One of our most unique tourist attractions is the one and only  Riverwalk San Antonio Texas, also known as Paseo del Rio. Located in the heart of downtown, the San Antonio River flows along specialty shops and restaurants, 20 feet below street level.

Pictured below, the start of the Riverwalk taken from inside River Center Mall on the second floor. You can see the San Antonio River and a boat full of tourists as they cruise the River Walk. This is where the River Walk begins. It goes on for over two miles, while a tour guide gives you all sorts of fun facts during your cruise.

You can pay $6.50 and cruise the river or you can walk along the banks, on sidewalks. Pigeons and people are everywhere, enjoying the sights and the fabulous smells coming from the restaurants. European-style outdoor cafes line the water and are always full. The food is delicious. Restaurant prices are a little more expensive on the Riverwalk San Antonio Texas, but the food is worth it.

Parking downtown to get to the San Antonio Riverwalk can be difficult. I suggest you choose a parking lot. You can park in one for about $10 for the whole day. There are parking meters, but they are usually all taken and it is too difficult to keep running back and forth to feed the meter when you are having a good time exploring. Park in one of the lots and relax and have a good time.

The absolute best time to visit our Riverwalk San Antonio Texas is in December in the evening. Thousands of Christmas lights are strung in the trees above the water for a beautiful, shimmery effect.

Christmas carolers ride up and down the river. Other carolers stand on the banks and sing to passersby.

The first time I saw the Riverwalk, it was Christmastime and it was so magical. My children were in grade school and they loved it. We were visiting the city at the time.

Below, the Riverwalk lit up during the Christmas 2008 season. The next Christmas, we attended a dinner for pastors and wives in a hotel on the river and afterwards, a group of us went down on the river and sang Christmas carols around 10pm. The place was filled with tourists and they loved the caroling. We did the same thing the next year at Christmas.

At various times of the year, there are river parades and pageants to see. Wear good walking shoes, carry a large tote bag for your purchased items, and bring a good appetite. Bring your camera, too. You will have a great time here!

There are some great restaurants on the Riverwalk. Every January, the San Antonio River is drained and cleaned. We have a Mud Festival then!

Celebrate Mardi Gras in San Antonio!

Dyeing The River Green For St. Patrick's Day!

You should see the Riverwalk San Antonio lights up at Christmas! It is incredible...beautiful...magical with lights reflecting off the water, carolers singing on the banks, barges of tourists and shoppers riding by, waving, laughing, having fun...

Recently (December 2008), my husband, 17 year old son, 16 year old daughter, and I went down to the Christmas Riverwalk San Antonio had decorated for us. We spent the afternoon and evening down there, shopping, seeing the sites and lights, enjoying the water, and getting plenty of exercise. We walked for miles and had the best time we have ever had down there.

We ate at a great Mexican restaurant right there on the river. Mariachis came and entertained us while we ate. The lights hanging in the trees came on during our meal. Barges full of people went by waving to us. We watched visitors across the river fill up sidewalk cafes as it got later in the evening. We finally paid our check and began walking the now very crowded sidewalks.

Every restaurant, (and believe me, there are so many of them), was packed full of people, both inside and outside on the river. I was amazed at the variety of restaurants down there. Around 6pm, the crowds just come pouring down the stairs from the streets above to eat dinner. It was a little chilly as the dusk turned to night. People were snapping photos of each other and the lights everywhere.

The delicious smells were tempting and as we passed by each outdoor cafe on the sidewalk, a host or hostess was posed at each entrance, asking if we would like to eat there. Once we said yes, we were made to feel welcome and were taken good care of.

It was pleasant to sit there and watch the other visitors stroll or float by. There was an air of excitement as people hurried by with packages, trying to find the perfect place to eat after a long day of Christmas shopping.

That's me in the photo below, with the river behind me, taken in December of 2008.

The Riverwalk is marked by the streets above it, so it is hard to get lost. If you are looking for a particular street, you can easily find it and go up the stairs at the sign and find what you need downtown.

You see, the Riverwalk San Antonio has designed is below the street level. You can walk by the river for miles, avoiding city traffic and enjoying the beauty of the water. This attraction is the number two tourist destination in the state of Texas, and, guess what? It is free to walk the river. The only charge is if you ride the barges. You will have a wonderful time.

Every November after Thanksgiving, there is a holiday river parade on the San Antonio River. This is the time when the river is officially lit for Christmas.

It is usually on the Friday after Thanksgiving, traditionally known as the biggest shopping day of the year, but now known as Black Friday. Anyway, this year, 2008, the lighting of the River Walk for Christmas and the Holiday River Parade were on November 28, 2008.

The mayor, Phil Hardberger for 2008, flipped a switch, lit up the river, and the parade began. Absolutely beautiful!

122,000 twinkling lights turn the San Antonio River Walk into a magical strip, magnified by the lights' reflection in the water.
Lit barges turned into decorated floats glide by, their occupants wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. This is San Antonio at its finest.

The next day and for the next month, holiday carolers sing old, yet familiar Christmas carols in sweet harmony. Tourists and locals alike scurry up and down the sidewalk, carrying bags of Christmas treasures bought at River Center Mall and at specialty shops lining the river.

Many more ride the tour boats up and down the river while diners watch them from the many outdoor cafes. Most are in happy holiday moods, just having fun while catching the Christmas spirit.

You can buy tickets and be right on the River Walk for the lighting and parade or you can stay home and watch it on TV. This is a very popular event, but also a very crowded one. The perfect place to be for this event is in one of the River Walk hotels as a guest with a river view. You can watch the whole parade from the warm comfort of your room. It really is the best way to see the parade and avoid the crowds and the cold.

Make your hotel reservations early as the hotels tend to fill up fast for the Thanksgiving weekend, especially the best rooms with a view of the river.

The next best place to be for the Holiday River Parade is at one of the outdoor cafes. No, you cannot just walk up and sit down. For this special event, you must have a reservation. By the way, the food at these cafes is really great.

A not-so-well-known River Walk activity each year is the San Antonio Mud Festival. Each year, the San Antonio River is drained in January, right after New Year's Day. This is so it can be cleaned up. Tourists drop all sorts of goodies in it, like cameras, cell phones, jewelry, toys, and so many other things. It is amazing to see on the news each year what is dropped in there! There is also a lot of trash, not to mention a ton of waste from all of the pigeons who live along the River Walk.

Our second most popular attraction with tourists, (the Alamo being number one), the River Walk is free to enjoy for everyone, but it is important to keep it looking clean. So for about eight days each January, the water is drained and everything is cleaned out.

Instead of this being a bummer for everyone, it was decided to turn this time into another fiesta. The Michelob Ultra Riverwalk Mud Festival was created. About 15,000 people take part in each year. There is a Mud Parade, an arts and crafts show, and a big party at the end of the celebration. A Mud King and Queen contest is held. And don't forget about the Mud Coronation and also the Mud Pie Ball. Can you believe it?

It actually takes place once the river is refilled. For 2009, the river will be drained from January 2 through 9 and the Mud Festival will be held from January 8 through January 11.

If you are visiting the Alamo City the first week of January, don't worry. Everything on the River Walk, except the actual river, will still be open. Sometimes when you are walking along, shopping and eating, you tend to forget that the water is actually there. If you have a good imagination, you can picture it and pretend it is there. I encourage you to hold off your visit until after the water is back, if at all possible because it really is a beautiful place to visit. The Christmas lights will be down but the water will be back by January 9, 2009.

You have heard of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Did you know we have a San Antonio Mardi Gras on the River Walk? Yes, we do, each February. For 2009, there is an arts and crafts show from February 20 through February 22 on the River Walk extension from 10am until 11pm.

If you are a shopper, you will find all sorts of beautiful and unique souvenirs and gifts during the craft show. Get an early jump on your Christmas shopping, or plan ahead and buy birthday and other holiday gifts.

Then, on Sunday, February 22, 2009, from 3pm to 5pm, the holiday river parade is held. Thousands of people line the San Antonio River, watching beautifully decorated barges float by celebrating Mardi Gras. You will almost think that you are in New Orleans, except the parade here is on the river instead of out in the street.

Several restaurants on the River Walk hold after parties once the last barge has floated by.

Each March on St. Patrick's Day, the city dyes the San Antonio River green! Yes, when you go down to the River Walk, the water is much greener than usual for three days each year.

This year, 2009, 50 pounds of environmentally friendly green dye will be emptied into the San Antonio River on March 13 at 4PM when it officially and temporarily becomes The River Shannon every year for three days.

The St Patrick's Day River Parade will be on March 15, 2009 at 1PM. Each river parade that we have throughout the year is a fun event, exciting, entertaining, and beautiful.

Plan to eat on the river that afternoon at one of the many cafes or just stroll along and enjoy the barges going by on the dark green river. If you do plan to eat on the river during the parade, call ahead of time for reservations at the restaurant of your choice. If not, you may not be able to get in since the cafes are packed each time there is a river parade.

If you do not wish to eat during the parade, there are places along the River Walk where you can stand or even sit to watch the parade. March is still fairly cool so you should be comfortable. I suggest wearing sunscreen and a cap because the sun can be pretty strong even though it is usually not hot.

Go downtown and find good parking early and walk to your destination before the crowds slow you down.

Have fun, wear green, and bring your walking shoes and your camera. San Antonio always gives plenty of photo opportunities, especially when we dye the San Antonio River green!

There are many great San Antonio Riverwalk restaurants for you to choose from, day or night. The Riverwalk has a variety of food types guaranteed to please everyone's tastes. There is even a Starbuck's if you need some coffee or tea.

On good-weather days, you can eat outdoors on the river, watching the barges filled with people go by. If the weather is not so nice, you can eat indoors at these restaurants.

You can find steak, hamburgers, French, Mexican, Irish, Italian, Asian, barbecue, chicken, and seafood among other types of deliciously prepared feasts to enjoy. Have a quick snack, a light lunch, or a gourmet meal. The restaurants on the Riverwalk are there to make you feel important as you dine.

Enjoy mariachi music as the musicians drift from one cafe to another. The atmosphere is lively and everyone seems to be in party mode, especially after dark.

Here is a listing of some of the most popular San Antonio Riverwalk restaurants:

Acenar Mexican Food Restaurant at 146 E. Houston
Phone: 210-222-2362

Biga on the Banks at 203 S. St. Mary's #100
Phone: 210-225-0722

Boudro's at 430 E. Commerce
Phone: 210-224-8484

Casa Rio Restaurant (the one with the colorful umbrellas) at 430 E. Commerce  Phone:  210-225-6718

County Line Bar-B-Q at 111 W. Crockett #104
Phone: 210-229-1941

Dick's Last Resort at 406 Navarro
Phone: 210-224-0026

Flemings Steakhouse at 255 E. Basse Rd. Suite 200
Phone: 210-824-9463

Hard Rock Cafe at 111 West Crockett St.
Phone # 210-224-0743

Hyatt/Chaps at 123 Losoya (has a fantastic pasta bar)
Phone: 210-222-1234

Iron Cactus Mexican Grill and Margarita Bar at 200 River Walk
Phone: 210-224-9835

Jim Cullum's Landing at 123 Loyosa Street
Phone: 210-736-5109

Joe's Crab Shack/River Walk at 212 College Street Suite 100
Phone: 210-271-9981

Landry's Seafood House at 517 N. Presa St.
Phone: 210-229-1010

Little Rhein Steak House at 231 S. Alamo
Phone: 210-225-2111

Mexican Manhattan at 110 Soledad
Phone: 210-223-3913

Omni La Mansion/Las Canarias at 112 College St.
Phone: 210-518-1000

Original Mexican Restaurant at 102 W. Crockett #800
Phone: 210-224-9951

Paesanos River Walk at 111 W. Crocket #100
Phone: 210-227-2782

Paloma's River Walk at 215 Losoya
Phone: 210-212-0566

Pat O'Brien's at 121 Alamo Plaza
Phone: 210-220-1076

Rainforest Cafe at 110 E. Crockett
Phone: 210-277-6300

Rio Rio Cantina at 421 E. Commerce
Phone: 210-226-8462

Saltgrass Steak House at 502 River Walk
Phone: 210-222-9092

Schilo's at 424 E. Commerce
Phone: 210-223-6692

Texas Land & Cattle at 201 N. St. Marys
Phone: 210-222-2263

The Republic of Texas Restaurant at 526 River Walk
Phone: 210-226-6256

Waxy O'Connor's Irish Pub at 234 River Walk
Phone: 210-229-9299

Zuni Grill at 223 Losoya
Phone: 210-227-0864

No matter which one you choose, you are sure to have a great  time eating at one of the San Antonio Riverwalk restaurants.