San Antonio offers a wide variety of activities for you to enjoy with your children, many of which are free! So as the days of summer become more and more challenging to entertain those little ones on a budget, try some of these free spots to entertain deep in the heart of Texas.
The River Walk
The cool waters from the San Antonio River and the shade from the abundance of trees will offer much relief from the hot, muggy days of San Antonio as you meander along the River Walk. Museums, shops, restaurants and hotels connect each other with the path along the river creating plenty of exploring. Point your browser to the link above to download a free map of the River Walk area.
While you are exploring the River Walk, be sure to find the La Villita the little village. This village was originally built by Spanish soldiers and is now a historical arts village featuring house galleries and shops providing never-ending exploring and learning.
The River Walk
110 Broadway, Suite 440, San Antonio, TX 78205
Phone: (210) 227-4262
thesanantonioriverwalk.com
thesanantonioriverwalk.com/
Five Missions to Explore
Take a step back in time and explore San Antonio’s historical missions. All five of the missions are open to the public, free of charge, including The Alamo. So be sure to check out the Missions of San Jose, Concepcion, San Antonio de Valero (the Alamo), San Francisco de la Espada, and San Juan Capistrano. For the very adventurous, you can hike or bike the 12 miles of trails that interconnect the missions.
http://www.nps.gov/saan/historyculture/index.htm
The San AntonioMuseum of Art
Free on Tuesdays from 4 pm to 9 pm, this 30,000 square-foot museum holds antiquities, American art, contemporary art, Asian art and many more exhibitions. Check their website for featured exhibitions which change often. The museum also offers programs for children including Wednesday Workshops that are very affordable ($2 at time of publishing). These workshops differ every week and include topics such as Exploring Latin America: Past and Present and Discovering Ancient Egypt.
The San Antonio Museum of Art
200 W. Jones Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78215
Phone: (210) 978-8100
samuseum.org
WitteMuseum
This museum is free on Tuesdays from 3 pm to 8 pm. Located in the beautiful Brackenridge Park, this museum’s permanent exhibits include Dino Hall, featuring dinosaur skeletons, mummies, and the H-E-B Science Treehouse. There is never a dull moment for your kids here!
Witte Museum
3801 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 357-1900
wittemuseum.org/
BrackenridgePark
This 443 acre park near the San Antonio Zoo offers giant oak trees to shade your day as you explore the San Antonio River, playground, and trails. There is a dog park so bring your four-legged friends too. Pack a picnic, and a Frisbee. Plan to spend a relaxing day in the heart of the city. Adjacent to Brackenridge Park is the Japanese Tea Garden. This botanical garden features ponds with Koi and stone paths that weave through these beautiful gardens.
Brackenridge Park
3910 North Saint Mary’s Street
San Antonio, TX 78212-3172
210- 207-7275
wildtexas.com/brakenridge
Geocaching
There is no better way to explore any city than geocaching. Taking you to unadvertised places, hidden gems, within the community, finding these hidden caches is adventure for all ages. For all of the above recommended areas to explore San Antonio, there is at least one geocache to be found! Geocaching is free aside from owning a GPS receiver. There are ways to geocache without a GPSr or to find receivers at very low prices. Geocaching IS in your budget and it opens a whole new world to your family’s perspectives and adventures!
geocaching.com
San Antonio is a wonderful place for kids and there are many free activities you can enjoy with them. Many of these places are spots the crowds don’t linger around and a peaceful day in a park or museum can always be better than the crowds at the water park or amusement park.
