The Other River Walk – San Antonio, Texas

The San Antonio River Walk is a famous tourist destination with restaurants and bars lining its banks. It also connects major theaters and museums. The city has done an enviable job using it as a unifying entity in urban planning and promotion. What I didn’t realize is that the River Walk extends far beyond the central core.

The San Antonio River, on which the River Walk is built, radiates north and south from downtown. Here’s the view of the “Other River Walk”, less than two miles north of the center, right near the Pearl District. Unlike the well-known downtown version, with a multitude of noisy tourist outlets, this River Walk is a serene park, more for locals. They are both physically connected of course, but the two worlds are quite different.

Using the Google Maps’ satellite functionality, it appears that there are well-organized paths the run from The Pearl to downtown. I’m not sure about the photo worthiness of the entire route, but walking it will probably be a good way to get a lot of exercise, in a pleasant setting.