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San Antonio was named after St. Anthony of Padova on June 13, 1691 by a group of Spanish missionaries, and since that fateful day it has grown into one of the most dynamic and culturally rich cities in the Southwest. With a mild climate and plenty to see and do, it's a great destination for an autumn getaway, so how about spending a few days in scenic West Texas? The Westin La Cantera Resort, San Antonio is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next eight weeks, so you could be experiencing its hill country charms in no time. Located on the hilltop site of a former limestone quarry, the resort provides the perfect mix of luxurious amenities and Lone Star character. Active travelers will appreciate its two world-class golf courses, complete with driving range, pro shop, and preferred tee times for resort guests. Families may want to take advantage of the resort's complimentary shuttle to nearby Six Flags Fiesta Texas, a 200-acre amusement park with dozens of rides and shows. Of course, lovers of leisure have several outdoor swimming pools to choose from, as well as the Castle Rock Health Club & Spa, which offers a range of therapeutic massages. Dining is a delight at restaurants like Francesca's at Sunset, where inventive Southwestern cuisine is served in an atmosphere of casual elegance. The Westin La Cantera Resort is just one of dozens of Starpicks properties this week, so check the list for the destination of your dreams.
Recently in San Antonio Category
Starpick the Westin La Cantera Resort, San Antonio
Tuesday October 6, 2009
Starpick the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio
Wednesday July 1, 2009
The River Walk is one of San Antonio's most popular attractions (after the Alamo, of course), and it's not hard to figure out why. Not only is it a picturesque network of waterways lined with trendy shops, eateries, and bars, it's also a perfect place to escape the Texas heat, since it's located one story below street level. Never been to San Antonio? Here's your chance: the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio is one of this week's participating Starpicks properties, with last-minute rates of at least 20% off regular rates for stays during the next two weekends. This luxurious hotel is located right on the famous pedestrian thoroughfare, just steps from the hidden gardens and sidewalk cafes that make San Antonio one of the Lone Star State's most charming cities. Spend an afternoon taking in the sights and sounds, and then retire to the hotel to check out some of its charms. Get some exercise in the WestinWORKOUT fitness center, or indulge in a pampering spa service. And when evening falls on the city, visit the hotel's Zocca restaurant (pictured), with fine Italian cuisine and alfresco dining along the river. It's a uniquely Texan experience. New Starpicks properties are posted every Tuesday, so check the list for the latest deals.
Sampling San Antonian Specialties
Thursday June 18, 2009
As a border state, Texas food often calls upon the culinary traditions of both sides of the border. Sometimes those cuisines meld together smoothly, as in Tex-Mex — elsewhere it's a little more of a culture clash.
In San Antonio, one of the classic places to taste a little Texan innovation on the food of Mexico is Henry's Puffy Tacos. The feel of the location near the Westin Riverwalk may be a little Disneyfied, but the tacos are still tasty and the ambiance won't bother you a bit if you get a seat outside.
At home you might spot a breakfast burrito on the menu at your favorite brunch spot, but in San Antonio it's more about the breakfast taco. Taco Taco Cafe is the place. The menu boasts more than a dozen versions, but the biggest and most popular is "El Norteño," stuffed with fajitas, beans, avocado and cheese. It'll keep you full at least until dinner, possibly even longer.
In a town full of good burgers, Chris Madrid's stands out as the best. All its burgers are big, fresh and juicy, but the best known is the "macho tostada burger," a half-pounder topped with refried beans, nacho chips, onions, cheddar cheese and salsa. While it may sound like a mess, the flavor is out of this world.
Perspectives From Around the World at the San Antonio Museum of Art
Thursday March 19, 2009
You remembered the Alamo, walked the River Walk, and took in 360-degree views from the top of the Tower of the Americas. Are you finished with San Antonio? Not by a long shot. Fans of fine art should pay a visit to the San Antonio Museum of Art, which boasts one of the largest collections of classic and contemporary art in the American Southwest. Exhibits span the globe and reflect perspectives from throughout the ages, with everything from 6,000-year-old ceramic vessels from the Indus River Valley in modern day India and Pakistan to contemporary American oil paintings from the 1960's and 1970's. The museum's collection of Latin American art is particularly impressive, highlighted by works such as Mexican artist Diego Rivera's masterpiece, La Siesta (pictured), a touching portrait of a family taking a break during a busy day. Starwood has five properties in the San Diego area, including the nearby Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio.
[image via San Antonio Museum of Art]
Underground Adventures at Natural Bridge Caverns
Friday October 31, 2008Just outside of San Antonio lies a natural wonder unlike any other in Texas. Natural Bridge Caverns is the largest commercial cave in the Lone Star State, with a seemingly endless series of winding passages and rooms as large as a football field. A variety of different tours are designed to meet the needs of everyone from casual visitors who don't care to get dirty, to advanced spelunkers and adventure-seekers who crave a healthy shot of adrenaline along with their stalactites and stalagmites. The Hidden Passages Adventure Tour, for example, outfits visitors with caving gear before sending them into some of the lesser-traveled portions of the cavern to rappel, climb, crawl, and explore to a depth of 230 feet below the surface. Count me in! It also has a museum of precious stones and a historical overview of the caverns - which were discovered by a group of four students in 1960 - and even boasts a climbing tower and zipline course. Yippee! The caverns are just thirty minutes away from the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio.
Bid Starpoints for the 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four Package
Monday March 10, 2008
Signs of spring come in many forms: the chirping of birds returning from their winter homes, the emergence of buds and blossoms on long-dormant plants, and, of course, basketball madness. That's right, the NCAA Final Four is just around the corner, and basketball fans across the country are gearing up for the action. Fortunately for SPG members, moments.com (Starwood's auction site) has two 2008 NCAA Men's Final Four Packages on offer, so you just might find yourself in San Antonio, Texas for the semi-final and final games. Each package includes two tickets to both 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Semifinal Games on Saturday, April 5, 2008 and the National Championship Game on Monday, April 7, 2008. In addition to the tickets, the packages also feature two executive passes to tour the CBS broadcast facilities and a meet-and-greet with an available member of the CBS broadcast team. It's basketball heaven for any hoops fan, but bidding ends soon, so visit moments.com today to get in on the hardwood excitement. Need a place to stay while in San Antonio? Check out the Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio, the Sheraton Gunter Hotel San Antonio, or the Westin La Cantera Resort, San Antonio.
A Mud Festival on San Antonio's River Walk
Friday January 4, 2008
Ever seen a river drained of its water? Mud heaven. Each January the San Antonio River is emptied for its annual cleaning. Waterlogged cameras and cell phones are dug up and disposed of more suitably. Chairs and forks from the restaurants that line the city's famous River Walk are pulled out, never to be used again. It's a dirty chore, but in true San Antonian style, the city has made it an event to be celebrated.
This year, from January 10th to 13th, once the river flows again with clean, sparkling water, the picturesque, palm-lined promenade hosts the Michelob Ultra River Walk Mud Festival. The four day event features a Mud King and Queen who hold court over the Mud Pie Ball, and lead the Mud Parade. Fifteen thousand revelers are expected to converge on the three-mile stretch of outdoor cafes, bars, shops, craft stalls, and mariachi bands located one story below street level. From the Westin Riverwalk Hotel, step out the front door and join the fun. Or take a more placid approach and peer down at the merriment from your riverfront balcony.
Tuesday through Saturday take "La Merienda", Latin America's version of high tea. From 3:30 to 5:30 a variety of Mexican treats including coffee, hot cocoa, and cookies are served in the hotel lobby. After all, you're in San Antonio, Texas' oldest city, and home to the Alamo. Go ahead and indulge yourself on a delicious tradition.
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More Fall In Lame with San Antonio
Wednesday August 8, 2007
From "Remember the Alamo" to to the more recent "Keep San Antonio Lame," there's always been slogans in this Texas town. The latter slogan, created by artist Aaron Forland in 2005, a fixture of the local Blue Star Art Space scene, is an ironic homage to this thriving and diverse city on the river. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the stunning King William District, walking distance from the Westin Riverwalk Hotel. The District, developed in the 1870s, was the first historic neighborhood designated in the state of Texas and has many stunning examples of period architecture. A picturesque walk, as featured in the video, or specialist Westin Run alongside it, was recommended by not one, or two, but all three Westin insiders on a recent trip and I can tell you it's one you'll soon be sharing with others.
On another visit to Southtown or if you're feeling like exercising your walking shoes, do the art thing. I've made a map. While First Fridays in Southtown are well-known amongst all, the ladies at the San Angel tipped us off to Second Saturdays. From 2 to 4 pm , each second Saturday of the month, check out the extraordinary gallery of Garcia Art Glass, where you can witness a live glass blowing demonstration, grab a bite at Azuca across the street, and then stroll through some of the other studios open. If you decide to walk your Southtown adventure, have a flavored iced tea at the Mad Hatters, then get on down to the Blue Star Arts Complex. Blue Star? Yes, bordering the neighborhood is the home of "KSAL," this brewery complex, full of live/ work spaces and galleries for some of San Antonio's most independent artists with a fully operational brewery restaurant and bike store smack dap in the center. (A hotspot during Spurs season, let me tell you.)
But no trek to Southtown is complete without a pilgrimage to La Tuna, a gem of an icehouse bar. A cash only kind of place, La Tuna's beer and wine bar is nestled in a tiny shack, almost hidden by enormous cacti. Order at the counter and then rest your weary self on a picnic bench amidst a grove of 19th century pecan trees. You may have be getting close to exhaustion if you've followed the map, but don't despair, you're only a short cab ride back to the white tea scented Riverwalk, where there's always restful activities: from tantalizing Venezuelan chocolate and hojorascas (Mexican cookies) at daily La Merienda to a Spanish guitarist playing ballads on Friday and Saturday nights. Yes, let it be known: I'm in lame with San Antonio, Riverwalk style.
(with special thanks to Skip James, Edna Villanueva, and the concierge of the Westin Riverwalk)
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More History and Fun in San Antonio
Thursday June 14, 2007
San Antonio, Texas has long been popular with visitors who appreciate its perfect mix of history, culture, food, and fun. And as the Louisville Courier-Journal points out, the city's most popular tourist landmark now has plenty of competition. The Alamo has been San Antonio's top tourist spot for years. Many of the city's 21.3 million yearly visitors drop by to see the place where, in 1836, rebel Texian forces held off an assault by the army of the Republic of Mexico, led by General Santa Anna, for 13 days. Built as a mission in 1744, the Alamo is one of San Antonio's oldest landmarks. The newest is the Museo Alameda, a Smithsonian affiliate that chronicles the contributions of Latin Americans to this great city and country. Its 11 galleries house 20,000 square feet of exhibition space, and include galleries for both classic and contemporary art by Latin American artists as well as the country's finest collection of items of Latino historical significance. The museum wouldn't have been possible without a $1 million donation by Jorge Cortez (pictured), who is a part owner of the festive Mi Tierra Restaurant and Bakery across the square. The Alameda isn't the only museum in town, though. The Witte Museum turns 80 this year, and has exhibits featuring, among other things, gems, dinosaurs, and 20th century fashions. The article makes a mighty fine recommendation for San Antonio accomodations as well, noting that the Westin La Cantera Resort, San Antonio is located in beautiful hill country, and boasts championship golf courses, a spa, and fine dining.
[image via the Courier-Journal]
Rating the New Roller Coasters
Thursday May 31, 2007
Although we just covered 2007's new thrill rides, there's more. The Washington Post teamed up with Mark Cole, president of American Coaster Enthusiasts, to rate the new breed of roller coasters. The best part? They're all convenient to Starwood properties. Over at Dollywood in Tennessee, the 1811 ft. long Mystery Mine is one of the most eagerly awaited coasters of the yearand less than 30 miles away from the Four Points by Sheraton Knoxville Cumberland House. But we have to admit that we're excited about Tony Hawk's Big Spin. The skateboarder-inspired ride is designed for the family to ride together at the Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, not too far away from the Westin Riverwalk.
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