The most historic city in Texas is refurbishing, renovating and reimagining heritage sites, old buildings and whole neighborhoods, bridging the centuries of this Lone Star treasure.
Standing at the center of San Antonio’s makeover, the Alamo Plan aims to restore the most-visited site in Texas through several stages. Major goals include preserving the 300-year-old church and the site’s oldest building, Long Barrack, as well as recapturing the battlefield footprint. The future Alamo District will include Alamo Plaza, Plaza de Valero, Alamo Promenade, Alamo Gardens and the upper and lower Paseo del Alamo leading to the city’s River Walk. The Texas Cavaliers Education Center, slated to open in 2025, will feature dedicated meeting space and classrooms as well as a terrace overlooking the gardens.
“It’s a game changer for San Antonio to have The Alamo finally presented with the world-class significance that it deserves,” said Dave Krupinski, COO, Visit San Antonio. “It encompasses not just The Alamo but the plaza, preserving the last remaining structures from the 1836 battle at The Alamo.”
The new Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, one of the staples of the project, will reside in the historic Crockett and Woolworth buildings and provide about 40,000 square feet of gallery space. The visitor center and museum, slated for a 2027 opening, will have the capacity to host a 700-person dinner and offer a terrace overlooking the city.
Historic Pearl District © Joshua Rainey | Dreamstime.com
The new 24,000-square-foot Alamo Exhibit at Ralston Family Collections Center opened last year, representing the first new construction on The Alamo grounds since the 1950s, and houses all The Alamo artifacts and collections. Groups can use the center for receptions, said Leah Thornton, director, Events & Membership, The Alamo Trust. “People can wander through two floors of exhibit space and see all kinds of different artifacts going back through our entire 300-year history.”
The Alamo is part of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park,
the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Texas. A new World Heritage Center slated to open in fall 2024 will serve as a gateway to the park and offer educational opportunities with information on the history, art and culture of the community around the missions. “It’s going to be geared not just for residents but for visitors to understand the significance of World Heritage,” Krupinski said.
Another site under redevelopment is Hemisfair, the site of the 1968 World’s Fair. Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corp. and Hemisfair Conservancy are working together to create an urban
district with residences, local businesses, unique programming and three parks: Yanaguana Garden, Civic Park (Phase II) and Tower Park (Phase III).
Civic Park recently opened and can accommodate outdoor events with up to 15,000 attendees. Also in the works, The Monarch San Antonio – A Curio Collection by Hilton Hotel with 200 rooms will debut in 2026 in the Hemisfair District. Nearby lie San Antonio’s key cultural assets including La Villita, The Alamo, River Walk and Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
New and upcoming hotels throughout the city also integrate history into their venues. Located downtown, a new Kimpton hotel will offer 347 rooms as part new-build and part adaptive reuse of an 1850s original schoolhouse.
“It’s going to focus on the combination of historic and modern, embracing more of the authenticity and the neighborhood’s creative energy,” Krupinski said. The hotel will feature more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a 5,000-square-foot ballroom.
Another property combining historical elements with modern amenities, the 353-room Plaza San Antonio Hotel & Spa recently opened and includes an on-site garden oasis bar, pool and spa.
San Antonio Hill Country © Bryan Roschetzy | Dreamstime.com
In all, almost 800 new rooms will open soon in the heart of downtown, bringing the city’s total to almost 15,000 rooms. Some will open in time for the April 8 solar eclipse, as San Antonio lies within the path of totality.
San Antonio continues to promote its arts scene with the reopening in 2025 of Alameda Theater, the nation’s largest Latino-focused performance venue, as well as a new concert hall, Stable Hall, in the historic stables of the Pearl District.
SCENIC DRIVES
San Antonio Hill Country proves an ideal region for exploration. Scenic drive options point in all directions. “Our beautiful Hill Country is one of our greatest assets,” said Visit San Antonio’s Dave Krupinski. “It really is one of the true crown jewels of Texas to have all of these beautiful historic towns, all within gorgeous scenic drives of each other.”
One prime route takes one north on I-10. The first stop, 30 minutes from San Antonio, is Boerne, home to an array of hiking and biking trails as well as Cascade Caverns with five major rooms to tour. Another 15 minutes north through the heart of Hill Country sits the town of Comfort, established in 1854, whose draws include its antique shops; historical downtown; and variety of wine tasting rooms, bars and vineyards. The 365-acre Joshua Springs Reserve offers an optional stop along the way for outdoor recreation.
Farther north, the road splits off to Fredericksburg, featuring wineries, breweries, art galleries and a taste of its German heritage. Another option is to stay on I-10 from Comfort and head to the capital of Texas Hill Country, Kerrville, on the banks of the Guadalupe River. From there you can loop back down to San Antonio through Bandera, cowboy capital of Texas.
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Jul 22, 2026The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Launches Sleepwear Collection with Eberjey
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection recently debuted an exclusive pajama collection with Eberjey, featuring a limited-edition print inspired by the sea. This marks the luxury travel brand’s first-ever sleepwear collaboration and celebrates Eberjey’s 30th anniversary.
Sponsored Content
Elevate Your Journey with TAP Air Portugal’s New Economy Prime
Exciting news ahead for TAP Air Portugal, as Portugal’s flag carrier prepares for the launch of its brand-new Economy Prime cabin, offering customers more space, additional privacy and a superior travel experience. Flights boasting the new cabin take off June 1; booking for Economy Prime is now available across all TAP channels and travel agents.
Global City Guidebook 2026
Jul 21, 2026Savor the Cities Where Street Food is All the Rage
The world’s great street food cities build daily life around sidewalk cooking, market stalls and folding tables. In these places, office workers grab lunch from the same vendors feeding students after midnight, and families gather beneath neon lights for dishes perfected across generations. The best versions keep the food fast and affordable, defining a grab- and-go lifestyle of convenient quality. Some have anchored the global street food conversation for decades, while others are bringing the same spirit with rising scenes and easier access.
Daily
Jul 21, 2026Forte Village Resort Unveiled Most Ambitious Culinary Lineup for 2026
Southern Sardinia’s Forte Village Resort recently unveiled its most ambitious culinary lineup to date for the 2026 season. New additions this season include the resort's first Chinese restaurant, MU Dim Sum; Trattoria Rocco Iannone's Cucina Naturale; and Zero KM, a new dining concept for children built around local, seasonal ingredients. Favorites return, including Ristorante da Cracco, this season reuniting Chef Carlo Cracco and longtime collaborator Chef Matteo Baronetto; the Indian restaurant; and the Celebrity Chef Nights series at Terrazza Forte Bay with an array of Michelin-starred chefs.
Sponsored Content
Why Japan Is Best Explored by Sea with Princess
Japan is a destination that rewards repeat visits because no two regions — or seasons — feel quite the same. One moment, you’re wandering through centuries-old geisha districts in Kanazawa. The next, you’re watching neon reflections dance across Tokyo streets long after midnight.
Global City Guidebook 2026
Jul 21, 2026Global City Guidebook: Virginia’s Historic Triangle
The Historic Triangle of Virginia spans three colonial towns: Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown, all situated between the York and James rivers. These three communities hold much of America’s early colonial history, with restored attractions, museums, archaeological sites, preserved buildings and battlefields detailing a long and rich history.
Capella Kyoto Hotel Debuts in Japan
Daily
Jul 20, 2026Destinations
Jul 20, 20267 Reasons to Put Belize on Your Travel List
It’s time to start dreaming of your next trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Belize with us.
Sponsored Content
Luxury Travel in Chilean Patagonia: Where Refinement Meets the Wild Edge
At the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, Los Lagos opens a landscape in constant motion. Volcanic peaks rise sharply above glacial lakes, mist moves through dense forests, and light shifts across every horizon. Here, luxury travel in Chilean Patagonia unfolds moment by moment, balancing raw energy with seamless comfort.
Daily
Jul 20, 2026London’s The Lanesborough Unveils New Experiences, Additions
The height of London’s social season is underway, and one of London’s most luxurious hotels celebrates with a collection of new experiences. From a collaboration with Cowdray Park Polo Club to a Laurent-Perrier partnership to welcome Wimbledon to the debut of Garden Room Terrace, The Lanesborough has an exciting summer lined up.
ShareThis