San Antonio is the second-most populated city in Texas and caters to every aspect of city, suburban and country life. Whether your interest is art, history, sports, academia or the great outdoors, you'll find a wealth of offerings within the city limits. Here are 10 things you should know about living in San Antonio.
San Antonio is surprisingly affordable for a city of nearly 1.6 million. With the cost of living being 15 percent lower than the national average, it's a great place to stretch your earnings without having to sacrifice. And there are plenty of nice neighborhoods for the picking.
Because San Antonio has one of the most massive clusters of military bases in the nation, it's earned the moniker Military City, U.S.A. The military installations included in this cluster are Randolph Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis.
Although San Antonio has held the unofficial title since World War II, “Military City, U.S.A." was trademarked in 2017.
If you're looking for an abundance of sunny weather, San Antonio has got you covered. The weather is perfect for getting outside and enjoying more than 250 days of sunshine. The city's annual average high temperature is 80 degrees, with an average annual low of 57 degrees.
San Antonio offers an abundance of green spaces in and around the city. Some notable parks include Friedrich Wilderness Park, which features 232 acres of canyons, grasslands and woodlands, and Government Canyon State Natural Area, featuring 12,000 acres of trails and 110-million-year-old dinosaur tracks preserved within the park.
If you're feeling more like kayaking, boating, floating, fishing or swimming, San Antonio is also home to the Medina River and the reservoir fed by the river, Medina Lake.
One of the most remarkable things about driving through the streets of San Antonio is the number of murals you'll see on buildings throughout the city. Street art is highly revered here, and you can find murals such as the Selena mural on the southside, the George Strait mural on St. Mary's Strip or the Fiesta mural Downtown.
Take a day to explore the city and hunt each mural. You'll be impressed with what you find.
If you're thinking about furthering your education, living in San Antonio may prove to be a great option because of the number of educational choices within your reach.
San Antonio is home to multiple large universities, including The University of Texas at San Antonio, Trinity University, St. Mary's University and Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The city also touts affordable community colleges within the Alamo Colleges District.
The puffy taco is a San Antonio food staple, made by frying masa in oil until the exterior puffs up. And, you'll be able to find one on just about every corner in the city.
You can score the original at Ray's Drive Inn, which trademarked it in 1992.
San Antonio is the proud home of the National Basketball Association's San Antonio Spurs, which until recently, had a 22-year playoff streak.
Locals have easy access to Spur's home games at the multi-purpose AT&T Center Downtown.
San Antonio's rich historical significance remains preserved throughout museums, walking trails and local parks. You can take a walk through history and go on the Missions Bike and Hike trail, which connects all five San Antonio missions with about 2.5 miles of walking distance between each stop.
You should also check out the 96-acre Comanche Lookout Park, a city park that was once used as a lookout by the Apaches and later the Comanches to protect their settlements against threats and invasions. The view from the vantage point at the top of the hill is definitely worth the hike.
And be sure to remember the Alamo.
San Antonio's Riverwalk is a must-visit for tourists and a favorite among locals. This 15-mile stretch alongside the San Antonio River is ideal for walking with a drink in tow, shopping at the attached mall or fine dining.
The Riverwalk also hosts events, such as the Holiday Parade in December, the Parade of Lanterns in February and San Antonio's exciting Fiesta celebration in the spring.
If you're looking for an affordable, fun and interesting place to live, San Antonio offers excellent value with the perks of a bustling metroplex. Whether you prefer the action of Downtown or something more quaint and low-key, you'll have plenty of options of homes to buy and apartments to rent in the city.
Samantha Huls is a writer, educator and instructional designer living in San Antonio, TX. She has a master's degree in education and a bachelor's degree in political science, both from Texas State University. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, Her View from Home and Neighborhoods.com. She is passionate about the culture and history of Texas, nature photography and dachshunds.