I blinked and missed it. I tried coming here. I put the address found on the Yelp page into my GPS. I didn't see any mansions. Maybe it was my Asian driving? It couldn't be. I made three passes into the area. Where were all the mansions at? My phone GPS can't be wrong! OK is a good rating for this district...Okay...where is it? Okay, are we there yet? Okay, I look for it the next time I go to San Antonio. Don't use the address on Yelp. It got me lost. Go to the King Williams Association website and print out a walking map to find this place! https://www.ourkwa.org/ read more

Beautiful old homes. And the people are so nice. I just love all the older things in that place. Wish I could live there

Pretty sure I could start a blog featuring all of the historic neighborhoods I've visited. Clearly, it's my jam. We own a registered historic home so I'm always keeping my eyes peeled for inspiration. I walked to this district from Hotel Valencia on Houston street among the riverwalk. It's an easy mile walk with shaded portions along the route. I enjoyed strolling five blocks of the neighborhood to find small wooden cottages from the 1800s to large mansions with gorgeous trees in the front yards. I feel I would have enjoyed my experience more if I could have found some signage/markers sharing the history of the neighborhood and significance of the architecture. I especially enjoyed that I was visiting the week after Fiesta- the festive decor on the porches, doors and fence made for fun photography. read more

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When you hear about San Antonio, about 90% is The Alamo, about 5% is the other Missions, 4% about whatever is going on at The Alamodome, and 1% is everything else. Amongst that unfortunately unrepresented 1% is the King William Historic District. When friends go to Old San Antone, I recommend giving at least a half-day to the district ... and even longer if the weather's favorable. It's not just houses ... its museums (in some of the houses), eateries, tons of art stores and galleries. It's the most creative, dynamic, and fun area of town. The District actually has a connection to the Alamo, as the area was part of its irrigated farmland. In the mid-1800s, German immigrants began buying land and building homes in the area. From there, it was unofficially known as "Sauerkraut Bend" ... officially the immigrants named a street (and eventually the area) in honor of King Wilhelm I of Prussia. As time went on, the generations of immigrants became the generations of the well to-do ... and so came the grandiose homes that line the streets today. There are so many INCREDIBLE homes. Sartor House, Villa Finale (a.k.a. Norton-Polk-Mathis House), Carl Wilhelm August Groos House, the J.M. and Birdie Nix House, Anton Wulff House, Steves Homestead (which has a museum in it!), Margaret Gething House (which ALSO has a museum in it!), Carl Harnisch House, Ike West House, Max Oppenheimer House, Ernst H. Altgelt House, and about a zillion others should be on your to-do list. As this being Yelp 'n all, I recommend coming to the area with an appetite. There are so many choices: The Mexican meals of Rosario's, the snack-sized fare of Big Daddy's and The Frutera, La Tuna's fish tacos and Beer Garden; and, considered by many to be the pièce de résistance, the great meals and famed brunch of The Guenther House. The King William area is also considered an art district. There's San Antonio Art League Museum right there on King William Street. The real epicenter of art is on the 1000 through 1500 blocks of S. Alamo Street: Blue Star Arts, Carlos Cortes Studio, Hello Studio, MockingBird Handprints, Zollie Glass Studio ... and a whole bunch more. It's is a district fit for a King! read more

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I love houses! This neighborhood was full of beautiful houses with interesting architecture of all shapes and sizes. While it wasn't exactly a hot day when we toured, I imagine it would provide a cool respite on a hot summer's day. read more

Breathtaking historic homes, unfortunately we didn't do our research and they are open for viewing on weekends only . However we drove and walked by them and enjoyed the architecture of each home . These historic homes are also near the end of the river walk, which is also a nice stroll through the walkway . read more

King William Historic District - Historic homes - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

King William is one of the best places to take out of towners for a unique SA experience. Solid 5 star! It is a very beautiful and charming historic neighborhood with lots of trees and old mansions. Highly recommend for a tour while in the riverwalk area. The district actually has their own fair during fiesta. I've been here for the King Williams fair which is superb. The whole neighborhood is decorated and filled with music, food, entertainment and art. It's one of the best times to showcase what it has to offer. Last week, I drove a friend who came from Cali here for a tour. She was totally pleased and took lots of pictures of these old mansions. I also came here with my dad. He absolutely loved it. Walking or biking would have been so much better than driving but we didn't have much time. It's better to go to the King Williams association website to print out a map so you don't miss anything. You can also learn more about the history behind these mansions that way. Pretty neat. Oh and don't forget about all these excellent nearby restaurants and eateries. I suppose it would be an awesome place to come see the Christmas lights also. That's deff on my to do list. A must visit for both locals and travelers alike!!! read more

King William Historic District - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Didn't feel welcome. The whole experience was awkward- from being announced to be heading to the house, to be followed around the house by the employee working there. Stay away. Save $10 and your time. read more

This is a cool area to add to your list while you are in San Antonio. You can visit the riverwalk, but this area has a lot of history. They are some interesting homes to visit. read more

Beautiful houses....it's b lien time stood still. They're so well preserved in their original state. Enjoyed the drive

This felt like the Garden District of New Orleans. Very nice, large, classical style architecture in a neighborhood that is separated from, but not far from, the city center. It's nice to walk around an take in the quiet area. read more

King William Historic District - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Beautiful neighborhood with gorgeous old mansions, easy walls from downtown corridor.

I am absolutely in love with this area. My day dream about owning a home and serving (spiked) lemonade to friends rocking themselves into a nap after supper on the porch of my historic home as we gaze at the river... But the reality is I'll take walking on the non-tourist section of the River Walk and maybe hitting up Halcyon for a coffee or brunch at the Guenther House. A stroll down any of the streets makes for a fantastic history lesson in what craftsmanship really is and a for me... A bit of jealousy of those homeowners. My favorite time of year? Fall. Enter the river near the River Authority and walk in towards downtown. Go over the dam and just let the colors melt over you. I love it here. Don't tell everybody about this, ya hear? read more

King William Historic District - FALL... in love. - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I fell in L-O-V-E with the King William area the moment I stumbled upon it. If you are visiting San Antonio and don't want to do the touristy thing (unless your crazy) and you rather see some amazing architecture and walk through old neighborhoods rich in history and boasting beautiful mansions and lawns then come to King Williams. I had the wrong perception of San Antonio from the start. I thought of chaps, spurs, rancheros and BBQ. I did tons of research on the area and looking on Yelp for things that I may be interested in. I didn't even find King Williams on Yelp. I stumbled upon it while looking for the Blue Star Art area. I ended u coming back to King Williams another time strolling through the neighborhoods that was once land belonging to the Mission San Antonio. I began to google information about this area as I was walking through it (love the iPhone) Old homes dating to the 1840's you can sense the European influence. Come to find out this area was also once called the "Sauerkraut bend". This area has a heavy German influence population. Who would of thought of Oktoberfest in San Antonio. There is. Trust me I walked in the middle of it. There are also some German Delis here as well. Here is a good link to info on the area.. http://www.kingwilliamassociation.org/neighborhood/history.htm I took so many photographs just of the homes... Speaking to a bartender at the Liberty Bar which is in the area I was told that to buy a home here is nothing insanely overpriced. I suggest visiting the Guenther House. The Guenthers were one of the earliest immigrants that built the still operating flour mill Pioneer Flour mill. Liberty Bar is another cool spot boasting amazing food, service and cocktails. The Friendly Spot restaurant/bar is also a spot of S. Alamo that has a park like atmosphere good for the kids. Blue Star art area has a few galleries. Some open some not and the main gallery is hmmmm OK. La Tuna is a little bit off the beaten track and hard to find. But good food as well.. The Jewelry Box is a cute jewelery shop with some vintage clothing and accessories and tons of novelty items. Jive Refried is also a cool little vintage boutique. read more

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Thank you, Yelpers for recommending this place. We have never seen such a nice area of the Riverwalk before. The historic homes are beautiful and some of the landscaping is fabulous, including hedge mazes and fountains. You can learn a little of the history of the homes by reading the little plaques. We walked across a bridge enjoyed a serene area of the Riverwalk we would have never known existed. All that and it is FREE! The only small downside is you might feel like a stalker staring at people's homes, people still live in these historic homes. And you will probably sweat your butt off, but that's just how it is in Texas. I want to go back during the fair! It sounds like a lot of fun! read more

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Thank you Yelp for pointing me in the direction of Guenther House and the KW Historic District! Both were definitely my favorite part of my Texas trip last year. After a very satisfying breakfast, we drove over one block to the houses. There is a map you can print out online, but I just wandered the couple of blocks that I saw, eventually crossing over the small bridge to walk a part of the Riverwalk. read more

I absolutely adore this part of town. Huge old mansions, delicious restaurants and a quiet little river. Located not too far from downtown, the King Williams Historic District is the perfect place to take a stroll, especially if you love old architecture like me. I usually eat at Guenther House (a must stop for breakfast) before starting my leisurely walk through this district. A friendly tip: if you actually want to know about this history of each house, you can visit the website listed above to print out a walking tour that will give you fun historical facts about each residence. The map will also guide you past the most impressive houses and even along the river for a bit. One of my favorite features of this neighborhood is the marble blocks alongside the roads, where people used to step down from their carriages. It is really neat to be able to see little fun bits of history still hanging around. There's also an art museum which is fun to stop into, as well as a little park. Whenever we have family come visit, I make it a point to at least drive past these gorgeous old houses after eating at Guenther. Older family members love it especially, but I like it too! read more

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Most of the time when you stand and stare at peoples' houses for long periods of time and take pictures, you're likely to be shot for casing the place. Strangely, this activity appears to be encouraged in the King Williams Historic District. There are even pamphlets at the Historical society that map out a route and specific houses you should stare at! After being reassured that this was common practice, I endeavored to try this for myself. Sure enough, I didn't come under fire and after a while was able to relax and consider some of the buildings. These are a number of (mostly) well-maintained Victorian homes: some appear to be of the Gothic variety with a few Queen Anne inspired touches. The association also apparently holds a street fair, but since this doesn't occur until April, I didn't feel like sticking around that long to check it out. read more

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The King William Historic District encompasses 25 blocks and is roughly bounded by Cesar Chavez, Alamo and Guenther Streets and the San Antonio River in San Antonio. The area was established as a residential community in the 1860's and settled by German immigrants who started arriving in the area in the 1840's. At one time the land was farmed by Mission Conception. So many beautiful Victorian houses. A nice place for a relaxed drive or stroll. The portion of the riverwalk that goes through is so gorgeous. Definitely worth a visit for bot tourists and locals. read more

A beautiful neighborhood with lots of trees for shade while walking. There's sidewalks on both sides of the roads: A+ The handful of Southtown and Blue Star businesses around the area are an easy walk as well. If you want to drive as well, there are tons of Mexican eats if you keep going south. read more

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I absolutely love this area. problem #1 is parking is a very big issue. I cant wait to bring my husband to this area for a cold one and maybe watch a game.. my spurs, my cowboys doesnt matter... just a good time ready to be had. Yesterday it was raining in San Antonio. I got there to enjoy a sushi roll I bought from HEB and was searching for a park to enjoy it in, till it started pouring. SO.. I ate it in my car after finally finding a parking space on a residential street. then i proceeded to get all of my 10,000 steps in the rain no less and walk off my lunch. Perfect way to spend the day (if it has to be alone) to be in the company of all those lovely houses. Reminded me of New Orleans. And New Orleans was the last vacay I took before starting nursing school - which is how I define happiness (anything before Nursing school) lol. Lots of bed and breakfast spots to check out, restaurants, and bars. read more

King William is a beautiful area on the south side of Downtown San Antonio. Many historic homes are located here as well the annual King William Fair held during Fiesta. Like many older neighborhoods near the epicenter of a city, King William has seen better days. However, recent resurgence of the South Town area is breathing new life into King William. More and more funky, cool, hip restaurants and shops are opening in this area. Sightseeing tours will take you through this area - it's worth it. read more

The King William District has some real history behind it! This neighborhood sits on the Mission Trail, a line of missions that go from the Alamo downtown to Espada, down on the Southside. Previously, all the land along the Mission Trail was owned by San Antonio de Valero, who controlled much of the land at the time. This neighborhood was the first suburban addition to SA. There are many old time large scale Victorian houses throughout. The annual King William Faire is a perfect time to get to know the neighborhood! The park in the center of King William has a nice gazebo, which was recently renovated, and serves as a nice small park to relax in. The San Antonio river flows through the neighborhood, and has many great bridges and waterfront land along the river which is quite beautiful. My only complaint about this neighborhood is that there aren't any places to get groceries, without going far, far away. read more

Guenther House, The Station Cafe, The Monterey, Liberty Bar - the gems encompassed by this neighborhood, besides just the neighborhood itself, help make King William an area that locals and tourists can equally enjoy. Stroll the southern more serene reach of the River Walk, lined with breathtaking historical homes and lush green gardens, before you stop off for a mimosa brunch at one of the aforementioned spots. My all-time favorite King William activity is the King William Fair during Fiesta. It's one of the more quirky and eccentric Fiesta parades, followed by a festival headquartered in the tiny King William neighborhood "square". It's definitely one of the crazier days for this quaint 'hood, but they handle the rowdiness with grace. On any other day, hop in your car or a B-Cycle and meander through the streets of King William. Besides feelings of extreme jealousy that you do not own a home there, it will make you happy! read more

Cool part of town filled with mansions, many of which seem like they've seen better days. But it's that impressive yet dilapidated state makes these mansions so charming and the neighborhood so unique. Don't know the history behind this neighborhood (was just passing through by car on the way to lunch) but it's so nice to see an emphasis on preserving historical homes and neighborhoods. read more

We stayed in the district at a B&B several years ago. There are some great little restaurants that you can walk to from most of the houses. So on our visit this time we wanted to go back and see the area again. There are some stunning homes that will make you droll. If you don't have tome to walk, take a drive down some of the streets. You will be amazed. We also went back to see the Pioneer Mills area. It's also well worth a stop read more

Beautiful area to visit in SA! Lovely neighborhood and impressive homes. Guide and walking tour well organized and enjoyable. Also walked by the river and saw a snake sunning itself! read more

You normally don't take the time to visit old homes while you're in a city such as San Antonio. You usually head for the riverwalk for food and drinks. If you're a history buff like myself this neighborhood is enchanting, by that I mean the neighborhood is unbelievably beautiful. It is full of houses that were influenced by German and Mexican cultures and built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. If you have time, take a stroll through King William st. It will definitely be worth it, I promise you. read more

Beautiful neighborhood to drive through, ride bikes through, heck, even take a long stroll through. Stunning architecture and an eclectic handful of restaurants to enjoy. Spend a Sunday afternoon and enjoy a gem of San Antonio! read more

King William Historic District - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

What an amazing part of town! King William is a really fantastic and important historic district in our fair city! The streets are lined with stately century old houses and businesses dot along offering unique SA art and culture. So many things to do, see and be a part of in King William. Take a stroll down the street, pop into one of the house museums for a tour, learn about everything from steamy political dramas in old San Antonio to which ghosts haunt which places. Stop by during King William Fair (in April during Fiesta - check their website for deets) and enjoy people, food, art, music and a whole lotta cascarones. read more

When you're tired of the River Walk and have seen all the tourists you need to see, this is the place to go. The wonderful way to spend the afternoon looking at beautiful houses and then running to the Mad Hatter fort coffee or tea and maybe a slice of cake. If you are looking for something a bit heavier, then I highly recommend you cross the river towards The Blue Star Art center visit the art stores there or rent a bike and ride to the missions. I'd skip The Blue Star Brewery and go for Stella's for both pizza and beer selections. read more

Beautiful! Start off your visit by grabbing breakfast/lunch at Guenther's (enjoy the architecture and the food :). Then, simply walk across the street and onto King William St. and enjoy the gorgeous buildings and lush foliage. My favorite part of SA so far! read more

Absolutely amazing! I'm a HUGE fan of historic homes so when I learned about the King William area, I had to check it out. I was absolutely stunned at the absolute beauty of these homes! The architectural style of each home literally felt as though I was stepping back in time. The magnificent steeples, the magestic archways, the lush grounds...oh my gosh, you really have to see these homes for yourself. You'll find yourself daydreaming about living in one of these mansions in no time! This is one stroll you wish would last a lifetime! read more

A nice walk. Loved the district. You can walk from the Riverwalk of you choose. Quiet and peaceful area. All it needs is quaint shopping, but then it wouldn't be so peaceful read more

Wow! Thanks fellow Yelpers for the suggestion. Well worth the trip. Easy enough to walk to from the hotels along the river walk. Tip. There is a historical house at the corner of King William St. And S St. Mary's that has a walking map that directs you through the area and tells you about the homes you pass by. It's a great stroll away from the crowds. read more

"Great Find" Indeed, the King William area is. However, there's another important one for which I'd be remiss if I did not mention, it's a company called "San Antonio Walks". This is the only in-depth and well done tour of the King William district. Historic areas and the homes within them are kind of our "thing". On previous trips to San Antonio we took the trolley tour of the area as King William was listed as one of the places they would cover. This was quite frankly, a joke; they are not allowed through the King William area? In fact, on King William St., you will see signs reminding buses and trolleys they are not allowed on it! Therefore, they will stop at one of the fringe streets and simply let you off to explore. The Segways (which we really weren't interested in taking but were desperate for a tour of the area) said they go through King William. Well, they certainly went through the area alright - at breakneck speed. Then, at one point we stopped on King William St. There they gave a three-minute spiel (I kid you not) and that was pretty much the King William tour informationally speaking, and at quite a hefty sum. So, as you may have noted yourself by way of yelp reviews and other review websites, most are simply left to explore the King William district on their own or perhaps grab the San Antonio Conservation Society's brochure to do a self-guided tour. The brochure was rather brief but still provided more information than the previous tours mentioned, but to call it informational would certainly be a misnomer. Our "San Antonio Walks" guide gave an in-depth, enthusiastic, well researched tour including the impactful citizens who owned the homes along with the history of the area with a great eye for architectural details; of which, we couldn't believe how many we'd missed touring the area on our own! The "Walks' guide even added some beautiful river views the other tours missed, and thereby, allowed us to see the back of homes and more close-up the servant quarters and carriage houses. This was a well thought out tour which the area deserves. We strongly recommend San Antonio Walks, you won't be disappointed nor have to go through our experiences to find something that will satisfy once and for all your cravings to see the King William district in a way you should expect it to be treated! read more

go walk around this is a very nice hidden kind of area in san antonio... no one ever told me about this area and i really like it most of the restaurants in this area are great and there a a ton of place you can stop and have a drink at... every first Friday of the month you can walk around and see local artist work read more