San Antonio lies at the gateway to South Texas and is easily accessible from all directions by an international airport, a network of highways, and two Amtrak trains. Air travel to San Antonio is fairly simple, and nonstop flights are available to over 30 destinations ranging from Los Angeles to Newark. And, thanks to close ties with Mexico, the airport also offers numerous flights to and from destinations south of the border, including Mexico City, Monterrey, and San Luis Potosí.
If you drive to San Antonio—unless you’re already familiar with the state—you’ll gain a true understanding of the term “Texas-size.” Just as a reference, it’s 601 miles from Amarillo in the northern part of the state, called the Panhandle, to Brownsville at the coastal southern tip.
Austin lies a bit more than an hour north of San Antonio, although increasingly heavy traffic and construction along the San Antonio-to-Austin stretch of I-35 make that estimate heavily dependent on the days of the week and times of day you choose to travel. Farther north are Dallas and Fort Worth, representing a drive of about five hours. Houston, situated east of San Antonio, is about three hours away.
Getaways to the Gulf Coast from the Alamo City are an easy two-hour drive to Corpus Christi. To reach South Padre Island, renowned for its sun and sand, plan on a drive of four hours or more because it is located in the far southern reaches of the state. Another favorite getaway is Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, located about two hours southwest of San Antonio on I-35, which is known as the “NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) Highway.”
Within San Antonio itself, however, I-35 is just one of many busy roadways. And while the city has its share of snarls, San Antonio traffic in general tends to be less aggravating and more navigable than what you would find in either Dallas or Houston.
Overview
As for finding your way through that highway system, think of San Antonio as a wagon wheel, with the downtown district at its center. Four interstate highways, five US highways, and five state highways form myriad spokes. Most of these slice through the downtown area. Two form the inner and outer rims of the wheel, however; these are the city’s loops. Loop 410 (or I-410) lassoes the prime development in town, passing the San Antonio International Airport and skirting all of the city’s military bases. Loop 1604 traces the outside perimeter of the city, forming a boundary between the city and the untamed Hill Country, where white-tailed deer still roam.
Interstate highways divide San Antonio into several areas. I-35 runs an S-shaped curve through the city from northeast to southwest, skirting the downtown area. This mega-highway travels to Laredo at its southern end and reaches as far as Duluth, Minnesota, in its northern regions. I-10, which originates in Los Angeles, runs from the northwest to downtown before taking an easterly turn toward its final stop in Jacksonville, Florida. And I-37 defines the eastern boundary of downtown before veering off to the south and down to the coastal city of Corpus Christi. (Further confusing drivers, I-37 and I-35 are the same highway in the downtown region.)
Five US highways also call on the Alamo City. US 281, which originates in Hansboro, North Dakota, swings through the city near the San Antonio International Airport on its way south to McAllen, Texas. US 90, which starts in Jacksonville, Florida, overlaps with I-10 as it approaches the city from the east and crosses the city before branching off and heading west to Van Horn, Texas. US 87, originating in Raton, New Mexico, also overlaps with I-10 in the western portion of the city before branching off to the east and making its way south to Port Lavaca, Texas. US 181 (not to be confused with US 281) originates in San Antonio and travels to Corpus Christi via Beeville. Finally, US 81 also originates in San Antonio and travels to Laredo, overlapping with I-35.
For the purposes of this guidebook, we have divided San Antonio into sections that are defined by the highways you’ll encounter on your trip. Our first section is downtown, an area bounded by I-35, I-37, and I-10. This region encompasses many tourist highlights such as the Alamo, the River Walk, Market Square, HemisFair Plaza, and more.
The second section is the area inside and around Loop 410. This area takes in both sides of Loop 410 and everything inside, with the exception of the downtown area covered in the first section. In this area, you’ll find Brackenridge Park, Fort Sam Houston, and the San Antonio International Airport.
The third section is the fast-growing region beyond Loop 410 and Loop 1604, including the theme parks and the outer fringes of San Antonio, where the city meets the country.