About
San Antonio is the second largest city in the state of Texas and 7th largest in the United States. Visited by more than 26 million annual visitors, San Antonio is a beautiful city at the axis of three different geological terrains: Hill Country, South Texas Plains and Prairie and Lakes. There's a lot to do in this city: fine art museums, historical missions and plenty of amusement parks in addition to great dining and lots of drinking. The culture and people are vibrant and interesting. San Antonio's downtown is one of the most lively in the nation.
San Antonio is considered to be the cradle of Texan liberty. Its most well-known landmark is the Alamo, the site of the famous battle (1836) where Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie were killed. Though it must be said that when most visitors see the Alamo for the first time, their common reaction is "Hmmm, I thought it would be bigger."
No other city in Texas reflects the state's Spanish and Mexican heritage better than San Antonio. Hispanics make up a considerable fraction of the population though and it shows in most places. The Hispanic atmosphere of San Antonio makes it a truly unique U.S. city. This becomes most evident during Fiesta week, a yearly celebration that attracts 3.5 million people to its 110 plus events from all over to enjoy parades, music, festivals, fairs and food and drink in the charming downtown streets of the city.
The birthplace of the U.S. Airforce, San Antonio, with a population of around 1.4 million, and a metro population of nearly 2.1 million, still enjoys a small-town feel despite the hustle and bustle. It's people are friendly, open and bicultural, and the concentration of population around its center makes it easy to get just about anywhere within a 30-40 minute drive.
San Antonio is a great place to start a day trip to New Braunfels, best known for its German culture and heritage, not to mention the Schlitterbahn, persistent in being voted the world's best waterpark; or to San Marcos, home of Texas State University and its Aquarena Center.
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