6 fun things to do in San Antonio

Friday, March 9, 2018, 11:31 AM - What’s new in San Antonio? Plenty! While most visitors flock to this diverse colonial town to visit the Alamo and the Missions or to stroll along famed River Walk, you’ve got bigger plans. Here is a look at a few new ways to enjoy this unique Texas treasure with the help of VisitSanAntonio.com.

1. Pop up to the Pearl

The rejuvenation of the up-and-coming, 22-acre Pearl neighbourhood continues, further establishing it as San Antonio’s vibrant culinary and cultural destination. This former brewery on the northern edge of downtown is now a relaxed retreat full of amazing restaurants, great shopping and plenty of green space to wander through, all anchored by the new Hotel Emma. This 146-room riverfront meeting place draws from the region’s rich heritage in many ways, specifically with regard to its hacienda-style décor and the menu of its flagship restaurant, Supper. The twice-weekly Pearl Farmers Market is an inspired spot for foodies to congregate and enjoy the bounty of the extended area. The Culinary Institute of America also has a building here (see below), its signature restaurant Nao Latin Gastro Bar all run by the students.

Music continues to be a big component of the Pearl event calendar. The Sound Cream Airstream makes the party mobile, bringing day dance parties to the Pearl via its travelling bar, lounge and DJ booth. ATPEARL.COM

2. Take a cooking class

San Antonio boasts one of only three Culinary Institute of America campuses in the United States. In addition to the students who come from all over to attend culinary school, visitors like you can also get in on the culinary adventure via the centre’s exhilarating Culinary Boot Camps. These hands-on kitchen courses range from two to five days and encompass classes in baking and cooking across a wide variety of food styles and interests. Taught by experts in their fields, classes begin at a basic level and progress from there, with your particular skillset determining where you fit into the fun. CIACHEF.EDU

3. Tucker out the children

The DoSeum, San Antonio's children’s museum is one of the country’s largest, offering more than five acres of fun for kids of all ages. Its creative programs make it an interactive learning laboratory highlighting the worlds of science, technology, engineering and mathematics via 26,000 square feet of indoor space and 39,000 square feet of outdoor fun. Introduce your kids to Baxter the interactive robot or take part in the interactive puppet parade. There’s also a musical staircase and a cool treehouse. Toddlers will love Little Town, while the tweens will go for Spy Academy with its challenging, problem-solving math adventures.

Imagine It, an interactive story exhibit, prompts kids to let their imaginations run wild writing their own animated story with themselves as the main characters. This groundbreaking 21st-century learning experience is a no-brainer for parents. THEDOSEUM.ORG

Courtesy: Getty Images

4. Take a step back in time

The Briscoe Western Art Museum celebrates the art, heritage and history of the American West—spurs, saddles, covered wagons and all. Housed in what was once San Antonio’s first public library, its engaging programs and events, exhibitions and collections preserve and interpret the lives of the cowboys, women, Native Americans and Hispanic settlers who settled the West. The campus consists of a new pavilion, the historic museum building and a sculpture garden. Guests can enjoy dozens of artifacts, photographs of late-19th-century Yosemite National Park, old recordings of western songs, a collection of Native American weaponry and a large diorama that depicts the battle at the Alamo. The museum’s event calendar also lists gallery talks, film series and live music programming. BRISCOEMUSEUM.ORG

5. Visit the penguins

SeaWorld San Antonio sets you up for a day of exhilarating rides, family-friendly shows and animal encounters that both delight and educate. This is your chance to get the kids up close and personal with bottlenose dolphins, Beluga whales, sea lions, sting rays—even penguins. The “oceanarium” is filled with things like sharks and giant sea turtles. The rides and rollercoasters are legendary, including the thrilling Steel Eel and the Great White rollercoasters. The new Wave Breaker: Rescue Coaster launches you out over the lake and 60 feet into the air along 2,600 feet of track, as you ride astride a jetski-style seat. A Sesame Street Party Parade is also new, with a daily event starring 10 themed floats and the show’s loveable cast of characters. SEAWORLD.COM/SAN-ANTONIO

6. Improve your health IQ

Nature, science and culture come together at the Witte Museum, which went through a complete transformation last year, including the opening of new galleries and event spaces, as well as a new garden. The museum is also home to The H-E-B Body Adventure Powered by University Health System, a 15,000-square-foot interactive facility that helps guests learn about how your body works. This hands-on health and wellness all-ages exhibit spans four floors where you can increase your health IQ, participate in cooking demos, wander the medicinal plant garden and examine real preserved human specimens. WITTEMUSEUM.ORG