San Antonio, Texas is an amazing and diverse destination for folks wishing to visit.  There are TONS of things to do, so it can be difficult to decide where to start!  To help you, I’ve compiled my top 10 list of some of my favorites, along with some suggestions from my blogging buddies, to help you decide what to do on your next San Antonio, TX vacation!

I’ve included family friendly San Antonio attractions in this list to help you have a blast with all ages.  This list is in no particular order. 🙂

#1: Sea World San Antonio & Aquatica

I went to a blogging conference at Sea World San Antonio a few days ago, and I was reminded how much I love it there!  It was such a blast visiting again with my family.  It is SO over the top kid friendly, and there’s just so much to do.  I highly recommend buying a season pass and going for at LEAST 2-3 days per visit!  Between the rides, slides, animal exhibits, shows, delicious food, and more, there’s just so much to take in.

My friend Jennifer at Real Posh Mom wrote about Sea World summer activities and how special it is to visit this time of the year.  Rest assured, though, there’s tons to do any time the park is open!  My kids loved seeing Shamu and touching sting rays the best.  Oh, and the new Cool Vibrations show was out of this world!  Don’t believe me?  Check out pictures of Cool Vibrations at Dallas Single Mom.

Also, have you checked out Aquatica?  If you haven’t been to Sea World in the past couple of years, this is a new area of the park.  It’s a separate admission charge (or you can buy combo tickets), but the expense is totally worth the unique experience.  Jessica at Suitcases and Sippy Cups wrote a post about what to expect at Aquatica, and she has some awesome tips.

We had never been until a few days ago, but we had a total blast.  My kids love getting wet and were so incredibly bummed when it was time to go.

#2: San Antonio Zoo

My family has always loved checking out the San Antonio Zoo.  They are very family-friendly, and I want to go back soon!  I appreciate that there’s a lot of opportunities for us to get close to animals, such as at Lory Landing and with Butterflies!

#3: The San Antonio Riverwalk

Everyone I know that has been to San Antonio raves on and on about visiting The San Antonio Riverwalk.  It truly is beautiful, and my friend Cris at My Fashion Juice wrote a post with beautiful pictures of The San Antonio Riverwalk, and talks about how to enjoy it day and night.  (Yes, it’s a whole different attraction depending on when you go!)

#4: The Alamo (and the Missions!)

You can hardly think of San Antonio without immediately thinking about The Alamo.  As my friend Jessica from Suitcases and Sippy Cups reminds us, though, the Alamo is just 1 of 5 remaining Spanish missions in San Antonio.  I know that as my kiddos get older, we’ll have to check all of them out as part of some homeschool history.  For now, we just chose to check out The Alamo with my young kiddos a week and a half ago.

#5: Natural Bridge Caverns

Just 10 short miles from San Antonio are the Natural Bridge Caverns.  They have a variety of tours available to discover these caverns, which were discovered back in 1960.  Whether you just want to do a quick tour with the whole family, or spend a good chunk of the day really exploring this natural wonder, there are options available!

My friend Staci at 7 on a Shoestring posted some amazing pictures of Natural Bridge Caverns from her trip and it’s made me want to head back.  My family hasn’t been in about 5 years, and I’d love to check it out again.

#6: Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch

Something that we’ve never gone to before is the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch.  It is located just outside of San Antonio near the Natural Bridge Caverns and looks like SO much fun.  I know my kids would love going on a safari to see all of the animals!  My friend Courtney at My Crazy Savings tells you how to save money at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch and what her family enjoyed.  It’s on my to do list for my next visit to San Antonio for sure.

#7: San Antonio Children’s Museum

The San Antonio Children’s Museum is a crowd-pleaser for kids from infant on up through 10 years old, though I know that older kids would enjoy it as well.  There is so much to see and do and touch!  Enjoy the air-conditioned, three story museum which is right by The San Antonio Riverwalk.

My kids’ favorite is the basement, which is a mini H-E-B grocery store.  We also really loved the area for young kids with foam blocks and balls.  This stop could literally take all day if you wanted it to!

#8: Japanese Tea Garden

The Japanese Tea Garden at Brackenridge Park is a lovely free place to hang out and appreciate nature.  Kids and pets are welcome, and it is open every day from dawn to dusk.  It’s also a wheelchair-accessible site, so everyone can enjoy it together.  It is right by the San Antonio Zoo, so it’s a great stop if you’re already over there!

#9: Witte Museum

If you’re a history and science buff, you simply cannot miss the Witte Museum.  This is particularly true if there’s a dinosaur lover in your family, as their Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit is really cool!  Did dinosaurs really have feathers?

Don’t forget to check out their H-E-B Science Treehouse out back!  It is a blast for kids to learn through doing and trying new things.  My friend Lori, from My Six Ring Circus, shared her family fun at Witte Museum, too.

#10: Ripley’s San Antonio

A few days ago, we got to check out Ripley’s San Antonio for the very first time.  We got the combo ticket and tried out the Believe It Or Not! Odditorium and the Louis Tussaud’s Wax Museum.  My kids are obsessed with the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! books, so I knew they would love it here…. and they did!

I was surprised at the amount of hands-on exhibits, and my kids wanted to read almost every word of the neat artifacts.  They played and got to learn a bit as well.  This was awesome.  I hope to check out the one closer to Dallas soon, too!

#11 (Honorable Mention): Tower of the Americas

I had never heard of Tower of the Americas until I read about it on My Fashion Juice.  It sounds like a really fun way to explore the city and get a completely different vantage point.  Judging from the pictures and the information on the website, it looks like a unique experience.

San Antonio is SUPER Fun!

Whether you have a day or a week, there’s plenty to see and do to enjoy San Antonio, Texas.  This destination is great for families.  It’s a wealth of educational information and a whole lot of fun.

What is your favorite San Antonio attraction?