San Antonio's Quieter River Walk Section Is A Scenic Urban Park Full Of Pedestrian Trails Past Noted Landmarks

While some people might consider San Antonio's River Walk a tourist trap, it's still a major attraction where you can have a lot of fun. And if you go beyond the well-known downtown section of the 15-mile stretch of river to the 3.5-mile Museum Reach section, you'll find it has a quieter, more laid-back vibe. As you wander the sidewalks along this section of the river, you'll be surrounded by native plants as well as lots of public art. Plus, you'll have access to some of San Antonio's popular cultural institutions.

The Museum Reach is divided into two parts. Closest to downtown, you'll find the 1.3-mile-long Urban Segment, which starts around Lexington Avenue, near the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. From there, the path heads northeast past the San Antonio Museum of Art, which has art from around the world, from contemporary Texas artists to the "most comprehensive ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art collection in the southern United States."

The River Walk continues north to the I-35 bridge, which is home to a seasonal colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. They gather in the tens of thousands from around April to October, and, at sunset, you can see them flying out of their roost into the city to hunt. It's quite the sight to see. Year-round at the bridge, you can see a school of giant fish suspended above you. The sculpture, aptly named F.I.S.H., was created by Donald Lipski. It features 25 seven-foot-long, brightly colored longear sunfish, a species that is native to the San Antonio River.

Just north of the I-35 bridge, along the Museum Reach section of San Antonio's River Walk, is The Grotto, an elaborate, three-story-tall installation by artist Carlos Cortés. Built along the riverbank, it has waterfalls and hidden faces within it, just waiting for you to find them. The Urban Segment of Museum Reach ends at the Pearl District. This area, where you can find the Culinary Institute of America and over two dozen places to grab a drink or a bite to eat, is the perfect example of why San Antonio is one of America's best underrated foodie destinations.

The Park Segment of Museum Reach begins at Josephine Street. This stretch runs 2.25 miles along the urban oasis that is San Antonio's Brackenridge Park. You can stop by the zoo or check out the Witte Museum, which features a range of exhibits related to Texas's natural and cultural history, from dinosaurs to the cattle industry and more.

You can walk all the way along this stretch of river, or, thanks to the Lock and Dam at Brooklyn Avenue, which adjusts the river's water level, you can take a river shuttle to the Pearl from downtown. And while it can be nice to visit any time of year, the Museum Reach is particularly festive during December's The River of Lights, where everything, from the trees to the river itself, is lit up.