25 bucket list activities to do in San Antonio before summer ends

By San Antonio Current Staff

Summer's here. Time to unwind.

However, with temperatures rising and the kids out of school, it can be hard to brainstorm fun ways to spend your down time. That's why we put together this bucket list of fun activities to enjoy in San Antonio.

Whether you want check everything off the list or just pick and choose, there's plenty of fun to be found here.

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Watch a movie outdoors
Various Locations, slabcinema.com
Slab Cinema, San Antonio's favorite purveyor of outdoor film screenings, has something for everyone to enjoy. With film series offered at various locations throughout the city featuring everything from classic James Bond films to the latest blockbusters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you're sure to find a movie to suit your (and your friends' and family's) tastes.
Photo via Instagram / slabcinema

Hit the links at Cool Crest Mini Golf
1402 Fredericksburg Rd., (210) 732-0222, coolcrestgolf.com
Did you know that SA is home to one of the oldest continuously operated mini golf courses in the world? Whether or not you're into the local history aspect, it'll be fun to grab a few friends and play a round at Cool Crest Mini Golf.
Photo via Instagram / coolcrestgolf

Check out the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition
Lighthouse ArtSpace, 221 Burleson St., (844) 307-4644, goghsanantonio.com
After multiple delays, the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibition finally debuted in San Antonio, and will be here all summer. The innovative attraction brings Van Gogh masterworks to life in colorful, larger-than-life projections splashed across the walls (and floors) of the Lighthouse ArtSpace.
Photo by Jaime Monzon

Kayak the San Antonio River
Various Locations, mat-tx.com
Looking for some water-centric entertainment? Mission Kayak provides guided and unguided kayak rentals, and now you can paddle down scenic stretches of the river downtown — both through the River Walk and the King William District.
Photo via Instagram / missionadventuretours

Try out a newly opened restaurant
Refresh your palate at one of SA’s hip new eateries, like conveyor-belt sushi from Kura. Not sure what’s new on the scene? Check out our list of recently opened establishments in town.
Photo via Instagram / kurasushi_usa

Visit the Korean Pavilion at Denman Estate Park
7735 Mockingbird Ln., (210) 207-7275, sanantonio.gov
Tucked in a residential neighborhood is a hidden treasure: Denman Estate Park. The former estate of philanthropist Gilbert Denman Jr. is a serene park full of trees, walking trails and a Korean Monument overlooking a pond. The Korean-crafted pavilion was designed to represent the cultural friendship between San Antonio and its sister city of Gwangju, South Korea.
Photo via Instagram / doc_grunt

Take a swim at San Pedro Springs Park Pool
2200 N. Flores St., (210) 732-5992, sanantonio.gov
San Pedro Springs Park Pool is the second oldest public space in America, so it's possible that your ancestors have swam there. There’s no fee for San Antonians looking to jump in this cold and refreshing water hole this summer.
Photo via Instagram / michelletcarson

Climb the Medicine Wall at Salado Creek Greenway
3104 N Loop 1604 W, texasclimberscoalition.org
After 20 years without legal access, rock climbers were officially given the go ahead to ascend the popular sport climbing crag known as Medicine Wall in July 2020. Accessed through the Salado Creek Greenway trail system, the outdoor climbing area offers nearly 50 bolted routes on an 80-foot limestone bluff. The City’s first officially sanctioned outdoor climbing wall is reached through the Greenway's parking lot off Loop 1604.
Photo via Instagram / mattrelliott

Visit the East Texas PIneywoods at the San Antonio Botanical Garden
555 Funston Pl., (210) 536-1400, sabot.org
Among the many verdant offerings at the San Antonio Botanical Garden is its Texas Native Trail, which culminates in an area filled with flora from the East Texas Pineywoods. The site of a former quarry, this portion of the trail follows the perimeter of a one-acre lake and features tall pine trees and hardwoods. A historic one-room loblolly pine cabin with a wraparound porch provides a perfect location to take a break and enjoy the scenery.
Photo courtesy of San Antonio Botanical Garden

Hike to the dinosaur tracks at Government Canyon
12861 Galm Rd., (210) 688-9055, tpwd.texas.gov
Home to South Texas’ only known dinosaur tracks on public land, Government Canyon State Natural Area’s Joe Johnston Route was marked by prehistoric creatures from about 110 million years ago when San Antonio was the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. The 5-mile round trip takes hikers on a rugged trail to Marker #19 where two types of dinosaur tracks can be found, the three-tip theropod and the rounded sauropod print.
Photo via Instagram / governmentcanyon