20 outdoor activities in and around San Antonio to experience before summer ends

Spend a night under the stars at Calaveras Lake
12991 Bernhardt Rd, (210) 635-8359, tpwd.texas.gov
Though it’s a prime spot for fishing, those who don’t want to spend time with a pole in hand still have plenty to do here. May we suggest camping? That way, you’ll be able to get away without spending a tank of gas. Calaveras Lake is basically the epitome of summer days in SA, don’t miss this one.
Photo via Instagram / danieladonacar

Hit up a farmers market
312 Pearl Pkwy, (210) 212-7260, atpearl.com
While there’s a number of farmers markets in SA, the one at the Pearl is definitely a city-wide favorite. Get there early and have your pick of all kinds of goodies – produce, sweets, crafts and more.
Photo via Instagram / asktheants

Score some great deals at a flea market
707 Moursund Blvd, (210) 923-8131, missionopenairmarket.com
If Traders Village is a little too commercial/carnival-esque for you, head on over to the legit South Side where you’ll find the Mission Market. This open-air market is popular for a reason with free parking and shopping carts as well as dozens of vendors.
Photo via Instagram / queenoftacostx

Have a photoshoot in the Hill Country
Fredericksburg, Kerrville
Consider this a summer bucket list item as well as a must-do task as a Texan. While the height of bluebonnet season is long past us, the Hill Country looks beautiful all year long. Whether you need a new IG photo or just some R&R, a drive out to the Hill Country will do you right.
Photo via Instagram / traveltex

Catch a San Antonio Missions game
5757 US-90, milb.com
With just a few games remaining through early September, you’ll definitely want to go out to the ballpark. Tickets are super cheap, meaning you’ll be able to take the entire family or crew for a reasonable price. Plus, nights here are equally entertaining and memorable.
Photo via Instagram / anncrystal714

Explore the Cave Without a Name
325 Kreutzberg Rd, Boerne, (830) 537-4212, cavewithoutaname.com
Just a hop, skip and jump away you’ll find probably the coolest cave in Texas. Made of a limestone solution, you and your crew will be amazed by the natural wonder. Trust us, this should definitely be on your shortlist of adventures to be had.
Photo via Instagram / douggep

Get familiar with a nearby small town
Castroville, Hondo, Poteet, Lytle
While many San Antonians are quick to pay a visit to one of the other big TX cities or escape to the Hill Country, the small towns to the south are worth a daytrip. Castroville is a hub of Alsatian culture (re: German and French fusion), and Haby’s Alsatian Bakery is reason enough to visit. Hondo has adorable local shops, weekly market and the coolest library in the area. Lytle is located in three counties – Atascosa, Bexar and Medina – and has an H-E-B Fuel connected to a Whataburger (can you think of anything more Texan?). Lastly, Poteet is the strawberry capital of Texas and deserves some recognition other than its annual festival.
Photo via Instagram / kellysgreen

Take a dip at San Pedro Springs Park Pool
2200 N Flores St, (210) 732-5992, sanantonio.gov
If you want the thrill of swimming in the great outdoors without leaving city limits and not full of chlorine, this spot is everything you could ever want. It’s a favorite among locals and woke tourists, so be sure to squeeze in a visit before the weather turns cooler.
Photo via Instagram / cody_bryan_shelton

Bike (or scoot) around Southtown
Between Downtown and the South Side
Southtown offers a handful of ways to explore without leaving a carbon footprint. Rent a bike or one of those new scooters everyone is making a fuss about and take in SA’s most hip neighborhood. Whether to eat, drink or play, you’ll undoubtedly have a new memory to share – especially if you go the scooter route. Just beware of asshole drivers who could give a shit.
Photo via Instagram / tomchase2017

Join the pack for River City Run
1004 S St Mary's St, (210) 201-3786, rivercityrunsa.com
Have you lived in San Antonio your whole life (or at least a good portion of it) but never played tourist? Skip the stuffy bus tour and get active while learning about the Alamo City. River City Run offers just that – seeing SA by foot. This tour is appropriate for runners and families alike, so don’t think you’re signing yourself up for a marathon.
Photo via Instagram / rivercityrunsa

Bike the Mission Reach
Along the San Antonio River through Downtown, Southtown and the South Side, sanantonioriver.org
Still new to San Antonio, our prized river is now accessible for all sorts of outdoor fun. While biking is equally productive and recreational, you’ll have just as good a time even if you kayak down the accessible areas. If you’re feeling really wild, hydrate yourself to no end and dare to run down the river. Que Dios te bendiga, fam.
Photo via Instagram / producerrossii

Have a few rounds on your favorite patio
We have a few suggestions
This might not be an adventure, but what is more summer than kicking it on a patio?! Grab your girls/boys and post up at your favorite spot. Just keep the alcohol coming and the good times rollin’.
Photo via Instagram / soleiltoutelannee

Be a wedding crasher at Marriage Island
San Antonio River Walk in front of the Hotel Contessa,
Ok so this isn’t something you can really plan, but if you happen to be in the area and see some peeps in wedding attire, take advantage of the situation. There’s an islet in the middle of the River that is supposedly heart-shaped and considered good luck to new marriages. Now, more than 200 couples get married here annually.
Photo via Instagram / karina_franco_photography

Tube/kayak down the Frio River
234 RR 1050, Concan, tpwd.texas.gov
Pay a visit to Garner State Park and spend an afternoon tubing down the Frio. Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned tuber, you’re all by guaranteed to have a fun ass time. Just don’t forget to pack your cooler with your favorite brews.
Photo via Instagram / lizziemcw

Go bar-hopping down the St. Mary’s Strip
Mistletoe Avenue to Dewey Place
Bar-hopping counts as being outside, right? In our eyes, it does, so count it as exercise. From Faust Tavern all the way down to Hi-Tones, there’s a bar for pretty much every type of boozehound. Whether you prefer to sit back and sip on a cocktail, jam out with a beer in hand or play bar games and take shots, you’ll find more than a few bars to hit up.
Photo via Instagram / alleewalleeee

People-watch at El Mercado
514 W Commerce St, (210) 207-8600
Known as Market Square, the three-block outdoor plaza is considered the heart of San Antonio. Take a look around and you’ll see why. Vendors line the pathway, some of the city’s most well-known restaurants are here and there’s always plenty of interesting characters roaming about. Grab a limonada and park your ass on a bench – you’ll be entertained for quite a bit. (PS – did you know that El Mercado is the largest Mexican market in the U.S.?! Pretty cool.)
Photo via Instagram / irmasimona

Appreciate the beauty at the Cibolo Nature Center
40 City Park Rd, Boerne, (830) 249-4616, cibolo.org
You’ll find plenty of nature activities to partake in here, but you’ll have to carve out time in your schedule for the dinosaur tracks. After a flood in 1997, tracks were discovered at the Boerne Lake Spillway. Left behind by a giant reptile known as acrocanthosaurus, the tracks are roughly 100 million years old.
Photo via Instagram / thakbat

Be amazed at Wonder World Park
1000 Prospect St, San Marcos, (512) 392-3760, wonderworldpark.com
This one-of-a-kind theme park is perfect for a new getaway with the fam. Known as the first show cave in Texas, WWP lets you explore the Balcones Fault Line Cave and plenty of other attractions the kiddos will be entertained by for hours. The park takes pride in being home to “the nation’s only true example of an earthquake-formed cave” so book a tour and prepare to be wowed.
Photo via Instagram / shanekourt

Go fishing at Braunig Lake
17500 Donop Rd, (210) 635-8289, tpwd.texas.gov
Found in the San Antonio River watershed, venture south to Lake Braunig for a quick fishing trip that won’t eat up your whole day. Plus, plenty of fishers have had luck here, particularly with Red Drum and Hybrid Striped Bass. Maybe you’ll be next.
Photo via Instagram / chris_meza23

Take a hike at Enchanted Rock
16710 Ranch Rd. 965, Fredericksburg, (830) 685-3636, tpwd.texas.gov
If you need a place to pack in a whole summer’s worth of memories, Enchanted Rock is as good a place as any. Hiking, rock climbing, camping, stargazing and geocaching – here you can do it all.
Photo via Instagram / jessobot