Texas

in San Antonio check out The Crockett and the Menger for hotels with some history yet still comfy and not too corporate. Excellent location -- you can look into the Alamo courtyard from many rooms.

I really enjoyed a day trip into the hill country and visiting LBJ’s ranch.

I felt a tour of the Alamo was a good choice. Friends who just “walked through” did not have the same experience.

Sometime in March 2024, Austin will host the annual South by Southwest music/film festival. I couldn't find the dates for the music festival, but the film "festival" starts on March 8th - the music part is usually right after that. Hotel rooms will be expensive and hard to find, and restaurants will be packed. Unless you want to partake in this scene, you might consider skipping Austin. I would stay somewhere on or close to the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

If you want a day trip from San Antonio, consider Fredericksburg.

The National Museum of the Pacific War is in Fredericksburg: https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/visit

Don't feel bad. I had a moment of panic this morning about hypothetical 2026 plans 😄

Our exceptionally bright and beautiful grandchildren live in San Antonio so we've spent a lot of time there. I admit to being underwhelmed by both the Alamo and the River Walk but it may have been due to the crushing crowds.
Another vote for visiting Fredericksburg and the LBJ ranch. They are close enough together to do in the same day.
Waco is a couple of hours away if you are into the Chip and Joanna Gaines hoopla. Also the Waco Mammoth National Park which is very interesting and the Dr Pepper Museum. Coming from the beautiful Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee I find the hill country to be pretty sad.

When we were in our 20's we lived in San Antonio. We toured the Alamo and the riverwalk and then started white water canoeing withe a group. You can find tours to do this with rental canoes and a lesson. Our favorite place at the time was the Pedernales river just north of San Antonio.

Have a great trip.

I'm actually in San Antonio.

Another vote here for Fredricksburg and the (free) National Park Service sites in LBJ country near there. His boyhood home and the LBJ Ranch.

Also, you might consider San Marcos over New Braunfels; that is always our personal preference. (Unless NB is the reason for the trip)

March is lovely...summer hasn't quite arrived. You might even get to see fields of Bluebonnets.

I would just recommend adding a few more days. You're not going to have much sightseeing time.

The Hill Country is beautiful, I would allow time to just meander by car. There are a lot of good driving itineraries online primarily through the Austin Visitor website (or Hill Country websites).

These are the towns I wouldn't miss:

• Boerne
• Luchenbach (tiny place but a lot of fun, especially if you can have a beer and listen to some live music)
• Fredericksburg, including the stunning wildflower farm in bloom (https://www.wildseedfarms.com)
• Wimberley
• Kerrville

The Riverwalk is more pleasant when you get beyond the tourist spots and head out on the extended trails (https://www.sariverauthority.org/resources/san-antonio-river-walk-map). You can probably hit all three (?) Missions on those trails, but it will be a 10 mile walk (https://www.sanantonio.gov/Mission-Trails/Mission-Trails-Historic-Sites/Missions). I did it, and it was wonderful to have such a long walking path; could easily be done by bike too.

I agree about the LBJ ranch, very cool place. Saw some Texas longhorns there, which I haven't seen outside of Texas.

I agree about the LBJ ranch, very cool place.

One of my favourite LBJ quotes:

"I have come across the ocean to Berlin by direction of the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. He wants you to know, and I want you to know, and the United States wants you to know, that the pledge he has given to the freedom of West Berlin and to the rights of Western access to Berlin is firm (…). To the people of East Berlin I would say: do not lose courage, for while tyranny may seem for the moment to prevail, its days are numbered.” [ 19 August 1961]

McNay Art Museum in San Antonio.

Briscoe West Art Museum.

La Villita Historic Art Village

Have brunch at Tony G’s Soul Food

I loved Fredricksburg as a day trip. There are wineries in the hill country if you’re interested in that.

Thanks for the replies so far. I realize there is more to see in the area, but we will be limited in our time frame. We can maybe stretch another day as the LBJ ranch would be nice to see.

Now I am searching for when the music/film festival is in Austin, because we would really like to avoid that!

From Wikipedia: "dates vary but generally coinciding with University of Texas at Austin spring break and also usually includes St. Patrick's Day"

Thank you EP!

Check out Gruene and eat at The Gristmill. Have a beverage in Gruene Hall. Visit Johnson City. Pecan Street Brewing is a good place for lunch. Also Lady Bird Lane cafe. Lots of nice wineries in the area also. Good time to see the river walk in San Antonio as it shouldn't be hot! Definitely avoid Austin if the music festival falls on your dates. If you are into hiking, check out the trails in the area.
Have fun!

If you delayed your trip for a month, you would have the opportunity of a lifetime on April 8, 2024 to see a total eclipse of the sun as it passes across central Texas from SW to NE.

If you delayed your trip for a month, you would have the opportunity of a lifetime on April 8, 2024 to see a total eclipse of the sun as it passes across central Texas from SW to NE.

I forgotten about that! 2024 used to sound so far away!

https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024

Hmmm, I forgot, too. I may have to stay home for that.

I live in Austin and you probably want to avoid SXSW if at all possible.

Plane fares are doubled and they are all booked. Hotels, if you can get one, are tripled in price. It is mania and chaos.

Go to the SXSW site so you can find out when it will be happening 2024 but keep n mind that people cme in days early and hang around afterwards.

There many nice hotels in the central area. What is your budget. I suggest that you go to booking.com and do research. Then you can book through booking or go to the web site.

We have great barbeque and Mexican and Tex Mex. Still a few places left that serve Southern cooking which is very delicious but also unhealthy. Of course, there are also very good steak houses.

You probably want to go to the LBJ Library at the University. The Bob Bullock State of Texas Museum is very interesting. And across the street is The Blanton Museum.

Walk around Lady Bird Lake and The Greenbelt. There are boat excursions leaving from The Hyatt Regency. Might want to check out Zilker Park and Barton Springs. Whole Foods has their landmark store here. They have great food bars which are very expensive but very good and you can sit and eat while people watching. Great place to people watch.

Bostonphil7, thank you, we have plenty of time to plan and hotels are not sold out for next March. Perhaps, you thought I meant this March? Anyways, due to the film/music festival in Austin, we are going to spend all our nights in San Antonio and do several day trips from there, hill country, Austin, etc.

Austin
- Umlauf Sculpture Garden (https://www.umlaufsculpture.org)
- Live music
- Texas Capitol
- Zilker Park
- Mount Bonnell overlook
- Whole Foods store