When Matt and I spent three months in Austin with Tommy we talked about making a weekend trip to San Antonio, only an hour and a half away (which in Texas terms is next door). Unfortunately, we were having such a good time in Austin, and had spent so much of the previous six months on the road, that we never got up the energy to make the trip. I say unfortunately, because I’ve regretted missing the easy opportunity to visit San Antonio ever since. This Monday I’m dreaming of that missed trip and some of the things we would have seen and done, including:
Strolling along the River Walk and enjoying its myriad small paths and public art, as well as the various neighborhoods it passes through;
Biking the twelve-mile Mission Trail and seeing the five Spanish missions that started the city, including The Alamo;
Attending a Mariachi Mass at the San Fernando Cathedral, the oldest church in Texas;
To say nothing of practicing paleontology skills (always important to Teddy) at the Witte Museum; visiting the San Antonio Zoo; and picnicking in the adjacent Brackenridge Park.
Sound enticing? Well, I’ve got some good news for all of you: Thanks to the San Antonio Visitor’s Bureau, one lucky reader will win a weekend family vacation package in San Antonio. And it’s a great one that includes some of the fun stuff I just mentioned! Here’s what I’m giving away:
Two nights at the Emily Morgan Hotel. This gorgeous hotel is right downtown across the street from The Alamo, has rooms with feather-top beds, and is named after the woman who reputedly was the inspiration for the song “The Yellow Rose of Texas.” It just doesn’t get any better than that folks.
But that’s not all – you’ll also get passes for four to the following attractions:
- Buckhorn Saloon & Museum/Texas Rangers Museum
- Enchanted Springs Ranch
- Dinosaurs Unearthed exhibit at the Witte Museum (good until September 6, 2010)
- Ripley’s Haunted Adventure
- Tomb Rider 3D
- San Antonio Zoo
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
How to enter:
I’m making it super easy to enter. Simply go to VisitSanAntonio.com and take a look around. Then come back here and leave a comment on this post sharing your Monday Dream of what you’d most like to see in San Antonio. I will choose the winner at random on May 23rd and will announce the results here. Winners will be notified by e-mail (so make sure the address you leave with your comments is valid) and will have three days to accept.
And if you’d like one extra chance to win…
Please subscribe to The Mother of All Trips using either RSS or e-mail and leave a comment on this post indicating that you’ve done so.
Please, one comment per person (unless you’re also letting me know you’ve subscribed). Anonymous and duplicate comments will not be included in the drawing. You also can’t enter if you’re related to me. See here for full contest rules.
Thanks so much to the San Antonio Vacation Experience (S.A.V.E.)
S.A.V.E. is a cooperative effort of the SACVB and local business partners to provide discounts on 28 attractions and almost 40 hotels to help visitors save money while in town. Register for access to great deals and coupon codes for popular hotels, theme parks such as Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Sea World, shopping destinations, and historic sites around the city. Sign up to receive special offers and the latest updates on San Antonio events and happenings. Or, request a SAVE brochure here, including coupons.
A list of all SAVE partners and offers can be found here.
And be sure to visit and enter on all 12 sites participating in the S.A.V.E. Summer Sweepstakes for the best chance of winning! You can see a full list of all the giveaways here. And here are the other 11 participating sites:
May 13th Mom in the City
May 18th The Q Family Adventures
May 19th Have Baby Will Travel
Good luck everyone – and happy Monday Dreaming!
I've taken with my children and those I want to take. Explore and you'll find family travel tips, information about vacation destinations, and lots of stories about our adventures! 
I want to Remember the Alamo
I’ve lived in TX for almost 2 years and I’ve visited San Antonio once. I think it holds the heart of Texas. I would love to go back. I enjoyed touring the Alamo and lazing on the Riverwalk. Want to see more of the Missions and other historic sites.
I would love to see the Alamo. My kids have always wanted to go there, and we are from Alabama…so it’s not close
And, I just subscribed via email!!! Yay, so glad I found your blog!
.-= B Smith´s last blog ..Tiny Blessings =-.
I think we will try the Ripley’s haunted adventure for sure.
My wife and I went down last year and are ready to come back down, in fact we’re probably gonna move somewhere down there before the year is out! What we missed on the last trip was the Buckhorn Museum. We really enjoyed just walking around town, checking all the people and cool stuff and sort of making plans for our next outing down there. It was a sort of blown trip due to some dental problems I was having in fact we had to leave Gruene Hall in the middle of Clay McClintons set and had to miss Delbert which really sucked!!! I did manage to at least have a nice Saturday afternoon around San Antonio just walking around with my beautiful bride!!! Really enjoyed the River Walk/cruise and finished the evening with dinner at sunset at the restaurant atop the space needle. Very beautiful!!! Would Love to do it again soon!
+1
We live in Austin and therefore have traveled quite a bit to SA over the years. That being said, the little man has never been to the zoo, so that would be our number 1 spot. The missions are a must see and the market as well! Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
.-= simone´s last blog ..Makeover Gift Card Style =-.
We will be visiting this summer and we really want to go to the Alamo.
I subscribed through email!
I’d love to visit the dinosaur exhibit. My 2 year old would LOVE it!
I’d love to see Six Flags Fiesta Texas! It’s too bad they don’t have one in Houston anymore
Subscribed by RSS.
I would love to do a River Cruise!
I subscribed via email!
We love to visit San Antonio! There is so much to do down there. We are Grandparents with four grandkids under 10. We provide the grandkids the only vacation each year, however we are now retired and can’t plan great trips. If we were to visit San Antonio now they must see the new Witte exhibit Dinosaurs Unearthed. Our favorites from past years are Zoo and Sea World.
We LOVE the Riverwalk. It’s our anniversary destination. We’ll take the kiddo w/this prize!
I would love to visit San Antonio and visit the zoo with my daughter!
Extra entry for e-mail subscription!
Would love to visit the Haunted Adventure. We were there a couple of years ago & thought my daughter was too young. She’ll be super-excited to get to go.
extra entry for e-mail subscription
Love the zoo & Fiesta Texas. I’ve never visited Enchanted Springs & would love to be able to add it to the itinerary next time!
subscribed to e-mail
Love strolling the Riverwalk. Beautiful & relaxing. I’ve heard wonderful things about the Emily Morgan. This would be a good excuse to find out for myself.
E-mail
We live about an hour and a half from SA & visit several times/year. A free stay & free admission to attractions would be WONDERFUL!!
I subscribed to your e-mail
My wife and I would love to see the Alamo and Sea World! We’ve lived in Texas for 5 years but haven’t made it to San Antonio yet!
I’d love to visit the places in this giveaway.
2nd entry -signed up for e-mail
San Antonio looks awesome. I haven’t been since I was like three and would love to take my kids to Six Flags!
I subscribed!
My boys would love the Ripley’s museum! Sound like a good time.
The kids will absolutely love this trip!
I’m now an e-mail subscriber!
I’d love to take my little cowboy to the Alamo!
I’m an email subscriber!
We would love another opportunity to visit Sea World. And daddy would like to have another Shiner Black.
Wow, I would love to bike that 12 mile mission trail! That is Beautiful!
I’d LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win this package!
extra entry: e-mail
Would love to take the kids to meander down the lazy river walk. Looks amazing and the Emily Morgan Hotel looks like a luxurious hotel for families!
Gosh – blinked and I think I missed it. It looks a lovely place to visit – better be quicker off the mark next time
.-= Heather on her travels´s last blog ..Tiny Campsites guide of Great Britain by Dixe Wills – review and giveaway =-.
OMG I wanna see EVERYTHING! SeaWorld, Six Flags, Schlitterbahn, The Alamo, Towers of America, and of course their mall. I also have to visit Hard Rock Cafe if I’m going to go!
Can’t wait to go back to San Antonio and spend more time checking out all the missions – not just the Alamo. Would also love to take in a Spurs game and a twilight carriage ride along the River Walk.
I would LOVE to take my family to Sea World San Antonio! I have loved reading about all the wonderful kid friendly things to do in San Antonio….I had no idea there were so many family activities!!!
I subscribed by email
mainlandmama at gmail dot com
I would love to go and spend time in Texas for leisure fun! I have been to Houston but we were there for work. So we did not have much down time to enjoy. I would love to see Riverwalk and really soak it all in. Thanks for the chance!
My daughter was asking just the other day if we could go to the zoo this summer.
bonus: e-mail
Six Flags! But Ripley’s Haunted Adventure sounds cool, too.