The hiking trails at the Headwaters Sanctuary are a beautiful escape in the middle of the city…read more It's best to visit on a weekend when you don't need a university parking pass. The trails are not lighted, so come between dawn and dusk. The trailhead is located behind the baseball field. The Heritage Loop Trail is good for contemplative walking. It's level, well-mulched, and features artwork representing the Stations of the Cross. It encircles open fields and a formal garden, as well as bird and bat houses. Branching off from the Heritage Loop Trail are side trails that take you to more springs that contribute to the San Antonio River. There is a trail to the foot of the Olmos Dam. Volunteers have marked the paths to find massive heritage live oak trees, and are eradicating invasive species. The Headwaters Sanctuary brings together the spiritual and natural worlds in a unique place. You'll come away with a better appreciation for the San Antonio River and how much our city depends on groundwater and a healthy ecosystem.

Great place for a quiet weekend stroll - parking on summer weekend mornings is bountiful but it…read moremight be different during the school year. I *think* you're allowed to park here without a university permit near the softball fields. I did for a couple of hours and didn't get a ticket. I asked a couple of people on the trails and they said they *thought* it would be ok, but nobody seems to know for sure. This is a good place for a morning walk in the summer since it's so shaded. It's all crushed gravel, mulch, or dirt with hardly any inclines at all. A cheap pair of tennis shoes will suffice. 99% of the trails are shaded as you walk through the beautiful woods. The main loop trail is marked well, but once you get on the side trails, they split into separate trails that aren't marked. You won't get lost, but it's kind of confusing which trails you are on. As Stephen C stated in his tip, head left on the trail and go clockwise if you want to view the Stations of the Cross art work in chronological order - BUT be warned, because when I was there, a couple of them had wasp nests in the boxes that covered them. Don't get too close and you'll be fine - just don't rush up to them and put your face real close to view the art. Stay a good 5 feet away and make sure there's not a wasp nest in it. Check the map at the trail head and make sure you find your way to the Olmos Dam - you can get really close to it, if you walk down a little hill and get off the trail a little bit. Little Blue Hole is located toward the end of the loop trail if you started clockwise or near the beginning if you started counter-clockwise (both of these are also listed on the map at the trailhead). Total trails might be a mile long, but if you head toward Blue Hole and the Heritage Trails at Incarnate Word you can get another mile or so for your walk. To get to Blue Hole, take an immediate right on the gravel walkway from the parking lot - this is before you walk into the park and get to the trailhead - look for the bridge in my pictures. I really recommend checking out Blue Hole - it's a serene, peaceful setting and a great place for self-reflection and just being by yourself if that's what you need. This pathway will also take you to the grotto and some other paved walkways that take you onto the grounds of The Incarnate Word to some other cool spots.

In celebration of Juneteenth last year (2023), the family and I visited Heavenly Gardens and it…read morewill forever be etched in our memories! Heavenly Gardens is an award-winning public garden started and cultivated by "Papa Prevo" who has a genuine love for people and nature. The garden is roughly 2 acres and is flourishing with a variety of vegetables, fruits and flowers; created to provide the community with access to organic produce, and knowledge on how to grow their own food. We learned so much on our tour, and I was empowered to plant more when we returned home! Thank you again Papa Prevo and volunteers for the unforgettable experience. Let's support gems like these by visiting and donating!

I recently discovered this garden and plan to become a regular customer. Friendly people, excellent…read moreprices and top notch produce.

This is a public work of art in an unlikely place- under the freeway. It takes advantage of the…read moreweird spot between Theo and Malone on I-35. You have to visit this place at night, when the lights are on to appreciate this at all. It's reminiscent of the changing lights display on the east side of downtown @ 281. There are chandeliers hanging from the busy freeway above that are lit up to cast long, weird shadows. The lights and shapes change as the traffic flows overhead. It's a cool place to hang out and relax. The fixtures are all upcycled bicycle parts- gears and wheels and such. The traffic flowing overhead just adds to the effect. For maximum hypnotic effect, go to the gas station across the street and grab a 40 oz while you take in the art here. It's worth checking out, especially if you're on a bicycle. This display won the Transformative Design Award @ SXSW when it was built in 2013.

The most beautiful installation of public art in town!…read moreBicycle parts have been repurposed into chandeliers, equipped with color-changing LED lights, and suspended from the underside of I-35 above... and the results are absolutely spectacular. https://www.treehugger.com/urban-design/ballroom-luminoso-underpass-converted-bike-chandeliers-joe-oconnell-blessing-hancock.html Taco Cabana right across the access road, for ease of parking and perhaps a quick margarita on the cheap. Very close to Mission Trail, for continuing a cyclo-themed day.

Cool spot with incredible artists, tons of photo ops. There is a community of artists all around…read morethe area too. Love taking my dogs out here to snoop around & see what's been added.

Amazing artist and experience. Culture and cohesion in a medium of art that helps create unity in…read morethe art community.

I recommend checking out this cool spot in downtown SA. This public art/landmark is right next to…read moreHighway 281 along with restaurants, a church and other spots to take pictures. The lights are beautiful ranging from neon (bright) colors to mellow colors. The architecture design is beautiful as well. St.Paul's Square has benches, walls, a staircase and steps to take pictures near by.

Such a cool gateway into downtown San Antonio! This…read morepicturesque bridge underpass has been transformed by the talented artist, Bill Fitzgibbons. The artist made cool perforated metal light covers and LED lights that change color along the underside of the bridge. It's a great way to get into the downtown area- the lights do all kinds of cool patterns, designs, and an ever-changing display. Commerce St. is a one-way street, and it prevents traffic from going up Commerce on the other side of the highway that divides downtown from downtown's east side. Once you cross through the display of color, you enter into the St. Paul Square area where the Alamodome is, and some fun restaurants and bars. The artwork invites pedestrians to cross across the natural barrier of Highway 281/37- it's a cool revitalization idea to bring back the entirety of the downtown area. This display of color only goes at night, but the cool fixtures are still cool to look at during the daytime.

Every year, Windcrest homeowners light up the streets for the holidays!…read more We're talking dozens of homes participating and having holiday lights up for the season. Here you'll find some of the best light fixtures in town! Best part? It's absolutely free and open to the community! My family would always take us to see the holiday lights when we were younger, it was an annual tradition growing up. I absolutely loved it, and still do. There's so many elaborate displays, and it's different each year! Be sure to pick up a map from Windcrest's Fire Department to help map out your holiday light route. You can spend hours here just checking out these beautiful light displays! We went on a Sunday and a sweet lady informed me that we need to head out at 11 pm. Not sure if that's the case for every night!

The best Christmas Decorations in the entire Central Texas. Every year My Family and I are amazed…read moreby their pay attention to details ornaments and beautiful lights. It is a great place to drive around and enjoy the Holidays Spirit and Peace on Earth. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to bring us the best enjoyment year after year! God blessed.

I blinked and missed it. I tried coming here. I put the address found on the Yelp page into my…read moreGPS. 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/

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

This is a 12-16 wk course taught by Texas A & M agri life extension office. They operate in…read moreconjunction with San Antonio Botanical gardens. They offer this class twice a year. It always fills up & always has a waitlist. You must apply only twice a year between Jan- Feb for spring session & Aug- sept for fall. The cost is roughly $220 & includes materials.At the end of the semester & after completed volunteer hours, you will attain certification as a master gardener. I have been going three weeks so far & out of the 3 speakers, 2 have been very beneficial. Mostly taught by professors or past aggies working in the fields. Very knowledgeable people. You are given a manual with chapters that coordinate w/ syllabus. You are required to perform 50hrs of volunteer work to be completed within a year of graduation to fulfill certification requirements. Most of those hours are done in the dirt :) Refer to the picture I added, for an idea of the topics, hours & syllabus. The community of master gardeners has been very welcoming, even if I am the youngest by maybe 15 years. They also pair interns with a mentor. I think this is an incredible value at $220 & a great service to the community. Happy & excited to be intern.

These guys are total gardening nerds! They get completely geeky with their gardening- and I love…read moreit! These folks show up at all kinds of gardening shows, the Folklife Fest, farmers markets, Fiesta events, and other hip places around town to be. They show off their skills with their plants- they sometimes sell plants that they've expertly grown. They're really at these events to answer questions about your plants, and help you grow. They've been at SAWS events advocating how to grow butterfly friendly shrubs, or teaching people how xeriscaping can reduce water consumption. In all, they're really not there to sell you on things, they're there to help you grow your garden! I've approached them with pictures of bugs on my phone that have been causing problems, and they came up with the bug species, and how to get rid of them easily (A lil' soapy water! Who'd of thunk it?!) I've never tried to get educated to the level of these guys. They're horticultural black belts, as far as I'm concerned. Kudos to Bexar County Master Gardeners!