American Holidays: Following the San Antonio River

When it comes to American holidays, Texas is not often the first place most European travellers think of - especially in comparison to New York City, Florida and Las Vegas. However, the River Walk in San Antonio is one of the most visited attractions in the united states, with over five million visits in 2008 alone (for reference, Niagra Falls had 12 million visitors) and there is even more to see in the area. Here is a quick guide to San Antonio and its surroundings.

The River
The San Antonio River is located in the central eastern region of Texas. It is 240 miles in length and feeds into the Guadalupe River and then on into the Gulf of Mexico. The River itself is primarily fed by the San Antonio Springs which are designated the Source of the River Archaeological District. The unique area around the springs and the nearby Edwards Aquifer are home to many endangered species - and is an especially intriguing site to visit.

The City of San Antonio
Just five miles from the springs and the start of the San Antonio River you will reach downtown San Antonio. Home to over one million people, San Antonio is rich in cultural and historical sites of interest. One of the most recent attractions is La Antorcha de la Amistad, a bright red abstract sculpture in the centre of town. There are also a number of theme parks in San Antonio, including Seaworld and Six Flags in the north-west of the city.

San Antonio River Walk
The most popular tourist destination in the state (and 11th most popular in the country), the San Antonio River Walk stretches for two and a half miles through downtown San Antonio. It is essentially a unique pedestrian street along the river banks, and is home to numerous bars and restaurants along the way. The walk includes a huge network of walkways and bridges which have mostly been in place since the 1940s, but have since been expanded in the 1980s.

The Missions
The most well-known Mission in the San Antonio area is most widely called The Alamo. Today the site is a museum in honour of the US's history with artefacts from the Texas Revolution. However there are four more Missions to be visited and all are significant in their architecture and use. They are Mission Concepcion, Mission Espada, Mission San Jose and Mission San Juan Capstrano. The buildings range from 300 to 400 years old and are preserved by the Swan Antonio Missions National Park.

Sarah Maple writes for Gohop.ie who offer last minute holidays and cheap sun holidays.