The Missions of ole’ San Antone

Traveling via ride-share south of the downtown area, we arrived at Mission San Francisco de la Espada, the first of four missions we are visiting this day. These missions, all within easy reach of the downtown area, are available without admission fees. So, this can be an affordable outing for the entire family!

Mission San Francisco of the Sword

We began at Mission San Francisco of the Sword with its 1700s charm that immediately captures the eye. Founded in 1690, the mission moved here in 1731. Many other missions were modeled after Mission San Francisco de la Espada.

During the Church’s construction, around 1756, they noticed that the intended outer arch surrounding the church door did not properly fit the opening. Because the original stone mason mysteriously vanished, a keen observation saved the day. They reversed the bottom two stones on each side to ensure a better fit. This changed the architectural representation of the outer arch from a Roman design to a more Moorish look.

We walked around the property, took photos, and visited the small gift shop. An on-site volunteer was eager to share facts about the mission, its purpose, and current uses. We enjoyed learning about Mission Espada and were glad the day got off to such just a good start.

The Tree of Life

A short walk from the trailhead led us under the Tree of Life: Memories and Voices of the Earth sculpture. The Tree of Life is an 80-foot metal cast sculpture adorned with over 700 clay sculptures that represent the rich history of ranching in the area. Originally cast for visual biblical story telling, the clay pot has evolved to now include secular stories and family lineages. The Tree of Life display opened in 2019 and brings the community together.

San Antonio is also home to another version of the Tree of Life, a carving depicting all the animals of Thailand, and formed from a single piece of teakwood. The Tree of Life carving by Kon Prayet, is on display at the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum.

San Antonio River Walk Mission Reach

We now found ourselves at the beginning of the San Antonio River Walk Mission Reach. This 8-mile-long park has over 16 miles of pedestrian trails situated along the banks of the San Antonio River. We began with the first 1.2-mile walk headed towards Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Because of recent heavy rains, the walking path had flooded over, and city crews were actively cleaning up the mud and debris.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

This mission was relocated to San Antonio in 1731 with the purpose of bringing Native Americans into Spanish society by teaching them Christianity.  The hope was that the converted would then settle into the region.

We entered the facility via the main gate, where in the past a gatekeeper would grant or deny entry to traveling families. We surveyed the surroundings and walked about the grounds a bit, taking photos.

First entering the Church Sanctuary and then the Visitors Center, an on-duty Park Ranger provided an account of life at the mission.

An old map showed the facilities which existed here as a Bakery, Baptistry, Bedroom, Bells, Candle Shop, Carpenter Shop, Cemetery, Church, Forge Shop, Guard House, Guest Room, Hat Shop, Hides Tallow, Kitchen, Major Domo, Olive Press, Pantry, Parlor, Patio, Priests Garden, Refectory, Sacristy, Sanctuary, Serra’s Church, Shoe Shop, Soap Factory, Soldiers Bell, Storeroom, Vats, Wine Room, Winery, and a Wool Weaving Store.

Once our tour of Mission San Juan Capistrano was complete, we started walking towards the next mission, but the weather quickly changed, and we instead opted for the Via Bus (pickup just outside the Mission) for the 2.8-mile journey to Mission San Jose.

Mission San Jose and San Miguel of Aguayo

Mission San Jose and San Miguel of Aguayo immediately impressed us. The size and scope of the mission was incomparable to the other missions.

The visitor’s center had a large museum, complete with a 30-minute audio/video presentation.

After walking through the museum, we strolled around the grounds, visiting the sanctuary and reading all the historical markers. Dating from the 1720s it is most well-known for its rose-colored window and its church façade.

At least 400 families, that included native inhabitants, lived on this mission with the lodging and shelters built alongside the mission walls.

At the north wall of the mission, next to the church, stands the old gristmill circa 1794, along an aqueduct used to divert water to run the mill. It was the only water-powered gristmill in the area during its time. The entirety of the compound also includes a bastion, granary, and plaza,

Mission Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Acuna

We again boarded the Via Bus to take the remaining 1.9-mile ride to Mission Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Acuna. It was another large mission that included additional facilities to make the life of the Coahuiltecans Indian tribes more tolerable.

The mission, circa 1755, houses the oldest non-restored stone church in America. We found some original frescoes in the library, living room and great room areas, preserved but only faintly visible.

Our visit to the mission now complete, we hopped aboard the Via bus exiting at Roosevelt Park. Here we connected ourselves back up with the southern end of the River Walk, taking the one-mile journey on foot to the Blue Star entertainment district.

Once there we took the leisurely 20-minute walk and arrived at the Stella Public House, which is slowly becoming a favorite haunt of ours.

Stella Public House

The Stella Public house’s atmosphere is so relaxing it gave us a chance to unwind from our morning and afternoon activities. We settled in and enjoyed an amazing extra-thin Pepperoni and Spicy Sausage pizza, fired in their traditional clay oven.

For spirits, we had the Breckenridge Strawberry Sky, a craft beer selection from their ever-changing list.

Completing our lunch and now refreshed, we boarded Via Bus 11 (bus stop is in front of the establishment), and headed North to the Japanese Tea Garden, a former limestone rock quarry.

The Chinese Tea Garden (at Sunken Gardens)

Touring the Sunken Garden in Brackenridge Park will require about 45 minutes to an hour.

The gardens include lush greenery, countless varieties of flowers, several paved walking paths, a large pond and a water feature. This is a nice way to end a day in San Antonio.

Augie’s BBQ

Our Uber dropped us in front of Augie’s BBQ and to our dismay the place was seriously crowded. The line to enter was out the door as there was a fundraiser going on for the local High School Football Team and its Cheerleader troupe. Making the most of the situation, we met the High School Quarterback, Coach and their families.

In the end we enjoyed a wonderful BBQ meal while meeting some of the locals.

Night-time Stroll on the Riverwalk

From Auggie’s BBQ we made our way back to the 9th Street Riverwalk entrance on foot.

The night air was cool and refreshing as we made the walk back to our hotel.

Cruise Port: San Antonio, Texas

Tour Name: The Missions of ole’ San Antone

Accommodations: Embassy Suites Riverwalk San Antonio

Tour Guide: Self Guided