Texas Adventures - Part 1 Adventures in San Antonio

If you ever have the chance for an adventure through south-central Texas, here are my top picks to check out, indulge in, and learn about.  Part 1, all around San Antonio.
River walking, the Pearl, and of course the Alamo!

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Downtown San Antonio

The Riverwalk near the holidays for an added nighttime magic of Christmas lights.  The Torch of Friendship lit up in the skyline above.

Work took me there and adventure called me to explore!

San Antonio is a wonderful city of arts, culture, food, and rich colonial heritage. The Alamo for which it might be the most famous for, is an 18th-century Spanish mission preserved as a museum, marks an infamous 1836 battle for Texan independence from Mexico.  Remember the Alamo!

The Paseo del Rio or the San Antonio Riverwalk in downtown is likely the second most popular attraction. The miles-long landmark pedestrian promenade offers a cool reprieve in the summer heat and an enchanting view complete with holiday lights in the wintertime.   You can shop, dine on the patio, sit outside of a cafe, or simply enjoy the walk and take in the live mariachi music to soothe your soul.  

Check out the summer views in my Facebook post here from my July visit in the heat!
I know that it can be hard to choose from travel sites to actually figure out getting around an area, so for the Alamo and Riverwalk, here are my personal picks for the area to make your traveling easy for #reallife 👊

PARKING:  Riverbend Garage
 
As you drive into the downtown keep an eye out for the HemisFair Park’s 750-ft. Tower of the Americas (think Seattle Space Needle) that overlooks the city.  And near The Alamo, you can enjoy views of the La Antorcha de la Amistad, in English the Torch of Friendship.
 
Ready to check out areas outside of downtown?  

Pearl District and Farmers Market

If you catch it on a Saturday morning, check out the Pearl Farmers Market for a hip and local scene with fresh foods, local wares, and of course farm fresh produce!  Follow Google maps right in and you will find lots of free parking lots in the area.  

I parked in the shade of the elevated freeway overhead (behind Bike World) and crossed Avenue A at Emma Koehler street and strolled in down the old train tracks toward the Pearl Stable.  The Texas Transportation Company has a cool old train car parked there that drew in the children and I continued past into the market.  The smells, sounds, and colors quickly surrounded me!  Fresh baked Beignets reminded me of adventures past in New Orleans at Café Du Monde with my friend Jeanmarie. 
 
I enjoyed the Grackles splashing in a puddle and marveled at the architecture of the historic buildings that surrounded the plaza.  The cactus flowers were in bloom and the water fountains were greatly appreciated by the children looking to cool off.

After milling through, listening to fantastic hang music (if you've not encountered these fantastic instruments, you must check them out!), and saw all of the vendors, it was time for lunch.  What better than handmade gluten-free crepes stuffed with fresh veggies?!?

There was hardly a seat to be found as others had gotten to the lunch idea faster than I.  The heat was beyond what I am accustomed to and sweat dripped right off my brow.  Wowza!

As I exited out onto Pearl Parkway, I took the chance for an across the street selfie with the Pearl sign archway.

And now for longer-term visits outside of tourism. 


Medical Center, Morgan's Wonderland, and SA Airport

Heading into North and Northeast San Antonio is where you will arrive if you come in via their primary airport SAT.  There are lots of hotels near the airport if needed, I really loved the Hilton Garden Inn San Antonio Airport South which was just one exit down (and near a Raising Canes if you need a tasty chicken fix...).
If you are in town to visit the Medical Center district it's the center of healthcare in the region.  Our 8th-floor view from Corporate Square afforded us a great view and an excellent place to watch storms and sunsets from.

Now is time to talk about food!  The first one is right near the airport and hotel on Broadway, one that is off 410, and the other isn't a far drive and is well worth it!  Two of these have also been Guy Fieri reviewed, so you know they have some great stuff.

Beto's Alt-Mex: Fish tacos, avocado tacos, and the most incredible baked meat empanadas!  Indoor, shaded patio, and to-go!
Las Palapas: Dine-in or drive-thru, lots of San Antonio locations including two on 410.  I loved the shrimp stuffed avocado! Topo Chico is a tasty beverage to wash this all down with.
The Cove: The Buffalo Blue Burger is incredible!  This sustainable, organic, locally-sourced restaurant has a huge covered outdoor dining with playground and lots of space.

What fun!  I hope that you enjoyed Part 1 of Hill Country adventures through San Antonio, Texas, USA.


Now onto part 2 of our Texas Hill Country adventures into Gruene and on towards Fredricksburg!  Never miss out on an Adventures for #RealLife blog post, subscribe now.

Information courtesy of Echo Schneider

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Meet Echo Schneider, Chief Adventure Officer

 
Overworked, burned out, and with waning loyalty to an industry that had lost its way and was no longer true to itself.  Of course, career burnout was at an all-time high in my sector and amongst the worst in any field.  It wasn’t all even just about work, though my perfectionism often got the best of me there more than other parts of my life.  I look back and see that I was overwhelmed and questioning so many areas of my life.  Was I doing the right things? From diet to products I bought, from how I was involved in the community to time I was spending with family, and from how I was walking out my faith and showing up in a meaningful way to my world. In this craziness is where I found myself.
 
Healthcare (watch my fingers make air quotes as I say that word and use the term loosely at best) in the US had long been bought and paid for and was no longer masking their symptom management and disease maintenance focus.  It had lost its focus on health; they could give you a pill or cut you open.  But to nurture your health and foster your body’s God-given ability to heal itself, they no longer knew how to do that.  Or worse, no longer desired to be in the business of prevention and healing.
 
As so many professional people were doing in the modern economy, we, as healthcare professionals, we’re doing more with less.  Mandatory overtime, poor ergonomics, and complete lack of an environment to practice self-care were the norm.  And to make it worse?  Because of our specific industry, we added in a loss of our medical freedoms just to stay and do our jobs.  The days of job security were long gone, and I watched in fear as friends and colleagues in sectors across the board were being laid off just to help top leaders move the stock up for shareholders.  How terrifying that this could be the reward for lifelong dedication and hard work!
 
At home, it didn't feel much better.  I fought to find a non-existent work-life balance and to be present while feeling exhausted (have you ever come home from work to fall asleep on the couch and finally be awoken when your Mom calls? Tell me this isn’t just me!).  I was disappointed in myself seeing my self-care fall away, time with friends and family slipping by, and I wasn’t spending the time I wanted serving with my church family or in my community.  
 
Add to that the confusion and frustration of what should have been simple daily choices.  What foods should I be eating? Is this trendy thing something I should try?  Wait, is the product good or bad, I paid more for it, but I feel like I saw an article on them that there was a recall or they were green-washing.  So frustrating and such a time-suck trying to keep up and have the health and abundance our family deserved!  I felt like at every turn that I was running to keep up and felt like I ultimately just found more of the same lies in the name of profits, and more ways my health was ultimately paying the price, yet again.
 
How could anyone thrive in this culture when even those who were well educated and seeking out something better faced with such daunting challenges?  I know, first-world problems, but I longed to create something more, a legacy for myself and others.  To break generational chains and I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it stuck in this rat-race.
 
Set the stage for that something.  I have, for so much of my life, been interested in learning, growing, and being a student of personal development.  From an investment with top leadership development companies through their programs for years to Law of Attraction to Conscious Language and so many others, I was finding the mentorship and teaching I needed to make the changes I so desperately desired.  
 
There wasn’t an overnight shift or an immediate awareness to change, but I began to find my path slowly and as a result, was investing myself in new ways.  I was raised by a wise and visionary Mother who had shown me what it was to be an entrepreneur.  I always admired that title and was drawn to it in many ways.  As I dabbled in businesses from my youth through college and beyond, I was picking up pieces of freedom and a stage where I could work for myself to create something new.  
 
As the years went on, I kept pushing myself in that path.  I was helping others, and I was welcoming a team of like-minded friends and family to come with me.  This was possible; we were doing it!  It wasn’t easy, we were doing a side-hustle while still being full-time professionals and wives and Mothers, but we were doing it none the less.

I'm so excited to have found a platform to speak truth. To show up for others in "true health" in ways that I didn’t know could exist when I started down this path.  But I know now that we don't have to settle any longer.  Any of us, friends!  It's time to live the great adventure that you were made for.
 
Now it’s time to move beyond business beyond vocation.  Now we are building a blessing.  That has so many meanings, one being the definition of “a herd of unicorns,” in case you didn’t know.  I was given the title of ‘unicorn’ from a dear friend when she came to know me and saw what I was capable of achieving.  And now it’s my turn to see that light in you.  Join me, and together, we can create a community and movement with a vision to change it all.
 
I don't care what your background is.  What education you received growing up in business, finances, or medicine.  Those things don't matter.  We are walking a new path to freedom in all areas of our lives.
 
I'm writing a new future and destiny for myself and my family, and I won't journey alone.  A mentor taught me to carry the confidence that God has called me to rise, but I will not rise alone.
 
I'm reaching out my hand to you (don't worry, I recently used a plant-based hand sanitizer) so that you are not alone; we will do this together!  
 
You are so worthy.  
 
Your family and your dreams are worth it.  
 
Together we can do this, but you must take the first step. ðŸ‘Š

I can't wait to connect with you via text, email, or on social media!

Contact

Adventures 4 #RealLife ~ Echo Alexzander
Echo Schneider

Highlandville, MO 65669
USA
Phone: 2082415018
Email: echo.schneider@gmail.com

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