San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar (pronounced as “bear”) County, created from an Old Mexican municipality in 1836. San Antonio occupies over 3,000 square miles. It is considered as the second largest city in Texas and the United States' seventh largest city having a population of 1.4 million. Sometimes, this city is called Mexico's northernmost city. It is a home to many races of Native Americans, the Wild West, Germans, and African-Americans. Because San Antonio is located Southwest of America and northern part of South Texas, it is the hub of Texas tourism and Tejano culture. The Edwards Aquifer is the primary source of potable water for the city. Victor Brauning Lake and Calaveras Lake were the first resources built to use recycled and treated wastewater for the cooling of power plant, minimizing the amount of groundwater necessary for the generation of electricity. The economy of San Antonio is vibrant and one of the country's strongest. The longstanding presence of the military contributed to the economy's success. The city is a home to Fort Sam Houston, Brooks City-Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Lackland Air Force Base, and nearby are Bullis Camp and Stanley Camp. The weather in San Antonio is sometimes dry or humid and turns hot in the summer with warm to cool winters. The spring and fall seasons bring a comfortably warm and rainy weathers. The months of July and August are the average warmest months, while the average coolest days fall in the month of January.
The Native Americans first settled near San Antonio River Valley. The Spanish expedition sailed and reached the city in 1691. San Antonio was named after St. Anthony, a saint from Padova, Italy, whose feast day fell on June 13. The city and country names of today were derived from the 18th century during the Spanish era. There were several other missions that followed, but the growth of city dates back on the establishment of a villa in 1731. San Antonio became the largest Spanish settlement in Texas. The Franciscan Father Damien Massanet christened San Antonio for the Native American settlers. In 1718, San Antonio de Valero mission, also known as the Alamo, was established. This was the first of the five Spanish missions. This was founded in San Antonio to educate and Christianize the Native Indian residents. The mission grew larger, and the church was built in the year 1755. The place was abandoned by 1836 when the Alamo became the “Cradle of Texas Liberty.” The rebellion against the dictator named Santa Anna brought a band of Texan volunteers, about 189 of them, to fight with the enormous population of Mexican army for 13 days. The Alamo warriors died in battle. Some of the defenders were known to be William Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett. Santa Anna's dictatorship ended when Sam Houston's Texans scared the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto where Santa Anna was captured.
San Antonio's Thompson Field neighborhood offers some of the most reasonably priced real estate in the city, with newer developments and solid school district. Another pleasant suburb is the Windcrest displaying intense Christmas lights of which it is particularly known for. The West Side of the city has a colorful Spanish culture complemented with wonderful restaurants and adventurous nightlife. The northwestern side of the city is dominated by students since colleges are located there. The neighborhood in Castle Hills is a calm residential area with an array of private schools making the place good and convenient for the family. The Women's Club, the Castle Hills HOA, and other communities add to the small-town vibe. There aren't many places for nightlife in this favorable San Antonio neighborhood but its location provides easy access to the rest of San Antonio and is a home to unique restaurants. This is perfect for families who want to have a simpler life, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The city of San Antonio has a good system of transportation making traveling and going to work, shopping districts, and others easy and accessible. Trains, cars, and buses are available for the commuters. San Antonio has vibrant and pleasant communities; it is also a city that's great for shopping.
The diversified economy of the city centers on financial services, national defense, health care, and tourism. The largest medical research and care provider, South Texas Medical Center, is the catalyst of San Antonio's biomedical industry. The employees count to over 27,000 persons. Also among the most popular companies with most jobs in San Antonio are General Dynamics, USAA, Baptist Health System, CHRISTUS Health, and HCA Healthcare. The most common occupations in the city are professional, management, and other related jobs, 30%; sales and office jobs, 26%; and service occupations, 18%. Almost 73% of the employees in San Antonio work for the companies and 14% work for the government, while the other 6% are self-employed. The common jobs listed in San Antonio are jobs for the physical therapists, registered nurses, occupational therapists, and certified nurse aids. The industries hiring most workers are the children's hospitals, cancer hospitals, general hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and food service contracting companies. The government data revealed the average salary for San Antonio jobs amounting to $31,422 and the household average income is $40,186. San Antonio's unemployment rate is 6.9%, which is similar to the 6.9% national average. According to the labor department of the state of Texas, San Antonio's economy increased its jobs by 7,700 in February 2009. There were more than 146,000 job openings for Registered Nurses in mid-April 2009 and the other health and medical industry careers also increasing to at least 800%. Jobs have increased to more than 140% from 2005-2009. The top 10 hot jobs until 2016 in San Antonio are personal/home health aides; RNs, LPNs, Medical Assistants; Special Education and Mainstream Teachers; Dental Hygienists and Assistants; Network Systems and Data Communication Analysts; and Computer Software Apps Engineers and others.
The frequent visitors of San Antonio for conferences, family visits, or vacations can attest to the great places that the downtown San Antonio has for dining. Though San Antonio may not offer a similar diversity as that in Los Angeles, California, the city compensates that with its beautiful sceneries, friendly denizens, and great Mexican foods. Listed here are some of the most visited restaurants and eateries in San Antonio. The Mama Margies located north of downtown San Antonio is a favorite restaurant for breakfast. The restaurant serves breakfast tacos of at least 10 varieties. The barbacoa tacos are the locals' favorite. The Casa Rio in River Walk is a restaurant that serves not only great food but also great price. Pericos offers delicious lunches, refried beans, and tasty menu. Los Barrios serves delicious meals at reasonable prices as well. The Acenar Restaurant is a place for classy Mexican cuisine and great drinks. This is the place to impress a date. Some of the locals' favorite barbeque houses are Rudy's and Bill Miller Bar BQ offering excellent price of fast food. Guenther House is one of the secrets of the locals. The place offers the deliciously sweet desserts. The Republic of Texas Restaurant serves big burgers, fajitas, and juicy steaks. The La Margarita's, located at the River Walk district, is considered as San Antonio's best restaurant serving Mexican food. The Biga's on the Bank, which opened in 1991, is one of the most popular options on the River Walk and serving a variety of modern American cuisine.
The Mcnay Museum is built by Marion Koogler McNay, an artist and educator in the 1920s. The home has a Spanish Colonial Revival-style, and in 1954 this opened as the first museum of modern art in Texas. Visitors today are captivated by the wonderful artworks of modern artists like Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Georgia O'Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-August Renoir, and Jackson Pollock. The McNay Museum is serving over 45,000 teachers, adults, families, and students with several art education programs and resources. The museum has a fine arts reference library and interpretative pieces of information about the collection and exhibits in the museum. The Witte Museum is San Antonio's science and natural history museum. This is very popular for the HEB Science Tree house providing a collection of exhibits and exciting activities for different ages. The museum's permanent exhibits include the Native American cave painting, an Egyptian mummy, native Texan mammals, archaeological artifacts, and many more. The San Antonio Children's Museum is a haven that provides 80 interactive exhibits, and engaging hands-on experiences for the children's education through creative play. Another place to visit for arts and entertainment is the Plaza Wax Museum & Ripley's Believe It or Not. This place features a wide collection of wax figures ranging from children's land of make believe to Hollywood. The place has more than 500 exhibits and several features from all over the world gathered by Robert Ripley.
San Antonio has the most visited attractions in Texas. Visitors and tourists from all ages find the locations appealing and interesting. These are some of the favorite spots in the city. The Sea World San Antonio is the world's largest marine life adventure park and a great place for family entertainment. There are over 26 exciting shows, thrilling and adventurous rides, animal attractions and educational quests, and experiences for all ages. There are four parks in the Sea World San Antonio: the show park, rides and slides park, animal park, and water park. Children will surely enjoy their San Antonio adventure. The River Walk is the city's most precious spot. This is lined with eclectic shops, bars and restaurants, and the Arneson River Theater. During the Christmas and New Year holidays, the place is transformed into a wonderful festival of lights; the sound of folkloric and flamenco music also fill the air during summer as well as the celebration of the Fiesta Noche del Rio. The place that offers the most breathtaking view of the city of Alamo is the Tower of Americas. The 750-foot-tall tower stood strong for more than 35 years. Visitors can dine at the Tower Revolving restaurant or enjoy the view from the observation deck. The Japanese Tea Garden is also one of the best places to visit in San Antonio. A Japanese immigrant and his wife were requested by the city to transform a quarry into a garden having a Japanese style in 1915. The garden has pebble walkways, bridges made of stones, pools, and a waterfall. Lily ponds and green vegetation are all over.
The city of San Antonio has many dance clubs, lounges, bars, and restaurants waiting to be invaded for an adventurous activity after sunset. Locals and tourists enjoy the eclectic wine bars, tequila bars, live music venues, comedy clubs, hot dance clubs, and many more. These are some of the places that are frequently visited by visitors and denizens alike. The Azuca is a Nuevo Latino bar and restaurant offering good food, drinks, and entertainment. The place offers music and dancing from Wednesday through Saturday. The interior of the place is vibrant with a contrasting touch of black and white table sheets. The Bar America is an old-fashioned establishment offering cheap drinks. The place has a simple décor where beer advertisements are posted on the walls. There are pool tables available for friends to enjoy the night. The Blue Star Brewing Company draws locals with their genius and delicious beer concoctions. The King William Ale is a mixture of bitter ale and sweet cranberries. Another hot spot for the night is the Broadway 5050 which has been around for over 60 years. This is a bar and restaurant where busy friends can have a fun catching-up conversation and enjoy great food.
The North Star Mall has 200 retailer shops and 5 department stores. This is the city's premier shopping destination. The mall is easy to navigate and spending is hard to resist. Most of the locals flock here to shop, dine, and be entertained. The place is located 12 minutes from downtown, and it will only take 5 minutes or less from the airport. The North Star Mall features the world's largest cowboy boots that are 40-foot tall and 30-foot wide. The guest services center provide free local calls, free stroller rental, and free shopping bag. The Shops at La Cantera are havens for the fashionistas of San Antonio. Neiman Marcus, Burberry, and Tiffany & Co. are here and are the favorite shopping venues among elite visitors and denizens. This is an open air shopping center having 12 screen AMC movie theaters. The River Center Mall has 125 shops and restaurants. The Tanger Outlets offer the largest factory outlet shopping in Texas. Prime Outlets and Tanger Outlet Center have over 200 stores for fashion, sports and home needs with up to 70% discounts. The Collection at Broadway and Sunset offer an assortment of classy stores. Fashion finds by local designers and trendy labels are here. Shopping in this area will reduce the chances of seeing the same outfit worn by different persons. The other favorite shopping districts in San Antonio are Nelda's Vintage Clothing, Alamo Quarry Market, Artisan's Alley, Crossroads of San Antonio, El Mercado, Huebner Oaks Center, Ingram Park Mall, and Rolling Oaks Mall.
The city of San Antonio has several day-spas and fitness centers to keep a good lifestyle and maintain beauty, health, and fitness. These are some of the famous day spas in San Antonio, Texas. The a.r.t. Massage Body Spa & Yoga provide complete relaxation for denizens and tourists alike. The a.r.t stands for advanced, relaxed, therapeutic spa. The day spa is converted from an old residential home and has been in the business for 5 years and opened its new location in West Sunset. The service menu is limited but provides exceptional quality. Standard massage, body polish treatments, or wraps can be combined. There is also a yoga studio available. The a.r.t day spa offers reasonable services. A 90-minute Pamper Package costs $95. This package includes a full body dry brush treatment that exfoliates dead cells. Then, a mint marine foot mask and the herbal steam treatment in Steamy Wonder follows. And then, a thorough face and scalp massage are provided last. Another location for relaxation is the Blue Hills Inn and Spa; this is a destination spa offering a café, hair studio, and fitness programs. The private personal training costs $65 per hour. The Moroccan Rassoul Wrap is worth $135 and $80/hr for Swedish massage and other services. Other day spas, destination spas, and places that offer health and beauty services in the city are Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon & Spa, Integrative Healing Institute, Isabelle's European Day Spa, K. Charles & Co., Laserfx Med Spa, Massage for Everyone, Shag, and Salon David Escape Spa.
There are many hotel options available when staying in San Antonio, Texas. There are hotels of historical significance and hotels with good value. If you are looking for a historical place to stay, you might want to consider staying at the Crockett Hotel, which is located directly across from the Alamo. The Crockett Hotel is historically significant because it stands on the ground where Davy Crockett defended the Alamo. This hotel was built over 100 years ago and was recently renovated in 2007. Another historical hotel in San Antonio that you might want to consider is the Menger. The Menger was built in 1859 and is adjacent to the Alamo. Many famous people have stayed at the Menger including Teddy Roosevelt, Babe Ruth, Ulysses Grant, and Mae West. The Emily Morgan Hotel is also a great choice if you want to stay near the Alamo. It is a highly recognized landmark of San Antonio. If you are looking for a hotel that is in a great location, the River Walk Vista is just a few walks away from all of the most talked about tourist destinations such as the river walk and the alamo. Other hotels that are available near the river walk are the Hotel Contessa, River walk Plaza and Hotel Suites, Drury Hotels, and Holiday Inn. The Watermark Hotel and Spa offers the only Forbes four-star hotel in downtown San Antonio. All of these hotels offer great views of the city and they are all within walking distance to the most common attractions available in San Antonio.
San Antonio, Texas has an abundance of schools from colleges to universities, public or private high schools, middle schools, charter schools, elementary schools, and preschools. San Antonio is made up of 17 independent school districts. This means that each district is separate from the next and has its own superintendent and elected board of education. Not only San Antonio, but the state of Texas education system as a whole is facing budget cuts in their public schools. Budget cuts are trickling down to San Antonio's school districts, forcing some schools to layoff teachers and cut programs.
Currently, San Antonio has 31 colleges, universities, and research institutes. Texas A & M and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are two of the most well known in the city. Trinity College, located in San Antonio, is currently ranked number one in regional schools in the west. Texas A & M is currently ranked at number 77 and UTSA is ranked at number 62. San Antonio is home to both private and public colleges and universities as well as graduate schools, community colleges, and training programs. San Antonio boasts 30 private/charter schools. Out of these 30 schools parents may pay for their children to attend Christian, Catholic, or other religious based schools, schools for the gifted, learning disabled, prep schools, military school, co-ed, all-boys, all-girls, or boarding schools. There are several charter schools in San Antonio offering students an alternative to public school. This summer, the city opened its first school catering to children with autism.
There are 12 public senior high schools and 54 public elementary schools in San Antonio. The top five ranked public schools in San Antonio are the Academy of Creative Ed, AUE Elementary School, Bush Middle School, Encino Park Elementary School, and the Frank Tejeda Middle School. These ratings are based on test results from each public school.
San Antonio is a large city which means residents and tourists alike need swift and easy to use modes of transportation to get around. Besides the use of private automobiles, the VIA Metropolitan Transit is one of the most used modes of transportation in the city. VIA buses make stops at 7000 bus stops and make routine stops at several designated Park and Rides and Transit Centers. For people who are not used to riding the bus, the VIA website lists places where bus passes are sold, posts maps, bus schedules, bus stop and Park and Ride locations, and has functions to help you plan your route and figure the cost. Park and Rides are secured lots that are free to use to all VIA riders. Transit Centers are also listed on the website. Beware these centers have limited parking and are mostly used as transfer stations. The VIA even has bike racks mounted to each bus and directions on how to use the racks are listed on the website. Also part of the VIA Metropolitan Transit are the downtown street cars. These street cars are considered historic and pick up and drop people off at stops about every ten minutes. The VIA offers a vanpool service as well. Their vans are equipped to fit 7, 12, or 15 passengers at a time. The cost of the van and fuel is divided amongst the passengers. VIA busses stop running by 11:30 pm or 12:30 am; hiring a taxi service during the early morning hours is another optional mode of transportation. There are multiple taxi services in the city, many going to and from the airport on a regular basis. Taxi services can be found in several locations around the city, online, and in the yellow pages.
The Communications and Public Affairs Department sits at the heart of administration services for the city of San Antonio and works closely with the Center City Development Office, which looks after the redevelopment and maintenance of the city. Downtown Operations and the Development Services Department provide information on current and future planning for the city as a whole, but community specific and rural development information go to the Planning and Community Development Department.
The City Auditor´s office oversees financial transactions for and on behalf of the city as well as companies operating within its jurisdiction. The Environmental Policy Department supervises all matters relating to San Antonio´s carbon footprint and in collaboration with the Parks and Recreations Department, it provides information to residents on initiatives which are being carried out for the city´s benefit. The Cultural Affairs Department is responsible for the maintenance of cultural attractions to the city and is equally charged with the promotion of these and other attractions to the city. This work is supported by the Convention and Visitors´ Bureau which looks after the numerous people travelling to the city every year for business or leisure purposes. As an active city, the Convention Sports and Entertainment Facilities Department is vital in looking after the modern facilities around San Antonio and information is readily available to all members of the public.
A safe San Antonio is ensured by the city´s Police Department and, along with the Municipal Court system and the City Attorney´s Office, both citizens and visitors are protected. Individual protection relating to general health and wellbeing comes from the city´s Health Department which offers support as well as information for all. The Community Initiatives Department is responsible for the bigger picture, looking at how whole communities can be well maintained for the benefit of all its inhabitants.
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