PICTURE PERFECT SAN ANTONIO: A TRAVEL GUIDE

Exploring the San Antonio Botanical Gardens

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the farmers market in the Historic Pearl District was in full swing. Kids playing in the nearby fountains filling the courtyard with laughter and joy. A band started to play in the distance and like many others I paused and turned my head in their direction. To the locals walking around me it was just another beautiful Sunday in San Antonio, but to me it was one of those magical moments that makes travelling and discovering new places so wonderful.

It was only last year that San Antonio commemorated its Tricentennial. In true ‘larger than life’ Texas style the city celebrated their Mexican-American heritage with a yearlong fiesta. And why not? San Antonio is a city on the rise with a lot to celebrate! Not only is it the 7th largest city in the US but it’s also the fastest growing. It is a city that in recent years has seen a boom in economic investment and has poured lots of energy into redeveloping not only the downtown core but its surrounding neighbourhoods like the Pearl District. Today San Antonio is beating out every other major Texas city including Houston, Dallas and Austin for ‘most visited city’ and after spending a long weekend in San Antonio, I can see why.

It’s hard to pinpoint the moment during my trip that was the tipping point where I went from ‘liking’ to ‘loving’ San Antonio so I am not even going to try. We all know that when travelling there is no one draw to a destination – maybe you are a foodie who is also an adrenalin junkie or maybe you love history and are in desperate need of some sunshine and hot weather. Whatever your style or desire, San Antonio offers something for everyone and to prove it, I have put together a list of all my favourite discoveries from my recent trip!


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- BEST PLACES TO EAT IN SAN ANTONIO -

Rib Eye at Botika in the Historic Pearl District

Botika - Calling all foodies! This Peruvian, Chinese and Japanese fusion restaurant in the Pearl District was THE MOST delicious meal that I had while in San Antonio. Having never tried a fusion of cuisine like this before, I was not sure what to expect. Chef Geronimo Lopez surprised me with his uniquely crafted dishes enhanced by spectacular flavour combinations. The restaurant itself is spacious, trendy, and was quite packed on Friday night when we went. I will never forget the evening’s special of squid ink risotto with seared scallops, ahi Amarillo aioli and calamari. Even though it was originally ordered for the table, I couldn’t help myself from gobbling up the lion’s share it was just so good!

The evening’s special - a squid ink risotto with seared scallops, ahi Amarillo aioli and calamari.

Farmers Market at The Historic Pearl District - If you don’t want to just experience the city but actually get a real feel for what local life is like, head to The Historic Pearl District Farmers Market on Saturdays and Sundays. Vendors of all varieties flock to the Pearl District to show off some of Texas’ finest artisan products, freshly baked goods, and fresh produce. It is a great spot for families to take their kids and also a foodie wonderland for adults. I would recommend tying a couple hours here with weekend brunch plans in the Historic Pearl District as a lot of the restaurants are housed in gorgeous partially-resorted and redeveloped old spaces – a major draw of this part of town.


- PLAY -

Tejas Rodeo – What’s a trip to Texas without a little country music, tailgating, and a whole lot of bull riding? Incomplete, that’s what! Although considered one of the smaller rodeos in the San Antonio area, Tejas is definitely one of the best for an intimate and casual Texas cowboy experience. As a long-standing sport in Texas, bull riding is very much ingrained in San Antonio’s culture, and you don’t have to be a cowboy/girl to appreciate it. I was so surprised to see kids as young as 4 jump on the mechanical bull outside the arena and give it their all! And when I witnessed ‘Mutton Bustin’ (when little kids ride sheep into the middle of the arena and try not to fall off) I was instantly mesmerized by how even though there are rough parts to the sport , the whole experience is intended to be fun and playful.

Market Square - If you want to see how San Antonians celebrate their Mexican heritage you have to head to Market Square – the largest Mexican market in the US. The plaza that makes up Market Square features numerous specialty shops, restaurants, produce stands, and vendors. The area is entirely pedestrian-friendly and the pathways are lined with ‘papel picado’ flags which add further charm. Musicians, performers, and artists can also be found entertaining visitors who most likely are also enjoying delicious Mexican sweets like warm chocolate-filled churros!


- LEARN -

Mission San Jose  - So by now you may have figured out that what makes San Antonio so different from its other Texas counterparts is its Spanish heritage. Part of the draw to visit San Antonio is there 5 Missions. Although all beautiful, the one that caught my eye was the Mission San Jose, rightfully known as the "Queen of the Missions”.  The mission itself is gorgeous and features old stone archways, rusted iron gates, and sprawling grounds. Although I didn’t get too much time to explore the area I still thought The Mission San José was a beautiful place to visit, take photos and learn about how the city came to be.

San Antonio River Walk - Arguable one of the biggest draws to San Antonio is it’s Riverwalk. Considered a city park, the River Walk is actually a connection of waterways (originally a serpentine river the city was established beside) that link many surrounding neighbourhoods to downtown. Charming foot bridges and flagstone pathways provide easy pedestrian access to the numerous bars, restaurants, hotels, and stores that line the River Walk making it a fun afternoon activity and a great place to grab some drinks with friends.

Hanging along the Riverwalk in San Antonio


- STAY -

I love the Spanish inspired interiors of Hotel Valencia

Hotel Valencia - Really it should be called ‘Hacienda Valencia’ because they really know how to make you feel right at home (I literally walked around in my bathrobe in the morning LOL). This beautiful Spanish inspired hotel was the first luxury boutique hotel built in San Antonio 16 years ago. The hotel features 213 spacious and contemporary rooms, has Spanish guitar in the lobby Wednesday to Saturday, and has a delicious Argentinian restaurant with gorgeous terrace views of the River Walk. Wifi is complimentary with you stay as well as the morning coffee and pastry bar in the lobby (hence walking around in my bathrobe). Although they do not have a spa they can arrange in room massages and facials.  It also happens to be right in the action, nestled against the San Antonio Riverwalk making it the perfect place to stay downtown.


- RELAX -

Exploring the San Antonio Botanical Gardens

San Antonio Botanical Gardens - Perhaps not the first place you would think of when planning a trip to San Antonio but definitely a great one if you are interested in getting outside, enjoying some green space or even trying your hand at one of my favourite activities – photography! Prior to arriving I fully scoped out the Botanical Gardens on Instagram and became so obsessed with the idea of taking photos there I even planned an outfit ahead of time. They have a couple of enclosed gardens you can explore in addition to what’s outdoors, so there are lots of pretty photo opportunities to be had. In the end I walked away with one of my favourite fashion photos from the whole trip!

San Antonio: The Saga - One FREE activity I had planned to do while in San Antonio was check out renowned French Artist, Xavier de Richemont’s captivating video art installation on the facade of the San Fernando Cathedral. I had seen a glimpse of the show online and was dying to experience it live while in town. Although I did make it to the square in time for the show there were some technical issues with the projectors that night and the show was unable to go on. I would still highly recommend trying to go see it as it looks like a great evening activity, especially if you have an appreciation for the arts.


ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM MY TRIP!


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10 THINGS TO DO, EAT AND SEE IN PHILLY - RECOMMENDED BY LOCALS

If you follow me on Instagram you would have noticed that this last month has been a whirlwind of traveling for me. One of the most entertaining and interesting cities that I recently visited (and for the first time) was Pennsylvania largest city Philadelphia. While there discovering all the city had to offer I met some pretty cool locals that were more then happy to share their recommendations of places they would go if they had a friend coming to town - this is what they said:

Each * represents a repeated mention!

Dan

Martha - A really cool neighborhood bar with hoagies, house-made pickles, vegetable plates, cheeses & charcuterie, craft beer, cocktails, and wine.
Keystone Mini Golf - Indoor BYOB Miniature Golf Course and Arcade
* South Bowl - Retro bowling alley with 26 bowling lanes, billiards, arcade games, food and delicious cocktails. They also have a great happy hour

Pub + Kitchen - A lively restaurants for quality dishes, craft beers, cocktails, and elevated brunch offerings.
Cafe La Maude - French-Lebanese cafe serving breakfast, lunch & pastries
* Zahav - a modern Israeli restaurant
Helm - a contemporary American BYOB with great food and locally farmed produce
Gaul and Company - a malt house that does their Philly Cheesesteak with kielbasa!!! So good my friend!
**** The Fillmore - the best spot in Philly for live music hands down!
Beiler's Donuts - get the apple fritters - trust me.

Amber

Delaware River Waterfront - Parks, outdoor concert venue, museums, an outdoor skating rink in the winter, restaurants, and breweries all with an excellent view of Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Delaware River
Rittenhouse Sq Park - A family friendly park that hosts many events throughout the year including Rittenhouse Square Spring Festival (typically in may) that attracts tens of thousands and boosts food, shopping, live entertainment and more.
Metropolitan Bakery - Makes the best fresh bread - I could make a meal out of just their bread!
African American Museum - America's history through the lens of an African American experience
Philly Museum of Art - One of Philly's most popular museum
National Constitutions Center - America's most hands on history museum
* La Colombe in Fish Town - Super trendy coffee shop serving their own brand of artisan coffee and pastries
Reading Terminal Market - Philly's famous indoor market offering diverse fare, housewares & area specialties since 1892.

Jinx Furniture Store - one of the best furniture/antique stores in Philly
Bar-Ly - A sports bar in Chinatown with happy hour 7 days a week!

Matt

Santuciii’s - Best Pizza Eva!
Fat Salmon - Best sushi in Philly
*La Colombe - Try their coffee and rum! I never thought it would go together but it does and its delicious!
*Philadelphia Distilling - The first craft distillery in the state of Pennsylvania since prohibition.
Spruce St Harbord Park - A good summer spot with an urban beach in Penn's Landing that features a boardwalk along the Delaware River with a beachfront atmosphere.
Zavino - A tiny wine bar that likes to team its vintages with Italian small plates & Neapolitan pizzas
Lolita - Boutique Mexican food
Bar - My favorite grimy bar in midtown - its so grimy but its great
**** The Fillmore - Great live music
Howl At The Moon - A lively bar with dueling pianos, live music and lots of song covers

Alicia

South Philly Barbacoa - Tacos!!!
Talula’s Garden - Cute farm to table restaurant with a garden in the summer
*Philadelphia Distilling - Gin Distillery
Independence Beer Garden - Pop Up Seasonal outdoor beer garden with 40 taps, cocktails, snacks & projection TV screens.
* Zahav - A modern Israeli restaurant
Magic Gardens - Instagram worth spot to take awesome photos (and I agree, see my photos from the Magic Gardens below)

**** The Fillmore - they have a great dance night!
Race St Pier - A spot along the waterfront great for spending the day overlooking the water
Frankford Hall - German style beer garden
South Moon Under- Great store/boutique that I always shop at

Bill & Eric

John Rose Pork - Sandwich shop
**** The Fillmore - for live music

* South Bowl or North Bowl - Retro bowling alley with 26 bowling lanes, billiards, arcade games, food and delicious cocktails. They also have a great happy hour
Marra's - Authentic Italian pizza spot! I love their pizza.
Ristorante Pesto - A small family-run trattoria with great Southern Italian classics & neighborhood atmosphere. Its also BYOB!!!
Helium Comedy Club
Noto - The only place we have close to an EDM/ Trap music club in Philly
McGillians - One of my favorite grimy Irish bars
Tony Luke's - Their Philly Cheesesteaks are the best!
Liscio Bakery - Bakery with great bread


Have suggestions of your own? Leave them in the comments below!

 

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SAYULITA, NAYARIT MEXICO

Welcome to Sayulita – the perfect Mexican retreat. This sunshine coastline is often called the Crown Jewel of the Nayarit thanks to its many beachfront rentals. This seaside surfer town is filled with expats and will charm you with its quintessential Mexican small-town characteristics making it so easy to fall in love with Sayulita. The open-air eateries and bars, small boutiques, and beach hangouts give any new explorers to the area much to experience. It’s also not too far from the luxurious Nayarit town of Punta Mita making it easy to get the best of both worlds (bohemian and luxury) should you want it.

There are plenty of hotels, villas, and hostels in Sayulita Mexico but one of the most popular ones (especially for weddings and large groups) is Villa Amor. This boutique hotel is made up of 26 oceanfront villas, all unique and made up of a different combination of modern and old-world charm. Nestled into the lush jungle hillside the Villa Amor Sayulita is a leisurely 10 minute walk to the heart of town. As a popular wedding destination spot, the Villa Amor easily accommodates large groups and all those in need of a relaxing sunshine retreat. Not to mention you are steps from the best surf in Sayulita. Not into Sayulita surfing? There are also tons of bars and restaurants to lounge out on the beach too!


THINKING OF GOING TO MEXICO? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER MEXICO TRAVEL GUIDES


Every Friday there is a weekly farmers market in Sayulita, Nayarit Mexico where you can purchase organic groceries, artisan products, clothing, and other trinkets. If shopping is not your thing there are plenty of other activities to keep you entertained in Sayulita like surfing, horseback riding, ATV tours, zip-lining, golfing, bike trails, yoga classes, spa treatments – and, well, drinking on the beach!

I’m going to stop myself there before I give it all away because part of Sayulita’s charm and fun is its small town feel and the ability to easily explore and navigate around it by foot. Of course, I encourage you to do just that when you visit this quaint little town and see where the day takes you.


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I hope you enjoyed the travel guide for Sayulita Nayarit Mexico! If you have any questions or comments about my time in Sayulita, feel free to leave them in the comment section below! Safe travels!


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