Highlights of San Antonio

LaVillita is a delightful historic village on the edge of downtown San Antonio, and only a few blocks from our B&B. It’s an arts and crafts community set in small, charming old buildings. It’s worth a stroll through the area. One shop we found particularly intriquing was Monte Wade Fine Arts. Many excellent art pieces and uniquely designed furniture items. The “steel art” of metal artist Frank Seckler was extraordinary. His accessory tables were beautifully designed and bore many-colored patinas.

Southwest School of Art & Craft
Located on the River Walk, north of the downtown cafes and shops, is this absolutely charming campus for what is now the Southwest School of Art & Craft. What we found most interesting is that it was originally an Ursuline convent and San Antonio’s first school for girls. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, listed as one of the outstanding examples of French architecture in the country. No admission and you can wander the building, courtyards and grounds at your leisure.

Our favorite places on this trip included this former Ursuline convent school, the Guenther House and the River Walk. But on the next trip, we would likely tour the Alamo (in the downtown area) and the 9-mile Mission Trail which starts at the Alamo, heading south visiting four missions built in the 1700s. But there just was not enough time on this trip.

NEXT STOP: A New Perspective on Kansas City

TIP: We also visited the Mercado or Market Square as well. Ate at Mi Tierra with my San Antonio friend, Estelle. It is very much like an authentic restaurant in Mexico. It was fun, inexpensive ($34 for three of us) and tasty. We enjoyed the strolling mariachi band that played tableside. But if you’ve ever been to Nogales, Tijuana or other near-border Mexican town, you may want to skip shopping in the Mercado.