I’m overdue for an update! The last time I wrote I was contemplating buying a Stetson hat and a pair of $350 boots from Allens Boots in Austin. Well, I bought both… along with three pairs of Wrangler jeans, three western shirts, socks, a boot jack, a matching belt, and an M buckle. Yeehaw! I’m having a great time living in San Antonio this month. My mom and aunt visited a couple of weekends ago and we had so much fun. Read on for more about life in San Antonio so far.
I’ve been in Central Texas for over two months now. I haven’t seen snow since January 20. My Minnesota friends and family are going to hate me for saying this, but a few weeks ago when I saw posts from friends and family about another Minnesota snowstorm, I totally forgot it was still winter. The last week of February, while still in Austin, all the trees started to bud out and grasses turned that beautiful spring color of neon green.
After a six-week stay, I left Austin for San Antonio on March 3. It felt a bit strange packing and unpacking all my stuff when the two cities are only a little over an hour apart. My apartment is actually in Olmos Park, which is home to San Antonio’s wealthy. Seriously, pretty much the entire 2,400-person park-like suburb is full of 1920s Spanish-style mansions on oak-lined streets, some recently built to look a hundred years old. My Honda Civic doesn’t really fit in with all the Porsches and BMWs, but I’m not complaining. My place is on a main road that heads right to downtown San Antonio, only a few miles away.
My first weekend here ended up being like a lot of my first weekends in a new city: Hop in the car with a general idea of where I want to go, and then just get lost for the day! I saw the Alamo, San Antonio River Walk, Japanese Tea Garden, and Historic Market Square. And, of course, I discovered some local BBQ joints and taco stands—this is Texas, after all! Brisket gives me life, ya’ll.
Earlier this month, my mom and aunt flew down from Minnesota to spend five days with me. We had a wonderful time! Every morning we hopped in my car, and I took them to places I planned ahead of time but hadn’t told them about.
In addition to all the fun San Antonio sights, we took a couple of day trips. We made a gas station the destination. Buc-ee’s in New Braunfels is the largest convenience store in the country. It sounds crazy, but a Buc-ee’s visit is part of the Texas experience. I’ve never seen so many gas pumps! Customers watch as employees make BBQ brisket and a delicious variety of fudge, and they’ve got aisles of other treats and Buc-ee’s souvenirs. We also visited the Fredericksburg area of Hill Country, where there are bluebonnets and wineries galore.
On the way back to San Antonio, I took them to Luckenbach Texas, where “Everybody’s Somebody.” Originally a trading post, this tiny town was made famous by “Willie, Waylon, & The Boys.” It’s still a popular place to visit and listen to great music under 500-year-old oak trees.
Before heading back to Minnesota, my aunt was so envious of my new boots that she got a nice set of her own at Cavender’s Boot City. I’d say that’s the perfect Texas souvenir!
I have a week left in San Antonio before leaving Texas, and there are still a bunch of items on my San Antonio Bucket List to cross off. And then, where will I go next?!
I’ve created a photo gallery of favorites from adventures so far in San Antonio. Enjoy!
