by Scott Laird
Last updated: 6:00 AM ET, Thu May 4, 2017
There's much more to the Alamo City than, well, the Alamo (and the Riverwalk.)
While those two icons are most synonymous with San Antonio, there are plenty of other attractions-both ancient and modern-that are waiting to share the cultural, culinary and anthropological secrets of this unforgettable city in the heart of Central Texas.
I was recently there for Fiesta San Antonio, an annual event that the city has been observing in one form or another for more than a century (with a break during the Second World War). It started out as a battle of the flowers among local mothers in observation of the Battle of the Alamo's anniversary, but is today a celebration of all things San Antonio, with heavy influence on the region's indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, Texan and German heritages.
San Antonio Missions National Historic Park
The National Historic Park, which encompasses four Franciscan missions plus The Alamo, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. The United Nations organization called out the site as "an example of the interweaving of the cultures of the Spanish and the Coahuiltecan and other indigenous peoples."
Rather than just colonization, the interactions between the two groups "contributed to a fundamental and permanent change in the cultures and values of all involved" and "resulted in a people and culture with an identity neither wholly indigenous nor wholly Spanish that has proven exceptionally persistent and pervasive."
This has been a boon to tourism growth in the region, and that gravity pervades the mind while exploring Mission San José-the sanctuary of which is still owned and operated as a church by the San Antonio Diocese.
Astonishingly, irrigation systems and mills developed over two centuries ago are still in operation. The vibrant paint designs contributed to the church wall by indigenous inhabitants also survive. Scrollwork and carving on the façade of the church were once thought so intricate it was assumed they could only have been done in Europe. It has since been proven to have been completed by local indigenous craftworkers.
The Historic Pearl
This adaptive reuse of The Pearl Brewery complex has a charming, indoor-outdoor aesthetic that embraces the industrial chic of the land's heritage.
Indulge in Steampunk fantasy at the Hotel Emma, which occupies the original factory and has design elements taken directly from leftover materials such as tile flooring, carbonization canisters and brewing vats known as "elephants".
Named for the wife of the owner-who brought beer-brewing know-how from Germany and an affair he had with a second Emma imported from Germany to nurse the first before being shot and killed by a third Emma-it almost goes without saying both the hotel and the district are rife with local legends.
For a more modern legend, stop by Bakery Lorraine for Texas-sized croissants and cereal-flavored macarons at this naturally lit space that begs for lingerers and was born out of a stand at a farmer's market. The Pearl is also home to one of only three campuses of the Culinary Institute of America, where boot camp classes are on offer even to nascent home chefs.
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Main Plaza
When ground was broken on the Cathedral of San Fernando in 1738, during the midst of what was then the Presidio San Antonio de Béxar, it was unimaginable that a 24-minute light show would be projected across the Cathedral's façade depicting the history of San Antonio. San Antonio: The Saga shows half hourly from 9 to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The Cathedral is also notable for being the rampart from which General Santa Anna hoisted the flag of no quarter, indicating to those sequestered in The Alamo that no prisoners would be taken during or after the now-infamous siege.
San Antonio Botanical Garden
A haven to local botanists and birders, the San Antonio Botanical Garden is also a favorite of visiting school groups and anyone interested in local and international flora and fauna.
Attractions include indoor enclosures featuring a variety of palm trees, a fern grotto, desert and tropical displays, plus an "exhibition gallery" of tropical ornamentals. There's also a painstakingly crafted Japanese Garden that was a gift from San Antonio's sister city, Kumamoto, Japan.
Steves Homestead
Built in 1876 for a prominent German industrialist, the Steves Homestead is perhaps the flagship house museum of the King William Historic District. (Other surrounding homes were built in contemporary styles for his two sons).
With expertly manicured gardens and painstakingly restored rooms, the house gives a glimpse into the cares and concerns of a past generation of trans-Atlantic immigrants. Unlike the immigration wave at the turn of the century, German immigrants from the 1840s were political refugees who were typically monied and well-educated, leading to fast advancement in the communities in which they settled.
The home is notable for the inclusion of a swimming pool and built-in closets, which were cutting-edge design innovations for their day.
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The Witte Museum
The Witte Museum is fresh off a multimillion-dollar addition that adds a grand entry hall and displays to the collection of modern and historic buildings along the river. It tells the story of the region's natural history, from the dinosaurs to the prehistoric human inhabitants of the region.
Visitors can learn about the geographic topography and changes to the Pecos River Valley over millions of years, though there are more modern exhibits too. From a rotating themed collection of six-figure Fiesta gowns to a Boeing-sponsored interactive exhibition on space exploration, there's enough to fill an entire day, if not two-especially with younger visitors in tow.
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