Alam-oh!

San Antonio walks away with memorable Travel + Leisure ranking among top U.S. cities

San Antonio gets some praise for its standout attractions.

Readers of Travel + Leisure magazine lovingly remember Alamo City.

In a recent survey, Travel + Leisure readers ranked San Antonio the sixth best city in the U.S. Charleston, South Carolina, topped the list. Two other Texas cities earned praise: Fort Worth (No. 12) and Austin (No. 13).

Each year, the magazine asks readers to share their thoughts about cities, airlines, hotels, spas, and other travel experiences. Readers grade cities based on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping, and overall value.

“The 2021 standouts are as far-flung as ever, and suggest a renewed appreciation for places that offer unparalleled natural beauty and, in many places, fewer crowds,” Jacqui Gifford, editor in chief of Travel + Leisure, says in a news release.

Among the standout attractions in San Antonio are the River Walk, Alamo, Pearl district, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Hemisfair, San Antonio Zoo, SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, highly rated restaurants, and highly acclaimed hotels.

“A city rich in history, bursting with culture, and booming with modern attractions, San Antonio invites visitors to discover what is old and explore what is new,” Visit San Antonio, the city’s convention and tourism bureau, touts on its website.

Travel + Leisure readers also gave a nod to San Antonio’s Hotel Emma. It ranks seventh among the 15 best city hotels in the continental U.S. Hotel Emma is the only Texas property on this list.

Meanwhile, three San Antonio properties appear in the ranking of the top resorts in Texas: La Cantera Resort & Spa (No. 5), JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa (No. 7), and Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort & Spa (No. 10).

Leading the list of Texas resorts is Austin’s Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection. Aside from the three San Antonio properties, other resorts making the cut are:

Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas in Irving, No. 2.
The Woodlands Resort in The Woodlands, No. 3.
The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa in Houston, No. 4.
Gage Hotel in Marathon, No. 6.
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa, west of Bastrop, No. 8.
Horseshoe Bay Resort in Horseshoe Bay, No. 9.

Two Austin spas represent Texas on the list of the top 15 domestic spas: Lake Austin Spa Resort (No. 5) and Miraval (No. 12).

river-walk rankings hotels vacation

Turkey Day news

San Antonio eats up top-10 rank on list of best cities for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving pumpkin pie at Kona Grill in San Antonio

Photo courtesy of Kona Grill

San Antonio is one of the best place to celebrate Thanksgiving in Texas in 2024.

San Antonio is sitting at the head of the table as one of the best places in the country to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, a new study has revealed.

San Antonio ranked No. 7 out of 100 of the largest U.S. cities in WalletHub's annual "Best Places to Go for Thanksgiving" report, published November 12. The city made a big leap over its 2023 ranking as No. 14, and remains the second highest-ranked city in Texas.

The study analyzed each city based on 18 metrics to determine the best places for Thanksgiving, such as the number of pumpkin patches per capita, the average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner, the number of volunteer opportunities, the average weather forecast, and more. The metrics were then organized into five overall categories to determine the rankings.

The categories that San Antonio ranked the highest in were the average weather forecast during the holiday period (No. 2), and affordability (No. 11), while the lowest-ranked category was for safety and accessibility (No. 90). Other categories that determined San Antonio's overall ranking were the number of celebrations and traditions (No. 14), and a "giving thanks" rank (No. 75).

"The best cities for celebrating Thanksgiving all have an abundance of high-quality restaurants and places to buy festive decorations, and their residents get very excited for the holiday based on their Google search history," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

By Thanksgiving on November 28, San Antonio will be fully decked for the December holidays. San Antonians who will have extended family in town during Thanksgiving weekend can take in of all the marvelous Christmas lights brightening the city. The home of the Alamo certainly goes all out for the most wonderful time of year.

Elsewhere in Texas, Dallas ranked two spots above San Antonio as the fifth best city for Thanksgiving. Houston ranked No. 23, while Austin only came in at No. 39.

San Diego, California (No. 1) topped the overall list of best places to go for Thanksgiving this year, followed by its Golden State neighbors San Francisco (No. 3) and San Jose (No. 4). Atlanta, Georgia (No. 2) rounds out the top five.

thanksgiving wallethub rankings holidays lists