The video above takes you on a walking tour through downtown San Antonio, starting from Main Plaza and covering some of the most historically significant spots in the city before ending at a live music gig along the Riverwalk. It's a solid look at what makes this part of the city worth exploring on foot, especially if you're into old architecture, Texas history, and finding places to catch live music along the way.
A Walk Through Centuries of Texas History
The tour begins at Main Plaza, which has the feel of a European square and serves as a natural starting point for exploring the area. San Fernando Cathedral sits right on the plaza — a Catholic church dating back to 1730 and the oldest continuously functioning religious community in Texas. Directly across from the cathedral is the Bexar County Courthouse, the largest and oldest continuously running historic courthouse in the state.
From there, the walk heads along Market Street, crossing over the Riverwalk, and continues up to Houston Street. This brick-lined stretch is one of the oldest Colonial Spanish settlements in the country, and its history as a retail and theater district goes back to the early 1900s. A few standouts along the way: the Gunter Hotel, built in 1909, once the largest property in San Antonio, where legendary blues musician Robert Johnson recorded his first session at a spot inside called Bar 414. The Hipólito F. García Federal Building, constructed during the Great Depression as a public works project, is another landmark worth seeing. And of course, the walk ends at the Alamo — the 18th-century Spanish mission and site of the famous 1836 battle during the Texas Revolution, where Davy Crockett is commemorated with a statue.
Where Can You Find Live Music in Downtown San Antonio?
If you're looking for places to hear live music in the area, there are a few worth knowing about that come up during the walk:
- Aztec Theater — A historic theater along St. Mary Street that hosts live music and entertainment events in a unique setting
- Majestic Theatre — Built in 1929 with Mediterranean-style architecture, featuring live music performances along with plays and comedy shows
- Devil's River Whiskey Distillery — A distillery in a historic building on Houston Street that advertises live music nightly on their patio
- Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen — A beer garden along the Riverwalk about a mile north of the Alamo with solid food, drinks, and regular live music; David Bridwell has performed here multiple times
More Than Just the Riverwalk
A lot of people associate San Antonio with the Riverwalk and stop there, but this walking tour shows how much ground you can cover just by heading up through Main Plaza and along Houston Street. The density of history packed into a few blocks is genuinely unusual — you're walking past 300-year-old churches, Depression-era federal buildings, and spots where some of the most important moments in Texas history played out, all within easy reach of places pouring whiskey and booking bands. It's a part of the city that rewards slowing down and paying attention.