Winner: San Pedro Springs Park
2200 N. Flores St.
(210) 732-5992
There's a reason San Pedro Springs Park keeps winning this category: it's just that good. This public pool stands apart from the rest for its amenities, natural setting and rich history stretching back to the 18th century. Built out of a lakebed, the spacious, spring-fed pool is only around five feet deep, yet it remains surprisingly cool in the brutal heat due to ample shade from nearby Cypress trees. Barbecue grills are also available for groups looking to enjoy a poolside cookout. The pool had a shorter swim season this year, only opening on July 3, but we're guessing plenty of residents will make time to visit before summer starts to fade.
2. Woodlawn Lake Park
221 Alexander Ave.
(210) 732.5789
3. Concepcion Park
600 E. Theo Ave.
(210) 532-3473
Previous Winners
Around Town
Winner: Brick at Blue Star
108 Blue Star
(210) 262-8653
Although not an art gallery in the traditional sense, Brick brims with all flavors of visual expression. Billed as a "blank canvas where your ideas and vision will come alive," the warehouse-style space in the Blue Star Arts Complex lights up on the regular for DIY pop-ups, live music, burlesque performances, even life-drawing sessions set to DJ beats. An adaptable, approachable location that's affordable for creatives to rent, Brick has hosted upward of 4,000 events since its inception in 2014. As such, the venue is anything but predictable — save for its signature Sunday Art Market. A beloved Sunday Funday tradition for San Antonio culture seekers, the long-running market brings together a broad assortment of local artists, crafters and makers in a convivial atmosphere complete with a bar.
2. Hopscotch
711 Navarro St., Suite 100
3. Presa House Gallery
725 S. Presa St.
(210) 913-5842
Winner: Smart Barre
Multiple locations
2. Pure Barre Stone Oak
21019 U.S. Highway 281 North, Suite 33
(210) 529-1728
3. Pure Barre Alamo Heights
5500 Broadway
(210) 392-2380
Winner: Bowlero
Multiple locations
2. Bandera Bowling Center
6700 Huebner Road
(210) 523-1716
3. Astro SuperBowl
3203 Harry Wurzbach Road
(210) 824-6348
Winner: Hemisfair
434 S. Alamo St.
(210) 709-4750
Downtown destination Hemisfair has long been popular with locals and tourists alike. Each year, it plays host to major festivals including Día de Los Muertos and the annual contemporary art celebration Luminaria, and it's also home to the Magik Theatre, voted Best Community Theater in this year's readers' poll. Beyond that, the park houses an array of eateries and drinkeries including Box Street Social, CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery, Lick Honest Ice Creams and Dough Pizzeria Napoletana. Hemisfair's Yanaguana Garden, the park's 4.1-acre playground, was opened to the public in 2015. Named after Yanaguana, the Payaya indigenous village of San Antonio's first inhabitants, it's one of downtown's most popular family attractions. The playground includes all the swings and climbable structures a kid could ask for., along with animal-shaped mosaic artwork and other public art to enjoy as well as stone ping-pong tables, a sandbox and a splash pad to keep everyone cool during the hot Texas summer. Events including storytime, fitness classes and arts and crafts activities are also a draw.
2. Phil Hardberger Park
13203 Blanco Road and 8400 NW
Military Highway
(210) 492-7472
3. Brackenridge Park
3700 N. St. Mary's St.
(210) 207-7275
Winner: Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club
618 NW Loop 410
(210) 541-8805
North Central San Antonio's Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club is the city's primary stop for touring comedians who aren't among the tiny percentage who can fill arenas and big theaters. Managed by the Improv comedy clubs, LOL recently welcomed standups including Anjelah Johnson-Reyes (MADtv), Mark Curry (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) and Pauly Shore (Encino Man). This summer's schedule includes Mark Normand (Inside Amy Schumer), Carlos Ballarta (Furia Ñera) and Tony Hinchcliffe (One Shot). Among the bigger names expected later this year are Carlos Mencia (Mind of Mencia), Paul Rodriguez (Clifford the Big Red Dog) and Matthew Broussard (The Mindy Project).
2. Upstage Comedy Lounge
4441 Walzem Road
(210) 231-0474
3. Blind Tiger Comedy Club
902 NE Loop 410
(210) 828-1470
Winner: The Magik Theatre
420 S. Alamo St.
(210) 227-2751
2. Woodlawn Theatre
1920 Fredericksburg Rd.
(210) 267-8388
3. The Public Theater of San Antonio
800 W. Ashby Place
(210) 733-7258
Winner: Phil Hardberger Park
13203 Blanco Road and 8400 NW Military Highway
(210) 492-7472
Live oaks stretch over three-plus acres that comprise Phil Hardberger Park's two off-leash dog parks. The parks feature separate areas for "all dogs" and "small dogs," allowing furry friends to roam and play worry-free. These facilities pull out all the stops, offering dog-friendly water fountains, picnic tables, obstacle courses and even a double-decker doghouse in the east park's small-dog area. If your pup still isn't tuckered out after mixing and mingling with other canines, feel free to hit one of Phil Hardberger Park's pet-friendly nature trails.
2. Hops & Hounds
13838 Jones Maltsberger Road
(210) 592-9400
3. McAllister Park
13102 Jones Maltsberger Road
(210) 207-7275
Winner: Majestic Theatre
224 E. Houston St.
(210) 226-3333
Given its opulent decor, it stuns some to learn the Majestic Theatre originally opened in 1929 as a movie house. With a capacity of more than 3,700, it was the nation's second largest such venue at the time. Today, the Majestic is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and hosts high-profile touring musicals, concerts and other stage productions. So far this year, the downtown theater has welcomed shows including RuPaul's Drag Race: Werq the World Tour, Tori Amos: Ocean to Ocean Tour and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Expect it to be sold out for a bevy of other top-notch touring shows, including Mean Girls the Musical, Steve Martin & Martin Short: You Won't Believe What They Look Like Today! and Chris Rock: Ego Death World Tour.
2. Tobin Center
100 Auditorium Circle
(210) 223-8624
3. The Aztec Theatre
104 N. St. Mary's St.
(210) 812-4355
Winner: San Antonio Zoo
3903 N. St. Mary's St.
(210) 734-7184
It isn't just San Antonio families that love our zoo — in addition to winning this category twice in a row, it was named the best zoo in the state by the Texas Travel Awards this year. In operation since 1914, the local attraction is home to hundreds of animal species on its over 50-acre campus. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and works with other organizations around the world to conserve wildlife as part of its mission. In the fall of 2021, the zoo opened the new Neotropica realm, which features an updated habitat for endangered jaguars. An overhead catwalk allows the jaguars to traverse between two habitats. Other updates include a new 4D Theater and the renovation of the F.C. Hixon Bird House.
2. Six Flags Fiesta Texas
17000 Interstate 10 West
(210) 697-5050
3. Morgan's Wonderland
5223 David Edwards Drive
(210) 495-5888
