San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar County located in the U.S. state of Texas within the South Texas region. In 2000 the city had a population of 1.1 million (though a July 1, 2004 estimate by the U.S. Census placed the city's population over 1.2 million making it the second-largest city within Texas and eighth-largest in the country). The San Antonio metropolitan area, however, is the third-largest in the state with a population of about 1.8 million.

The city was named for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day it was when a Spanish expedition stopped in the area in 1691. Famous for its Riverwalk and the Alamo, the Tejano culture, and being home to SeaWorld and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks, San Antonio is visited by 20 million tourists per year.

San Antonio has the South Texas Medical Center, the largest medical research and care provider in South Texas. The city is home to the first museum of Modern Art in Texas, the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum.

The city has a strong military presence: it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base and Brooks City Base.

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Geography and climate

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1,067.3 km² (412.07 mi²). 1,055.6 km² (407.56 mi²) of it is land and 11.7 km² (4.51 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.09% water. The city sits on the Balcones Escarpment.

San Antonio's weather is alternately dry or humid depending on prevailing winds, turning hot in the summer, mild to cool winters subject to descending northern cold fronts in the winter with cool nights, and comfortably warm in the spring and fall. Only a few freezes occur each year and snow is rare.

In San Antonio, July is the average warmest month. The highest temperature ever to be recorded was 111°F/43.8ºC on September 5, 2000. The average coolest month is January. The lowest recorded temperature ever was 0°F/-17.7ºC on January 31, 1949. May, June and October have quite a bit of precipitation.

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Attractions

Riverwalk. The Riverwalk area of San Antonio is an excellent place to explore by day and party by night. Riverwalk has guided ferry tours departing regularly.
The Alamo. Considered to be hallowed ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty, the Alamo is a former mission which was also the site of the Battle of the Alamo. Admission is free, although donations are encouraged. Revenues from an adjacent gift shop fund the historic preservation efforts.
San Antonio Missions National Park. Four Spanish frontier missions, part of a colonization system that stretched across the Spanish Southwest in the 17th, 18th, 19th centuries, are preserved here. They include Missions San Jose, San Juan, Espada, and Concepcion. The national park, containing many cultural sites along with some natural areas, was established in 1978 and covers about 819 acres.
Casa Navarro State Historical Park. Home site of Jose Antonio Navarro, a 19th-century Texas legislator under Mexico, the Republic of Texas and the U.S. The park is the site of Navarro’s furnished house, first residence, and store.
King William Historic Area. A 25-block area near downtown on the south bank of the San Antonio River. In the late 1800's the King William District was the most elegant residential area in the city. Prominent German merchants originally settled the area. It was zoned as the state's first historic district, and has once again become a fashionable neighborhood.
Market Square - El Mercado. Visitors can browse through the 32 shops at "El Mercado," and 80 specialty shops in Farmers Market Plaza. Market Square is also the scene of many Hispanic festivals where food and beverage booths spring up alongside the Guadalajara lamps and the strains of mariachi music blend with the excitement of Mexican dances. Free admission.

Economy

Twenty million tourists visit the city and its attractions every year, contributing substantially to the city's economy. The San Antonio Convention Center alone hosts more than 300 events each year with over 750,000 convention delegates from around the world.

San Antonio's corporate profile includes AT&T Inc., Valero Energy Corp, USAA, Tesoro Petroleum Corp, Southwest Research Institute, H-E-B, and Clear Channel Communications, and Rackspace Managed Hosting, which are all headquartered in the city.

Located northwest of the city is the South Texas Medical Center, the largest medical research and care provider in South Texas, which is a conglomerate of numerous major hospitals, clinics, and research and higher educational institutions. The center is responsible for a $12 Billion biomedical industry. It employs some 27,000 persons with a combined total budget of $2.5 Billion.

Other industries such as Toyota Motor Corporation are establishing plants in the area, as the city's economy continues to grow.

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Museums and Galleries

Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. 210 357-1900, http://www.wittemuseum.org/. Dinosaurs, textiles, history, big museum with lots going on - fun with kids!
Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum, 6000 North New Braunfels, San Antonio, Texas 78209. Tel. 210 824-5368. Tu-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun Noon-5pm. Free admission except during select exhibitions and special events. Fine arts exhibits, library. museum store.
Instituto de México, 600 HemisFair Park. 210 227-0123. Thur-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun Noon-5pm. Free. Contemporary Art from Mexico.
San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 W. Jones, 210 978-8100. Tu 10am-8pm, W-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun Noon-6pm. $6 adult, $5 sen. $4 Student, $1.75 age 4-11. Free Tuesdays 4pm-11pm. Fabulous collections and changing exhibits. If you can do only one museum visit, this is the one to explore. Bring your sketchpad.
Southwest School of Art & Craft, Galleries at 1201 Navarro. 210 224-1848 and across the streets at the Ursuline Campus, 300 Augusta, 210 224-1848. Art/museum gift shop in the Ursuline Campus as well as student work in the hallways and cafe. Free. On buslines, and the Ursuline Campus backs up to an older, parklike section of the Riverwalk.

History

The Alamo - 300 Alamo Plaza, 210-281-0710
San Antonio River Walk History
Casa Navarro State Historical Park - 228 S. Laredo St., 210-226-4801.
Institute of Texan Cultures - 801 Bowie St., HemisFair Park, 210-458-2300
King William Historic District
Missions of San Antonio - San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The four missions are located along the Mission Trail. The park includes all the missions except The Alamo. The Mission Trail begins at The Alamo and goes south along a 9-mile stretch of the San Antonio River. 2202 Roosevelt Ave. (Park Headquarters). Info: 210-534-8833.
San Antonio Living History - An educational, non-profit organization which performs history re-enactments, focusing on Texas from the 1820s to the 1840s.
San Fernando Cathederal - Built in 1731, it is one of the country's oldest churches in continuous use. 115 Main Plaza, 210-227-1297.
Southwest School of Art & Craft - 300 Augusta St., 210-224-1848. Gallery hours - Mon-Sat, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Spanish Governor's Palace - 105 Plaza de Armas. 210-224-0601.
The Witte Museum - 3801 Broadway, 210-357-1900.

Parks, Lakes & Gardens

Brackenridge Park - 343 acres which include the Witte Museum, San Antonio Zoo, Japanese Tea Gardens, athletic fields, sky ride, stables/bridle trail, and golf driving range. 3900 N. St. Mary's Street. 210-207-3000 or 210-207-8590 (Park Rangers)
Braunig Lake Park - Exit 130 off I-37 South. 210-635-8289. Park open daily Dec thru Jan, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Feb thru Nov, 24 hours a day.
Calaveras Lake Park - 12991 Bernhardt Rd., 210-635-8359. Park open daily, 24 hours.
Canyon Lake - located midway between IH 35 and US 281 and halfway between San Antonio and Austin
Casa Navarro State Historical Park - 228 S. Laredo St., 210-226-4801.
Eisenhower Park
HemisFair Park - The site of the 1968 World's Fair, this is located at the base of the Tower of the Americas. Bounded by S. Alamo, E. Market, Durange and I-37. Info: 210-207-8615 (Tower) or 210-207-8590 (Park Rangers).
McAllister Park
San Antonio Botanical Gardens - 555 Funston Place. Open daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. 210-207-3255.
San Antonio Missions Nat'l Historical Park - The four missions are located along the Mission Trail. The park includes all the missions except The Alamo. The Mission Trail begins at The Alamo and goes south along a 9-mile stretch of the San Antonio River. 2202 Roosevelt Ave. (Park Headquarters). Info: 210-534-8833.
San Antonio Area Parks (within 100 miles)