Best in Texas

San Antonio bests rest of Texas on Travel + Leisure's list of top cities for 2018

The Emily Morgan Hotel and the Alamo san antonio

San Antonio shines among the country's best cities.

Photo courtesy of The Emily Morgan Hotel

America's longtime love affair with San Antonio continues to heat up. On July 10, stalwart travel magazine Travel + Leisure released its World's Best Issue, an annual survey of the finest hotels, destinations, resorts, and, of course, cities.

This year, Travel + Leisure's Top 15 Cities in the United States was selected by readers, who chose San Antonio as the No. 7 best city in the country. Garnering an overall ranking of 81.62, Alamo City comes in ahead of Austin at No. 13, the only other Texas city to make the list.

"But despite their striking contrasts, the American cities beloved by T+L readers share a similar spirit," said the magazine's editor. "They seduce us with their charisma and friendliness. They endeavor to preserve their rich histories. They offer restful green spaces, a wealth of cultural institutions, and innovative restaurants that aim to satisfy the most adventurous palates."

And with its 300-year-old history — making it one of the oldest cities in the nation as we all know — dedication to art and public spaces, and culinary scene, San Antonio is indeed seductive.

In order to determine the world's best, T+L conducted an audience survey from November 6, 2017 to March 5, 2018. Respondents were asked to rate everything from sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping, and value for each city using a score of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The ratings were then combined within a fraction of a point to determine the winners.

Coming in at No. 1 was Charleston, South Carolina, the "crown jewel of the South Carolina coast." New Orleans came in at No. 2 followed by Savannah, Georgia, at No. 3. Santa Fe and New York City round out the top five.

In total, eight charming Southern cities made the top 15 including Asheville, North Carolina, (8); Nashville (9); and Williamsburg, Virginia, (12).

lists bests trends

History in the making

San Antonio weighs cultural heritage status for St. Mary's Strip

North St. Mary's Street, St. Mary's Strip, The Strip, San Antonio, cultural heritage district

Photo courtesy of Little Death

The city of San Antonio is weighing a proposal to formally name a stretch of North St. Mary's Street known to locals at "The Strip," with businesses such as Little Death and Burger Boy (pictured) a cultural heritage district.

The St. Mary's Strip spent decades living down one of San Antonio's worst reputations. Now, city officials want to give it an official stamp. The nightlife hub is the newest area up for consideration as a cultural heritage district.

The designation is being championed by the St. Mary's Strip History Project, which is working to preserve the area’s legacy as a musical hub as development encroaches on the surrounding Tobin Hill neighborhood.

It’s not entirely a bulwark against change. Unlike historical districts, which have enforceable design guidelines, a cultural heritage district recognition is more of an honorary title. Still, the city’s Office of Historic Preservation gives demolition applications a more careful eye, and the designation helps build awareness of locally owned businesses.

North St. Mary's Street, St. Mary's Strip, The Strip, San Antonio, cultural heritage district Joseph's Foodliner was a popular bar and live music venue at 2410 N. St. Mary's St. in the 1980s. The site is now home to Paper Tiger.Photo courtesy of Frank Haecker/St. Mary's Strip History Project

The Strip might now seem like an obvious candidate for cultural preservation, having gone through periods of both bounty and blight. But during its late ‘80s and ‘90s heyday, the entertainment district rivaled Austin’s fabled Sixth Street. Bars like Huey's, Wacky's and Saluté packed music fans in during the night, while shops like the beach-themed Maui Waui kept the counter-culture alive during the day.

MTV soon took notice. In 1990, the channel flew in Daisy Fuentes for an MTV Street Party segment that attracted more than 15,000 people. That same year, 12,000-plus revelers showed up for a Halloween block party.

That same year, however, marked the district’s tragic low. In July 1990, 27-year-old Alamo Heights resident George “Tres” Waters III was savagely murdered by members of teen gang The Stompers. Tensions grew between club owners and neighborhood residents and merchants who were wary of increasing criminal activity, noise, parking problems, and littering. The Strip then went into a decline that lasted well into the 2000s.

North St. Mary's Street, St. Mary's Strip, The Strip, San Antonio, cultural heritage district Joe Pugliese, a famed local music promoter, owned Maui Waui, one of many beachwear shops that once lined North St. Mary's Street.Photo courtesy of Joe Pugliese/St. Mary's Strip History Project

Despite those challenges, North St. Mary's has seen a revival since 2015 with residential redevelopment, construction of a police substation, and the addition of new nightlife. Venerable venues such as Joey's, The Mix, and Paper Tiger (formerly White Rabbit) helped form the foundation for the revival, while more varied concepts — including natural wine bar Little Death, award-winning restaurant Curry Boys BBQ, and honky-tonk Lonesome Rose began filling in.

While waiting to see if the cultural heritage district is approved, the St. Mary's Strip History Project's team continues to hold "history harvest" events to preserve The Strip's legacy through digital collections and maps of the neighborhood’s former footprint. Abna Schnur, project director, has been keeping project volunteers and supporters updated on initiatives including the cultural heritage district petition and proposal.

Anyone with old photos, flyers, posters, or other artifacts from The Strip can contact project organizers to contribute. Schnur contributed several images herself — both present and past.

North St. Mary's Street, St. Mary's Strip, The Strip, San Antonio, cultural heritage district Nathan Cone — Texas Public Radio executive —performs with his band, Stray Toasters, at the North St. Mary's Brewing Co. in 1995. Photo courtesy of Nathan Cone/St. Mary's Strip History Project

Residents, merchants, visitors and other stakeholders are invited to a July 28 listening session at Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary's, to get more information about the cultural heritage district proposal, offer input, and share their memories of the neighborhood. Hosted by the city's Office of Historic Preservation, the listening session will be held 6:30-8 p.m. and free and open to everyone. Preregistration is encouraged.

st. mary's strip san antonio bars clubs live music restaurants shops history cultural heritage district st. mary's strip history project north st. mary's street