San Antonio Summer Guide 2019
The heat is upon us and as San Antonians that can only mean one thing! Seek AIR CONDITIONING. In case you’re one of the brave souls to suffer the summer heat of the city- I’ve compiled a San Antonio summer guide ready for bookmarking and planning everything out!
I’ve even added some kid-friendly things to do in San Antonio- even though I don’t have kids. I’m taking one for the team with this one. As I always say VAYA CON DIOS!
I’m also going to split this up by events (by month and then all summer), then kid activities, adult activities and dog activities.
Summer Calendar
June
6/7
First Friday in Southtown
First Day of Texas Folklife
6/8
6/9
Last Day of Texas Folklife
6/14
First Day of Celebrity Fan Fest
First Day of the Uvalde Honey Fest
First Day of Boerne Berges Fest
6/15
6/16
Last Day of Celebrity Fan Fest
Last Day Boerne Berges Fest
6/18
6/22
6/27
First Day of Luling Watermelon Thump
6/28
6/29
6/30
Last Day of Luling Watermelon Thump
July
7/3
Market Square Freedom Fest*
7/4
Red, White, and Bloom @ the Botanical Gardens*
Independence Day at the Alamo*
7/11
7/13
7/30
*Tentative Events
August
8/11
8/10
8/15
FREE MOVIE: Grease
8/23
8/24
Last Day of Culinaria Restaurant Week
Activities for Kids
… I say that loosely- you don’t have to have kids to enjoy these things but it also doesn’t hurt. Unless you find kids annoying, in which case, I simply cannot help you, it’s just the price of admission you have to pay!
Free Entertainment: If you didn’t know, San Antonio has a lot of free movies spread out throughout the summer. Take into consideration that you’ll have to pay for parking at most but you can bring all the snacks from home to make it worth all the while. With movies in the park being put on by Slab Cinema- you’ll at least have one free outing a month!
Also, check out the San Antonio- Saga that takes place in the San Fernando Cathedral Plaza. This 24 minute light show takes place every, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m., and 10 p.m. Best of all you have free parking every Tuesday (city-owned lots only).
Visit a Museum: maybe you’re a fan of learning shit or maybe you’re too poor to have that extra money to pay for the special exhibits. And for that, we should thank the fancy donors that make free days available to you and to me. You’re finally able to attend those extra exhibits you’ll be able to boast about it during happy hour with all your friends. Or maybe you had an extra long day with the kiddos and you just want them to sleep long and hard so you can maybe sleep in til 8:30 a.m. Hopefully, you just wanna enjoy your evening- so I found the free times!
Free on Tuesdays from 4-9 p.m.
Free on the first Tuesday of the month from 5:30-7: 30 p.m.
June 18 from 6:30-8: 30 p.m. (space is limited, wristband pickup begins at 4 p.m.)
July 16 from 6:30-8: 30 p.m. (space is limited, wristband pickup begins at 4 p.m.)
August 20 from 6:30-8: 30 p.m. (space is limited, wristband pickup begins at 4 p.m.)
Free on Thursdays from 4-9 p.m.
UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures
Free on the second Sunday of the month from 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
Free on Tuesdays from 3-8 p.m.
Free all the time (so please consider bringing a couple of bucks to donate)
Catch a Game: San Antonio is obviously known for the San Antonio Spurs but there are plenty of other sports teams in the city that deserve as much attention. Catch a San Antonio FC soccer match or maybe watch a San Antonio Mission’s game. Both games offer specials $1 beer and soda, and $2 Tuesday, respectively so check out which night might be best for you.
Stay cool inside an Indoor Arcade: Sure the 90s were the year of the arcade but lately, I’ve seen a resurgence in arcade culture and this is great! San Antonio now has all the options: Diversions, Dave + Busters, Main Event, and Evo Entertainment have all the games plus Andretti’s and K1 both have go-karts for extra fun!
Attend a Theatre: There are plenty of theatres in the city and most of them have shows going on for kids going all summer long. The Magik Theatre has The Very Hungary Caterpillar and the Public Theatre has Matilda, both start mid-July. But if you’re looking for a theater- then obviously look into the Alamo Drafthouse (they have a student discount for college kids) or Evo Entertainment for you movie viewing pleasure.
Go Spelunking: or cave exploring whichever language you prefer to use. It’s cooler down there and it’s a lot of fun. I say that because I did it once when I was 7 and it was cool. Plus 7-year-old Gabby knew all the cool activities before they were cool. Some caves to check out are the Wonder World Cave, the Cave Without a Name, and Natural Bridge Caverns.
Splish Splash: So if you have little ones, don’t really wanna stress out about swimming or just wanna have a play date with another mom and actually be able to have an adult conversation, I’ve compiled a list of splash pads in San Antonio for you and your peace of mind.
Bulverde Community Park 29815 Bulverde Ln., Bulverde, TX 78163
Elmendorf Lake Park 3700 W. Commerce St., San Antonio, TX 78207
Fischer Park 1820 McQueeney Rd., New Braunfels, TX 78130
Lincoln Park 2915 E. Commerce, San Antonio, TX 78202
Pearsall Park 4700 Old Pearsall Park, San Antonio, TX 78242
The Historic Pearl 303 Pearl Pkwy., San Antonio, TX 78215
Voigt Park 700 El Portal Dr., Hollywood Park, TX 78232
Yanaguana Garden 434 S. Alamo St., San Antonio, TX 78205
Adult Activities
Cal-ma-te! This isn’t that kind of adult activities! I mean it could be, it’s 2019 and you know everyone’s um swiping right for that reason. As an adult I believe these are the most adult things we can do.
Day trip to the Hill Country: I can’t state this enough! Get thee to the HILL COUNTRY! It’s close enough that you can go for the day but far enough so you can get out of the city! You can get some wine, visit a cave, eat German food, do some shopping, or go antiquing. Don’t get stuck with that wanderlust FOMO!
Cool off by the Pool: This summer is gonna be a scorcher- actually, every summer is hot af. So in order to avoid that please seek shelter in the pool vibes. That’s why this best list for pools blog post exists.
Day Drinking: True Facts! Day drinking makes you feel like a rebel with a cause. Like when the evening comes you’re already ready to take on the attitude- or pass out since we’re old. So hit up some of the local hotspots to day drink your hours away! Also, make sure to hit up some of the best patios on my lovelist.
Find the Eggplants and Peaches: Visit one of the many Farmer’s Markets and really shop local.
Go Diggin’ for Gold: Venture out to one of the many flea markets in the city. You already know I love them (I grew calling them swap meets) so why not go check them out. You have a few options: Trader’s Village, Mission Open Air Market, and one of my faves, Bussey’s. Some of my findings in the past include a pasta maker, a couple of records and plants.
WaterWorks: is a perfect excuse to day drink all day. While you can have your choice of paddleboarding, kayaking or floating the river there should always be a plan. In order to make this plan work, you need to eat a carblicious breakfast, pick a ride or die group of friends and make sure you read the rules. Some places have a can ban and other things you need to watch out for and you don’t want that to damper your day. Check out the Mission Kayak, right here in SA for kayaking, Paddle SMTX in San Marcos (Ask for Brianna, she da best), if you’re feeling chill try the glass bottom boat tour. If you’re floating check out Don’s Fish Camp or Texas State Tubes.
Activities To Do With Your Dog (when your friends fail you)
Let the dog out, dammit- first and first mostly if it’s already really hot for you, it’s gonna be even more hot for your dog. AKA check the damn cement/ asphalt and put some shoes on your dog's feet. Now that that’s been said here are the happy goodness you can do with your dogs!
The Great Dog Outdoors: The beauty of San Antonio is that it’s becoming more pet-friendly. So with that, we have so many parks that are curating spaces for our woofa-oofas. For starters, Brackenridge Park, is an amazing spot for big dogs to get exhausted. There’s so much terrain for exploring, then you can stop at The Art of Donut for some donuts. Now here comes the responsible dog parent in taking your dog to places where they can be off leashes in San Antonio. Parks like Tom Slick Dog Park, Phil Hardberger Dog Park, McAllister Dog Park, and Pearsall Dog Park all have spaces for dogs to run around. Plus there are some places around that will allow your dog to go swimming and others that have designated Doggie Dip Days (Sunday, September 8th from Noon - 4 p.m.) for your pooch to take advantage of.
The Cool Indoors: Say the temperatures are hot as hell- then take your doggo to any of the following stores: Fifi & Fidos Pet Boutique, Kriser's Natural Pet, Pawsitively Sweet Bakery, Woof Gang Bakery, and Southpaw Waggery are all local doggie shops you can take you oofa to get great products. If you have shopping to do then your pup can go with you to The Shops at La Cantera and have some one who will look at you like you’re a million bucks.
This scientific research was made so you could have a successful summer. As always be sure to follow my San Antonio foodie instagram @sanantoniolovelist to keep up with the latest.