Amazing re-work of the river area in downtown San Antonio. Makes for a very pleasant walk with the Alamo being close by. For many, including myself, it is amazing to see what can be done to a previously run down area of town. A full day at the Riverwalk area to take in all the sights is a requirement, not an option. We fell in love with it.
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One thing about the Riverwalk that was noticed quite early in our visit was that it reminded one of something that was developed centuries prior and that it had been there for years. Definitely not so, but our impressions were that it had stood the test of time. Anyway we really did enjoy the walk along the river, at levels some 10 feet below street level. Cafes or restaurants and stores had been built into basement levels of the buildings above, Cruise boats on the canal itself were sparse enough not to deter from the river appearance.
Also, next door, is the Alamo, that is worth a visit.
John`s Comments
From the Alamo to the Riverfront, San Antonio has many sites and sounds. A great place to visit and spend a few days. The Riverwalk area as it sounds, is beside the river in downtown San Antonio. Here they have done an excellent job in creating walking paths by the river and building a thriving business environment where restaurants, parks, and shopping all meet to create a unique place to be. The Riverwalk and the Alamo close-by draw one to come back for another visit. It is a great place to visit, but be aware that the river goes thru a cleaning process early January so visits should not be scheduled during that period of time. It also made for a great starting place for a bus ride thru Mexico to Mazatlan.
John`s Review
Have visited several times with my Baseball buddy Larry and also with my wife, Kathy. There is much to do and it is a great place to visit, however walking is of prime importance as there are many paths, crowds and stairs along the riverplace and marketplace. If this is not a concern then I highly recommend a visit. Make sure you spend an hour or two visiting the many restaurants scattered along the riverwalk.
Now here is a location that one will find the reason to visit and visit again. It is so enjoyable to sit at one of the river restaurants, have a cold drink and sample some of food while watching the people, the river and the small cruise boats pass by.
The one and only, San Antonio, Texas
The Riverwalk area is definitely a favorite and you can spend many hours there walking the paths beside the river, or having lunch at one of the many restaurants. The Alamo and Market Square are close enough to allow you to partake in other activities as well.
Main command center in the US for space exploration. Site provides many exhibits for viewing. One of my recollections of the visit was the size of the rockets and space ship. Even with being able to see a launch to the International Space station from Cape Canaveral, you are not able to appreciate the size of these vehicles and the rocket power that must be required to launch.
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Space rockets and payloads were quite different in the late 1980`s.
John`s Comments
Houston Space Center controls all of our outer world activities
John`s Recollections
The Space Center has many of the rockets used to send man to the moon and beyond. One standout is the size of the rockets, much larger than one would expect. The Space Command center in Houston is a reminder of past space explorations.
A favorite of many snowbirds during the winter months, and during the summer months many come from Northern Texas to partake in the beach activities. Close to the Mexican border for frequent shopping excursions. South Padre Island is just a narrow slit of land off the Texas coastline where development has blossomed into a flourishing vacation destination.
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Party atmosphere for a few days with even a visit to Mexico thrown in.
John`s Comments
South Padre Island is busy during the winter snowbird season as seniors travel to enjoy the warmth and sunshine. Having Mexico as a next door neighbor
also provides an interesting diversion. This is also a well attended summer location for summer breaks for those that are looking for ocean beaches.
John`s Recollections
South Padre Island has many beaches and the hospitality of the local population is noted for their friendly atmosphere. There are
also some very large Texas size steaks and shrimps from the Gulf of Mexico. Both were sampled several times. South Padre accommodation was at that
time a place to rest several days, prior to completing our baseball visits to the original 26 major league baseball teams, at the Houston Astros ballpark.
