San Antonio

For proud Texans, the much-fabled Alamo, entered freely off San Antonio’s central plaza, is not so much a tourist attraction as a place of pilgrimage. Many visitors get downright dewy-eyed as they explore the site of the 1836 siege, in which a few hundred revolutionaries, including Davy Crockett, William Travis and James Bowie, died defending the fort against thousands of Mexican troops.

A little slice of Europe in the heart of downtown, the 15-mile River Walk is an essential part of the San Antonio experience. Wandering this charming network of canals and pedestrian walkways, set just below the downtown streets, you can pass landscaped gardens and riverfront cafes, and linger on stone footbridges that arch across the water.

The old Pearl Brewery has received a massive face-lift as part of the new Pearl development north of downtown, including shops, cafes and restaurants. The stylish Hotel Emma has taken over the brewery site and now anchors the neighborhood. The Culinary Institute of America also has a campus on the grounds.

Devoted as much to general Western history as it is to art, this small downtown museum pays its respects to cowboys, Hispanic settlers, Native Americans and the women of the west. Along with weaponry, uniforms, 1880s’ photographs of Yosemite National Park, a saddle that belonged to Pancho Villa, and recordings of Western songs, you’ll find all sorts of landscapes and portraits, plus a large and fascinating diorama that depicts the fall of the Alamo.

This place feels like a big neighborhood party where everyone is getting along. What could be more inviting than a pecan tree-shaded yard filled with colorful lawn chairs? Friends (and their dogs) gather to knock back longnecks – as well as 300 bottled beers, there are 76 on tap – while the kids amuse themselves in the playground area.

Known in its time as the Queen of the Missions, San José is certainly the largest and arguably the most beautiful of all the sites on the Mission Trail. Because it's a little more remote and pastoral, surrounded by thick stone walls, you can really get a sense of what life was like here in the 18th and 19th centuries. It's also the location of the main visitor center for San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, which oversees the four mission sites.