Day 5 - San Antonio

Since we didn’t have to drive today we slept in a bit. We got a hotel downtown so we could walk to the Riverwalk as parking is outrageous (and I could run outside in the mornings), but turns out our beautiful hotel wasn’t the safest outside so while they slept in, the fitness center and I sweat away some boring miles. However, the breakfast that followed was incredible…from the push button pancakes (even more exciting than the Texas shaped waffles the previous day) to the endless supply of bacon the girls were in heaven. We fueled up and headed to the Alamo.  

I can’t believe this is free to enter as it is an incredibly informative and delightful experience. The church was under restoration, but the docents were great about telling us where to look and how to get around some of the closed off areas.

The long barracks were air conditioned and offered all the info that Mark and I read on the signage in movie format for the girls to better understand. It was the perfect lesson in never giving up and though you may lose the battle, it doesn’t mean you’ll lose the war. Emma was particularly intrigued here and I love her love of history. Something tells me books on Santa Anna will be in her next library checkout.

From the Alamo we decided to take a riverboat ride to learn a little more history and what makes San Antonio so special. It was cool and shady down on the Riverwalk which was exactly what we needed and our boat driver was hilarious yet informative.

 As touristy as it is to take a boat ride, I definitely recommend it, the girls loved it! We wound through all the channels and learned all about the area and how it came to be. It’s an incredible space and I can’t believe more cities haven’t figured out how to recreate something similar. It was absolutely beautiful.

The Riverwalk was about 10 degrees cooler than the streets above and it was awesome learning about how the floodgates work and what keeps this beautiful part of the city from flooding. 

Holding on tight to avoid a swim...

Selena's bridge. Strolling through the Riverwalk was gorgeous, but if you weren't careful and started gawking too much, it would be easy to walk right off these windy paths. With the water only a few feet deep, I'm curious how many people have dipped a toe or two in these waters after a few too many beverages. 

Our little paleontologists digging for fossils.

We headed back to the condo for a little lunch and a dip in the pool to escape the heat. Since there were heat advisories out again today, we knew we needed a little indoor fun for the afternoon and headed to the Witte Museum down by Brackenridge Park. This museum is a must-do if in San Antonio, however, it's even better if you are there on a Tuesday afternoon as many of the SA museums are free! You know I love to travel on the cheap, so tally that in the $$ saved column, it pays to do your research!

Not even up to his knee...

Ahh....help...the dinosaur is eating my hair!!

We started with the dinosaurs and cave drawings and worked our way through history. With interactive exhibits and well-placed activities, we could have easily spent the entire day here.

These moving typography maps are always a favorite at museums for us. There were lots of great interactive rooms and side exhibits that kept the girls busy, yet wondering what other cool things they might find next.

Comparing fur, hair, and feathers of lots of different animals under the microscope.

Learning how to single and double weave baskets.

The Witte Museum has many different buildings, so after a little history and exploration, we decided to check out the H-E-B Body Adventure and Science Treehouse and learn how the body works. Everyone was issued a pass to individually scan the activities they do which created a health profile for each of the girls. From answering questions about what they had eaten the previous day and how that stacks up to a healthy plate, to challenges of strength and endurance, the girls loved the body works exhibits and learning all about the human body.

Relax to win. As you try to destress, that energy moves a small ball along the table...move the ball all the way to the other persons side of the table to win. Our high-strung child de-stressed quickly when it meant beating her sister.

 It was awesome that it was tied to their specific body needs based on height, weight, gait, etc. and tracked their challenges for them. They pulled their body weight, analyzed their walking patterns, checked out their heart rates...this is a must-stop if you’re in the San Antonio area with kids who love science. 

Emma's body parts are all in working order...whew!

 After the museum, we headed back to the Riverwalk for dinner. The girls spotted the fun hats at Dick’s Last Resort on our walk through and decided that is where they wanted to eat. We explained to them that the waiters are rude, it can be inappropriate and they would make fun of them, but they were certain they wanted to try it and get the fun hats….and with a kids menu (and it being early), I figured it would be okay. Grace and Norah loved the place. From the mouthy waiters to the rude hats they thought it was hilarious. Emma and her big heart hated it. “Why would anyone be so mean?” Her hat brought her to tears "Mommy's favorite oops" and when they made fun of her for having her feelings hurt she about lost it. With that, they were relentless, bringing Grace a balloon for not being a cry baby like her sister and donning a hat with “Favorite Child” to continue making fun of Emma. It was a great lesson in not letting what others say affect you and an even better lesson in bullying. The food was great, the beer was frosty and 2/3 kids left happy. We’ll call it a win.

"I'd rather be at Hooters." Check out that ribs and wings bucket though...Mark was in heaven.

We strolled the Riverwalk a bit, but even with the sun setting, we were no match for the heat so we headed back to the hotel. With late nights and early mornings, we decided to wrap up San Antonio and get to bed a little earlier. With a tropical storm a’brewin’ on the coast, it wouldn’t hurt to be on top of our game tomorrow as we head to the Gulf. Watch out Cindy, here we come!