San Antonio is beautiful in many ways, but some places stand above the rest.

Whether you want to soak in the natural beauty of South Texas, explore historic landmarks or grab a bite to eat in swanky surroundings, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the allure of the Alamo City.

To that end, we rounded up the 25 most gorgeous spots San Antonio has to offer.

Credit: Courtesy Photo / San Antonio Botanical Garden
Majestic Theatre 224 E. Houston St., majesticempire.com Featuring Baroque, Mediterranean Revival and Mission Revival architecture styles, the iconic Majestic Theatre is a must-visit even if there isn’t a show going on. As the city’s oldest and largest atmospheric theater, the Majestic, which opened in 1929, has a lot of history. It was the first theater in Texas to be completely air-conditioned. Films have been screened and made their premiere here, and some scenes have even been shot within the historic building. Credit: Photo by Mike Hume, courtesy of the Majestic Theatre
Credit: Shutterstock / Moab Republic
Credit: Photo via Instagram / insanejester17
King William Historic District Southtown, visitsanantonio.com Southtown is known as a haven for art, flavor, culture and fun — and the entire area revolves around the heart of the King William Historic District. The Victorian-inspired neighborhood is packed with history and charm. Established in the 1800s, the district was home to German immigrants who bought land and built homes. It is named after King Wilhelm I of Prussia and is considered a Cultural Arts District today. Credit: Shutterstock / Faina Gurevich
Credit: Shutterstock / Kit Leong
River Walk Public Art Garden 849 E. Commerce St., getcreativesanantonio.com This open-air art garden located on the San Antonio River Walk at the intersection where Market and Alamo Streets meet features permanent and rotating sculptures and art pieces by local and international artists. For those that need help finding the entrance, look no further than the colorful “Welcome to the River Walk Public Art Garden” sign by San Antonio artist Gary Sweeney. Credit: Courtesy Photo / City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
The San Antonio Missions Multiple locations, (210) 932-1001, nps.gov/saan In addition to the Alamo, San Antonio has four other historic missions that are often overshadowed by the famous downtown landmark: Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan Capistrano and Mission Espada. Visitors can go to one or more of the Spanish colonial missions directly, or try to see them all by hiking or biking the 8-mile Mission Reach trail. Credit: Shutterstock / Kushal Bose
Liberty Bar 1111 S. Alamo St., (210) 227-1187, liberty-bar.com Housed in a restored convent, Liberty Bar’s bright, window-filled space makes for a naturally gorgeous spot to dine in, whether it’s for brunch or late at night. The food and drink are definitely the main draws, but the ambiance sure isn’t anything to shake a stick at. Credit: Photo via Instagram / deadlywritr
La Villita and the Arneson River Theatre 418 Villita St., (210) 207-8614, lavillitasanantonio.com La Villita wasn’t always a cultural art hub. In fact, it was San Antonio’s first neighborhood. It was restored in the mid-20th century to become the cultural landmark it is today. Across the river is the Arneson River Theatre, which was built in 1939. Audiences have enjoyed concerts, folklórico performances, plays, river parades and more at this 800 seat venue over the years. Credit: Shutterstock / f11photo
Credit: Courtesy Photo / McNay Art Museum
Central Library 600 Soledad St., (210) 207-2500, mysapl.org The bulk of the Central Library makes it stand out, whether viewed from up close or passing by on the freeway, but it is the color (dubbed “enchilada red” by locals) that really grabs the attention. Selected in a design competition held in 1991, the building’s Mexican modernist architecture by Ricardo Legorreta includes a breathtaking multi-story atrium containing the artistic heart of the structure, a blown-glass sculpture created by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Credit: Photo courtesy of San Antonio Public Library
Denman Estate Park 7735 Mockingbird Ln., sanantonio.gov Denman Estate Park features a traditional South Korean pavilion, styled similarly to the Gwangju Democracy Bell in South Korea. Gwangju, South Korea and San Antonio, you may be surprised to learn, are sister cities. Denman Estate Park is a beautiful place to visit, not only for the pavilion, but for the pond and garden as well. Credit: Photo via Instagram / doc_grunt
San Pedro Springs Park 2200 N. Flores St., (210) 732-5992, sanantonio.gov The blue, clear waters found in San Pedro Springs Park have been used since hunters and gatherers roamed the land nearby and drank from its springs. As the second oldest public space in America, many San Antonians’ ancestors have swam in the park’s pool. There’s no fee for locals looking to jump in this cold-refreshing water hole in the summer, and its beauty can be enjoyed year round. Credit: Instagram / brandik1970
Ruby City 150 Camp St., (210) 227-8400, rubycity.org Ruby City is the posthumous realization of a dream of the late art collector Linda Pace. The contemporary art center offers a range of exhibitions and is a part of a larger campus that includes Chris Park and the Studio exhibition space. What’s more, it’s housed in an award-winning building designed by renowned architect Sir David Adjaye OBE. Credit: Dror Baldinger, courtesy of Ruby City
San Antonio River Walk Museum Reach thesanantonioriverwalk.com This stretch of the River Walk runs north from the more famous Downtown section up to the Pearl. The first 1.5 mile segment of the Museum Reach extension of the River Walk opened in 2009, and the final “cherry on top” Mission Reach Park Segment trail in Brackenridge Park opened in 2019. You can enjoy public artworks like Carlos Cortés’ The Grotto and Donald Lipski’s F.I.S.H, and easily access the San Antonio Museum of Art, which is located right off the river. Credit: Photo via Instagram / larnunfiltered
Ocho at Hotel Havana 1015 Navarro St, (210) 222-2008, havanasanantonio.com With Pan-Latin fare, mojitos and a chic aesthetic at the forefront, Ocho is a favorite for a reason. Tourists may flock to the beautiful Hotel Havana, but locals will feel more than welcome to enjoy the scenery brought to you by this glass-enclosed riverside spot. With the cocktail menu highlighting San Antonio’s Mexican roots (we’re talking about tequila) and the prevalence of rum in Havana’s culture, guests will be drinking well here. Credit: Courtesy Photo / Nick Simonite for Hotel Havana
Confluence Park 310 W. Mitchell St., (210) 224-2694, sariverfound.org Confluence Park features winding riverside trails that are perfect for biking, walking and jogging. Along the riverbanks, you can find various works of art and educational plaques. It also has a sweet, Instagram-worthy pavilion. Credit: Photo via Instagram / theredatom
Credit: Courtesy Photo / San Antonio Museum of Art
San Pedro Creek Culture Park 715 Camaron St., (210) 302-3652, spcculturepark.com Located on the western edge of downtown, culture, art and nature come together as a tribute to the birthplace of San Antonio. The San Pedro Creek Culture Park features local artists’ works, created with the story of the diverse cultures drawn to the banks of San Pedro Creek for 12,000 years in mind. Murals, tiled benches, ceramic art and historical texts and poetry can be seen along with the creek’s natural flora and fauna. Credit: Photo via Instagram / art_moreorless
Municipal Auditorium This building designed by legendary architect Atlee Ayres was later rebuilt and expanded to become the Tobin Center. Legendary acts that played at the Municipal included Linda Rondstadt, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Merle Haggard, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Jimi Hendrix, Yes, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Black Sabbath, Elton John and Elvis Presley. Credit: Shutterstock / Kit Leong
Brackenridge Park and the Japanese Tea Garden 3700 N. St. Mary’s St., (210) 207-7275, brackenridgepark.org San Antonians all love all 343 acres of Brackenridge Park, and visit it for a variety of reasons. Inside the park is the historic Japanese Tea Garden, which was built in a former quarry and features elaborate pathways and carefully cultivated landscaping, as well as waterways filled with koi. In addition to the park’s sprawling green spaces are the adjacent San Antonio Zoo, Sunken Garden Theater and Witte Museum, plus a golf course — there’s so many reasons to visit. Credit: Photo by Charlotte Mitchell, courtesy of Brackenridge Park Conservancy
Hot Wells 5503 S. Presa St., bexar.org Back in the day, Hot Wells hot spring resort was a hotspot for some of the hippest celebs of the silent film era, including director Cecil B. DeMille and actors like Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Sarah Bernhardt. Furthermore, the 1911 film The Immortal Alamo was partially shot across the river from the property at Star Film Ranch. The remains of the once-famous resort are now a park, where visitors can soak in the landmark’s unique history, if not soak their feet, since the well feeding the springs has long since been capped. Credit: Photo via Instagram / adm_xander
Hays Street Bridge 803 N. Cherry St., sanantonio.gov Originally built to allow vehicular crossing over the tracks of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad, the restored Hays Street Bridge, which now accommodates pedestrian traffic, has dual appeal. First, it’s a historically significant structure that long served as the chief connector between downtown and the city’s predominantly Black East Side. Second, the bridge offers amazing views of the city, which explains why so many runners, cyclists and lovebirds end up there. Credit: Photo via Instagram / high.intensity.2014
The Pearl 303 Pearl Pkwy., atpearl.com While many flock to the Pearl for the food scene and things to do, strolling the grounds is essential to a visit. Between the Hotel Emma, Pearl Plaza, and the tail end of the River Walk’s Museum Reach, there’s plenty of sights to see. Credit: Shutterstock / Joshua Rainey Photography

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