While not overly imposing, it is a cherry on top for the visit to the Alamo. Actually a pretty…read morespacious and calmly pleasant gathering spot.

When I drove into the area back on May 25, 2025, I was taken aback by how much this area of San…read moreAntonio had changed. The street that I remember driving in front of the Alamo many years ago is now non-existent! I am really digging the Alamo Plaza, though. From what I understand, the plan is to make it entirely pedestrian-friendly - no more vehicular traffic. Thus, much of the surrounding area is still under construction, but most areas in front of the Alamo are safe. This plaza is not the same as the Plaza de Valero, which is in front of Menger Hotel. Just ensure to wear loose, breathable clothing and drink plenty of water on the really warm to hot Texas days... a young lady in a tour group I was in passed out and hit her head on the concrete of the plaza. She (or rather her boyfriend) refused medical attention. I don't know if she's okay now, but it seemed serious at the time. PARKING I think your best bet with all the ongoing construction would be at the Rivercenter Parking Garage. TIP The building west of the Alamo will be the new Alamo Visitor Center and Museum. A grand opening for 2027 has been slated.

A really great collection of shops!…read more New Age & Crystal Shop: Filled with crystals, natural-fabric clothing, and unique spiritual finds. Western Wear: Great selection of graphic tees, clothing, and cowboy boots. To-Go Drinks: An insane alcoholic slushie spot with massive XL cups you can take on the go! Francesca's: Always has the absolute best sales. A total must-stop if you're visiting this lovely city!

San Antonio y'all gotta do better with your mall. I don't know who you're attracting. I feel like…read morethe stores should be updated. There is a large amount of people that come here for travel and this is a miss!!!! A great place to build. The stores are lame. Most stores have sales seasonally they are mainly chain stores. The selection is limited to food drinks and kids maybe tour stuff,.....not any real shopping stores happy shopping!

This is a collection of different vendors selling a variety of things. There was candy, crafts,…read moreCBD, toys, clothes, snacks, food.... Whatever you want they have! You want to dance away the time? There's a dance floor and a live band! The band was super loud (uncomfortably so when shopping) and I think you can probably get a contact high at the CBD shop. Otherwise, it was a good time!

I love this shopping center! There is so many different vendors under one roof. From antiques to…read moresouvenirs to you name it you can find it! During the weekend it is so lively sometimes they have live bands and people dancing. Also you get the opportunity to try all kinds of Mexican snacks!

When I travel and take on the persona of tourist, I do things I would not normally do in my typical…read moreday-to-day life...like browse through souvenir shops. I do not like to collect anything and only purchase items that have a purpose. So this shopping setup goes against everything I usually gravitate toward. However, when on vacation I do like to get a taste of the local fare and perhaps grab a little something to remember my visit. Near where we were staying is the Market Square-an indoor/outdoor market boasting brightly colored, cheaply made and mostly imported items. There are lots of people, upbeat music and an energy that lures you in. Here, you can find a variety of articles of clothing, hats and shot glasses. I was looking for something that I could take to my son-something practical-ish that I wouldn't mind seeing around the house. We visited three separate times (it was a stop on our tour bus), but each time I left empty handed. The hours are a bit limited-they open at ten (or a bit after, really) and close at 4pm. There are restaurants sprinkled throughout, which might draw more people than the actual market. I would have liked to see some more high-quality, artisan made items rather than so many cheap things that were mass produced. Or more "consumable" items such as soaps, candles, candies, etc. But if you're looking for a souvenir without having to spend a lot of money, you just may find something here.

Fiesta Market Square is always a fun stop, except for the parking…read more My granddaughter loves coming here to shop, and there's plenty to explore with all the little stores and vendors. There are also food vendors, drinks for the adults, and a stage with live entertainment that adds to the festive atmosphere. It's a good place to stroll around, shop for unique finds, grab something to eat.

This is a cute little village with things to eat and things to buy and it's right along a popular…read moreroad. It backs up to the Riverwalk too, so you can access it from either place. Nice place to stop in when in the area.

I visited La Villita Historic Arts Village in the morning, and unfortunately there wasn't much…read moregoing on at the time. The area is charming and has some interesting historic buildings, but many of the shops and galleries felt quiet, which made the experience a little underwhelming. I enjoyed walking through the village and appreciating the architecture and atmosphere, but it lacked the energy I was expecting. I can see how it would be much more enjoyable during a special event, festival, or later in the day when more businesses are open and there are more visitors around. It's a pleasant place to stroll through if you're nearby, but I would recommend checking the hours and event schedule before visiting to get the most out of the experience.

Close doors before 9 should get in trouble for that , guy in register was rude didn't bother to…read moreopen the door

Store is well organized but they could use another cashier as the lines are a little long. Store is…read morealso a little cluttered it could definitely be a little more organized.

This is my heb shopping location. Come here almost every week for grocery needs or anything in…read moregeneral, but I warn you that it gets extremely packed during the noon hours. Be sure to try their grilled pollo that they have cooking right on the flame for you. This store just recently went through an inside remodeling(aisle swaps) so everything looks so much better and open for those busy crowded days. Only negative for me is that the parking lot seems to irritate me a little when I come here, especially during busy hours so do what I do and come on the AM when the store is empty.

I really don't like the HEB at this shopping center but it's in a convenient location. This is good…read morefor families since there are several children's dentist offices here and also the Ricardo Salinas Metro Health clinic that offers low cost immunizations and other services.

Always enjoy the events held at the Mercado. Today is the 2021 version of Fiesta de los Reyes…read more The usual beer, food and crafts booths you name it: gorditas, fajitas, tripas, mini tacos, chicken on a stick, etc. get you name on a rope bracelet. Get an airbrushed t-shirt or cap. Tattoos that last a couple of weeks. Music throughout the area. Rock, tejano, pop, bluesy. Go out the back door to the area under the highway. Always a good time there. I discovered hard seltzer. What a refreshing break from beer. Low cal, low carbs. Bud Light offers a peach , strawberry and I think a blueberry version. I tried the peach and strawberry, both tasty. 5% alcohol. Go there. Runs through tomorrow, June 27.

When I travel and take on the persona of tourist, I do things I would not normally do in my typical…read moreday-to-day life...like browse through souvenir shops. I do not like to collect anything and only purchase items that have a purpose. So this shopping setup goes against everything I usually gravitate toward. However, when on vacation I do like to get a taste of the local fare and perhaps grab a little something to remember my visit. Near where we were staying is the Market Square-an indoor/outdoor market boasting brightly colored, cheaply made and mostly imported items. There are lots of people, upbeat music and an energy that lures you in. Here, you can find a variety of articles of clothing, hats and shot glasses. I was looking for something that I could take to my son-something practical-ish that I wouldn't mind seeing around the house. We visited three separate times (it was a stop on our tour bus), but each time I left empty handed. The hours are a bit limited-they open at ten (or a bit after, really) and close at 4pm. There are restaurants sprinkled throughout, which might draw more people than the actual market. I would have liked to see some more high-quality, artisan made items rather than so many cheap things that were mass produced. Or more "consumable" items such as soaps, candles, candies, etc. But if you're looking for a souvenir without having to spend a lot of money, you just may find something here.

This Five Below used to be chaotic. But they have since gotten new management and the store has…read moretidied up quite a bit. Let me tell you it's very noticeable when a store gets a manager that actually cares about presentation. The store is somewhat organized and has decent stock. Sure they're sold out of some things (mostly the Hello Kitty merch), but it's in a high traffic area being next to Home Depot and Ross, so it's understandable. Was recently there and they were out of plastic bags. Slight inconvenience as we had gathered a large quantity of items. But if you can overlook the small hiccups, this location is leaps and bounds further than it was a year ago.

Yelp Rule no.# 8675309: No two franchises are alike! Period…read more For example the Five Below in Del Norte Plaza by Northstar Mall might yield a different set of experiences than say the one, which I recently encountered in the Southside. In all fairness to this location my review happened to coincide with the Christmas shopping season. But is that any excuse for a business to succumb to incivility and floors littered with items such as the Poop Emoji game? Friend, I feel that stores have slowly become the measures of our frustations. Let me begin by starting at the beginning. If you've never been to a FB everything is five dollars or less, a place created with last minute shoppers in mind. They offer: sloth printed blankets, fuzzy journals, Star Wars toys (of irrelevant characters), Polo cologne knockoffs, gaudy makeup, etc. It's mainly stuff that people purchase in bulk to use as fillers to accompany gifts. Once inside they have these small blue carrying baskets that you pull as if you were lugging a suitcase through an airport terminal. It's really quite confusing further exacerbated the minute you walk through the door. Firstly you find yourself maneuvering your basket through very limited space. It's all one big clusterfudge. Inventory is scattered all over the floor as if barbarians came to pillage and plunder. Children are running, screaming unsupervised by parents. Whilst adults are on their phones surveying items only to throw them back onto the floor. It reminded me of that scene in "Raising Arizona" where the kids are chasing each other, guided by chaos. I saw a store associate throw up their hands in resignation as if to say, "They don't pay me enough to do this!" Mind you I know the shopper during Christmas is wired differently as opposed to other times of the year. They become very tunnel visioned. As a result they invade your personal bubble. It creates a snowball effect. Aisles give way to rudeness. The manner in which we shop at a store often represents the way in which we carry ourselves in life. I don't expect people to be holding hands and singing Kumbaya next to the Mr. Rogers t-shirts. I do see why online shopping via Amazon is becoming more appealing to people versus the stress in stores. At this point I ask myself do different locations of the same brand deliver varying degrees of an experience? For example say FB's location in Northwoods. Would there be a better selection? Would the place be in order? Would patrons be more humane? Or do the holidays bring out the worse in human behavior? I'm not sure. I can only judge a place on its individual merits at the time of purchases. There probably is no reason for me to go on about my discontent. No sooner do you enter a place do you exit it. And these are good things to know. Sometimes one franchise's location is welcoming the next, you thought you stepped midway into the apocalypse. A brick and mortar store is really just some arbitrary mechanism that doesn't care one way or the other. It is its managers, staff and ultimately us that make a place great or suck. ps. If your Secret Santa got you that embarrassingly bad set of makeup I'm not totally saying they got it here! Okay, I am!