50-plus things every San Antonio local or tourist must do or try

SAN ANTONIO – Whether you are from San Antonio or just visiting there is so much to see and do. 

We have compiled a list that includes all the must-dos in the San Antonio area. 

1. Go up the Tower of the Americas to see a beautiful view of the city and surrounding areas. If you go up on New Year's Eve or Fourth of July you can see the entire city light up.

2. San Antonio is home to a World Heritage Site, the Missions. Start at the Alamo and make your way down south to get a glimpse of these beautiful 18th century sites.

3. Go to a Spurs game. #GoSpursGo

RELATED: 12 of the biggest games for the Spurs 2019-2020 season

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4. Visit Enchanted Rock outside Fredericksburg. This is worth the drive and gives you great views of the Hill Country.

5. Enjoy a day or night out at the Pearl. World-class dining, a splash pad and fun events. There is something for everyone at the Pearl.

6. San Antonio is home to more than a dozen museums. There is the San Antonio Museum of Art, The DoSeum, The Witte Museum, The Institute of Texan Cultures and so many others that can lead to a day of fun.

7. Have a barbacoa taco and a Big Red at any taco joint in the city. If you leave without trying or have yet to try, you are truly missing out on a San Antonio staple. There's even a festival in May dedicated to it.

CHECK OUT: Flavor Favs page to find where to get some of the best food in town

8. Visit Historic Market Square to get a true feeling of Tex-Mex culture. There is always something going on that is usually free to the public. 

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9. Go tubing in New Braunfels and either the Comal or Guadalupe river. This common tradition is something everyone can enjoy. 

10. According to Yahoo Travel, San Antonio is one of the most haunted places in the United States. There are so many reports of paranormal activity happening across the city, so why not take a ghost tour. Tours are available as an opportunity to try to capture a ghost on camera. The photo below is from inside the Menger Hotel. 

RELATED: Check out our haunting section to see the haunted places KSAT has visited

11. Looking for some baseball fun? Then head out to Nelson Wolff Stadium to catch a San Antonio Missions game. The team is the Triple A affiliate for the Milwaukee Brewers. Make sure you say hi to the mascot "Ballapeño."

12. If you can't decide when to visit San Antonio just plan on coming in April for Fiesta. You will get to enjoy so many parties and parades that take place for over a week. Don't forget to try a chicken on the stick!

RELATED: Where to find Chicken on a Stick when it's not Fiesta 

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13. Walk the entire River Walk. Start at the Pearl and catch all the sights as you walk through the heart of the city.

14. Let's Rodeo San Antonio! The city is home to one of the top rodeos in the nation. Enjoy over two weeks of live music, stock shows and good food. 

15. Tex-Mex food is a staple in the city. There are plenty of places to choose from to have some amazing enchiladas, chalupas, gorditas and carne guisada.

16. If you are a fan of farmers markets then check out the widely popular one at the Pearl every Saturday and Sunday morning. 

17. Bluebonnet season in the spring is one everyone should check. Driving outside the city you can see fields of amazing wildflowers. For great photo opportunities visit Wildseed Farms in Fredericskburg. 

18. During the fall in San Antonio more events start to take place since the weather gets a tad cooler. One event worth checking out is the San Antonio Beer Festival in October. More than 125 breweries take part in the event.

19. Over the past couple of years the St. Mary's Strip has seen a resurgence. It is a great spot to catch a live show and enjoy a great dive bar. 

20. Every month enjoy first Friday in the King William District. 

21. Did you know San Antonio has miles of biking trails. Enjoy the popular Mission Trails or several of the greenway trails that include more than 47 miles of trails. 

22. One thing many locals enjoy and tourists may want to try is stopping at a snack shop to get a mangonada or get creative and create your own sweet and sour treat.

23. San Antonio and its surrounding areas are home to some of the oldest dance halls in the state. There is the famous Gruene Dance Hall, Floore's Country Store and the Luckenbach Dance Hall are some of places to visit to enjoy some great live music. 

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24. Looking for a great spot to take the kiddos? Let them run around Yanaguana Garden downtown. This park is the ultimate playground for children, right underneath the Tower of the Americas.

25. A must for every tourist is to visit the giant boots outside North Star Mall. They are a sight to see and probably the biggest pair of boots you've ever seen.

26. Over the past couple of years San Antonio Zoo has seen some renovations and more are to come. For over a 100 years the zoo has been the home to many animals. 

27. Spend a Saturday or Sunday at one of the city's flea markets

28. Take a river barge tour downtown. It's a must for tourists. 

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29. There are so many murals that capture the essence of the city around town. Popular ones including murals of the Spurs or Selena. Take part in San Antonio Mural Ride as a way to see these amazing works of art. 

30. Go spelunking inside Natural Bridge Caverns. There are different tours you can take some are harder than others. 

31. Visit San Fernando Cathedral and take part in a Sunday service. 

32. Take a drive in the hill country. The area is gorgeous and so many stops can be made along the way.

RELATED: 11 places to get away in the Texas Hill Country 

33. Enjoy a ride on a roller coaster at either Six Flags Fiesta Texas or SeaWorld San Antonio.

34. The holiday season in San Antonio also means tamale season. Have one, two or a couple dozen.

35. Get up early in morning and take part in the annual Cowboy Breakfast.

36. Many may not know it but SA is home to one of the largest MLK Day walks in the nation. Every year thousands walk on the east side as a part of Dream Week. 

37. There isn't a professional football team but it's becoming a tradition for many to tailgate and attend a UTSA football game at the Alamodome. Birds Up!! 

38. The holidays in SA aren't complete without seeing the millions of lights that illuminate the River Walk. It's one of the city's top attractions in December.

39. Morgan's Wonderland has become a top attraction in the city for locals and visitors from around the world. It is the first theme park designed with special-needs individuals in mind.

40. Enjoy the San Antonio Botanical Garden or the Japanese Tea Garden. Both are great spots to visit and very close in location to each other.

41. They say "Everything is Bigger in Texas" and that rings true for the chicken fried steak that you can find at several spots around the city, like M.K. Davis Restaurant, Tip Top Cafe or Longhorn Cafe. 

42. Spend a day at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch or the Snake Farm in New Braunfels. Both feature many animals and animal interactions the entire family can take part in. 

43. SA is home to the best tacos in the state (not Austin) and you can enjoy a good breakfast taco from any hole-in-the-wall in the city.

44. Stroll through La Villita with family and friends. 

45. Visit the oldest VFW post in thestate. VFW Post 76 on the River Walk is the place to hang out, dance and enjoy a cold beer. 

46. Every summer you can watch millions of bats emerge out of Bracken Bat Cave. More than 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats inhabit the cave, making it the largest bat colony in the world.

47. Texas is home to some of the best barbecue in the country, and SA is home to more than 30 barbecue joints. You can't go wrong with any of them.

48. Visit the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center where you can immerse yourself in Latino arts and culture.

49. After a late night it's pretty common many of you can be found at Mama Margie's, Chacho's or Taco Cabana. 

50. SA is also the home of the Tejano Conjunto Festival. It's held every year at Rosedale Park. 

51. Enjoy "The Saga" video/art display in Main Plaza every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday night.

52. Check out preserved dinosaur tracks at Government Canyon State Natural Area. 

53. SA should be known as the home of festivals. Almost every weekend something is going on like: Wings & Beer Fest, Fideo Loco Festival & Cookoff or the Paella Challenge.

RELATED: Things to do in San Antonio

54. Catch a beautiful view of the city from Hays Street Bridge. 

** Did we leave anything off the list? What's your favorite thing to do in the city? Comment below. 

Courtesy of KSAT-TV