I'm a New Englander who visited San Antonio for the first time. Here are 9 things that surprised me about the Texas city.

• Many tourists visit the Texas city for its landmarks, but it also has incredible art and live music.
• The excellent locally produced wine and diverse range of cuisines took me by surprise, too.

San Antonio never felt crowded despite having one of the largest populations in the US.

The people I met in San Antonio went out of their way to be friendly.

San Antonio is an art lover’s mecca, home to street art, museums, and galleries.

I spotted ofrendas, altars designed to honor deceased loved ones, almost everywhere I looked throughout the city, from the hotel lobby where I was staying to the San Antonio Botanical Garden.

San Antonians go all out in celebrating this Mexican tradition, with lively processions, parades, and festivals. 

The park at Pearl Brewery hosted an enormous celebration complete with stilt walkers, live music, face painting, art installations, and many ofrendas. 

SpiritLandia featured a River Walk Day of the Dead parade, and people also attended Muertos Fest, a multiday cultural event, in downtown San Antonio.

This story was originally published on January 30, 2023, and most recently updated on June 10, 2026.