For those died in the fur UW Husky fans who are attending the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas on Dec. 29, 2011, you're in for a real treat. I visited San Antonio for the first time about a dozen years ago, and need to return. Of course fans are there to see the University of Washington take on the Baylor Bears -- but there is plenty to see and do before and after the big game at the Alamodome. Here are some of the highlights during the holiday season:
River Walk: My favorite spot will be ablaze with more than 1.8 million twinkle lights that guide fans to the restaurants clubs, shops and galleries that line the San Antonio River. There are also hotels on the River Walk, along with river taxis that transport people to and from venues.
New Year's Eve: San Antonio hosts one of the nation's largest celebrations with six+ hours of festivities. Celebrate San Antonio is a giant street party with live music, entertainment, food, family activities and fireworks from the 750-ft. tall Tower of the Americas. It all starts at 6 PM on South Alamo Street, and admission is free.
Alamo: During the day, dive into the history of Texas at the Alamo, within easy walking distance of the Alamodome. Explore the Institute of Texan Cultures and visit the centuries-old Spanish Colonial missions, located south of downtown along the San Antonio River. And don't be surprised at how small the Alamo seems ... I was expecting it to be much larger.
Museo Alameda: This Smithsonian affiliate tells the stories of the Latino experience in the Americas. The San Antonio Museum of Art's Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art has a prized collection of Latin American art, and the nearby McNay Art Museum boasts an impressive collection of French Impressionist pieces. It's housed in a historic Spanish Colonial revival-style mansion on 23 landscaped acres.
Kid Stuff: Visit the San Antonio Children's Museum downtown, the H-E-B Science Treehouse at The Witte Museum, and the San Antonio Zoo. The latter two are both located in Brackenridge Park.
Golf: San Antonio has more than 50 courses, including golf resorts that are ranked among the best in the world. The mild South Texas winter means average temperatures in San Antonion of 65 to 42 degrees.
For more information, go to the Visit San Antonio website.
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