San Antonio Riverwalk

San Antonio, Texas, is listed as the seventh largest city in the United States. The city was founded in 1718 with the establishment of the Mission San Antonio de Valero, commonly known as “The Alamo.” The Alamo is centrally located downtown in walking distance from San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk. The Riverwalk creates the cornerstone for San Antonio’s many restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and boutiques. It is an attraction that draws tourists to one of the most scenic metropolitan downtown areas in the country.

Also known by her Spanish name, Paseo del Rio, The Riverwalk was conceived by architect Robert H. H. Hugman. Hugman proposed harnessing the river that once supplied water to the Mission San Antonio de Valero, forming an attraction based on the waterways in Venice, Italy. The slow painful process of creating the Riverwalk provided meager returns on initial investments. From the 1930s through the 1960s, progress was made in beautifying the river with lush gardens, sculpted rock structures and businesses. The early investments may not have been lucrative, but today, the Riverwalk generates nearly one billion dollars in revenue each year. The Riverwalk served the dual purpose of offering a new attraction (which Hugman dubbed The Shops of Aragon and Romula), but also offered to control the temperamental river, which flooded in 1921 resulting in more than fifty deaths.

The Riverwalk meanders throughout the downtown area, with boat roads providing tourists with historic information about the city. The narrow walkways often squeeze tourists together, with no railings to prevent inevitable soakings. The bustling night scene along the river is a product of the many excellent restaurants, night clubs and attractions located throughout the 2 ½ mile waterway. Several restaurants, like Casa Rio date back to the early days along the Riverwalk. Other restaurants, like the Hard Rock Café or Dick’s Last Resort offer the chain restaurant experience to visitors.

Several hotels and convention centers line the Riverwalk. An extension created by the Hyatt allows the Riverwalk to link up with the Alamo. A small group of shops and restaurants called La Villita sit on the southeast corner of the Riverwalk, which has a trapezoidal shape. The Arneson River Theater is also located adjacent to La Villita. The theater has a stage on the interior part of the Riverwalk with amphitheater style seating on the opposite side of the river. In 1968, San Antonio created another park across from La Villita called Hemisfair Park. This park is home to the most visible San Antonio landmark called Tower of the Americas. Several reconditioned buildings, The Institute of Texas Culture, an Art Museum celebrating Mexican artists, lush gardens and water fountains complete the attractions at Hemisfair Park.

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