If you’re about to move to San Antonio and will soon start calling that lovely city your new home, then luck is surely on your side. Often referred to as the Heart of Texas, the Alamo City has come to symbolize the rich heritage of the state. Its celebrated past and attractive present are closely intertwined to truly delight the millions of visitors each year and give them one of the most memorable experiences of their lives.
With a population of 1.3 million people, San Antonio is the second most populous city in Texas after Houston. It’s named after Saint Anthony of Padua (aka Anthony of Lisbon) – a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar who was the second-fastest canonized saint. Saint Anthony (San Antonio in Spanish) is the saint of lost people.
Geography And Climate
San Antonio is located approximately 75 miles (120 km) to the southwest of the state capital Austin, 190 miles (305 km) west of Houston and 250 miles (402 km) south of Dallas.
Built in 1906, the Fairmount Hotel is the second oldest hotel in San Antonio. In 1985, the 1,451-ton three-story brick building was moved on 36 dollies with pneumatic tires approximately five blocks to its current location. The feat, included in the Guinness World Records as the heaviest hotel to be relocated intact, took 6 days to complete and cost $650,000.
The city has a subtropical climate – July and August are the warmest months with an average high temperature of 95 °F (35 °C), while the coolest month is January. Winters are mild – according to the National Weather Service, there have been only 31 instances of snowfall in the city in the last 122 years.
Unfortunately, San Antonio is one of the most flood-prone regions in the entire North America. In 1998, Hurricane Madeline flooded Central Texas which resulted in $750 million in damage and 32 fatalities – one of the costliest floods in the U.S. history.
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San Antonio’s economy relies primarily on the following sectors: military, health care, financial services, oil and gas, and tourism.
The city is home to one of the largest military concentrations in the United States. The defense industry employs over 89,000 people. Also, The South Texas Medical Center (STMC) is located 10 miles from the city center and consists of 45 medically related institutions with over 4,200 patient beds combined.
Tourism in San Antonio is huge: it employs 94,000 citizens and every year the city attracts more than 20 million tourists who contribute greatly to the city’s economy (an impact on the local economy estimated at $10.7 billion). The Alamo and the River Walk are the two most visited attractions.
Main Sights And Attractions
The Alamo
The main entrance and outer wall of the Alamo. The San Antonio Missions have been nominated for World Heritage Status.
In the 18th century, Spanish priests established five Catholic missions along the San Antonio River in order to convert and educate the natives. These missions are the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America.
Founded in 1718, The Alamo (aka Mission San Antonio De Valero) was the first mission in San Antonio. In 1836, around 200 Texans bravely defended the Alamo for a period of 13 heroic days from over one thousand troops from Mexico.
Today the 4.2 acre complex remains one of the most popular historic sites in the United States and is visited by more than 2.5 million people each year. Located on Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, the Alamo displays exhibits on the Texas Revolution and Texas History and invites visitors to take a walk through the splendid Alamo Gardens.
San Antonio River Walk
With 15 miles of sidewalks and pathways, the River Walk is the largest urban ecosystem in the U.S. An exciting adventure awaits you at every turn!
Also known as Paseo del Río, the River Walk is a network of walkways along the San Antonio River where paved paths and arched stone bridges welcome millions of tourists each year. The river banks are lined with iconic colorful umbrellas over riverside tables where excellent and diverse cuisine can be enjoyed at cafes, restaurants and bistros.
Situated below street level, the River Walk is only steps away from the Alamo and provides a fantastic way to see the city. The lucky visitors of San Antonio are given the options to ride a river cruiser, rent a bicycle or simply take a pleasant and serene walk down by the river.
Tower Of The Americas
The record for climbing up the tower’s 952 steps is 5 minutes and 18 seconds.
The Tower of the Americas is an observation tower with a revolving restaurant situated in downtown San Antonio. It was built in 1968 as the theme structure of the World’s Fair (HemisFair ’68) and with a height of 750 feet (230 m), it is the tallest structure in Texas outside of Dallas and Houston. San Antonio visitors can enjoy the breathtaking panorama view of the city from Chart House Restaurant or experience a thrilling 4D Theater Ride.
SeaWorld San Antonio
SeaWorld San Antonio is the world’s largest marine wildlife park. The 250-acre marine mammal park, oceanarium and animal theme park was built for $170 million and opened on May 27, 1988. It had 75,000 visitors during its grand opening.
Curious Facts About San Antonio
The Majestic Theater is the oldest and largest atmospheric theater in San Antonio. It was built in 1929, seats 3,311 people and for many years remained the largest theater in the United States. Since 1989, it has been the home of the San Antonio Symphony.
There’s a famous heart-shaped islet along the San Antonio River Walk that is believed to bring good luck to new marriages. Around 225 wedding ceremonies a year take place on that spot which has come to be known as Marriage Island over the years.
Founded in 1954, the McNay Art Museum is the first art museum in Texas. The museum possesses over 14,000 objects of contemporary European and American art.
Completed in 1750, San Fernando Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedrals in the country and is the center of the Catholic religious life in San Antonio.
The city is home to the hugely popular multiple NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. On June 15, 2014 they defeated the Miami Heat in the finals to capture their fifth championship.
The San Antonio Zoo has a collection of over 3,500 animals that represent 750 species. Its annual visitors exceed 1 million people.
San Antonio is considered the birthplace of chili con carne (chili with meat) – the spicy stew that contains chili peppers, meat, tomatoes and beans. It was first introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 where the city had its own chili stand.
136 miles (219 km) of bike lanes, routes and off-road paths make San Antonio an ideal destination for bicycle enthusiasts.
Relocation To San Antonio
Professional help
If you’re relocating to San Antonio, you may as well leave the hard work to a professional mover while you get mentally ready to be amazed at what the River City has in store for you.
Accessibility
Air: The San Antonio International Airport (the 6th busiest airport in Texas based on passenger traffic) is located about 8 miles north from the city center. Stinson Municipal Airport is another much smaller airport which also houses the Texas Air Museum.
The Seal of San Antonio
Road: San Antonio is easily accessible by road as it is served by a large number of major freeways – Interstate 10, Interstate 35, Interstate 37, Interstate 410, etc.
Rail: The national passenger rail Amtrak provides daily service between San Antonio and Chicago, as well as a link to Los Angeles and Orlando three times a week.
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If you’re about to move to San Antonio and will soon start calling that lovely city your new home, then luck is surely on your side. Often referred to as the Heart of Texas, the Alamo City has come to symbolize the rich heritage of the state. Its celebrated past and attractive present are closely intertwined to truly delight the millions of visitors each year and give them one of the most memorable experiences of their lives.
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