The San Antonio Riverwalk is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state, and a narrated cruise on one of the riverboats offers riders a fun way of learning more about the Riverwalk, the San Antonio River that runs through it, and the city itself!
You may have walked along the San Antonio Riverwalk, and dined in one of it’s many restaurants, but you haven’t really experienced the river until you taken one of the boat tours! Go Rio was awarded a 10-year contract for the narrated boat tours on the San Antonio Riverwalk in 2017 to operated the narrated cruises, as well as River Shuttles down to the Museum Reach. The River Shuttles are temporarily closed due to – you guessed it – Covid-19!
The San Antonio River begins just North of the city of San Antonio, where several natural springs run together. The City of San Antonio has manipulated the river from it’s original course, and to prevent flooding has built a series of dams and even a massive tunnel to divert the flash floods the Texas Hill Country is known for. Beyond the Riverwalk, the river flows for over 200 miles to join the Guadalupe River, just as the Guadalupe flows through wetlands to enter San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico.
The 35-minute tour is a combination of history of the Riverwalk, which was begun in 1929, and plenty of humor and fun stories thrown in to make it entertaining, too! Their website promises, “Your 35-minute narrated cruise in our brand-new, colorful and quiet electric barges will take you on an enchanting journey through San Antonio’s rich history, from La Villita, the city’s first neighborhood (and where General Santa Anna placed his cannon line in the Battle of the Alamo)… past the Old Mill Crossing where Teddy Roosevelt led his Rough Riders…
You’ll learn about our city’s architecture and points of interest, such as Selena’s Bridge, where Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla Pérez’s husband proposed to her in the movie; the Hyatt Regency Hotel, designed so its height would not cast a shadow on the Alamo in the setting sun; and the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Our German, Mexican, French, Irish, and American Indian heritages create a culture unique to San Antonio.”.
Know Before You Go Pets are not allowed on the boats.
One thing is for sure, your guide will also suggest some amazing restaurants to visit along the Riverwalk, such as Casa Rio Mexican Food Restaurant The oldest restaurant on the Riverwalk for a reason, you can sit along the river and dine under colorful umbrellas! Order the Regular Plate, which has been on the menu since it opened in 1946!
Did you know that at an average, the San Antonio River though the Riverwalk is only about 4′ deep?
Relax and listen to some live music as you float on by.
One of our favorite times to take a cruise is during the holidays, when the Riverwalk is lit up with colorful Christmas lights!
Each April, San Antonio host the Fiesta Festival, which has incredible events and parades all around the city! The Texas Cavaliers River Parade takes place on the Riverwalk! It’s an incredible sight!
Each January, the river use to be drained and cleaned, leaving behind a big mud puddle and eventually the Mud Festival sprang from it’s slimy roots. Today the river has a better filter system, and it’s only drained every few years.
In March the river along the Riverwalk is dyed green to celebrate St. Patraick’s Day and the big St. Patrick’s Day Festival!
Also Read: 16 Things To See and Do on the San Antonio Riverwalk
Go Rio Cruises on the San Antonio Riverwalk
Click HERE to visit their website.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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