Austin/San Antonio combo trip

[calgal]

I have reservations for our family (13 yr old boys, DH, and me) at the Hyatt timeshare outside San Antonio for next spring break. Well, airfare from our local airport to Austin was much cheaper and nonstop, so we will be flying in and out of Austin, renting a car, and driving to San Antonio. It now brings up the option of splitting the 7 days up and spending more time in Austin and less time in San Antonio. The way my Hyatt reservation is made I could drop a couple of days easily and turn a six day ressie into four days. I would appreciate advice on how to distribute time between the two cities. We all like outdoor fun and, as a complicating factor, DH will be training for an Ironman triathlon. Thanks for any advice.

 

[PStreet1]

The weather is better in Austin. You're at the edge of the Hill Country, so there will be less humidity and more of a breeze. Texans love to vacation in the Hill Country when it gets hot--and it will be hot by Spring Break, and the humidity will be high. For outdoor activities, the Hill Country, is a winner.

 

[bogey21]

New toll road between San Antonio and Austin should be open. Speed limit is 85 mph!!! Should make the trip between the two cities go fast!! I love the River Walk and the history of San Antonio. Austin and the hill country are great. You should enjoy yourself.

George

 

[Janann]

I disagree on the weather getting hot for spring break. If you check weather.com for monthly averages for each city, you'll get an idea of what to expect. I checked the boxes for record highs and lows, and those are extreme! So plan for the average weather but have a back-up plan as your travel dates approach.

We have family in San Antonio, and one summer we stayed almost a week at a timeshare at Canyon Lake and went back and forth between the two cities.

Some things to do:

State capitol in Austin
See the bats emerge from under the Congress Avenue bridge in Austin in the evening
Sea World
Six Flags
Natural Bridge Caverns, and a couple other cave tours
Boat tour on the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio
HemisFair tower in downtown San Antonio
Tour the Alamo (of course!)
Visit Fredericksburg (this might be good for the day you move between Austin and San Antonio)

Have a great trip!

 

[Conan]

We paired a week at Grand Hyatt San Antonio (#C462) with five nights at Vacation Internationale Villas de Santa Fe (#7572). They're about 12 hours apart by car, and we'll stay a couple of nights at Chisos Mountains Lodge (Big Bend National Park) in between.

I hope I haven't been too ambitious in putting them together. Weather in early November should be fairly mild.

 

[PStreet1]

Early November will be a wonderful time to be both places, in my opinion.

 

[zcrider]

Hyatt can't go wrong

If you are going to be staying at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort outside of Austin for your time there it will be fun to break up the trip and see both cities. The hotel is similar to the timeshare, yet a little different too. Keep in mind that resort sits just outside of Austin and not a good location for city attractions, but probably the most fun place to stay for the kids in Austin. Not as much to do in Austin for kids anyhow.
San Antonio has lots to see and the Hyatt timeshare is a blast ( you also get to use their hotel resort across the street and I recommend spending time at both).
I don't know when your Spring Break is, but mid March is spring break in Texas and it is still usually a bit cool then. Perfect for the parks, a bit cold for swimming, except they heat the water at Hyatt, so you should be fine for swimming too according to trip advisor reviews in March.
The Hyatt's have a workout facility and jog trails to use, so your husband should be good for his training on your trip, unless there is something specific he needs then I would call ahead and ask.
I think you picked the perfect time of year to visit Texas. As for see both cities or not...that is hard to answer for you. If you go back again later you will probably only pick to do San Antonio...however for a first visit fitting Austin in too isn't a bad idea. You can't lose either way. Enjoy your trip.

 

[FLDVCFamily]

Hyatt can't go wrong

If you are going to be staying at the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort outside of Austin for your time there it will be fun to break up the trip and see both cities. The hotel is similar to the timeshare, yet a little different too. Keep in mind that resort sits just outside of Austin and not a good location for city attractions, but probably the most fun place to stay for the kids in Austin. Not as much to do in Austin for kids anyhow.
San Antonio has lots to see and the Hyatt timeshare is a blast ( you also get to use their hotel resort across the street and I recommend spending time at both).
I don't know when your Spring Break is, but mid March is spring break in Texas and it is still usually a bit cool then. Perfect for the parks, a bit cold for swimming, except they heat the water at Hyatt, so you should be fine for swimming too according to trip advisor reviews in March.
The Hyatt's have a workout facility and jog trails to use, so your husband should be good for his training on your trip, unless there is something specific he needs then I would call ahead and ask.
I think you picked the perfect time of year to visit Texas. As for see both cities or not...that is hard to answer for you. If you go back again later you will probably only pick to do San Antonio...however for a first visit fitting Austin in too isn't a bad idea. You can't lose either way. Enjoy your trip.

Hope nobody minds me bumping up this older thread. We're considering Austin for Spring Break as we LOVED San Antonio when we went this year. Is Austin really not that interesting to kids? My kids travel a lot and count San Antonio as a favorite trip now...we were hoping for a similar trip to Austin. I was coming on here to find timeshare recommendations, but now I'm rethinking the destination...

 

[silentg]

We are going to Austin in September. First time in Texas for me. We are staying at Lake Travis timeshare. I will tell you about Austin after we visit. Also if anyone has suggestions on things to do and see.Let me know?
Silentg

 

[lizap]

Hope nobody minds me bumping up this older thread. We're considering Austin for Spring Break as we LOVED San Antonio when we went this year. Is Austin really not that interesting to kids? My kids travel a lot and count San Antonio as a favorite trip now...we were hoping for a similar trip to Austin. I was coming on here to find timeshare recommendations, but now I'm rethinking the destination...

We love both Austin and San Antonio. I do think San Antonio has more kid-oriented things.

 

[Here There]

We are going to Austin in September. First time in Texas for me...
Silentg

For me too! Going in mid-October. Will be flying into Austin from ABQ (after week1 in Durango+Pagosa inspired by another TUG thread and week2 in Santa Fe during Balloon Fest).

Tentative TX itinerary/activities: Austin City Limits fest, San Antonio tourist & Spurs related stuff,
day trip through Hill country & Fredericksburg, through Marble Falls area, overnight in Waco, visit HGTV's FixerUpper store, tour Fort Worth's Modern Art Museum -- a bucket list item I'll finally be able to check off.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I lived in Austin and visit Hill Country and San Antonio frequently. I live in Houston now.

Kid stuff that adults like too
Tubing on the Guadaloupe http://www.tubetexas.com/rivers/guadalupe-river.html
Schlitterbahn's http://www.schlitterbahn.com/new-braunfels
Hamilton Pool State Park, https://parks.traviscountytx.gov/find-a-park/hamilton-pool

Everyone, but more adult...
Old Historic Gruene (pronounced Green) http://www.gruenetexas.com/
A trip to Salt Lick for one of the best BBQs around, in Driftwood (between austin and SA) http://saltlickbbq.com/ (cash only)
Lots of wine (not kid oriented) https://texaswinetrail.com/trails
Fredericksberg and Stonewall make up the core of the Wine trail, but there are other places, and honestly I prefer Driftwood/Dripping Springs or Johnston City up to Marble Falls/Blanco area as these have better views as you are in Hill Country and not on the Edwards Plateau (flat)

There are also a lot of hiking locations or cavern and other interesting state parks
Longhorn Caverns
Enchanted Rock
Lakes (ok in Texas they nearly all reservoirs)

I just got back from a full week stay in Marble falls over the week of July 4th.

 

[jwalk03]

The LBJ Library on the UT Campus in Austin was very cool. Well worth a couple hours of your time if you like American history at all.

The Riverwalk in SA is awesome.

I was a little under whelmed by the Alamo to be honest. Sure you should go visit if you have never seen it, but I wouldn't visit again.

 

[Luanne]

The LBJ Library on the UT Campus in Austin was very cool. Well worth a couple hours of your time if you like American history at all.

The Riverwalk in SA is awesome.

I was a little under whelmed by the Alamo to be honest. Sure you should go visit if you have never seen it, but I wouldn't visit again.

We did a short visit in both Austin and San Antonio last year.

We walked by the Alamo, but decided not to go in. I was somewhat underwhelmed by Riverwalk. It was a lively, happening place, but unless I missed something it was pretty much all restaurants and touristy type stores.