Cool for the summer

Summertime is here in San Antonio — beat the heat at these cool local pools

A glimpse of the Cenote Pool Deck at the Thompson Hotel San Antonio

The Thompson Hotel San Antonio

Remember when we were complaining about the endless rain? Mourn the loss of cool weather and beat the heat (in style) at these local pools. Several of these offer day passes, and thanks to Resort Pass, you can book a day trip to a cool pool without having to pay for a hotel stay.

Hotel Emma's rooftop pool
Named the best luxury hotel in the country thanks to the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards 2023, the Hotel Emma's pool is an obvious choice for this list. Sadly, you can't get a Resort Pass to the Hotel Emma pool at the moment, but hey, you're really not losing out by booking a staycation at the historic Pearl Brewery hotel anyway!

And don't fret if you find yourself starving during your poolside adventure at the Hotel Emma — they've got poolside provisions for guests, including snack and cocktails housed in a 1960s-era Pearl beer delivery truck.

The Cenote pool deck at the Thompson Hotel San Antonio
Slap on your strongest sunscreen before heading to the Thompson Hotel San Antonio's Cenote pool deck on the hotel's 4th floor — you're going to be lounging poolside for a while. In addition to the picturesque pool being an Instagram content creator's paradise, the Thompson Hotel pool also includes cabanas (which you have to book ahead of time), an alfresco pool bar (where you can order anything from a charcuterie board to a veggie panini), and of course, cocktails to sip poolside.

The pool at the Eilan Hotel
Any visit to the Elian Hotel & Spa near La Cantera feels like a getaway to Italy without the need to pull out your passport. A nice bonus about the Eilan pool experience is the fact that the hotel has an indoor and an outdoor pool, plus a hot tub.

If you're looking to snap a picture or two of your time at the Eilan pool, then the outdoor pool is a must, given that you're surrounded by swaying palm trees and a perfect shot of the Eilan Hotel itself in the background. There's also food and drinks available from the Blu Pool Bar.

Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa
If you can't get enough of the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa's epic murder mystery dinners, book yourself a day pass to the resort's epic onsite water park: That's right, in addition to a pool, the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa has a lazy river, a waterslide, and more.

So if you're looking for a good family-friendly option for a pool day, look no further than the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa.

The St. Anthony Hotel pool
From a cursory glance, it would be understandable to assume that the historic St. Anthony may not have many modern amenities. We are happy to confirm that this is far from the case. You can also book a daycation via Resort Pass for the St. Anthony Hotel's pool, which is located on the hotel's rooftop. And bonus, it's a heated infinity pool.

Make sure to order a St. Anthony Breeze cocktail (a blend of Tito's vodka, cranberry and pineapple juice) and a plate of nachos or a burger from the cabana bar before you leave (just don't forget to wait half an hour before swimming again!)

Cenote pool deck Eilan Hotel Family-friendly Hotel Emma's rooftop pool Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort Pass St. Anthony Hotel pool Staycation Thompson Hotel San Antonio san antonio pools

schools with high achievers

These 7 San Antonio K-8 schools rank among Texas' best for 2025

Basis San Antonio - Shavano Campus

Congratulations are in order for the Dragons.

Several San Antonio elementary and middle schools are at the top of the class when it comes to educating and preparing the next generation for a successful life and career, according to U.S. News & World Report's list of 2025 Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings.

One such school – Basis San Antonio - Shavano Campus – is the No. 17 best middle school in Texas for 2025.

This November, U.S. News ranked over 79,000 public schools on the state and district level using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools were analyzed based on their students' proficiencies in mathematics and reading/language arts on state assessments, and tie-breakers were decided based on student-teacher ratios.

"The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings offer parents a way to evaluate how schools are providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future success," said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., the managing editor for Education at U.S. News. "The data empowers families and communities to advocate for their children’s education. Research continues to indicate that how students perform academically at these early grade levels is a big factor in their success in high school and beyond."

Texas' best middle schools for 2025
In all, five San Antonio middle schools achieved spots among the top 100 best Texas middle schools for 2025, according to U.S. News.

The Shavano Campus of the Basis San Antonio charter school has a total enrollment of 1,018 students, with 84 percent of the student population scoring "at or above the proficient level" in mathematics, and 90 percent scoring at that level of proficiency in reading. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 16:1, with 63 full-time teachers.

Students at this charter school performed far better with its test scores than the rest of Texas, U.S. News said.

Four additional San Antonio schools ranked among the top 100 best middle schools in Texas, including:

No. 53 – Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy
No. 62 – Lopez Middle School, North East ISD
No. 80 – Idea Carver College Preparatory
No. 97 – Young Women's Leadership Academy, San Antonio ISD

The best elementary schools in Texas
Jesus A. Kawas Elementary school in Laredo was crowned the No. 1 elementary school in Texas for 2025, while two San Antonio schools made it into the top 100.

Basis San Antonio Primary Medical Center is the No. 75 best elementary school statewide, boasting 787 students, 48 full-time teachers, and a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. Students at this school scored 80 percent efficiency in math and 85 percent efficiency in reading.

Landing at No. 90 in Texas is San Antonio's Hardy Oak Elementary in North East ISD. Hardy Oak has a student population of 683 with 37 full-time teachers, and one full-time counselor. The school's student-teacher ratio is 18:1, and 77 percent of students are proficient in math, and 85 percent are proficient in reading.

U.S. News says student success at Hardy Oak is significantly higher than the rest of North East ISD.

"In North East Independent School District, 56 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 46 percent tested at or above that level for math," U.S. News said in Hardy Oak's profile. "Hardy Oak Elementary [also] did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state."

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