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Colorfully painted stores on South Congress Street in Austin, Texas. Pgiam/Getty Images
Located between Texas Hill Country and the Gulf of Mexico, San Antonio is a great base for day trips spent exploring the wider region.
The surrounding area is a mix of rolling hills for hiking and coastal plains full of amazing wildlife, as well as a thriving wine region and charming towns with quirky attractions, boutique shopping, and vibrant art scenes. Take your time enjoying all the wild and wonderful things to do in San Antonio and then turn your gaze to the wider area on one (or more!) of these exciting day trips.
1. Sway to some live music in Austin, Texas' capital
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
How to travel: By car, bus or train
Austin and San Antonio vie for the title of top tourist destination in Texas, but the two cities are close enough together that you don't need to choose and can experience both in one vacation. Ideally, make it more than a day trip and plan to spend a night or two in the capital of Texas, home to fantastic barbecue, phenomenal outdoor spaces and a nightlife full of live music.
Start your day with a swim or hike. Lady Bird Lake draws travelers for its water activities, but it’s not the only place to take a dip in Austin. Zilker Park’s Barton Springs Pool and the Barton Creek Greenbelt are local swimming spots surrounded by open space and parkland. Hiking and climbing are extensive in the Greenbelt area, too. Downtown Austin is home to 6th Street – the entertainment district full of clubs, bars and restaurants. Be sure to check out the city’s many neighborhoods. South Congress Avenue and East Austin are two of our favorites.
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How to get to Austin from San Antonio: Driving north on I-35 is perhaps the easiest and quickest route, though you could save some cash with a ride on a Greyhound or Megabus, or by taking the Amtrak Texas Eagle train. Just keep in mind that the Amtrak train ride to Austin is 3.5 hours, which is quite a bit longer than the hour and fifteen-minute drive by car.
2. Take a hike in the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Travel time: 1 hour 30 minutes
How to travel: By car
The pink granite dome of the Enchanted Rock has drawn humans for over 12,000 years and is still a great place for outdoor lovers who want to go hiking near San Antonio. Indigenous people have romantic, tragic and ghostly legends about the rock. For instance, the Tonkawa people thought ghost fires flickered at the top of the dome.
The dome rises 425ft high and is the centerpiece of the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Visitors come from all over to explore 11 miles of hiking trails and phenomenal rock-climbing spots in the park. As a designated International Dark Sky Park, stargazing here is as incredible as you can imagine. Stay overnight in one of the campsites to experience the dark sky firsthand or plan your trip around one of the park’s Rock Star Parties to learn about the constellations from the park rangers.
Be sure to book a reservation to Enchanted Rock before visiting. Texas State Parks are strict about the number of people allowed daily, so you could run the risk of being turned away.
How to get to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area from San Antonio: Driving a car from San Antonio to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is the fastest way to get there. However, you can also take a bus from San Antonio to Fredericksburg, a small German town known for being the center of the Texas wine industry. You can then book a private group tour to Enchanted Rock with Fredericksburg Tours, which takes travelers from Fredericksburg to the natural area on a two-and-a-half-hour tour. Keep in mind that you might run into timing issues with this or any tour, so you’ll have to plan accordingly and may even need to stay overnight in Fredericksburg to go this route.
3. Have a beach day in Corpus Christi
Travel time: 2 hours
How to travel: By car or by bus
Don’t miss a chance to lay out on the beach along the Gulf of Mexico with an overnight or day trip to Corpus Christi, one of the cities that’s 2 hours from San Antonio (along with Lexington, Florence, Burnet and Georgetown). With over 100 miles of beaches, there is plenty of sand to choose from. Spend the day out on the water surfing with Texas Surf Camp or go on a guided kayak tour with GlowRow. Fishing, kiteboarding and windsurfing are some of the other fun water-based activities in Corpus Christi Bay. Families can take the kids to the Texas State Aquarium to learn about the aquatic life found in the bay. Corpus Christi is also the hometown of Tejana legend Selena Quintanilla. Learn more about her life and contribution to music at the Selena Museum.
How to get to Corpus Christi from San Antonio: If you want to explore various beaches throughout Corpus Christi, we recommend renting a car and driving south on I-37 from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. It’ll be more convenient in the long run. Greyhound runs a service between the cities, but it’s a three-hour ride versus a two-hour drive.
4. Have a German-inspired experience in Schulenburg
Travel time: 1 hour 35 minutes
How to travel: By car or by bus
Stop in the downtown area for country cooking at Oakridge Smokehouse Restaurant and don’t leave Schulenburg without trying a traditional kolache (sweet pastry with fruit) or schnitzel.
Once you’re nice and full, journey through the city’s attractions. The Texas Polka Museum highlights the German and Czech heritage of polka music in Texas through great displays, but the biggest attractions in Schulenburg are the Painted Churches. There are 20 Painted Churches in Texas, with four in this city. They look like ordinary country churches on the outside but offer a huge, colorful surprise inside – painted frescoes and gorgeous altars, the likes of which are usually found in Europe. Before you leave Schulenburg, grab fresh pecans – some candied or in fudge – at Potter Country Store.
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How to get to Schulenburg from San Antonio: Travelers have two transportation options to get to Schulenburg from San Antonio. You can drive or take a Greyhound bus, which takes five to fifteen minutes longer than driving. If you take a bus, remember that Schulenburg is a very small town of fewer than 3000 people. It’s unlikely you’ll have a lot of luck finding a taxi or rideshare, so you’ll have to walk between attractions.
5. See the Cowboy Capital of the World in Bandera
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: By car or by bus
Northwest of San Antonio is a small town of 829 people called Bandera, and it draws people from all over the world for its cowboy culture. Start your day in the rustic-style downtown area. Shop among the boutiques and antique stores and stop in Brick’s River Cafe or OST Restaurant for a meal. For a dose of history, visit the Bandera Natural History Museum or the Frontier Times Museum. Those who stay into the evening hours can stop by what some claim to be the oldest continuously operating honky tonk in Texas, the Arkey Blues Silver Dollar Saloon. If you want to spend a few days and get a cowboy experience, check out one of the local dude ranches such as Mayan Dude Ranch or Hill Country Equestrian Lodge.
Fun tip: If you visit Bandera in the fall, take a trip to the nearby Lost Maples State Natural Area for the most beautiful leaf peeping in the state. It’s only 45 minutes away from Bandera and well worth the detour.
How to get to Bandera from San Antonio: As with most of the destinations on this list, driving to Bandera from San Antonio is the easiest way to go. However, you could take a bus – sort of. You’d have to take a Greyhound to Center Point, Texas, and then take a taxi or rideshare to Bandera. Center Point and Bandera are only 22 minutes apart, which means the entire bus and taxi route is about an hour and a half.
6. Spend the day on the lake at Canyon Lake
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: By car or by bus
What’s a trip to Texas without spending some time on the lake? Our favorite one near San Antonio is the 8308-acre Canyon Lake, Texas's water recreation capital. The lake has 80 miles of shoreline and several parks to lay out, picnic, swim, fish, or launch your kayak or canoe. Motorized boats are allowed on the lake, so it could be fun to rent a pontoon boat, jet ski or other type of boat from Canyon Lake Adventures or one of the many other boat rental companies. Other options include scuba diving, parasailing, helicopter tours and nearby golfing.
There are a variety of hiking trails and wildlife to enjoy around the lake. If you have time, visit the mile-long Canyon Lake Gorge, which formed in 2002 when over 34 inches of rain fell and sent a torrent of floodwater that carved out this geological attraction. The floodwaters exposed dinosaur footprints and fossils. Not too far from the gorge is The Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country, which provides a lot of information on the dinosaur activity in the Canyon Lake area.
How to get to Canyon Lake from San Antonio: Driving to Canyon Lake from San Antonio is the smartest route, as it will ensure you can explore different areas around the lake. You could try taking a rideshare or taxi from San Antonio to Canyon Lake. If you have any issues finding a driver who is willing to drive directly to Canyon Lake, take a rideshare or taxi to New Braunfels, which is a 36-minute drive from San Antonio, and then book another to Canyon Lake, which is about a 31-minute drive from New Braunfels.
Otherwise, take a Greyhound bus or the Amtrak train from San Antonio to San Marcos and try to book a 50-minute rideshare or taxi ride from San Marcos to Canyon Lake. This transportation option, of course, is far more complicated.
7. Dine and dance in Johnson City
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
How to travel: By car
Get ready to be utterly charmed by the warm welcome you'll receive in Johnson City – a small town with big ideas. With interactive exhibits and fun experiments, the whole family will enjoy a morning at the Science Mill, a science museum located in a refurbished mill. If you're visiting in October, carve out time to stop by the annual JCTX Jazz & Art Festival for live music and art vendors.
When it’s time to dine in Johnson City, local barbecue joints and wineries will leave you satisfied. Pecan Street Brewing has some of the city’s best eats, plus live music to enjoy while you refuel. After you dine, take a stroll through the Old Annex Market to peruse creations by local artisans. Vendors showcase everything from home decor and soaps to clothes and jewelry, making it easy to find a great souvenir to commemorate your trip.
How to get to Johnson City from San Antonio: The best route from San Antonio to Johnson City will take you on a roughly an hour and 15 minutes down US-281 N.
8. Go spelunking at Natural Bridge Caverns
Travel time: 40 minutes
How to travel: By car or by bus
Leave the sun-drenched glory of Texas Hill Country behind and head underground in one of the largest caves in Texas. During a guided combo tour, you can descend up to 180ft through rocky formations and illuminated passages, while trekking through two separate caverns. Lights throughout the caverns cast intriguing shadows across massive limestone rock formations, pools of water and a crystalline wonder known as the Watchtower.
Above ground, guests can enjoy activities like fossil mining, trail climbing and ziplining.
How to get to Natural Bridge Caverns from San Antonio: In under an hour, drivers can take I-35 N from San Antonio to Natural Bridge Caverns. If you'd rather not drive, San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit system can get you from Broadway & McCullough to Stone Oak Park & Ride. You’ll need to grab a taxi or rideshare to the caverns from there.
9. Paddle down the river in San Marcos
Travel time: 1 hour
How to travel: By car or by bus
The San Marcos River makes this Texas town a go-to spot for kayaking and tubing. Bring your own tube to San Marcos City Park, or rent one and use the shuttle service from Lions Club Tube Rental (note that the Lions Club operates seasonally). Visitors can also join a glass-bottom boat tour operated by the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment or, for an after-dark experience, join Paddle SMTX on a Crystal Kayak Glow Tour. Prefer hiking? Head to Purgatory Creek Natural Area for some gorgeous trails.
Continue your San Marcos adventure at Wonder World Cave & Adventure Park. An earthquake formed the cave here, and guests can explore it on a guided tour. Make sure to take the park's train ride and visit the Anti-Gravity House, too. Afterwards, enjoy some creative inspiration at the San Marcos Art Center or Wimberley Glassworks.
How to get to San Marcos from San Antonio: To enjoy the city’s outdoor recreation opportunities fully, you’ll need your own wheels; San Marcos is a 50-minute drive on the I-35 N. However, travelers without a car can reach San Marcos via FlixBus and Amtrak routes from San Antonio.
10. Hunt for ghosts in New Braunfels
Travel time: 45 minutes
How to travel: By car
New Braunfels is perfect for a fall getaway. The Haunted Magnolia Hotel and ghost tours through the city set a fun, supernatural tone for Halloween and October also ushers in the town’s Dia de los Muertos Festival. In November, festivities continue with Wurstfest’s celebration of German culture.
Of course, summer is also a great time in New Braunfels, thanks to Schlitterbahn Waterpark & Resort. As one of North America’s top amusement parks, Schlitterbahn treats guests to an impressive collection of waterslides and rides. If you prefer shopping over swimming, the city’s Gruene Historic District has several excellent boutiques open year-round. Charming stores decorated with iconic Texas flair make this area fun for window shopping and sightseeing.
How to get to New Braunfels from San Antonio: Take the I-35 N for 35 minutes. There are few public transportation options from San Antonio to New Braunfels. While the VIA Metropolitan Transit system can get you to Converse, you’ll need a car or rideshare to traverse the last 20 miles to New Braunfels.
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