Congress Avenue Bridge

© f11photo / Stock.adobe.com

Tale of two cities

Austin and San Antonio are Texas gems well worth exploring

by peter greenberg

They are two Texas cities, less than 80 miles apart. But Austin and San Antonio are two wonderfully distinct experiences.

Austin

“Keep Austin Weird” has long been the unofficial motto for a city that prizes its freewheeling reputation, while its nickname of “Silicon Hills” is a nod to the mecca the sprawling state capital has become for technology companies.

Home to the University of Texas, a campus of 52,000 students, Austin has a youthful energy, which can be experienced by ambling through its pedestrian-friendly blocks of bars and hundreds of music venues.

Austin’s official city slogan is “The Live Music Capital of the World.” It offers everything from honky-tonks to electronic dance clubs, and South by Southwest (SXSW), an annual international event that originated in Austin and celebrates the convergence of tech, film, music, education and culture.

And the food? You’ll find everything from high-end sushi to artisanal barbecue to every taco variation imaginable.

Austin is home of the state’s largest outdoor restaurant, The Oasis on Lake Travis, with seating for 3,000 between its multilevel patio and indoor dining areas, and spectacular views throughout the day and evening.

Another great spot for sunset views (and bats; see “Batty bridge habitat”) is the Congress Avenue Bridge, which spans Lady Bird Lake downtown, while the city’s skyline is dominated by the 307-foot tower on the University of Texas campus and by the dome of the state Capitol, which is larger than the U.S. Capitol.

With several lakes in the Austin area, kayaking is available almost everywhere. Or rent an inner tube to gently float down one of the region’s rivers.

For indoor pursuits, the university campus has two outstanding libraries, the LBJ Presidential Library, named for the Texas native, and the Harry Ransom Center, where one of only 20 Gutenberg Bibles is on display, along with film and literary collections and artwork.

The Alamo

© dfikar / STOCK.ADOBE.COM

San Antonio

Just an hour-and-a-half drive away is the 300-year-old city of San Antonio. A truly historic place, it received a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2022 for its five Franciscan missions, the most famous of which is the Alamo, the site of a 13-day standoff during the Texas War of Independence in 1836.

You can walk or bike the out-and-back-trail to the missions, situated roughly 2.5 miles apart. Or book a guided kayak tour as the trail follows the path of the San Antonio River. From the Alamo, it’s an easy walk to the downtown River Walk, a promenade lined with restaurants, shops and public art installations.

Two-thirds of the population in San Antonio is Hispanic; the city lays claim to the largest Mexican market in the United States (of course—Texas), El Mercado, also known as Market Square. It offers everything from handmade crafts and clothing to authentic Tex-Mex food.

The city also takes pride in its German heritage. The King William neighborhood boasts architecturally elaborate homes built by prominent German merchants in the late 1880s.

Adding to the city’s international flavor are a number of restaurants with kitchens helmed by graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, which has one of its three locations here. The school itself offers several food options, including a bakery/café and its high-end Savor restaurant, which remains reasonably priced.

---