I moved to San Antonio, Texas from Lafayette, Louisiana on August 1, 2020, and the last time I saw my best friend Alicia, who now lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was two days before my big move. Fast forward a year, a month, and a few days, we finally had a plan to see each other and spend more time together than we'd gotten to in a long, long time. We both took some much needed time off of work, and she came out to San Antonio for me to show her around a city that I've truly fallen in love with over the last year. San Antonio has an abundance of street art, coffee trucks/shops, incredible restaurants, nearby hiking, and the best opportunities for day trips (aka Fredericksburg!), which just so happen to be some of Alicia's, and some of my, favorite things. I currently live on the River Walk, in the center of all the best things the city has to offer. Alex & I live a short drive away from the downtown area and the St. Mary Strip, and we're a 12 minute walk away from The Historic Pearl. I compiled a list of all San Antonio's hottest spots, most I'd tried and some I hadn't, and I did the same for Fredericksburg. I sent these over to Alicia for her to do some research and had her send the lists back to me with notes and points of interest. We had a shared Google doc with a rough itinerary constructed before her plane even landed in San An with the intent to fit in as much as we could but also with a mutual understanding that if we didn't get to do it all, there'd be another visit in our future. She landed around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 16, 2021, and I picked her up from the airport. Her flights were all on time, which set a precedent for what turned out to be some of the best days I've ever had with two of the people I care most about in this world. Alicia met Alex briefly for one evening in March of 2020, so I was very excited for them to get to know each other better, and they really hit it off, which makes my heart so happy.
DAY ONE
Alicia was running on only one hour of sleep when I picked her up, so naturally, the first thing on our list for Thursday was c o f f e e. Coffee trucks are on the rise here, and I'd only tried one at this point. We made this visit one of experiencing some things together for the first time with a mix of showing her what have come to be my favorite places. A first for both of us, Shine Coffee was our first stop and, oh my, was the coffee delicious and restorative. The owner was so kind and puts a lot of care into every beverage. We got to watch him make both drinks (an iced caramel mocha & an iced lavender vanilla latte), and he makes his own chocolate and caramel sauces - YUM!
Shine Coffee is currently parked at 1927 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78212.
Next, we walked around the St. Mary Strip with our iced lattes and checked out some of the many, many beautiful murals in the area, of course snapping trendy pics. I pointed out some of our frequented places (Tycoon Flats and Demo's Greek Food to name two!) and a few other places we'd been before.
All of these murals are within walking distance from the Greetings from San Antonio Mural (2702 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78212). Right across the street, you will find the Johnny Long Mural and several others with the Let's Fiesta mural in a nearby parking lot.
We drove on over to Murals at Midtown next (S PanAm Expy, San Antonio, TX 78212). The concrete pillars underneath a bridge are all painted with bold & bright colors, and we had a blast walking around each of them, snapping pics and truly appreciating the creativity and thought that clearly went into each one.
Next, we headed to Stella Public House, a cute, delicious pizza and beer joint over in Southtown, for lunch. We split the wild mushroom mac, which was incredibly tasty, and the Bee Sting pizza.
Stella Public House is located at 1414 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78210.
After lunch, we went in search of the Southtown Mural and then stumbled upon a new local boutique that recently opened that I instantly fell in love with and already can't wait to go back to. The owner was so nice; offered us beer, wine, or water while we were shopping; pulled different sizes of items we were trying on if we needed her to; and has a deep love for Louisiana, selling some Louisiana/New Orleans-themed merchandise, which was a bonus for us being from LA! She offers a variety of sizes and well-made pieces, for an affordable price, and you just can't beat that! Belle of the Ball Boutique is located at 1020 S Presa St, San Antonio, TX 78210. She's still building her website, so I've linked her website and her Instagram page here.
Alicia and I both ended up buying a few pieces from this boutique that you'll see featured throughout the rest of this post!
After we left here, it was time for an afternoon coffee stop in Hemisfair Park at CommonWealth Coffee House. I'd been dying to check this place out, and neither one of us was disappointed. They have a beautiful patio with a chicken coop! I mean, come on. I tried an iced White Mocha Macadamia latte, and Alicia tried their iced Sin Nombre latte. Alicia attests this one was the best lattes she's ever had and that the spice is what made it. These lattes were both full of flavor and were oh so creamy. They gave us the afternoon pick-me-up we needed to keep exploring throughout the rest of the day.
CommonWealth Coffee House is located at 611 Hemisfair Blvd., San Antonio, Texas 78205.
After we drank our lattes and walked around Hemisfair Park some, we started making our way to Hugman's Oasis, a newer tiki bar that opened this year downtown. I went for my birthday back in May but hadn't gotten to go back since then. I really enjoyed the experience there the first time I went even though they were in their first few days of opening, so I knew this time would be even better, and I was not wrong. I also knew there were drinks on their menu that they light on fire because I'd seen it on their Instagram, but I didn't know exactly which ones to order. We were there early afternoon on a Thursday, shortly after they'd opened for the day, so it wasn't crowded yet. We snagged two seats at the bar and ended up with not only a show but with engaging conversation from one of their very knowledgeable bartenders who really knew what he was doing and what he was talking about. He recommended several Japanese whiskeys to Alicia and let her sample his favorite one that he insists on the bar stocking and told us some of the history behind the distilleries where these whiskeys are made.
Hugman's Oasis is located at 135 E Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78205.
After Hugman's Oasis, we went back the apartment to get ready for dinner. Alex and I's favorite restaurant in the Historic Pearl is Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery, so of course we took Alicia there. Southerleigh only has beer and wine as far as alcohol goes, but they do have wine or champagne-based cocktails that are so delicious and refreshing if you're not a beer lover, like myself. I particularly love the Peach Perfect.
Alex and I split the oysters and fried frog legs, and I split the cracker crusted gulf redfish and jalapeño cheddar grits with Alicia. I never thought I would be a person who likes fried frog legs, but Southerleigh has changed my mind! Alex had the Southerleigh chicken sandwich for his main meal, which is made with their famous pressure fried chicken and is famous for a reason. All of this food was fresh and delicious, which you can tell just by looking at the pics!
Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery is located at 136 E Grayson St., Ste. 120, San Antonio, TX 78215.
For a nightcap, we stopped at The Modernist, which is a cozy house converted into a bar. They are known for not having a menu, and it is first-come, first-serve. You tell them what you like to drink, whether it be fruity or bitter, or vodka vs. rum, and they make a concoction based on what you tell them. The more vague you are, the more creative liberty they have. I've tried around 5 cocktails there, and I've loved every single one. Bonus - Their bathroom is super cute.
The Modernist is located at 516 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78215.
Our last stop of the night was at Hello Paradise, which is an outdoor bar with a very cute aesthetic and some fun games and a photo booth. They serve delicious Thai food as well, with my favorite being the Best Damn Spring Rolls.
Hello Paradise is located at 520 E Grayson St, San Antonio, TX 78215.
DAY TWO
Day two was another day filled with plans that began with coffee! We stopped at Extra Fine Bakery, located at 138 E Mistletoe Ave, San Antonio, TX 78212, for a quick bite before heading to the Japanese Tea Garden. I had their affogato with homemade vanilla bean ice cream, and it was so delicious that I can actually still taste it. We split Grandma's Garden Quiche, which I was a little iffy on, but after the second bite, I was hooked. The fresh parmesan is what made it for me.
Next, We headed on over to the Japanese Tea Garden to walk around and kill some time before our lunch reservation. I take a lot of visitors here because it's such a unique, beautiful space that's been around for over ninety years with such an interesting history.
The Japanese Tea Garden is located at 3853 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78212.
Ida Claire was our lunch stop. I've written about Ida Claire before, but I just love the space. The decor is unique, and the food is farm-to-table, which I always love. We weren't incredibly hungry, so we just split the Bacon Smash Burger and got two cocktails each. Our main afternoon activity was an hour at Wonder Chamber, so we wanted to loosen up and relax into ourselves before heading there. My cocktail recs are the Oh Bee-Have and the Raspberry Beret.
Ida Claire is located at 7300 Jones Maltsberger Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209.
Wonder Chamber was our most exciting, in my opinion, stop of the day, and I don't think either of us really knew just how much fun we were about to have. You spend one hour walking through different rooms discovering new and exciting installations in each one, and there are 12 interactive spaces, so be sure you don't miss any! It's the perfect activity to do with a bestie or significant other. Season 4 began on November 1, 2021. We were there during Season 3 and loved every second from the rainbow swing to the rainforest room to the hallway where the overhead, colored lights are motion-detected and click on as you're walking through. Our only disappointment was that the colorful, cloud room's control panel seemed to be malfunctioning.
Wonder Chamber is located at 8800 Broadway # 116, San Antonio, TX 78217.
We made quick afternoon pitstops at two of my absolute favorite places in town, The Hayden, which I've also written about before, and Laika Cheesecake & Espresso. We just had a cocktail, the Stalk & Loaded, at The Hayden, but this trip there was extra special because I got to meet the owner whom I'd connected with over social media and over my blog post about their space, thanks to Alicia immediately asking if he was there when we sat down. (Props to having friends that push you out of your comfort zone to be a better you)! He is the nicest, most down-to-earth, and most passionate guy I've met in a long time, and I was so excited and pleased by that encounter that I bought one of their t-shirts. I was wearing it a week later when my boyfriend asked me if I wanted to go to dinner there, and I definitely showed up wearing it because I didn't feel like changing. So basically, I'm a super fan.
The Hayden is located at 4025 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209.
Laika has the best cheesecake, and it truly is "out of this world." You can get 1/2 dozen mini cheesecake jars for $36, which is my favorite thing to do because you can try multiple flavors. They also have a recycle program, so if you collect and bring back ten empty, clean jars with lids, you will get a mini cheesecake for free! Every time I've been in there, the staff has been so nice and welcoming and will provide you their recommendations if asked. They have cheesecake tacos and some specialty fall items that I've been dying to try. I may be heading back there within the next week to get my fix. . . One of my favorite flavors is the Strawberry Fields Forever, which is a delicious blend of fresh pistachios and strawberries.
Laika Cheesecake & Espresso is located at 4718 Broadway, Alamo Heights, TX 78209.
Our fancy night out was spent at The Moon's Daughters. This rooftop bar and restaurant at The Thompson Hotel is where we take a lot of out-of-town visitors if they're wanting any type of luxury experience. The views are unbeatable, especially at sunset; the drinks are refreshing; and the food is always amazing. The Greek Lamb Burger is my personal favorite menu item, with my drink of choice being the Leo and Behold, although we usually end up ordering several items off their appetizer menu and sharing. I also love the Lamb Ragu. I highly recommend making a reservation here as a lot of people like to frequent this spot. I do not, however, recommend wearing a dress or a skirt. I often think we're going to be inside and end up on the terrace, and it gets so windy up there that you'll spend half the night holding your clothing down if you're standing at all.
The Greetings from San Antonio mural is located on a wall behind Back Unturned, which we pass as we're walking from our apartment complex to The Thompson.
The Moon's Daughters is located at 115 Lexington Ave, San Antonio, TX 78205.
DAY THREE
Day three started with a stop at Gravves Coffee, and let me tell you, they have the coolest Instagram page I have ever seen. Their marketing skills are 100. I'd never heard of Ube before, but Alicia informed me it's made with purple sweet potato and has an interesting, unique flavor, so I opted to shy away from my typical order of white chocolate mocha and try their Iced Elixir Latte. Let me just say that I have been back to Gravves Coffee three times already since then because the coffee was that good. Alicia tried the Iced Forest Dweller Latte, which is made with Pandan. I took a sip of hers and have gotten that on one of my trips there on my own. To me, it has a vanilla flavor with hints of coconut almost. Delicious!
Gravves is a coffee truck parked at 2410 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78212.
Nury's Breakfast & Lunch wasn't our first choice for our breakfast stop, but it ended up being a delicious surprise. The first perk was that we were seated right away, and I was so pleased with their Chicken Salad Sandwich. Alex got a chicken quesadilla, and Alicia got the Eggs Any Style. Everyone really enjoyed their meals in this homey, diner-style setting.
Nury's Breakfast & Lunch is located at 714 S Washington St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
Fat Ass Ranch & Winery has an incredible Saturday special that you should definitely jump on, all for $30! It's first-come, first-serve, so we got there early knowing we really wanted to do this. The special includes a wine tasting at Fat Ass, a tram ride to their sister winery The Wine Garage, a wine tasting there, a tour of an impressive, and I mean IMPRESSIVE, car collection, a tram ride back to Fat Ass, and a cup of Sangria.
Fat Ass Ranch & Winery is located at 51 Elgin-Behrends Road, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
The Wine Garage is Fat Ass Ranch & Winery's sister winery, and a visit here is completely worth your time. Alicia really wanted to see the car collection, having ties to old, vintage cars on both sides of her family. I don't have a deep love for or connection to collectable, vintage cars, and even so, I thought the tour was neat and informative. In the car showroom, you will notice there are mannequins throughout, and you will also notice they are not the most attractive looking men. The tour guide told us that Gail, the owner of the cars, wanted those mannequins to resemble his wife's ex-boyfriends - too funny! Another thing we loved about The Wine Garage is how dedicated they were to their theme. In the bathroom, the mirrors are tires, and the handles to the bathroom stalls are wrenches, which is just so clever. I've included a slideshow of pictures from the tour below.
The Wine Garage is located at 11602 US-290, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
Signor Vineyards often has music on the lawn from 1 pm to 4 pm, so we planned to visit here for at least a little while in the early afternoon. We did a wine tasting and then purchased some wine and charcuterie from their very picturesque Wine Barn. They also had a little gelato cart outside, so we enjoyed some of that as well. Signor is absolutely stunning, and you will not regret spending an afternoon here with its relaxed vibe. Joanna's Market is also on the grounds where you can purchase gifts or fresh treats.
Signor Vineyards is located at 362 Livesay Ln, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
We stopped at Alstadt Brewery just for one drink before going to find dinner, and we'd heard Alstadt was vast, impressive, and beautiful. This place is very popular, and it was evident as to why. I'd love to go back and try some of their food one of these days.
Alstadt Brewery is located at 6120 East, US-290, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
Chase's Place Cocktails + Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants in the Hill Country. First, the owner came out and talked to us about the food, the drinks, and the space; they have a resident chicken that will become your unexpected dinner guest very quickly, Eric Clapton; the food is to die for; and the CBD cocktails are surprisingly delicious and well curated. Their chef is very creative and often comes up with new specials. We all shared a few different dishes throughout the evening, and each one was incredibly delicious and full of flavor. We split the lamb lollipops, french fries, and the special of the night, which was antelope over green beans and mashed potatoes. They also have cornhole for you to play while you wait for your food. I’m already itching for another day trip to Fredericksburg so we can visit this place again!
Chase's Place is located at 313 E San Antonio St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
DAY FOUR
Sunday morning started with homemade biscuits and gravy and coffee at home before Alicia and I headed off to Guadalupe River State Park, a Texas State Park I hadn't been to yet even thought it's so close to San Antonio. We spent the late morning/early afternoon checking out a few of their trails and points of interest. I liked this park although I thought they could use some better signage in certain areas, especially around the less heavily trafficked, more remote trails. Guadalupe River State Park is a great park to visit if you want to post up at the river with your friends or family on a hot summer day, and this park also is supposed to be great for viewing some fall foliage.
(Note: All of my directions are if you enter through the main park entrance from Park Road 31, and we parked in the parking lot nearest Discovery Center Loop). We walked some of the Discovery Center Loop, but not knowing if this trail connected to the River Overlook Access Trail (ROAT), we opted to find the head of the ROAT. We walked back to the parking lot, turned right, and went back out to the main road where we also took a right until we came to the next parking lot. The head of the trail is at the back of that parking lot, and the ROAT does actually connect to Discovery Center Loop. Once we found the trailhead, we got into a good groove.
The River Overlook Access Trail is a short, easy 0.3 mi out and back trail where you will find a scenic overlook with stunning views of the Guadalupe River. This is a great place to sit down, eat a snack, and enjoy the scenery around you and the sounds of nature.
Next, we headed back to the parking lot from which we came. There, we went down the steps that lead to a popular swimming area at the bottom of Swallow Cliff. We took a right and walked some of the Bald Cypress Trail, but we kept going until we hit the Guadalupe River Rapids, which we crossed to get to the River Access Trail. Crossing the rapids was our favorite part about our hike that day, and we'd both recommend changing into some water shoes before you cross because the rocks are slippery and can also hurt your feet. Our Tevas would have been great for this!
Our goal was to do the shorter section of Little Bluestem Loop and do the entirety of the Golden-cheeked Warbler Trail. However, due to the poor signage, we ended up doing all of Little Bluestem Loop and only a portion of the Golden-cheeked Warbler Trail, which is home to some old-age oaks. Being from Louisiana, oak trees hold a special place in our hearts, which is why we chose this trail. You'll come to a fork when you finish the River Access Trail, and if you want to do the shorter portion of Little Bluestem Loop (0.16 mi), you will go left, and if you want to do the longer portion of the loop (0.56 mi), you will go right. Looking at the online map now, it's obvious that we should have gone left, but in the heat of the day with a paper map, that was less clear to us. Little Bluestem Loop actually ended up being my favorite trail as it was the most unique because it used to be an agricultural field and is a floodplain trail surrounded by prairie grasses. We hadn't planned to do the entirety of Little Bluestem Loop, but we're so glad we did. These trails weren't very strenuous, although there is a steep section of the Golden-cheeked Warbler Trail. There were a few sections of these trails that were directly in the sunlight, and in mid-September, it's still rather hot in Texas. Don't overexert yourself, and make sure you bring plenty of water! We had to take a few breaks throughout our hiking endeavors because of the heat.
Guadalupe River State Park is located at 3350 Park Rd 31, Spring Branch, TX 78070.
Our only other planned activity for the day was a trip to Texas Selfie Museum (TSM), which ended up being the highlight of our time together. TSM opened on September 5, 2021, and you can buy tickets and book a time slot of one hour on their website. With over 25 unique installments and a secret room, you have ample opportunities for fun and creative pictures. Your hour will fly by, and the staff was nice enough to let us stay a few minutes past our time slot to finish with the last few installments we hadn't reached just yet. This space used to be The First Bank of San Antonio, and a few of the installations were clearly bank vaults that were converted, so in addition to having a blast with your friends, you're also stepping into a piece of San Antonio's history. There are ring lights at each installment that provide professional lighting for each of your selfies, and at most of them, you can set up your phone inside of the ring to take timed pictures. It's a pretty unique and ingenious concept, and I would definitely visit TSM again! Side note - Taking pictures in the repurposed bank vaults will have you quickly realizing how coordinated, or uncoordinated, you really are. R.I.P. us trying to take pictures in the washing machine!
Texas Selfie Museum is located at 314 E Commerce St, San Antonio, TX 78205.
DAY FIVE
Our last morning together was spent at three of my favorite spots in The Historic Pearl - Local Coffee, Bakery Lorraine, and The Twig. I decided to end Alicia's trip with three places I frequent, and I think she was happy with her last glimpse of San An. The Pearl is a gem in San Antonio that a lot of tourists don't seem to know about but which locals visit again and again. There's a food hall, restaurants galore, several bars, endless shopping opportunities, a splash pad for kiddos, an underground jazz club, a farmer's and artisans' market on the weekends, and more. My two favorite coffees from Local are their Salted Caramel Latte and their Malted Mocha, and both are delicious hot or iced. Bakery Lorraine's breakfast is so yummy, and their Salmon on Everything Croissant is what dreams are made of. I am also dying to try their Croque Madame. The Twig is one of my favorite bookstores of all time, and I swear I have paid their rent at least twice with how many books I have purchased from there. They also have some beautiful bookmarks handmade by local artists, as well as greeting cards and other trinkets. The staff there is so kind, helpful, and welcoming, and I have had several pleasant conversations with them during various visits. I may just walk over to The Pearl today. . .
Local Coffee is located at 302 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78215.
Bakery Lorraine is located at 306 Pearl Pkwy #110, San Antonio, TX 78215.
The Twig is located at 306 Pearl Pkwy UNIT 106, San Antonio, TX 78215.
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