20250314_110805Along the San Antonio River Walk (March 2025)

Despite only the two-hour time difference between California and Texas, I still woke up slightly jet-lagged at 9h00 local time (which was 7h00 back home). My partner and her mother were feeling the same, so we decided to get up and get ready to sightsee for the day. This would be our only full day to properly explore San Antonio, before getting busy with their relative’s wedding and whatnot in the days that followed.

After grabbing some coffee and pastries to-go at a nearby bakery, we made the 45-minute drive into San Antonio proper. Besides the highways being wide and massive, we found the Texan roads to be vast and a bit confusing at times, as there were so many “loops” that connected interstates to one another. Not to forget that locals drove like crazy in their huge monster trucks– as mentioned in the previous post, everything’s bigger in Texas!

We arrived into San Antonio sometime around 10h00, where we found paid parking and walked over to our first stop of the day: the Alamo. Built in 1718, the Alamo was originally a Spanish mission that was used to convert indigenous people to Christianity before becoming a fortress that served as a pivotal scene for the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where many Texians (including the famed Davy Crockett) were killed by Mexican forces. After Texas became a US state in 1845, the Alamo had on-and-off periods of being used and abandoned until 1905, when efforts were made to preserve the remains of the mission-fort. In 2015, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and today sees over 1.6 million visitors each year.

20250314_110213The Alamo

Visiting the grounds of the Alamo is free, but you would need to pay $15 USD per person to check out the museums and exhibits inside some of the buildings. The three of us did just that, and we spent maybe half an hour looking around. It’s a reasonably-sized museum, with plenty of artifacts from the 18th to 20th centuries. From general uniforms to weapons to silverware from those times, there was a good amount of galleries to wander around in. While I wish that it had more details and history from the indigenous people’s perspective, it was an okay museum in the city.

20250314_102712Weapons inside the museum

20250314_105116Portrait of Davy Crockett

You can also visit the interior of the Alamo mission for free, but by the time we wrapped up our time in the museum, there was already a long line to go inside. We weren’t too interested in waiting, so we simply admired the exterior of the building, took a few photos, and headed out to continue our sightseeing in San Antonio.

Given that parking was quite exorbitant for $40 USD for the day, we decided to go on foot to our next stop of the day at the River Walk. It was just a few blocks away, and we made it over around noon. The River Walk is a total of 15 miles (24 kilometers) that runs through much of the city, with 5 miles (8 kilometers) of it in downtown. Originally constructed in the early 1940s as means to control and prevent flooding, the River Walk has now become a popular tourist spot, with its pedestrian streets and many restaurants and bars to hang out at by the water.

20250314_110805The River Walk

The three of us strolled a bit along the water, and then we decided to pay for a short River Walk cruise. Along with perhaps two or three dozen other visitors, we boarded a small boat and spent about 45 minutes going along the water and its various canals. Weather was starting to heat up, but I personally found it quite pleasant and rather beautiful, albeit in a kitschy way. Aside from the lousy commentary from our tour guide and the slight stench of sewer, it was an easy and breezy cruise to see San Antonio from a different perspective.

20250314_120357Cruising along the River Walk


20250314_120814The “Selena Bridge,” made famous by the 1997 film dedicated to the late Tejano singer

The cruise ended towards 13h00 and, feeling famished, we headed back to the parking lot near the Alamo to grab lunch with my partner’s mother’s cousin and spouse at a local Tex-Mex restaurant that served puffy tacos. Essentially, these are deep-fried tacos which inflate upon hitting sizzling oil, thereby giving them a “puffed” shape. Created by accident by a cook in the mid-1950s, puffy tacos have become a popular dish in San Antonio, and now many restaurants offer it in the city, claiming theirs are “the best.”

20250314_132300Puffy tacos with rice and beans

We met up with her mother’s family at the restaurant towards 13h45. Although the restaurant was to close at 14h00, the owners were kind enough to allow us to order and stay past closing. I ordered a puffy taco combo, which came with two puffy tacos, along with rice and beans. The puffy tacos were massive, yet surprisingly light, almost airy– they were packed with lettuce, cheese, and meat, which made the meal heartier. However, the stars of the show were the rice and beans, which were so flavorful– I have a sneaking suspicion lard was used, which made them taste so good!

Following lunch, we left the restaurant by 15h00 and checked out a yarn store for my partner in the area. Afterwards, we said goodbye to her mother’s relatives and grabbed some iced coffee and shakes (which hit the spot in the 90°F/32°C weather) before making the long drive back to our hotel. We returned by 16h00 to rest up for a bit, as we had a pre-wedding family dinner to attend that evening.

Overall, it was a pleasant day visiting as much of San Antonio as possible. Granted, it was a lot of driving, as we weren’t staying in the city center, but I’m glad we got a taste of this Texan city (with good food to boot). Stay tuned for the last of my Texas series, as we headed to explore a bit of the Texas Hill Country! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

42 thoughts on “Destination: San Antonio, Texas (Visiting the Alamo, Cruising the River Walk, & Eating Puffy Tacos– DAY 2)”

  1. Glad y’all remembered the Alamo ; ) It would no longer stand if a group of women hadn’t rallied to save it (see Alamo article on FF if you’re curious). The food in San Antonio is so divine. I enjoyed several riverboat rides in the past. The tacos look tasty!

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  2. I’d love to embark on San Antonio’s River Walk, as those scenic paths along the river look perfect for leisurely strolls. I love the city’s lively atmosphere and picturesque setting, with scenic waterways and charming bridges. You know, I always feel a slight fatigue whenever I travel home to Latvia from Ireland due to the 2-hour difference. It may not seem that much, but I still feel that my circadian rhythm needs adjusting. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. I agree! Even with a small time difference, it can still throw your body off for a few days. San Antonio was very picturesque, and I’m glad we’d gotten to spend a day taking it all in. Thanks for reading, Aiva, and have a great day– more of Texas to come soon!

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    1. I found the river cruise pretty nice, even if it did smell like sewer! The puffy tacos were a real treat, and I’d happily return to have them again 🙂

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  6. This sounds a lot like my day in San Antonio – the Alamo and the River Walk. I don’t recall going into the museum (it may have been closed for construction) but we did go into the Alamo. Let me assure you, you didn’t miss much. It was just an old building, and it was super crowded.

    However, I’m sad I missed out on puffy tacos, as they sound really tasty!

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    1. The museum was just-okay; if you’re interested in artifacts from the war and whatnot, then it’d be up your alley. Didn’t miss much in the museum, either! Good to know that the Alamo is more interesting outside than inside. The puffy tacos were a delight to try, and I’d happily return to San Antonio just to have them again!

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  8. The tacos look delicious and the river cruise sounds pleasant and relaxing (despite the inadequate tour guide). I’d love to visit Alamo, though I imagine that you get more visiting the actual museum, so you probably made the right choice.

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    1. I’ve heard that the Alamo isn’t that interesting inside, so I guess I didn’t miss out! The puffy tacos and river cruise were the highlights of our day in town, and I’m glad we got to cover a lot of ground in one day!

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  13. I’ve always seen pretty photos of the Alamo’s exterior, but never knew what was inside. Thanks for giving us a peek! That puffy taco looks delicious. I imagine it must’ve had a satisfying crunch, too. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!

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      1. Oops, désolée! 🤦🏻‍♀️ It appears I typed too fast and forgot the word “museum.” I did like seeing the exhibits from your point of view. I look forward to reading more about your visit to Texas!

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  16. I’d be interested to visit the Alamo but like you I would want to hear about the history from an indigenous perspective too. The River Walk looks pretty though your reference to a sewage smell is a bit off-putting!

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    1. Yes, definitely! The Alamo was pleasant, but I wish the museum had been more in-depth with the indigenous people who first inhabited the land pre-colonial times. The River Walk was pretty, although the smell was anything but!

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    1. Interesting! Texas would be the last place I’d think of when it comes to European architecture. To be fair, it used to be part of Spain centuries ago, so maybe there’s some resemblance!

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