Parks And Gardens
All Images, Reviews and Maps Courtesy of Google Maps and the Respective Owners.
San Antonio Botanical Garden
555 Funston Pl, San Antonio, TX 78209, United States
+ 1210-536-1400
Texas Plants Are Actually Cool
I never paid attention to native plants before. I figured they were just weeds. Wrong again.
The Texas section showed me plants that have been here forever. Bluebonnets, yeah, but also these amazing grasses that move like water in the wind. Desert plants that look like art. Wildflowers in colors that make you stop walking.
These plants survive everything. Heat, drought, storms, ice. They’re tougher than most people I know. And they’re beautiful. Really beautiful.
I’m thinking about redoing my yard now. Why fight with plants that hate Texas weather when I could have ones that love it?
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Japanese Tea Garden
3853 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78212, United States
+ 1 210-559-3148
The Stuff That Actually Matters
Forget everything you think you know about “fancy” gardens. Japanese tea gardens aren’t trying to impress you with exotic flowers or perfect lawns that look like they belong on a golf course. Instead, they work with simple things – water, stones, plants that look good year-round, and plenty of space to let your mind wander.
The water is probably the most important part. It might be a small pond where you can watch fish swim in lazy circles, or a tiny stream that babbles just loud enough to drown out traffic noise. Either way, it does something to your nervous system. Scientists probably have fancy names for it, but I just know it works.
Then there are the stone lanterns scattered along the paths. Originally, people lit these for evening tea ceremonies, but now they’re like little anchors that make you feel grounded. When they’re lit at dusk, they turn the whole garden into something from a fairy tale.
Yanaguana Garden at Hemisfair
434 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205, United States
+1 210-709-4750
From World’s Fair to Kids’ Paradise
Here’s something wild – you’re literally playing where the 1968 World’s Fair happened. Back then, people came from all over the world to see what the future might look like. Fast forward to today, and the future turned out to be kids splashing around in fountains and parents actually enjoying themselves at a playground.
The old playground from the 1970s? Gone. In 2015, they tore it down and built something that would make any parent do a happy dance. And trust me, after you’ve been to enough sad, boring playgrounds, you’ll understand why this place is such a big deal.
Cathedral Rock Park
8002 Grissom Rd, San Antonio, TX 78251, United States
+1 210-207-7275
Your Kids Will Actually Want to Go
This is rare, but Cathedral Rock Park is one of those places where kids don’t immediately ask “When are we leaving?” The playground is decent, but the real magic happens when they start exploring the rocks.
My friend’s daughter spent an entire afternoon looking for fossils in the limestone. She didn’t find any ancient dinosaurs, but she was convinced she was going to discover something amazing. That’s the kind of place this is – it makes you feel like an explorer.
Confluence Park
310 W Mitchell St, San Antonio, TX 78204, United States
+1 210-224-2694
More Than Just Water Fun
While the rivers are the main attraction, Confluence Park offers plenty of other activities. The park connects to several other green spaces nearby, including Commons Park, City of Cuernavaca Park, and Centennial Park. This means you can walk for miles along riverside trails, perfect for jogging, biking, or just taking a leisurely stroll.
If you’re bringing kids, they’ll love the nearby playground areas and open spaces for running around. There are also baseball and soccer fields, plus a dog park if you’re traveling with your furry friends.