San Antonio will soon be the home to a Grand Ole Opry-style show known as San Antonio Rose LIVE. This musical ensemble will celebrate the masters of country music from the 1950s through the 1970s with a star-studded lineup of musicians. A great show for both meeting and leisure visitors, San Antonio Rose LIVE will be held at the River Walk’s historic Aztec Theatre. Built in 1926, the Aztec delights visitors with a Meso-American décor and opulent details reminiscent of its inceptive era.
The 1,003-room Grand Hyatt just opened in downtown San Antonio. Its River Walk location, adjacent to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center is a big draw for meeting and leisure visitors alike, while its soaring architecture and glass-dominated design have made for a stunning addition to the San Antonio skyline. Inside, a Latin meets contemporary art décor provides a cosmopolitan sanctuary for all guests. The Grand Hyatt features 115,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting space, much of which overlooks the famed River Walk.
The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa just broke ground in San Antonio’s lush Hill Country. The resort will offer two TPC golf courses designed by Sergio Garcia, Pete Dye and Greg Norman; a 26,000-square-foot spa; 1,002 luxurious rooms and suites; and over 140,000 square feet of unparalleled meeting space. The JW recently unveiled fully-furnished guest rooms on their beautiful oak-studded acreage to provide interested parties with a sample of what is to come.
Noted by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the country’s top golf resorts, the Westin La Cantera Resort recently announced $10 million in renovations set for completion in spring 2009. Renovations will entail new guest rooms, corridors and public spaces. The Westin La Cantera offers 508 luxurious guest rooms, including 38 villas in the exclusive Casita Village. Currently home to the Valero Texas Open, the resort tempts guests with 36 holes of championship golf, while the Castle Rock Health Club & Spa offers a calming list of treatments to unwind post-game. For meetings, there is over 39,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor function space, including a 17,000 square-foot ballroom.
Once the birth place of Pearl beer, this long-time staple of the San Antonio economy is being redeveloped into an art-filled urban village next to the River Walk. Preservations and additions are being made with great detail to the site’s historic character and incorporate the latest-available eco-friendly technology. Once complete, the Pearl Brewery will be the city’s it-spot to live, learn, shop, work and play. A few highlights will include the Culinary Institute of America’s newest campus which focuses on studying the cuisines of Latin America; the Aveda Institute and the historic Pearl Stable entertainment venue as well as a river theater adjacent to the River Walk
Built around the spring-fed San Antonio River, San Antonio’s lush and oak-studded landscape is ripe for natural immersion. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, visitors and locals enjoy 68 miles of hike and bike trails and over 11,000 acres of urban parks, including the nation’s second oldest park, San Pedro Park. Among the city’s newest endeavors, development is in progress to convert North Central San Antonio’s 311-acre Voelcker Dairy Farm into an urban oasis. This terrain of rich soil and native vegetation is home to trees that have stood since the Battle of the Alamo. Amid the parks soon-to-be trails, visitors who tread lightly will be serenaded by the songs of the region’s many species of birds. Other wildlife includes coyotes, ringtail cats and the nine-banded armadillo, among others. San Antonio’s vision to preserve its natural landscape, distinguishes the city as a place that values open spaces and a community that invests in the generations to come.
Travel to untouched San Antonio at the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, a 1,200-acre natural preserve. This unique and beautiful bird haven consists of the 600-acre Mitchell Lake; 215 acres of wetlands and ponds; and 385 acres of upland habitat. Located on the northern edge of the South Texas plains eco-region, it is not uncommon to see American White Pelicans by the hundreds resting among an assortment of water birds such as Northern Pintail, American Avocet and Green Heron. In the summertime, Painted Buntings and Orchard Orioles can be heard and seen off the porch of the beautifully restored 1910 home that is now the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center. Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.
Known as the center of the city, this prestigious area in front of San Fernando Cathedral recently unveiled a glimmering new façade with exquisite landscaping, stonework benches and five interactive fountains that can transition into stages for lively performances. This vibrant, public gathering place incorporates modern enhancements like Wi-Fi service, while preserving the rich history of San Antonio. It also provides direct access to the River Walk with a new entrance on the Plaza’s eastern edge.
On Sunday, November 16, 2008, San Antonio will be rockin’ with the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, organized by Elite Racing, Inc. With over 22,000 participants registered so far, the city is 33% ahead of the registration pace of Arizona’s inaugural Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon & ½ Marathon in 2004. The 26.2 and 13.1-mile courses will run through historic districts, across the River Walk, past eighteenth century missions and end at the Alamodome where a headliner concert and victory celebration await. While on the road to victory, participants will enjoy listening to 70 live bands for a festive feel throughout day.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon is part of a national series of seven musically-themed marathons and half-marathons produced annually by Elite Racing. For more information or to register online for the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon & ½ Marathon, please visit www.RnRsa.com.
As the rest of the nation braces for the cold of winter, San Antonio is preparing to warm visitors with a flurry of fall festivals celebrating everything from the traditions of Día de los Muertos to the region’s esteemed cuisine and vintners. It’s the perfect time to journey to this city unlike any other for a splash of color, culture and cuisine. Below is a sampling of San Antonio’s fall festivals. For more information, explore www.fallartfestivals.com.
Fotoseptiembre USA (September 1-30) is a month-long, international photography festival where dozens of exhibits are highlighted throughout the city’s top galleries, museums, art centers and in the festival’s web galleries. All exhibits are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit http://www.fotoseptiembreusa.com or www.safotofestival.com.
The European Film Festival (September 8 - 11) will present 25 films at the Palladium IMAX (IH-10W and HWY1604). Explore this modern art form as it delves into topics relevant to society’s ever-constant plight. Sponsors include the Consulates of France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Admission is free. For more details, visit the festival’s website at www.europeanfilmfestival.us.
Jazz’SAlive (September 20 - 21) presents the best of local, regional, national and international Jazz musicians with a two-day outdoor festival in San Antonio’s beautiful Travis Park. Local acts perform in the afternoon and national artists are showcased in the evening. Jazz’SAlive also hosts the Starlight Salute Gala and the Jazz’SAlive Champagne Brunch; both are at the historic St. Anthony Hotel adjacent to the park. All concerts are free and open to the public. For more information, please visit www.saparksfoundation.org.
Gardens by Moonlight (September 27), one of San Antonio’s most enchanting events, fills the fairy-tale-like Botanical Garden with live music performances and sumptuous culinary treats under the light of the fall moon. Bands include: Del Castillo, Ian McLagan & The Bump Band, Rodney Hayden, Mingo Fishtrap, The Marshall Ford Swing Band, Kris Kimura Quartet and more to be announced. Advance tickets will be available at the Garden’s web site www.sabot.org or at the gate for $20.
The International Accordion Festival (October 10-12) is a free, three-day outdoor festival in historic La Villita that celebrates diverse, squeezebox-driven traditions from all over the world. The festival also organizes special workshops by master accordionists, dance instructors and accordion makers. Open-mike sessions, food booths and plenty of dancing space make the accordion festival a wonderful opportunity for visitors to interact with these vibrant musical traditions. For more information, please visit www.internationalaccordionfestival.org.
Día De Los Muertos (November 2-3) is a mix of traditional and contemporary festivities that stem from ancestral remembrance and harvest season rituals originating with Central Mexico’s indigenous cultures. It is most often recognized by altars set up throughout the city to remember family and friends who have passed on. Many art exhibits capture this tradition as well as local carnivals and festivals. Día De Los Muertos is a mainstay of San Antonio’s folklore and a vivid expression of cultural heritage. For a list of Día De Los Muertos events, please visit www.sacalaveras.com.
The New World Wine & Food Festival (November 5-9) is a feast of spirit and sustenance that celebrates San Antonio as the culinary and cultural gateway to Latin America. Indulge in five full days of fun, food, wine and more with wine tastings, lavish events and culturally-infused fiestas. Whether your style is casual or formal, the New World Wine & Food Festival has an event to suit your taste and budget. The details of delights in store await you at www.nwwff.org.
The 14th Annual Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza (November 30 – December 6) is a week-long mariachi music festival that attracts thousands to San Antonio. Included is a mariachi-inspired art exhibit, serenades along the River Walk, workshops, mariachi competitions and a concert featuring the world renowned Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. For a complete schedule of Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza events, please visit the festival’s website, www.mariachimusic.com.
