River Walk

The greatest and most pleasant surprise San Antonio has to offer is the age-old Paseo del Rio, commonly referred to as the River Walk. This stretch of the San Antonio River winds and twists its way through the downtown area, in the shadows of the city’s historic buildings and skyscrapers. With stone bridges, stone stairways, and winding pathways at the edge of calm, teal-colored water, the River Walk is reminiscent of the smaller canals of Venice. Once you descend one of the many stairways and set foot on the River Walk you find yourself in a quiet, romantic, captivating subterranean world with shops, riverside cafés, bars, restaurants, hotels, and historic sites.

The River Walk almost never was. Back in the 1920s, after a disastrous flood, the city nearly filled this part of the San Antonio River in. Thanks to city officials with vision, and the brilliant design of Robert H. Hugman, what began as a catastrophe ended in 1941 as the Paseo del Río (River Walk). In 1968, just before the opening of San Antonio’s World Exposition (HemisFair), a second extension and upgrade was completed, which helped put San Antonio on the map as a world-class city. Then in the ’70s the River Walk superseded the Alamo in popularity due to a clever campaign by the city with the slogan “Forget the Alamo. Remember the River Walk.”

Today the River Walk is a historic, well-established centerpiece of downtown. The city’s locals and frequenters can all too easily overlook this as something for the tourist. Sure it has its touristy side, but it’s also a unique and genuinely integral part of San Antonio. Although the River Walk is always active, it reaches a fevered pitch during Fiesta and the winter holiday season. So many people are down on the stone walks that it’s not uncommon to see someone fall in to the river. To truly appreciate the River Walk all you have to do is take a seat at one of the riverside cafés, sip a mojito, and watch the boats and people pass by.