Restaurant Districts, City Facts, and Travel Information for San Antonio

Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio

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Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio

Nestled at the base of the San Antonio River, San Antonio is the third largest city in Texas, and home to one of the largest military centers — Fort Sam Houston, Air Force Aerospace Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks Air Force Base.  In addition to the military, the city is a major industrial, commercial and financial center for agriculture.  Manufactured goods include textiles, apparel, computerized mapping equipment, processed foods, air conditioners, aircraft parts, and beer.   The most auspicious feature of San Antonio is the tree-lined river that flows through downtown, and where the famed "RiverWalk" is located.   

San Antonio Info

• Land Area: 412 miles
• Elevation:  809 feet
• Number of parks:  Over 100
• Number of radio stations:  15 FM, 10 AM
• Number of television stations:  22
• Number of newspapers:  1 (San Antonio Express)
• Transportation:   San Antonio Int'l Airport, Stinson Municipal Airport

San Antonio Weather and Climate:

• Average daily temperature:  72 high/57 low
• Average annual rainfall:  29 inches

Distances to other Metropolitan Areas from San Antonio (in miles):

• Atlanta, GA — 861
• Boston, MA — 1739
• Chicago, IL —  1028
• Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX — 244
• Houston, TX — 187
• Las Vegas, NV — 1053
• Los Angeles, CA — 1192
• Memphis, TN — 617
• Miami, FL — 1126
• Nashville, TN — 810
• New Orleans, LA — 486
• New York, NY — 1564
• Orlando, FL — 1025
• Philadelphia, PA — 1474
• Phoenix, AZ — 831
• Rapid City, SD — 1020
• Salt Lake City, UT — 1072
• San Diego, CA — 1112
• San Jose, CA — 1433
• Washington, DC — 1342

San Antonio Safety Phone # and Major Hospitals:

• Police/Fire/Ambulance: 911
• Baptist Medical Center (210-297-7000)
• Christus Santa Rosa Health Care Corp. (210-704-2011)

San Antonio Top Tourism Draws and Seasons:

• Seasons:  All 4 seasons
• The Alamo
• San Antonio Zoo
• Riverwalk
• McNay Art Museum
• La Villita
• San Antonio Botanical Garden
• San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
• Six Flags Fiesta Texas
• San Fernando Cathedral
• Towers of the Americas
• Witte Museum
• Market Square
• SeaWorld San Antonio
• Ripley's Believe it or Not/Plaza Theater of Wax
• Yanaguana Cruises
• Japanese Tea Gardens
• Buckhorn Saloon/Museum
• HemisFair Park
• Crystal Ice Palace
• San Antonio Central Library
• San Antonio Museum of Art
• Texas Adventure
• Case Navarro State Historic Site
• Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
• McAllister Park
• Natural Bridge Caverns
• St. Mark's Episcopal Church
• IMAX Movie Theater
• Scobee Planetarium
• Texas Transportation Museum
• Alamodome

San Antonio Major Shopping Areas:

• Alamo Quarry Market
• North Star Mall
• Rolling Oaks Mall
• Ingram Park Mall
• Rivercenter Mall
• Crossroads Mall
• La Villita
• Artisan's Alley

San Antonio Major Dining Areas:

• Alamo Heights/Olmos Park
• River Walk
• North Central
• Northwest
• Downtown

San Antonio Famous Landmarks & Historic Places:

• The Alamo
• La Villita
• Spanish Governor's Palace
• The Paseo del Rio
• Hertzberg Circus Collection
• Hemisfair Plaza

San Antonio Famous Natives and Residents:

• George W. Bush, president
• Henry Cisneros, politician  (first Hispanic Mayer of a US city and Secretary of HUD)
• Keith Cash, NFL football player
• Kerry Cash, NFL football player
• Priest Holmes, NFL football player
• Cody Carolson, football player
• Shaquille O'Neal, NBA basketball player
• Carol Burnett, comedian/actress
• Joan Crawford, actress
• Paula Prentiss, actress
• Jesse James Leija, boxer
• Emilio Navaira, Tejano music singer
• Oliver North, military officer and government official
• Suzy Parker, model/actress
• Edward H. White, astronaut
• Josh Davis, Olympic Gold Medalist Swimmer
• Heloise, syndicated columnist
• Shawn Michaels, professional wrestler

Notable Moments in San Antonio History:

• 1690:   San Francisco de los Tejas was the first mission to be founded in Texas.
• 1718:  San Antonio de Valero Mission and San Antonio de Bejar Presido was founded.
• 1719:  San Jose Mission was founded.
• 1731:  Concepcion, San Francisco de la Espada, and San Juan Capistrano Missions were founded.
• 1794:  Mill outside the north wall at Mission San Jos' built to grind wheat.
• 1794:  San Antonio de Valero fully secularized, no longer a mission, and is used for military purposes.
• 1835:  San Antonio was captured by the Texans during the Texas Revolution.
• 1836:  Site of the Mexican Attack on the Alamo.
• 1840:  A group of Comanche were killed during the "Council House Fight".
• 1841:  Congress of the Republic of Texas recognizes the Catholic Church's ownership of the mission churches along the San Antonio River.
• 1842:  San Antonio was taken and briefly held by Mexicans.
• 1877:  First railroad was established.
• 1941:  Mission San Jos' declared a Texas State Historic Site and a National Historic Site.
• 1978:  Legislation signed into law by President Jimmy Carter creating San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
• 1981:  Henry Cisneros is elected the first Hispanic Mayor for a US City.

Interesting Facts about San Antonio:

• The only US city with 5 original Spanish Colonial missions within the city limits.
• One of the 10 most populous cities in the US.
• Nicknames include the "Fiesta City" and the "Alamo City."
• "Valero" Mission is more commonly called, "The Alamo."
• In 1975, the youngest golfer (Coby Orr, 5 years) recorded shot a hole-in-one on the 103 yard 5th hole at the Riverside Golf Course.
• Osama Bin Laden's brother, Salem, died in a plane crash under mysterious circumstances in 1988.
• In the 1700s, San Antonio's missions played an essential part in the colonization of the new world.  Each was its own self contained community with its own solid economy.

San Antonio Population and Demographics:

• Population — 1,172,000
• White — 70% (with 60% being Hispanic)
• Native American — >1%
• Black — 7%
• Asian — 2%
• Population 18 and under — 40%
• 65 and over — 21%
• Median age —  32 years
• Average household size — 2.77
• Median family income -- $44,329

San Antonio Colleges and Universities:

• Trinity University
• St. Mary's University
• University of the Incarnate Word
• Our Lady of the Lake University
• University of Texas at San Antonio
• San Antonio College
• St. Philips College
• Palo Alto College

San Antonio Economy & Business — Notable Employers and Industries:

• SBC Communications
• Ultramar Diamond Shamrock
• H.B. Zachry Company
• La Quinta Motor Inns
• KCI
• Genzyme
• USAA (United Service Automobile Ass'n)
• Valero Entry
• Taco Cabana
• Frost National Bank
• Southwest Research Institute
• West Teleservices
• Bill Miller Bar-B-Q
• Clarke American
• Clear Channel Communications
• Holt Company of Texas
• Kinetic Concepts
• Citicorp
• JP Morgan Chase
• Boeing Aerospace
• QBC Network
• UPS
• Wells Fargo Bank
• World Savings

San Antonio Hispanic Community Media and Churches

• Newspaper:  San Antonio Express (printed in Spanish as well as English)
• Television Stations:  KWEX
• Radio Stations:  KZDC-AM (1250), KSAH-AM (720)
• Churches:  Abundant Life Hispanic Church, Filadelfia Hispanic Baptist Church, Converse Hispanic Baptist Church, Hispanic Religious Partnership, San Fernando Cathedral, Saint Patrick's Catholic Church, Seventh Day Adventist Hispanic Church