Notes

River Walk
Millions of people visit the River Walk each year to enjoy this unusual urban sanctuary that winds along the San Antonio river. A different world one story below the bustling street level.Walk, shop, dine, and enjoy the hospitality of our world-renowned urban waterway.
Hop aboard a river taxi and discover for yourself why millions visit every year.


The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río or simply as the River Walk) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of San Antonio, Texas, USA. Lined by bars, shops, restaurants, nature, and public art, the River Walk is an important part of the city's urban fabric and a tourist attraction in its own right.

The River Walk is a successful special-case pedestrian street, one level down from the automobile street. The River Walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting the major tourist draws from the Shops at Rivercenter, to the Arneson River Theatre, to Marriage Island, to La Villita, to HemisFair Park, to the Tower Life Building, to the San Antonio Museum of Art, to the Pearl and the city's five Spanish colonial missions, which have been named a World Heritage Site, including the Alamo. During the annual springtime Fiesta San Antonio, the River Parade features flowery floats that float down the river.

In September 1921, a disastrous flood along the San Antonio River took 50 lives.[1] Plans were then developed for flood control of the river. Among the plans was to build an upstream dam (Olmos Dam) and bypass a prominent bend of the river in the Downtown area (between present day Houston Street and Villita Parkway), then to pave over the bend, and create a storm sewer.

Work began on the Olmos Dam and bypass channel in 1926; however, the San Antonio Conservation Society successfully protested the paved sewer option. No major plans came into play until 1929, when San Antonio native and architect Robert Hugman submitted his plans for what would become the River Walk. Although many have been involved in development of the site, the leadership of former mayor Jack White was instrumental in passage of a bond issue that raised funds to empower the 1938 “San Antonio River Beautification Project”, which began the evolution of the site into the present 2.5-mile-long River Walk.

Hugman endorsed the bypass channel idea (which would be completed later that year) but, instead of paving over the bend, Hugman suggested 1) a flood gate at the northern (upstream) end of the bend; 2) a small dam at the southern (downstream) end of the bend; and 3) a Tainter gate in the channel to regulate flow. The bend would then be surrounded by commercial development, which he titled "The Shops of Aragon and Romula". Hugman went as far as to maintain his architect's office along the bend.


The River Walk across from the Rainforest Cafe
Hugman's plan was initially not well-received – the area was noted for being dangerous. At one point, it was declared off-limits to military personnel. People were warned of the threat of being "drowned like a rat" should the river flood. However, over the next decade support for commercial development of the river bend grew, and crucial funding came in 1939 under the WPA which resulted in the initial construction of a network of some 17,000 feet (5,200 m) of walkways, about twenty bridges, and extensive plantings including some of the bald cypress (others are several hundred years old) whose branches stretch up to ten stories and are visible from street level.

Hugman's persistence paid off; he was named project architect. His plan would be put to the test in 1946, when another major flood threatened Downtown San Antonio, but the Olmos Dam and bypass channel minimized the area damage. Casa Rio, a landmark River Walk restaurant, became the first restaurant in the area in 1946, opening next door to Hugman's office.


San Antonio River Walk at West Market Street between the Westin Hotel and the Alamodome
Through the following decades the network has been improved and extended. The first major extension of the Riverwalk was constructed by the joint venture of two general contractors Darragh & Lyda Inc. and H. A. Lott Inc. to Tower of the Americas as part of HemisFair '68. The expansion extended the Riverwalk beyond its natural banks at the horseshoe bend to the new convention center and theater by excavating much of the block bordered by Commerce, Bowie, Market and Alamo Streets. That was also the year the Hilton Palacio del Rio was built, the first of many downtown hotels that leverage their slice of urban "riverfront." A subsequent major expansion opened in 1988 that extended a branch from the 1968 extension to create a lagoon at the new Rivercenter Mall and the Marriott Rivercenter Hotel.

In 1981 the Hyatt Regency San Antonio opened with a new pedestrian connector that linked Alamo Plaza to the River Walk with concrete waterfalls, waterways and indigenous landscaping. Known as the Paseo del Alamo, this river "extension" actually flows from Alamo Plaza into the San Antonio River through the atrium of the hotel. This connector not only allows the hotel to market itself as being on Alamo Plaza and on the River Walk, but it provides the city with an urban park that connects the city's two largest tourist attractions.

Many downtown buildings like the Casino Club Building have street entrances and separate river entrances one level below. This separates the automotive service grid (for delivery and emergency vehicles) and pedestrian traffic below, and creating an intricate network of bridges, walkways, and old staircases. The San Antonio Spurs had their five NBA Championship victory parades/cruises along the river.

Growth and expansion[edit]

Landing for the San Antonio Museum of Art on the Museum Reach extension
Expansion plans are planned for areas of the river north and south of Downtown. As chain restaurants and establishments have begun to flourish, now taking up about a third of commercial space, talk has begun at City Hall about limiting their existence on the River Walk and keeping a distinctively local flair. On May 30, 2009 the city opened the $72 million Museum Reach.[2] The Museum Reach features local attractions such as the San Antonio Museum of Art and The Pearl Brewery, which has become one of the most popular areas for locals.[3][4]

Two years later, in May 2011, the River Walk was extended by several miles to extend from Downtown to Mission Espada which is on the city's south side. This addition (named the "Mission Reach") is notable for its emphasis on ecological controls and improvements, as well as trail improvements to support both hiking and biking.[5] The Mission Reach has paddling trails[6] and biking trails which allow tourists to experience the UNESCO World Heritage Missions.[7][8]

The River Walk has inspired similar projects in other cities, such as the Little Sugar Creek Greenway in Charlotte, North Carolina,[9] the Cherry Creek Greenway in Denver, Colorado,[10] and the Santa Lucía Riverwalk in Monterrey, Mexico.[11]

After years of murmuring from locals and tourists about the water's quality, talk has also begun about cleaning up the water, although the muddy bottom and silt deposits make this difficult.[12] The muddy bottom does receive an annual cleaning during the Mud Festival.[13]

In early 2016, for the first time in its history, the River Walk was connected with another linear urban walkway, the San Pedro Creek Greenway. The greenway joins with the River Walk at the confluence of the San Pedro Creek and the San Antonio River near Mission Concepción.






EASTER CELEBRATIONS ON THE RIVER WALK
April 8th & 15th

Location: San Antonio River Walk
Dave & Buster's, April 8

Rainforest Cafe, April 8 & 169996



San Antonio River Walk
The San Antonio River Walk is a verdant oasis of cypress-lined paved paths, arched stone bridges and lush landscapes. It gently winds through the city center, providing millions of visitors each year with easy access to the city’s cultural hot spots, historic sites and other attractions.

Just steps from the River Walk is Main Plaza - “the heart of the city.”
Downtown
storyPic_riverwalk-downtown.jpgThe San Antonio River symbolizes the heart and soul of the city. Hundreds of years ago, the river was a gathering place for Native Americans. The first civilian Spanish settlers built their homes here in the 1700s. In the late 1920s, the San Antonio Conservation Society, local government officials and business leaders realized what an asset the river could be to the growing city. Architect Robert H. H. Hugman developed River Walk plans that eventually led to construction of a 21-block section from Nueva to Lexington, completed in March of 1941, just in time for Fiesta. The project transformed downtown through beautification, preservation and flood control.

Further revitalization took place in advance of Hemisfair ‘68, the world’s fair held in San Antonio to celebrate the city’s 250th anniversary. New hotels were built and older buildings were renovated. The River Walk was extended from South Alamo Street to the convention center. Passenger river barges began operating for sightseeing tours and dining. The River Walk received national attention and set the stage for what has become one of the state’s top visitor destinations.

Today, in addition to river barge cruisers, visitors can tour the River Walk by bike using the city's bike share program, B-Cycle. With more than 50 stations throughout downtown, you can tour on two wheels through both the Museum and Mission Reach. And if you are looking for a more adventurous way to tour, visitors can now kayak through the Mission Reach and South Town area of the River Walk.

River Walk News


Something new is always happening along the tree-lined banks of the San Antonio River. To help you stay up-to-date on fun things to do, the best times to visit, where to stay and other helpful info, we’ve compiled a few news articles that offer an insider’s perspective on the River Walk and surrounding areas. So forget the guidebook, and take a page or two from the experts.

USA Today Travel


Get professional tips on the best attractions, museums, art galleries, music, hotels, restaurants and entertainment nestled along the River Walk.

Discover America

Read about some of the prettiest spots on the River Walk and the hotels, restaurants and spas around them.

Southern Living

Let Southern Living’s resident expert give you an inside scoop on the River Walk’s best attractions and more.

Los Angeles Times, Travel

The River Walk expands from 3 to 13 miles and local businesses boom, but the historic charm of the area’s early days still remains.


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RIO SAN ANTONIO CRUISES

A 35-minute narrated history of the beautiful San Antonio River Walk. Dinner cruises and private tours are also available!

Our individual fares are:
$10.00 – General Admission
$8.00 – Bexar County Residents
$4.00 – Children (1-5 years)
$7.00 – Senior Citizens (60 & older) & United States Military
All prices are tax inclusive. Discount prices require picture ID.

$10.00 - One way taxi downtown

$12.00 - One day pass taxi downtown

$25.00 - Three day pass taxi downtown

$12.00 - One day pass taxi museum

$25.00 - Three day pass taxi museum

$16.00 - One day pass taxi combo

$175.00 per hour - Charter Peak Hours

$150.00 per hour - Charter Non Peak Hours

Hours of Operation:
Open Daily from 9:00 AM – no earlier than 9:00 PM., often later to keep customers happy.
Group rates are available. We offer a 10% discount on ticket purchases over 25.





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