Main Plaza welcomes all from far and near, whether they're looking to gather with others, attend a performance, or enjoy the space in solitude. Also known as Plaza de Las Islas Canarias, a nod to the Canary Island settlers in San Antonio, the area has been around since the early 18th century. After ups and downs due to growth and other factors, the plaza is now alive with performers and visitors thanks to the efforts of the Main Plaza Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to creating and developing a family-friendly plaza for all ages and promoting arts and culture in an open-air setting. Enjoy free musical concerts, dance performances, yoga, movies, seasonal and holiday events, and more. Check the online calendar to see upcoming and recurring events. The spectacular San Antonio: The Saga is a 24-minute art installation by renowned artist Xavier de Richemont, projected onto the facade of the San Fernando Cathedral. The show runs at multiple times every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening through 2024.

Step into 38 acres of formal gardens, wildflower-spangled meadows, native Texas vegetation, fascinating historical structures, and diverse sections designed to educate and delight nature lovers at the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Here you can walk on 11 acres of Texas native trails with more than 250 plant species representing three distinct regions of Texas. The stunning centerpiece of the garden is the Lucile Halsell Conservatory, a unique collection of five exhibit rooms. A self-guided tour of the climate-controlled conservatory takes visitors through plants and flowers found in different worldwide environments from the desert to the tropics.

Other highlights include the Zachry Foundation Culinary Garden, which promotes healthy food choices and encourages visitors to participate in planting, harvesting, and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables. The Kumamoto En, a gift from San Antonio sister-city Kumamoto, is a serene, authentic Japanese garden with stone walks and water features. The Family Adventure Garden encourages kids to experience more than a dozen fun spaces to run, climb, and splash.  

A fun and educational adventure for all ages, this aquarium boasts more than 250 species and 3,000 sea creatures in 160,000 gallons of water. It also has the city's only walk-through underwater ocean tunnel, where you can safely get up-close and personal with about 500 sea creatures. Stingray Bay has five different species of stingrays, while in the freshwater habitat, you'll see native-to-Texas creatures. One of the best features of Sea Life is the way the exhibits are constructed low enough to the ground so that even small kids can get a good look (and it saves family members from having to hoist them up). The interactive rock-pool is a kid-friendly favorite, with a Sea Life expert giving fun facts about the touchable creatures. The aquarium holds educational talks and feeding demonstrations throughout the day; be sure to ask about them as their timing may vary.

If your kids are bored of the Alamo, head to the DoSeum, where they can explore 60,000 square feet of interactive space in galleries connected to STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) learning and discovery, along with the arts and literacy. Exhibits are geared to ages under 11, but even grown-ups will get a kick out of the Semmes Foundation Spy Academy and the beautiful Big Outdoors section, with Art Yard, Solar Tree, and WaterWorks. Visitors 18 or older without children are welcome, but will be asked at entry to present a valid driver's license and to submit to a brief automated background check. The DoSeum Store features apparel, books, gifts, and educational toys and games.

At 750 feet tall, here you can take a glass-elevator ride traveling at 800 feet per minute, straight up, a very intense 43 seconds. Once the symbol of HemisFair '68, the 1968 World's Fair in San Antonio, locals now just call it "The Tower." Three elevators can carry almost 2,000 passengers an hour. There are also two observation decks, a café, a gift shop, a 4D movie theater, and the revolving Chart House, a steak-and-seafood restaurant at the top. One admission ticket covers the elevator ride, admission to the on-site Skies Over Texas 4D Theater (a multisensory movie experience), and access to the Flags Over Texas Observation Deck.

Located between the Alamodome and the Tower of the Americas, this fascinating museum features 65,000 square feet of exhibits that focus on the major cultural groups who made Texas what it is today. Exhibits explore the customs, traditions, food, music, and ways of life of the many people who came to define the Texan identity. Highlights include a re-created sharecropper's house, a cowboys and cattle drives exhibit, large-scale murals depicting Native American cultures, and an in-depth Tejano exhibit on the intersection of Spanish and Indigenous peoples that birthed a new culture.