San Antonio, one of the major cities located in Central Texas is well known for its history with the Mexicans and Spanish, especially during the fight for independence. It is the perfect city for history lovers and people who enjoy good nightlife options. San Antonio is also a fantastic place to start a Texas road trip. This two day San Antonio itinerary goes over some of the best places to visit during a weekend getaway.
US Ghost Adventures is an awesome company that offers a variety of guided tours and haunted experiences across different cities in the United States. Visitors can learn the compelling history and stories of the paranormal and the city’s darker side. Make sure to check out the variety of tours offered in San Antonio here. They are very affordable too!
Disclaimer: Thank you to the museums for hosting me. As always, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
Table of Contents
History of San Antonio
The San Antonio area was originally established by the Payaya Indians. In 1691, the Spanish settlers came to the area and began a settlement. Throughout the next several hundred years, more people began to settle in the area and eventually came under the control of the Spanish.
In 1835, war broke out in Texas and San Antonio with the Mexicans also known as the Mexican-American War. The next several years saw a fight for Texas independence and included the infamous Battle of the Alamo.
Throughout the next hundred years, San Antonio continued to grow. With it came the arrival of the first Railroad and a lot of German influences. Present-day, San Antonio is the second most populated city in Texas and the seventh-most in the United States.
When to Spend Two Days in San Antonio
San Antonio can be very hot and humid during summer, so avoid it during that time. Fall and spring are pleasant times to visit and there will be fewer crowds during that time as well.
How to Get to San Antonio
San Antonio has one airport: San Antonio International Airport. It is about 8 miles north of Downtown and flights from all over the United States arrive at this airport. You can typically find flights for around $200-$300 from around the United States.
Transportation in San Antonio
If you plan on mostly staying around the Downtown San Antonio area, you can get away with not having a car if you do not mind using Lyft or Uber. You can also catch a river shuttle up and down the river during certain hours.
If you opt to rent a car for flexibility in getting around, I recommend renting a car through Autoslash as that is where I always find the best deals.
Where to Stay in San Antonio
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best San Antonio hotels here!
You will definitely want to stay in the Riverwalk area in San Antonio unless you plan on taking a lot of day trips. The Hampton Inn San Antonio Riverwalk and the Tru by Hilton San Antonio Downtown Riverwalk are two great options. The Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk and the Grand Hyatt San Antonio Riverwalk are also good options. You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price.
What to do During Two Day San Antonio Itinerary
There are a ton of fun things to do as part of a two day San Antonio itinerary.
GoCity Pass
GoCity offers a ton of different sightseeing passes for cities around the world. These passes allow you to visit the best of each city for one low price, rather than paying individually for each attraction. I have used it in several cities around the world and would recommend getting a GoCity pass! Check out the options for the San Antonio GoCity pass here.
Day 1
La Panaderia Bakery Cafe
Cost: $
Hours: 7am-3pm
La Panaderia Bakery Cafe is known for having some of the best pan dulce in the country. Visiting here is a must-stop on your two day San Antonio itinerary. They also have some awesome agua frescas and other delicious breakfast items.
Riverwalk Cruise
Cost: $13.50
Hours: 10am-10pm (can vary)
You cannot spend two days in San Antonio and not go on a Riverwalk Cruise. It is super affordable to hop on one of these boats for a narrated tour. The boat takes you along the river through various parts. A guide provides commentary during your journey. They run constantly and it takes about 30 minutes to sail the course.
The Alamo
Cost: Free and up
Hours: 9am-5:30pm
The Alamo is a classic spot to visit on your two day San Antonio itinerary. You can opt to just visit the outside or head inside for a tour. You can get a free timed ticket to go inside the church as well. Although a lot of people think it is overrated, it is a cool historical place to see.
Lunch at Whataburger
Cost: $
Hours: Varies by Location
Many people will argue that Whataburger is better then In Out, but those people are wrong. Nevertheless, Whataburger is a classic stop on a two day San Antonio itinerary. They are known for their burgers and having a variety of dipping sauces.
Menger Hotel
Cost: $
Next, head to the Menger Hotel. You can opt to grab a drink at their bar where Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders hung out, or you can just walk through and see the historical displays. Either way, it is a cool historical place to add to your two day San Antonio itinerary.
Briscoe Western Art Museum
Cost: $12
Hours: Thurs-Mon: 10am-5pm
The Briscoe Western Art Museum is a hidden gem located along the Riverwalk area. It contains artwork related to the America West, especially from the 1800s. There are several replicas of chuckwagons and you can even see General Santa Anna’s sword.
Tower of the Americas
Cost: $16.50
Hours: Sun-Thurs: 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
Left from the 1968 World’s Fair, the Tower of the Americas was once the tallest observation deck in the United States until 1996 when the Stratosphere in Las Vegas took over the title. Present-day, you can go up to the observation deck or opt to grab a meal at the rotating deck.
San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA)
Cost: $20
Hours: Tues & Fri: 10am-7pm, Wed, Thurs, Sat-Sun: 10am-5pm
This art museum contains 5,000 years’ worth of art from across the continents. It is located inside the old Lone Star brewing museum.
Dinner at Playland Pizza
Cost: $$
Hours: Tues-Sat: 9am-10pm, Sun: 9am-4:30pm
Tonight, grab dinner at Playland Pizza, a new restaurant in San Antonio. They specialize in unique and fun pizzas but also have a variety of other pasta dishes, salads, and sandwiches. We opted for cheese, kale, sausage, and honey pizza. Their cocktails are also really delicious.
The Esquire Tavern
Cost: $
Hours: Sun-Wed: 11:30am-10pm, Thus: 11:30am-12am, Fri-Sat: 11:30am-2am
There are an endless number of fun bars along the Riverwalk to add to your two day San Antonio itinerary. The Esquire Tavern is known for having the longest bar top in Texas. Make sure to grab a seat at the bar, especially if you just want to stop by for a drink. They do a lot of fun twists on classic cocktails.
Hugman’s Oasis
Cost: $
Hours: Sun, Tues-Thurs: 4pm-12am, Fri-Sat: 4pm-2am
For the tiki bar lovers, head to Hugman’s Oasis on your two day San Antonio itinerary. You can opt to make reservations ahead of time, which is a good idea if you want to sit inside. All of the drinks are tiki-themed, but they also have some classic cocktails as well.
Day 2
Breakfast at Schilo’s
Cost: $$
Hours: 8:30am-2pm
Schilo’s is a class breakfast place in San Antonio. They have a wide variety of breakfast dishes but are known for their breakfast tacos. All of the food was reasonably priced. Make sure to try their homemade root beer for a sweet treat!
Witte Museum
Cost: $14
Hours: Mon, Wed-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm, Tues: 10am-6pm
The Witte Museum tells the story of the history of Texas through a variety of awesome exhibits. Established in 1926, visitors can browse through historic artifacts, photographs, wildlife, cave drawings, and more! I really enjoyed reviewing the entirety of Texas history and enjoyed the wide variety of exhibits. Make sure to take a stroll along the river in order to catch some local wildlife.
Lunch at Smoke Shack BBQ
Cost: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am-9pm, Sun: 11am-5pm
Across the street from the Witte Museum is Smoke Shack BBQ, the perfect lunch stop after wandering the museum. This BBQ place has a variety of options and sizes of platters you can get.
Japanese Tea Garden
Cost: Free
Hours: 7am-5pm
The Japanese Tea Garden, also known as the Sunken Gardens, in San Antonio was once a limestone quarry. It was donated to the city in 1899 and since then has been a wonderful place for people to visit. It is located in the same park as the Witte Museum.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-5pm
If you have time, add the mission trail and a visit to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park to your two day San Antonio itinerary. This park preserves four of the Spanish Missions that were outposts to spread Catholicism to the local people. It is also the only UNESCO site in Texas.
Visitors can opt to visit one or all of the missions. They connect via a trail you can walk or bike, or you can drive between them. There are various ranger-led programs as well. It really is a cool park to visit and you can easily spend the entire day here.
The Pearl
The Pearl is a popular new area in San Antonio. It has a history dating back to 1883 when the first brewery was founded there. Over time, the beer production in the area continued to grow until Prohibition hit. As time went on, production continued and expanded into the area it is today.
Present-day, visitors can eat, drink, and relax in this area. There are a variety of restaurants to eat at, several bars, the Culinary Institute of America, and a local farmers market. We opted to eat in the food court which had awesome choices. Also, make sure to grab drinks at one of the many bars in Hotel Emma. A stop at the Pearl is a perfect way to end a two day San Anotnio itinerary.
Final Tips for a Two Days San Antonio Itinerary
There is so much to see during a two day San Antonio itinerary. You could easily spend many more days here. San Antonio has a lot of breweries we did not get to try out. Visitors could also take a day trip to Fredericksburg or the Texas Hill Country. If you have more time, you could also opt to head to Austin, Houston, or out to West Texas and Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
