San Antonio Travel and Leisure Guide 2008 - (Page 52) City Nature & Hill Country an Antonio’s location – perched at the southern edge of the Texas Hill Country – also puts the fun of exploring the countryside and its small towns just a short drive away. Floating down cool rivers, strolling quaint Main Streets in search of unique bargains or hiking, biking and riding horses through rolling, scenic terrain – all this and more await on a trip to San Antonio. Here you don’t have to choose city or country, because you can have both. S OUTDOOR SAN ANTONIO: RIVER WALK, PARKS & PLAZAS San Antonio serves up the great outdoors like a nature lover’s feast, from the tropically landscaped River Walk to lush parks and idyllic hikeand-bike trails. Plus, year-round mild weather guarantees plenty of al fresco fun. There is much to explore along the River Walk, whether on foot or aboard a river cruiser. Savor vistas around each bend: stately cypresses, tropical plants, flocks of ducks and other water birds, tile mosaic murals, decorative benches, hidden fountains, arched bridges and architectural details. Such scenes are just part of the River Walk’s allure. And in mid-2009, the pleasures of this scenic waterway increase when the River Walk’s new extension to Brackenridge Park, museums and other attractions is unveiled. It’s easy to spend a day in beautiful Brackenridge Park, where you can hit walking trails or ride a miniature train around the 12-mile perimeter. You can even get off the train at the Witte Museum, where kids can explore its H-E-B Science Treehouse while 52 VISITSANANTONIO COM O. Faces of San Antonio An enthusiastic bicyclist, Carol Pfrommer rides with the San Antonio Wheelmen nearly every weekend. In town, she enjoys cruising the Mission Trail. “We usually start at Mission San José, and the trail winds past all the missions,” says Carol, an investment advisor who has lived in San Antonio more than 20 years. Other rides head south of town into pretty farming terrain, where they often see bison and llamas. “Last spring I saw two eagles there.” Just north of San Antonio, she says there are at least 15 different scenic rides through Texas Hill Country. And on a nice day, as many as 30 to 50 people of all ages and occupations go on the organized rides. “This is a wonderful family outing,” she says, adding that visitors attending conventions in the city often bring their bikes and join the Wheelmen. “We welcome visitors,” she says. adults savor its history and nature exhibits. Another stop is the San Antonio Zoo, where you can watch free-flying birds and butterflies, marvel at fierce-looking Komodo dragons and huge hippos, experience an African safari and bustling African market, and admire the exotic animals, birds and orchids in Amazonia. Another top Brackenridge Park attraction is the recently restored Japanese Tea Garden, where you can feed huge, color-splashed koi in the lily pond and cool off in the mist of the fern-fringed waterfall. Just a short hop from Brackenridge Park, gardening and nature fans shouldn’t miss the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Stroll through stunning glass pyramids displaying plants from around the world, hike trails through three different Texas landscapes, visit an authentic log cabin and adobe house, and learn what to plant in a water-saving garden. On a spring or summer evening here, you might catch Majik Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park or one of the live-music Concerts Under the Stars. The 240-acre nature preserve, Friedrich Wilderness Park, is an urban escape tucked in the hills of northwest San Antonio. Here, opportunities abound for hiking, picnicking, birding and nature study. Trails range in difficulty from a brief, leisurely stroll to more rugged hikes. As the nesting site of two federally recognized endangered species, the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo, the park is a favorite for area birders. For more scenic cruising, rent bikes at Mission Trail Bike Rentals and follow the Mission Trail from the southernmost mission, Espada, to the famous Alamo downtown. Along the way, you’ll see a 1740 Spanish http://visitsanantonio.com
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