With such a long and storied history, there are bound to also be misconceptions about San Antonio. MySA asked readers to tell us what people frequently get wrong about the city, and they didn’t disappoint.
There are a lot of rumors and expectations about the Alamo. One commenter said some visitors go there and it’s “smaller than they imagined” — true, although the massive Alamo Plan, a multi-year addition and update to the historic site, is creating more to see. However, for people exploring the history of San Antonio’s missions, one commenter said some visittors from out of town don’t know that the Alamo isn’t the only one. To the contrary, Missions Concepcion, San Jose, Espada and San Juan are all equally historic, preserved and still hosting mass.
But one big rumor looms over the attraction still. Stemming from the 1985 movie Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, some people believe that the Alamo has a basement. That isn’t true. However, the Alamo does currently have Pee-wee’s bicycle, but it’s on display where all can see it.
The River Walk is San Antonio’s most famous tourist attraction, aside from the Alamo. But some will make the mistake of assuming that the San Antonio River naturally flows through downtown in such a neat and organized fashion. One commenter noted that the famous location is man-made, and they’d be right. While the San Antonio River itself is a natural waterway, the River Walk was built in between 1939 and 1941 as an attempt to alleviate flooding in the city after a devastating one in 1921. It helps to control water flow in the heart of the city but is now known for its massive margaritas — just don’t jump in.
Whoever told you that San Antonio has nice weather must be from Death Valley, because that’s an understatement if we’ve ever heard one. A commenter wrote, “They say the weather is beautiful here and people are friendly. I guess they never drove loop 410?” Well, we still think San Antonio is full of hospitality, although our driving habits may not give off that vibe.
A constant narrative amongst locals is the idea that San Antonio is boring. However, one commenter said “F That! We have so many attractions, fine dining, art, music venues… you just have to look. Go Spurs Go!” Another said people who think that way should “treat it like the job market. Its not what you know, its who you know.” That means looking past the typical attractions and major shopping centers to find the hidden gems run by locals, for locals. That’s not to say that it doesn’t lack in some areas, but San Antonio has a large night market scene, a bustling bar scene and much more to explore for those looking to find it.
Speaking of things to do, one commenter said that because San Antonio is among the largest cities in the U.S. “and really spread out,” you should be able to find something. In fact, San Antonio is currently estimated to be the No. 6 city in the U.S. by population in city proper. But that doesn’t mean that the Alamo City always feels that big — one commenter said “San Antonio is small in the sense of everybody knows everyone. Regardless of what side of town you’re at, you’re bound to always bump into someone you know (unplanned [of course]) at a restaurant or [H-E-B]! Can’t tell you how many times this has happened to me and other SA natives!” Truly, there’s always something connecting us in San Antonio, and it feels less like living in the same massive place and more like being part of a small club.