I'm a New Englander who visited San Antonio for the first time. Here are 9 things that surprised me about the Texas city.

San Antonio, which is home to about 1.5 million people, is the state's second-most populous city behind Houston and one of the most populous cities in the US. 

It's also growing. Over the past few years, thousands of people have been moving to San Antonio.

Almost all of my Uber drivers told me they'd moved to San Antonio within the last five to 10 years. Some came from other states — like Missouri, Nevada, Michigan, and California — and a few hailed from faraway countries, like France and Kenya.

Despite the fact that San Antonio has such a massive population, the city streets didn't feel crowded when I was there. From the time I arrived until I left, I never hit traffic.

German immigrants arrived in San Antonio in the 1840s, and by 1990, more than 17% of Texas' population claimed German ancestry, making Germans one of the largest national-origin groups in the state. 

I definitely noticed the German influence during my trip. 

For example, Schilo's — a deli that serves German fare like bratwurst, Wiener schnitzel, and potato pancakes — opened in 1917, making it the oldest continuously operating restaurant in San Antonio. 

Also, Beethoven Männerchor, a German singing society and community dedicated to preserving German heritage and culture in San Antonio since 1867, hosts a large Oktoberfest celebration every year.

Maybe it's because I'm from Boston, where people are known to be straightforward and standoffish, but San Antonians' kindness left me speechless. 

Uber drivers struck up conversations from the front seat and provided recommendations for my stay, unlike many drivers back home who often don't engage with passengers. 

When I got lost trying to find an art museum downtown, a local spotted my confused expression and offered me directions. Later that day, a random person at the Tower of the Americas, a 750-foot-tall observation tower, noticed me struggling to take a selfie and offered to snap a picture for me.

Multiple times, pedestrians complimented my outfit or greeted me as they passed by.

Restaurant servers also seemed especially warm and welcoming, often going above and beyond to learn more about my preferences.

Texas is mainly known for its beer and spirits, but it's among state with the largest number of wineries, just behind places like California, Oregon, Washington, and New York. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find exceptional locally produced wine in San Antonio. Many of the state's wineries are located just an hour north of the city in the Texas Hill Country, a region with ideal conditions for growing grapes. 

Just like the famous winemaking regions of Burgundy and the Loire Valley, Texas has some mineral-rich limestone soil that enhances the wines' structures and aromas.

I can speak to this firsthand. The Texas-produced wines I sampled at Re:Rooted 210 Urban Winery in San Antonio had balance and complexity that rivaled the wines I've tried in Napa.

I expected to find mostly Tex-Mex and barbecue in San Antonio, but thanks to the city's spectacular cultural diversity, I could choose from a wide range of cuisines. 

There was French at Brasserie Mon Chou Chou, Caribbean at Mi Roti, and family-style Asian fusion at Best Quality Daughter.

In 2017, UNESCO designated San Antonio as a Creative City of Gastronomy due to its confluence of cuisines and culinary heritage. It's the second US city to receive this designation, after Tucson, Arizona.

Part of the reason San Antonio has such an impressive food scene is that the city has its own Culinary Institute of America. Many graduates stick around to open their own restaurants or work at some of the city's award-winning establishments.

Most tourists flock to San Antonio to see landmarks like the Alamo, the River Walk, and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. So, I'm sure many of them are surprised as I was to find a heap of museums and galleries, too.

History buffs will swoon over the Briscoe Western Art Museum, which preserves Western art, artifacts, and culture; the McNay Art Museum, Texas' first modern-art museum; and the San Antonio Museum of Art, a collection of ancient Roman, Greek, and Egyptian art. 

As someone who prefers a more hands-on experience, I was blown away by Hopscotch, an immersive gallery. When I was there, installations included optical illusions, laser graffiti, and a kaleidoscope machine.

While exploring, I also spotted several stunning murals created by local artists and learned that the San Antonio Street Art Initiative has been working on building the largest outdoor gallery in Texas since 2018.

Without a doubt, the River Walk is one of San Antonio's most distinctive features. This waterway reminded me of Venice.

It's lined with restaurants, bars, museums, shops, and biking trails, making it a popular tourist destination.

I always imagined I'd be able to traverse the whole River Walk in a day, so I was shocked to find that it spans nearly 15 miles, from north of the city center down to the area around Mission Espada.

One of the first things I noticed during my trip was that San Antonio's music scene seems to be thriving. 

There are a lot of venues that offer live music, and you can find just about every genre here, particularly in Southtown, the arts and entertainment district. 

It's also home to the Aztec Theatre, a concert venue that's been open since 1926 and conveniently located along the River Walk.

"South Texas has a huge Latinx population, which means tons of salsa, bachata, Tejano, and mariachi music," Jed Craddock, a local musician and founder of Earbender Studios, told me.

"But one of the things I love most about San Antonio is how diverse our music scene is. I can see a swing and rockabilly band at Sam's Burger Joint, Andrew Bird and Iron & Wine at the Tobin Center, or an amazing local artist on the St. Mary's Strip," he added. 

When I booked my trip, I didn't realize my travel dates coincided with the city's legendary Día de los Muertos festivities, nor did I realize what a huge deal this Mexican holiday is in San Antonio. 

I spotted ofrendas, altars designed to honor deceased loved ones, almost everywhere I looked throughout the city, from the hotel lobby where I was staying to the San Antonio Botanical Garden.

San Antonians go all out in celebrating this Mexican tradition, with lively processions, parades, and festivals. 

The park at Pearl Brewery hosted an enormous celebration complete with stilt walkers, live music, face painting, art installations, and many ofrendas. 

SpiritLandia featured a River Walk Day of the Dead parade, and people also attended Muertos Fest, a multiday cultural event, in downtown San Antonio.

This story was originally published on January 30, 2023, and most recently updated on June 10, 2026.