McAllister Park: A Mountain Biker’s Paradise in San Antonio

If you’re an avid mountain biker or just someone who enjoys the occasional hike, McAllister Park is a must-see green space in the San Antonio area. This beautifully scenic public park is filled with miles of paved trails, dirt trails, and everything in between, creating a great day of fun outdoors in the saddle of your trusty bike. While you ride, you’ll often encoutner shy white tail deer, rabbits, native birds and other wildlife in their natural habitats along the wooded trails.

There are large, grassy fields where you can have a picnic or even play a game of Frisbee, and if you’re looking for a more serious place to play, McAllister Park also contains baseball fields and soccer fields perfect for a pick-up game. The entire park is also dog friendly, so you’ll even find people walking their four-legged friends along the trails or in the small dog park in the park’s center.

McAllister Park
13102 Jones Maltsberger Road
San Antonio, TX 78247
www.sanantonio.gov

Government Canyon State Natural Area: Hike and Bike Through Diverse Terrain

San Antonio’s natural areas boast some of the most diverse landscapes in the entire country, and Government Canyon State Natural Area is a testament to this unique beauty. The park’s more than 40 miles of hiking trails twist and turn through gentle, grassy hills, rugged canyons, and thick wooded areas, and they are equipped for everything from trail running to casual hiking and mountain biking. The park even contains organized monthly hikes with themes like Explore the Canyon and Family Fun.

If you’re looking to spend a more relaxing day outdoors, Government Canyon also offers spaces for picnicking and fascinating areas for geocaching. There are also well-maintained campgrounds made for groups of any size. Perhaps most fascinating of all is the park’s prehistoric claim to fame: Government Canyon State Natural Area hosts the only known dinosaur footprints in all of Bexar County; they date back 110 million years.

Adult admission to the park is $6, and children 12 and under get in for free.

Government Canyon State Natural Area
12861 Galm Road
San Antonio, TX 78254
(210) 688-9055
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/government-canyon
www.yelp.com/biz/government-canyon-state-natural-area-san-antonio

From Produce to Peanut Brittle: Pearl Farmers Market

Pearl isn't a single restaurant or institution, but rather a collection of them along the San Antonio Riverwalk. Though the businesses are independent, they all share one common goal: to teach San Antonians to love food. That typically involves partnering with local farmers and producers to gather fresh ingredients, a practice you can participate in yourself at the weekly Pearl Farmers Market.

Each Saturday and Sunday morning, you can get some face time with the same purveyors who supply the restaurants (and Pearl's Culinary Institute of America) at the farmers market. Grab some fresh produce from Braune Farms, a fourth-generation family-owned farm. Pick up veggies from Kitchen Pride Mushrooms, a farm that spends seven weeks cultivating each mushroom. You can even snack on some locally famous peanut brittle from Ms. Chocolatier. No matter which prepared foods or fresh ingredients you collect at Pearl Farmers Market, you can rest assured that it was produced within a 150-mile radius of the market—that's Pearl's commitment to you.

Pearl Farmers Market
200 E. Grayson Street
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-7260
atpearl.com/farmers_market
www.yelp.com/biz/pearl-farmers-market-san-antonio

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch: Animals Ewe Will Want to Visit

Spend an afternoon getting up close and personal with exotic animals at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. This popular area attraction is a self-described “Texas-style African safari,” encompassing more than 400 acres of land that you can explore via car or on foot. Drive through the well-maintained paths and observe spunky zebras, giant giraffes, and leggy camels just as you would on a real African safari, and if you’re lucky, a few might even come right up to your window to say hello.

If you want to get even closer to the animals, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch offers a Petting Barnyard where you and the kids can pet friendly African Pygmy goats, llamas, and more. The Walk-A-Bout section of the park is more like a traditional zoo, with sturdy fences offering a safe but close-up view of wild birds and monkeys, while the park’s Safari Camp Grill provides a tasty meal before or after your visit.

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
26515 Natural Bridge Caverns Road
San Antonio, TX 78266
(830) 438-7400
www.wildliferanchtexas.com

Bring a Craving for Artisanal Truffles to Schakolad Chocolate Factory

Chocolate lovers in the San Antonio area love to pay a visit to Schakolad Chocolate Factory (pronounced “shaq-oh-LAD”) for sweet treats after dinner in the area. This European-style gourmet chocolate shop sells chocolates made entirely from scratch, on site. By using traditional European recipes passed down for three generations, Schakolad creates decadent chocolate truffles, rich fudges, chocolate-covered fruits, and much more. In addition to its chocolates, you can enjoy housemade ice creams on crispy waffle cones.

Inside, the shop is well decorated and inviting, containing glass display cases filled to the brim with beautiful chocolates that you can admire before making a purchase. With a convenient location right at The Vineyards in San Antonio, Schakolad makes the perfect dessert spot or even a great place to pick up a special gift!

Schakolad Chocolate Factory
1203 N Loop 1604 W
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 490-5333
www.schakolad.com/store29

Rio San Antonio Cruises: See the City from a New Point of View

The San Antonio Riverwalk serves as the focal point of downtown. On a sunny day, there's no better spot to be than strolling along its path. But even if you've visited the riverwalk a dozen times, you can see the city with fresh eyes thanks to Rio San Antonio Cruises. The boat tours actually get sightseers out on the water to explore the city from a new point of view.

Boat tours embark from various points along the riverwalk, so hop on anywhere and purchase a ticket. Your tour guide will give you insight about the various landmarks you pass by, doling out fun, informative facts to the crowd. If you're just looking for an exciting way to get around. climb aboard the Rio Taxi. It'll take you right up to the sidewalk where your favorite restaurant or museum resides. You can even charter a cruise for a big group (20 to 40 guests) and enjoy dinner, cocktails, or a private tour of the city.

Rio San Antonio Cruises
315 E. Commerce Street
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 244-5700
riosanantonio.com
www.yelp.com/biz/rio-san-antonio-cruises-san-antonio

Serenity Meets Serious Exercise at Yoga Shala in San Antonio

Did you know that the practice of yoga originated in ancient India as a way of attaining peace of mind and optimum health benefits? Yoga Shala continues in that tradition by offering a variety of yoga classes for beginning and advanced students, right here in San Antonio!

Step into Yoga Shala's serene, comfortable studio to calm, stretch, strengthen, tone, and energize with a class taught by a trained, helpful teacher who’s compassionate about guiding you through the poses. You don’t have to be able to turn yourself into a pretzel to find a class suited to your level of ability. Classes are taught in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Hatha styles of yoga, and the studio intends to create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone.

Yoga Shala of San Antonio is open 7:30 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. daily. See the Yoga Shala website for class schedules and pricing information.

Yoga Shala
18585 Sigma Road
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 496-9900
www.yogashalasa.com
www.yelp.com/biz/yoga-shala-san-antonio

Guadalupe River State Park: Hang Out While Hiking and Horseback Riding

For just $7 full-day admission, the Guadalupe River State Park — arguably the most beautiful outdoor area in all of northern San Antonio — is an affordable way to spend the day outdoors. This riverfront park is ideal for swimming, camping, hiking, and bird watching, but the Guadalupe River State Park is attraction is beloved by all types of outdoorsy locals due to its scenery and its wide variety of outdoor activities.

On warm days, visitors can cool off by tubing, swimming, or canoeing on the Guadalupe River, while avid fishers can cast off from the river’s banks. There are also 5.3 miles of equestrian trails perfect for horseback riders or adventurous mountain bikers.

Picnic tables and barbecue stations are scattered throughout the 4-mile expanse of trails, and there are different camping areas for both RVs and tents.

Guadalupe River State Park
3350 Park Road 31
Spring Branch, TX 78070
(830) 438-2656
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/guadalupe-river
www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g56702-d109498-Reviews-Guadalupe_River_State_Park-Spring_Branch_Texas.html

Canyon Springs Golf Club: Perfect Your Swing in the Company of Longhorn Cattle

Enjoy a game of golf while Texas longhorn cattle look on from a close distance at the Canyon Springs Golf Club. This is the type of golf course that you’ll only find in Texas, from its Texas Hill Country terrain to its location amidst the original Claussen Homestead. Featuring 18 holes, the Canyon Springs Golf Club course is one of the most competitive in the area, but it is also accessible enough for players of any skill level to enjoy. You’ll enjoy a view of the beautiful scenery from every part of the course, including large waterfalls in the background of the final hole.

The state-of-the-art carts are equipped with GPS systems to keep you on track, and beer and other refreshments are available from the clubhouse. Knowledgeable staff will help you to choose the perfect clubs at Canyon Springs Golf Club’s well-stocked pro shop, and the course also provides instructional classes for players of all ages.

Canyon Springs Golf Club
24405 Wilderness Oak
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 497-1770
www.canyonspringsgc.com
www.yelp.com/biz/canyon-springs-golf-club-san-antonio

Green Fields Market: Shop Fresh and Organic

If you’re a fan of organic foods and hormone-free, grass-fed meats, you’ll like Green Fields Market. Most regular patrons of Green Fields like the market’s small size, which makes it easy to find the items you want and checkout with a minimal wait. That makes Green Fields Market the perfect place to stop when you just need to pick up a few things on the way home from a long day at work. Patrons have been impressed with the cheese, meat, and dairy selection here, and say that Green Fields carries most of the more common organic food items.

Some customers have said that Green Fields Market is overpriced, but others point out their prices are in line with those of other markets selling organic foods. They acknowledge that the prices for many items are actually cheaper than at other markets. Green Fields Market is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Green Fields Market
19239 Stone Oak Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78258
(210) 495-4644
www.greenfieldsmarketonline.com
www.yelp.com/biz/green-fields-market-san-antonio

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