Articles posted in San Antonio

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The 6 Best Ways to Cool Off in San Antonio

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

With average daytime temps in the 90s, you might find yourself reconsidering the timing of your visit to the Lone Star State. Never fear! Your Stay Alfred travel experts have compiled, with thorough hands on testing, a list of the top six ways to beat the heat in and around San Antonio.
6. Texas Ski Ranch – The ideal way to try out a new watersport. Situated on a private lake 40 miles northeast of San Antonio (this is Texas, y’all, 40 miles is a jaunt), the Ski Ranch offers boat rentals for wakeboard, water ski, knee board, and wake skating. They also have a cable guided wakeboard park and coaches available to help you learn the ropes. Native Texan Tip: plan on having lunch on the ranch at the iconic Wahoo’s Fish Tacos.
5. Splashtown – Just 10 minutes from The Vistana by Stay Alfred, Splashtown is a quick, easy, and inexpensive option for classic waterpark fun. With something for the whole family, this park feature over 50 rides and attractions, half of which are geared toward the little ones. Slides, wave pools, playgrounds, and beaches will keep you entertained, and cool, for hours. Native Texan Tip: Go on a Friday to catch a “dive in movie;” viewings start at dusk.

Photo by Colleen Pence, via Flickr

4. Aquatica by Sea World – On the western edge of the city, this theme park is an aquarium and waterpark rolled into one. Enjoy the rides, pools, playgrounds and lazy rivers suitable for kids of all ages. Don’t miss the newly opened Roa’s Aviary featuring over 50 species of tropical birds or the Stingray Encounter which gives you the chance to feed and pet live stingrays. Native Texan Tip: stop for dinner at Viola’s Ventanas on the way home. And order the enchiladas poblanas.

3. Six Flag Fiesta Texas – I’ve been to this theme park in August, and it wasn’t pretty. The waterpark, though, is another story entirely. There’s a reason their White Water Bay has more attractions than any other section of the park. All the typical rides you’d expect plus a Texas shaped, half-million gallon wave pool provide plenty of opportunity to cool off and relax. Native Texan Tip: Heat exhaustion is a real possibility even at a waterpark; remember to drink plenty of liquids.
2. Tube the Comal or Guadalupe – The perfect choice to save a bit of money and enjoy the beautiful central Texas scenery. Pack a picnic and a few beverages and head north to the Comal or Guadalupe River. You’ll find an abundance of tube rental operations, many of which throw in free parking and a shuttle ride with the price of the tube. Go during the week to avoid some of the crowds and have a truly relaxing float. Native Texan Tip: Don’t mess with Texas! Make sure to bring a trash bag and a rope to keep it from floating away.
1. Schlitterbahn – The mother of them all. Just north of San Antonio in New Braunfels, the good folks at Schlitterbahn—which means “slippery road” in German, a nod to the region’s first settlers—have been leading water park design and innovation since 1979. Home of the world’s first uphill water-coast, this park has grown from four spring-fed water rides to over 70 acres of rides and attractions. As always, parking and tubes are free with admission, and you can bring your own food and beverages. Just leave the alcohol and glass at home. Native Texan Tips: Schlitterbahn coupons are everywhere, so keep your eyes open…that can of Dr. Pepper you’re drinking could pay for itself.
Don’t have a trip planned yet? Check out our San Antonio vacation rentals here!

The Best Ice Cream in Town

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

Source: State Library of Victoria, via Flickr

July is National Ice Cream Month, which gives you the perfect excuse to enjoy your favorite frozen treat. If you’re one of our guests, check out this list to find the best ice cream in town:

Boston:

Picco: The Pizza and Ice Cream Company (Picco for short) is a popular Boston restaurant that delivers the dream combination of delicious pizza and homemade ice cream. A little bit lighter than the typically dense New England offering, Picco’s ice cream explodes with sophisticated flavors.

Denver

Little Man Ice Cream: Denverites love their ice cream, and Little Man serves up the best in town. Easy to find, just look for the 28-foot tall milk can with a line of people queued up to get their sweet fix. They rotate a great mix of classic ice cream flavors, as well as few you wouldn’t expect, like salted Oreo. They even have vegan ice cream.

Memphis:

Jerry’s Sno-Cones: Kids and adult alike seem to flock to this local favorite when the weather turns warm. Although snow cones made with homemade syrup are this shop’s specialty, they also offer soft serve ice cream, either on its own or combined with a snow cone (order it “supreme”).

Nashville

Pied Piper Creamery: Across the river in East Nashville you will find this funky ice cream shop located in a vintage house. The ice cream is delicious and features wacky pun-filled titles like Minty Python, Oreo Speedwagon, and Handlebar Pistachio.

New Orleans:

Angelo Brocato’s: No dessert shop in New Orleans is as beloved as Angelo Brocato’s. Established in 1905, this gelateria and pasticceria is steeped in Italian tradition and offers authentic gelato you have to taste to believe. And if your love of cold sweets extends beyond ice cream, this joint is also known for its delectable granitas: fresh Italian fruit ice.

Philadelphia:

The Franklin Fountain: This old-timey ice cream parlor dishes up some of the best and most authentically Philly-style ice cream in town. The old school soda fountain theme, from bow tied servers to the antique cash register, adds to the charm, but it’s the achingly delicious handmade flavors, like Teaberry gum, that will keep you coming back.

Portland:

Cool Moon Ice Cream: Sure, you could go to Salt & Straw like everyone else. Or you could skip waiting in a forty-minute line for overhyped “artisanal” ice cream and just head into Cool Moon. Much more family friendly and still offering intriguing flavors made with local natural ingredients, Cool Moon will satisfy your cravings while the rest of those people are still waiting.

San Antonio:

Justin’s Ice Cream: Hometown boy Justin Arecchi’s ice cream has been called a national treasure by President Clinton. After a four-year absence, his new family-run ice cream shop has reopened right on the River Walk, making it a breeze to sample the same cool treats that have been enjoyed by kings and dignitaries.

Seattle

Molly Moon’s: The ever-popular chain of modern-rustic ice cream shops are frequently wrapped with lines of people, and for very good reason. Molly Moon starts with a base of Snoqualmie ice cream and mixes in a wide variety of locally-sourced ingredients to create unique flavors like honey lavender and balsamic strawberry. You can also find many vegan-friendly sorbets and coconut milk-based treats.

 

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Top 5 San Antonio Attractions

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Stay Alfred Vacation Rentals — No Comments ↓

San Antonio is a beautiful city with many interesting cultural and historical attractions. Be sure to take some time during your stay to explore the sights. Here are a few of our favorite places to visit whenever we come to town:

  • The Alamo: It’s the most famous attraction in San Antonio and probably all of Texas. It can be crowded with tourists, but the lines move quickly, there’s plenty of exhibits to see, and admission is free. The downtown location makes it easy to check off your must-see list.
  • River Walk: A visit to San Antonio wouldn’t be complete without a stroll down the River Walk. Located in the heart of downtown, you’ll find miles of walkways lined with restaurants, watering holes, and souvenir shops. Beautiful cypress trees provide much-needed shade in the summer heat, and the whole area gets lit up with a spectacular light show during the holidays.
  • San Antonio Museum of Art: Located on the Museum Reach of the River Walk in a complex of buildings that once housed the Lone Star Brewery, this museum is renowned for its collections of Latin American, Asian, and Ancient Mediterranean art representing 5,000 years of history and cultures from around the world.

  • San Antonio Botanical Gardens. Source: Flickr user Rain0975

    San Antonio Botanical Gardens: With its mission to inspire people to connect with the plant world, the San Antonio Botanical Garden is one of the best examples of its kind. Its 38 acres include the futuristic Lucile Halsell Conservatory, Texas Native Trail, Rose Garden, Water Saver Garden, and more. So much to see and enjoy you won’t know where to begin.

  • Brackenridge Park:The park’s main attraction is the San Antonio Zoo, home to over 3,500 animals representing 600 species. There’s also the Japanese Tea Garden’s lush year-round garden and floral display with shaded walkways, stone bridges, ponds and a 60-foot waterfall. Brackenridge Park also offers wide open spaces for bicycling, walking, picnicking, pedal boating, fishing and birdwatching, as well as athletic fields, a playground, concessions and a miniature railway.

 

Are you planning a trip to San Antonio? Click here to view all of our great downtown San Antonio vacation rentals.

Meet the Amigos

Posted on December 18, 2014 by admin — No Comments ↓

Look out for the yellow shirts and straw hats

Have you ever visited an unfamiliar city with high hopes of visiting all the famous sights you heard so much about, only to find yourself wandering around aimlessly, completely lost? Your GPS is useless and you can’t find a single soul to give you directions. Even worse, you find yourself in a part of town that could only be described as “unsavory.” Not the way you planned to spend your vacation.

Luckily, if you happen to be visiting downtown San Antonio you can rest assured that there are plenty of friendly folks looking out for you. Meet the Amigos. Easily recognizable in their canary yellow shirts and straw hats, the Amigos are an integral part of the Downtown Public Improvement District created in 2000.

Need directions to the Alamo? Trying to find the River Walk? Want to know which bus will take you to Midtown? The Ambassador Amigos are ready to help; on average they assist over a million people a year. They possess an extensive amount of insider knowledge about downtown and San Antonio in general and serve as information guides, safety escorts, and are even qualified to provide first aid assistance if necessary. The Ambassador Amigos can be readily found in high-pedestrian traffic areas and strategic locations throughout the Downtown District.

While the Ambassadors serve as the public face of downtown San Antonio, the Maintenance Amigos are dutifully working in the background, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They are tasked with the general upkeep of the District: picking up litter, scrubbing graffiti, pulling weeds, and performing the thankless but necessary jobs that keep downtown looking great. In a given year, they will pick up almost 700 tons of trash, remove 12,000 graffiti tags and 130,000 gum spots, and power wash 31 million square feet of sidewalk. So if you happen to run into a Maintenance Amigo during your visit, be sure to let them know they’re doing a wonderful job!

Have you noticed all the beautiful plants and flowers downtown? Thank the Streetscape Amigos. Taking a cue from the River Walk, the District has added over 600 planters on light poles, stair rails, and large planters throughout downtown’s public right-of ways. The Streetscape Amigos provide the planters and materials that soften downtown and enhance the pedestrian experience for the area’s many workers, residents, and visitors. They are also in charge of maintaining these improvements, which means watering, fertilizing, and replacing seasonal vegetation as necessary. In 2013 alone, the Streetscape Amigos planted 2016 bougainvilleas, 3360 pansies, and 3360 petunias, with plans to expand the scope of the program every year.

So the next you find yourself downtown, keep an eye out for the friendly people in the yellow shirts, even if it’s just to say “hi.” They’re here to help and they’re great at their jobs. After all, they’re not called the Amigos for nothing!

Click here to view all of Stay Alfred’s San Antonio vacation rentals

Stay Alfred Opens Vacation Rentals in San Antonio

Posted on December 12, 2014 by admin — No Comments ↓

Vistana San Antonio Vacation Rentals by Stay Alfred

The first nationwide urban vacation rental and corporate housing firm headquartered in Spokane, Wash., Stay Alfred, today announced the opening of several new San Antonio vacation rental units in the iconic Vistana highrise building abutting Milam Square.

The properties in The River City boast all the amenities Stay Alfred guests have come to expect, including modern furnishings, equipped kitchens, wi-fi, cable, DVD players, linens, laundry and ironing facilities, air conditioning, secure parking, balconies, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. Guests will also benefit from the industry-leading customer service for which Stay Alfred has been honored with the “Top Rental Manager” award by Travel + Leisure’s Top Vacation Rental Site, FlipKey.

These units are perfectly located right at the center of Alamo City attractions like the world famous River Walk, the iconic Tower of the Americas, and the Alamodome.

The expansion to San Antonio represents Stay Alfred’s eighth major metropolitan vacation rental market. Stay Alfred manages short term rental inventory in Boston, Mass., Bellevue, Wash., Denver, Colo., Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, La., Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash.

“San Antonio is a natural fit for our model,” said Jordan Allen, president. “It’s the perfect place for centrally-located, professionally managed vacation rentals.”

The two-bedroom units can be viewed online and even booked with Stay Alfred’s convenient, industry-leading one-click booking feature at www.StayAlfred.com. Reservationists can be reached at 866-232-3864.

Next Stop: San Antonio!

Posted on November 20, 2014 by admin — No Comments ↓

At Stay Alfred we are always on the lookout for our next big city, and there’s a certain Texas metropolis that just keeps popping up at the top of our list (and no, it’s not Austin). Although larger than its weird neighbor to the north, San Antonio doesn’t seem to get as much love. So what is it about this big city with a small town vibe that gets us so excited? In a word: charm. A lot of cities have riverfront parks, but few can beat the beauty of the River Walk’s 15 miles of cypress-lined walkways. Plenty of destinations can claim to be family-friendly, but how many have a Six Flags and Seaworld? Only San Antonio. You can find historical attractions almost anywhere, but what about the Alamo? Forget about it. San Antonio is far more than just a one-trick pony tourist trap, it is a vibrant community that celebrates its unique blend of Spanish, German, Mexican, and even French heritages.

Why do we believe that our guests would love to stay in one of our San Antonio vacation rentals? It’s not just because we’re Spurs fans. There are many things that draw us to this wonderful city. First, we absolutely adore the downtown area. Rarely do you find so many key attractions in the heart of the city. There’s the aforementioned Alamo and River Walk, of course, but don’t forget the Tower of the Americas, San Fernando Cathedral, La Villita Historic Arts Village, and San Antonio Museum of Art. There is also a wide variety of children’s activities, making the city a great destination for family vacations. Kids will love riding the train at Brackenridge Park, home of the San Antonio Zoo and Japanese Tea Gardens. If you’re looking to beat the heat, be sure to check out the Children’s Museum or Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

One of the main reasons our guests choose to stay in a vacation rental instead of a hotel is the opportunity to truly immerse oneself in a city’s culture. And if it’s culture you’re looking for, San Antonio’s got it in spades. The city owes much of its character to the immigrants that followed in the wake of the Spanish missionaries. The original missions still survive today as part of the National Historic Park and are popular attractions for visitors traveling along the Mission Trail. If there is one event that best exemplifies San Antonio, it’s Fiesta (with a capital F). This 10-day spring festival is held in honor of the battles of The Alamo and San Jacinto. Over three million people take part in more than 100 events across the city, the highlight of which are the 3 major parades through downtown (with one actually floating down the San Antonio River).

Of course, not everyone travels just to party. Many of our guests choose to stay with us while they are in town on business or because they are transitioning from one home to the next. This is a big part of our clientele and one of the main reasons we’re excited to add San Antonio vacation rentals to our expanding inventory. The city is growing in a big way. The energy industry in booming, not only from oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford Shale but in the green sector as well. San Antonio recently ranked 6th in the nation for solar power and has set the goal of generating 20% of it energy from renewable resources by 2020. Tech companies are also springing up, with Geekdom fostering over 200 new startups. All of this new innovation and job creation means that people will be flocking to San Antonio for years to come and we plan on being there offering great places to stay while they work and play!

Click here to see all of our San Antonio vacation rentals