End of the Line

March 2024

Photos by Jimmy Jacobs

When you are in south-central Texas chasing Guadalupe bass, at some point when you’re off the water, a trip into San Antonio can put you on another waterway. Visiting the San Antonio River Walk is worth the effort.

Back in the 1920s, city officials conceived the idea of creating a promenade along the San Antonio River in the downtown area. However, it was not until the San Antonio River Authority was formed in 1937 to control flooding along that waterway that the idea began to gel. Construction was thus begun in 1939.

In March of 1941 architect Robert Hugman collaborated with developer Jack White to make the River Walk more than just a walking path. In 1968 the planning for the World’s Fair in that city was the next catalyst, which led to the adding of restaurants and hotels along the River Walk.

Finally, in 1998, a 13-mile expansion added the Museum and Mission Reaches to the project. Today it is a full-service entertainment center featuring water side dining and hotels with balconies overlooking the river. Additionally, there’s an amphitheater, water taxi tours, historical sculpture and even an island on which you can get married!

While you are there, it is an easy walk to reach the nearby historic Alamo, where you can delve into the history of the Texas war for independence and lore of Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett and the rest of the defenders of the old mission.