Planning

Will be in SA for 7 days would love to do

riverwalk, zoo, six flags, sea world, heard HemisFair park is having a festival, brackenridge park, Would love to check out the Natural Bridge Caverns, Wildlife Ranch (I believe thats the drive thru safari) %26amp; Schlitterbahn but heard those 3 are further away %26amp; we would be back tracking. Coming from Dallas. And how far away from each other are these spots? Will be staying in the Six Flags area. Should we do the Riverwalk stuff during the week to beat the traffic? What else is cool that I%26#39;m missing, have 2 small boys that LOVE to exploreSorry for all the questions, I such a planner, but haven%26#39;t been to SA for 10 years, %26amp; can%26#39;t remember a thing%26gt;

Planning

I know what you mean about being a planner, my DH always makes remarks on how I plan every detail but I want to make sure I make the best of my time when visiting.

Not Sure where you are staying so it%26#39;s kinda hard in giving distance or time.

You said you have 2 small boys not knowing the age can also play a difference in what can be done but here is an idea that you can work with %26amp; give you some ideas what can be done more less of course.

Of course SeaWorld www.seaworld.com/SanAntonio %26amp; Fiesta TX www.sixflags.com will take a whole day each.

You can do the Zoo www.sazoo-aq.org %26amp; Brackenridge Park %26amp; Japanese Tea Garden + a mini train ride in the park in a day. http://www.wildtexas.com/parks/bracken.php depending on how time you spend at the zoo %26amp; park you could also visit the Witte Museum %26amp; the train goes there they have a Science Treehouse for kids to learn in a fun way. Witte www.wittemuseum.org This is about 20 min from the Fiesta TX area

You do know that Fiesta TX %26amp; SeaWorld has a beach waterpark area as well, which is very nice.

Depending on how time you want to spend at Schlitterbahn www.schlitterbahn.com is about 31 miles away %26amp; about a 45 min drive from your area Since you could spend all day there if you like the water park with all of the activities. IMO I would do Schlitterbahn as a day trip, or you could do a 1/2 day %26amp; do Natural Bridge Caverns www.naturalbridgecaverns.com %26amp; Wildlife Ranch www.wildliferanchtexas.com which is on the way to Schlitterbahn about a 25 min drive from where you are staying. You could spend 3 hrs at each easily.

You could do the riverwalk, www.riosanantonio.com %26amp; take the 35 min narrated cruise along the RW walk + visit the Alamo www.thealamo.org %26amp; also may be of some interest to see the movie at the IMAX before you go www.imax-sa.com %26amp; the Buckhorn Saloon %26amp; Museum www.buckhornmuseum.com go up the Tower of the Americas www.toweroftheamericas.com %26amp; visit the Historic Sunset Station www.sunset-station.com or the Guenther House www.guentherhouse.com have lunch at Mi Tierra www.mitierracafe.com in the Market Square Area www.marketsquaresa.com or visit the Kiddie Park www.kiddiepark.com also you have the fun museum like Ripley%26#39;s Haunted adventure %26amp; a couple of others here is the website to check it out. www.plazawaxmuseum.com %26amp; of course visit the Rivercenter Mall. The downtown area is about a 16 min drive from your area. Also visit the missions www.nps.gov/saan

Another interesting day trip would be Enchanted Springs Ranch which is a working dude ranch %26amp; movie set %26amp; have Chuck Wagon dinner shows www.enchantedspringsranch.com you could take a drive in the Hill Country %26amp; visit some wineries. www.texaswinetrail.com or visit Cave without a name outside of Boerne www.cavewithoutaname.com or Bandera which is consider the Cowboy Capital www.banderacowboycapital.com about a 45 min drive from where you are staying

On the weekends you may have more locals visiting but it really doesn%26#39;t matter that much IMO unless you are worried about the crowds being to big. It all depends if something is going on?????

You didn%26#39;t say when you are coming but if it%26#39;s in June during the TX Folklife Festival www.texasfolklifefestival.com the downtown area will be very busy so it may be best to come during the week to visit the downtown area. if not you can go to this website to check out events for the week of your visit. www.visitSanAntonio.com click on events %26amp; also you can get discount coupons %26amp; maps of the downtown area that may be of some help to you to see where things are located in the downtown area.

I was thinking about the backtracking for Schlitterbahn, here is a thought, either when you are driving down or going back you could spend a night in New Braunfels area %26amp; do Schlitterbshn %26amp; then if you are coming or leaving stop at Natural Bridge %26amp; Wildlife Ranch on the way, just a thought from keeping you from backtracking. As I said it%26#39;s about a 45 min drive from Schlitterbahn to the Fiesta TX area.

Hope this helps you out a little for some info on your trip anymore questions just ask.?????

Have fun planning on how you want your trip to meet your criteria so you%26#39;ll have a great stay in SA!!!!!

Planning

I%26#39;m thinking about staying at the Hilton Hill Country Inn %26amp; Spa. Hows the location of that hotel %26amp; is it nice?

(1) Hilton Hill COuntry is by Sea World not Fiesta Texas (2) its more then 31 miles or 45 minutes from Fiesta Texas to New Braunfels.

I would suggest, that to stay in New Braunfels to do the Schlitterbahn time and I would also try to do that park and the other parks on a weekday v. weekend. (sidenote Fiesta Texas is usually not packed on Sundays, thats the day that I go but get there early).

In the six flags area you what a hotel/motel on IH 10/1604 area.

Depends on how you go but if you take 1604 to 35.

The Hilton Hill Country is a very nice area %26amp; good places around there.

What about this plan?

Driving from Dallas,Day 1 stop %26amp; stay @ Schlitterbaun, Day 2 Natural bridge caverns continue on driving to SA. Day 3 My kids really want to go to splashtown. Day 4 Breckenridge Park, Zoo (those both are right by the riverwalk, right?) Day 5 Sea World, Day 6 Back to river walk to see the rest %26amp; river tour,Day 7 Six Flags, Day 8 Home.

My other idea would be to change hotels. First half six flags, sea world, splashtown. Move to a riverwalk hotel %26amp; do the Zoo, Breckenridge Park riverwalk stuff. We will be there during the festivel

12-14. I%26#39;m just not familer w/the area so not sure if its smart to move hotels or just drive?

IMO, if you go to Schileterbahn then I would personally skip Splashtown. Schileterbahn is so much bigger, better quality of rides etc.

Splashtown would be anticlimatic...a let down..again only my 2cts. Plus, Six Flags and Sea World both have water parks......your gonna be ';water-parked'; out...

t-hombre is correct. My ranking from best on down:

Schlitterbahn - world class worth an entire day (or two)

Splashtown - next largest, like you%26#39;ll find in any large city

Sea World - good value, great, large wave pool not many large rides

Fiesta Texas - More rides than Sea World, has lazy river but gets very crowded.

Ya%26#39;ll are great! Thanks for all this good info! What do you think about Hotels. Stay at the Hilton Hill Country or switch to riverwalk area.

It may be nice to move to the Riverwalk for a night to do the activities there. If you do I would check out the Drury for great value for your money + lots of Free amenities. www.druryhotels.com/properties/alamo.cfm or you could check out Homewood Suites www.homewoodsuitesriverwalk.com

If you don%26#39;t mind driving in from the SeaWorld area which is only about a 15 min away especially if you don%26#39;t want to pack up for another hotel but staying downtown would give you a special stay as well being on the Riverwalk.

No bad choice just which one meets your criteria better.

I think your plan is very good about stopping in New Braunfels for Schlitterbahn %26amp; on Day 2 stopping at Natural Bridge Caverns %26amp; Wildlife Ranch before coming into SA at your Hotel since most check in aren%26#39;t until 3 or 4 anyways. I think that would be the perfect choice.

The Hilton Hill Country is very nice %26amp; in a good area so no worries there but if you want to break up your stay %26amp; stay downtown that would be very good also, it all depends on how you feel about it. IMO I think staying downtown would be a nice experience also since you%26#39;ll be doing things in the downtown area before you head out.

Splashtown is very nice here is the website to check it out to see if you want to do it. www.splashtownsa.com if you don%26#39;t decide to do splashtown then check out Enchanted Spring Ranch www.enchantedspringsranch.com

Have fun planning!!!! Please write a TR when you get back %26amp; let us know how it went %26amp; your likes %26amp; dislikes on the trip so others can see.

I hope your trip will be a good one anymore questions just ask??????

BTW Splashtown is in the NE area so it would be closer to the downtown area than the SeaWorld area so if you decide to move than you would have Riverwalk, splashtown, downtown activities to do, again just a thought. Splastown is about a 12 min drive from downtown %26amp; actually you%26#39;ll go by it when coming down 35, OH, never mind you%26#39;ll probably take 1604 to Hotel that would be closer than coming into the downtown SA area.