Visiting San Antonio - Christmas Day game

[maurolv]

Hi everyone,


We're planning on visiting San Antonio (along with Austin and Houston). It'd be our first time in Texas (we live in Miami) and wanted to ask you (those of you who live in SA) a few things:

- Better to stay close to the riverwalk? (well, worth the money?)
- We would like to attend the game on the 25th...is stubhub the cheapest place to buy or should we buy once there?
- Any places in SA we shouldn't miss?


If anyone has any recommendations, I'd gladly appreciate them! (even about Austin or Houston)

Thank you!

[spurs10]

As far as tickets go, sometimes you find bargains on stubhub and sometimes you'll do better at ticketmaster or spurs.com. See if you can call and get a Spurs representative on the line and ask for their assistance. You might get lucky. The AT&T Center is not in a location you want to stay in, so yes the Riverwalk area will be your best bet. You don't want to miss going to the Alamo or the other missions if possible. Would recommend eating at Rosario's or the festive Mi Tierra's. Get any reputable hotel you like, with The Gunther hotel being an a cool unique place.

[Embedded]

Threre are 2 Marriotts on the Riverwalk - Riverwalk and Rivercenter. I have stayed at both, they are very good.

[Southwest Texas Fan]

The Westin on The Riverwalk is nice as well.

[EVAY]

I would recommend going to the Spurs.com site and see if you can get tickets from season ticket holders who are not going to go to the game because it is Christmas Day. (there will likely be a lot of them who make their tickets available). The site gives you info. on where the seats are, what the price is on the face of the ticket, and what is being asked for the ticket. Lots of times one person will be willing to sell at a lower price just to make sure they can sell their ticket (s). For-profit resale places seldom have the very best seats, and you always know you are going to pay for the processing. Spurs ticket holders often just don't want to lose the price of the ticket, and since they get them at a slight discount to the face value due to being season ticket purchasers, they sometimes are willing to pass that saving along to someone who will just buy the thing.

One thing - the AT&T Center really is not in a good neighborhood, as someone else mentioned, so if you have a rental car, see if you can get a parking pass along with the ticket. Sometimes that is the hardest thing to get. If you don't have a rental car, try to figure out how you are gonna get there...cuz it won't be easy.

[maurolv]

Thank you all for all the information, I really appreciate it. I'll definitely check out spurs.com


Two more quick questions:

- Better to stay in a hotel inside the downtown area around the riverwalk? Or a few blocks away is still good?
- Is a car necessary (if staying 2-3 days)? (If we fly, we can't afford to rent a car - so either we fly and walk/use public transportation or we drive all the way from Miami).

[ploto]

Thank you all for all the information, I really appreciate it. I'll definitely check out spurs.com

Maybe some nice Spurs season ticket holder on here might be willing to give you a good deal if they plan on selling their tickets. Anyone...

[EVAY]

Thank you all for all the information, I really appreciate it. I'll definitely check out spurs.com


Two more quick questions:

- Better to stay in a hotel inside the downtown area around the riverwalk? Or a few blocks away is still good?
- Is a car necessary (if staying 2-3 days)? (If we fly, we can't afford to rent a car - so either we fly and walk/use public transportation or we drive all the way from Miami).

I'm not good about this sort of info. I don't know how available public transport is to/from the Alamodome. Best guess - when you decide on your hotel, call the receptionist or concierge (if they have one) and ask them. A few blocks away is okay...but not much further. Years ago someone I knew got a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk for a wedding, and they said the prices weren't too bad.

I think it is likely time for you to do some digging into this stuff yourself.

[DDUBB1770]

you can easily grab a cab to and from the game from any river walk hotel maybe 15-20$ with tip.

[Dex]

If you are planning to be able to get around San Antonio, Austin, or Houston reasonably, you need a car in my opinion.

San Antonio you can reasonably stay downtown, take a cab to AT&T and back, and find plenty of entertainment down there. Same goes for downtown Austin, but still think you would be limiting yourself if your only transportation is going to be cabs (or our terrible bus systems).

[spurs10]

The amount spent on cabs from the airport and back will be the same as a rent car. Parking at the game will $10, so....
Perhaps some of the hotels feature a shuttle bus from the airport or to the game.

[The Whopper]

The amount spent on cabs from the airport and back will be the same as a rent car. Parking at the game will $10, so....
Perhaps some of the hotels feature a shuttle bus from the airport or to the game.

If you are staying downtown, take the Houston Street Bus (#24). You can pick it up on Market downtown and it drops you right at the AT&T Center. $1.20 each way full fare. It will drop you right downtown again after the game and it runs until midnight. No rental car, no parking fee, no drink driving.

Also, there are free shuttles to the games and back if you eat at Josephine Street Cafe, Blue Star, or from the clubs on North St Mary's. Advanced technique for those of us who live inside 410.

[EVAY]

If you are staying downtown, take the Houston Street Bus (#24). You can pick it up on Market downtown and it drops you right at the AT&T Center. $1.20 each way full fare. It will drop you right downtown again after the game and it runs until midnight. No rental car, no parking fee, no drink driving.

Also, there are free shuttles to the games and back if you eat at Josephine Street Cafe, Blue Star, or from the clubs on North St Mary's. Advanced technique for those of us who live inside 410.

Great info...all of us should know this, but I bet most of us (and I have lived here for 20 years) don't. Thanks for telling all of us.

[Mel_13]

My 2 cents:

1. You don't need a rental car if you're just coming to San Antonio for a few days, but I don't see how you're going to do San Antonio, Austin, and Houston without a rental car.

2. Whatever you decide about rental cars and game tickets, you're running out of time to get the best airfare. Once you get under 21 days, finding a good fare will get harder.

3. I'd cut out Houston and just do Austin and San Antonio. You could also fly into Austin and even stay there as your base. It's only 70 highway miles from Austin to the AT&T Center.

4. The AT&T Center has ample parking. No need to buy a parking pass in advance.

[Drachen]

Are you going to fly into San Antonio and do Megabus to the other locations (Austin and Houston)?

[maurolv]

I'm not good about this sort of info. I don't know how available public transport is to/from the Alamodome. Best guess - when you decide on your hotel, call the receptionist or concierge (if they have one) and ask them. A few blocks away is okay...but not much further. Years ago someone I knew got a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Riverwalk for a wedding, and they said the prices weren't too bad.

I think it is likely time for you to do some digging into this stuff yourself.

Hey, I've been digging into the trip myself for months - I simply think getting some info from those actually living there tend to help a lot.

If you (or anyone in this forum) ever plan on visiting Miami, please let me know and I'll be happy to help/advice!

[ElNono]

My 2 cents:

1. You don't need a rental car if you're just coming to San Antonio for a few days, but I don't see how you're going to do San Antonio, Austin, and Houston without a rental car.

2. Whatever you decide about rental cars and game tickets, you're running out of time to get the best airfare. Once you get under 21 days, finding a good fare will get harder.

3. I'd cut out Houston and just do Austin and San Antonio. You could also fly into Austin and even stay there as your base. It's only 70 highway miles from Austin to the AT&T Center.

4. The AT&T Center has ample parking. No need to buy a parking pass in advance.

Just as a footnote to this, I've found reasonably-priced airplane tickets during the Christmas time from Southwest. I might actually make a quick visit to San Anton, but won't be attending a game.

[maurolv]

If you are staying downtown, take the Houston Street Bus (#24). You can pick it up on Market downtown and it drops you right at the AT&T Center. $1.20 each way full fare. It will drop you right downtown again after the game and it runs until midnight. No rental car, no parking fee, no drink driving.

Also, there are free shuttles to the games and back if you eat at Josephine Street Cafe, Blue Star, or from the clubs on North St Mary's. Advanced technique for those of us who live inside 410.

Great tips! Thank you so much!

My 2 cents:

1. You don't need a rental car if you're just coming to San Antonio for a few days, but I don't see how you're going to do San Antonio, Austin, and Houston without a rental car.

2. Whatever you decide about rental cars and game tickets, you're running out of time to get the best airfare. Once you get under 21 days, finding a good fare will get harder.

3. I'd cut out Houston and just do Austin and San Antonio. You could also fly into Austin and even stay there as your base. It's only 70 highway miles from Austin to the AT&T Center.

4. The AT&T Center has ample parking. No need to buy a parking pass in advance.

We were thinking about cutting out Houston in order to avoid the rental car. I know time is tight, but there are other more important things holding us back from booking everything yet.

Thanks for the info!

you can easily grab a cab to and from the game from any river walk hotel maybe 15-20$ with tip.

Awesome! Thanks!

If you are planning to be able to get around San Antonio, Austin, or Houston reasonably, you need a car in my opinion.

San Antonio you can reasonably stay downtown, take a cab to AT&T and back, and find plenty of entertainment down there. Same goes for downtown Austin, but still think you would be limiting yourself if your only transportation is going to be cabs (or our terrible bus systems).

Will take your comment into consideration. Maybe we can cut some things and rent a car. Thank you!

The amount spent on cabs from the airport and back will be the same as a rent car. Parking at the game will $10, so....
Perhaps some of the hotels feature a shuttle bus from the airport or to the game.

Ehhh...the cheapest I was able to get for the rental was a bit over $400 (which sucks considering I rented a car for 4 days during September for only $41 - but September is the slowest month for car rental companies - December....not so much :/)

Are you going to fly into San Antonio and do Megabus to the other locations (Austin and Houston)?

Oh wow! I had no idea what the Megabus was but I just googled it thanks to you. $20 for all 4 of us from Austin to San Antonio...that's amazing! We might actually consider it now. Thank you!

[maurolv]

Just as a footnote to this, I've found reasonably-priced airplane tickets during the Christmas time from Southwest. I might actually make a quick visit to San Anton, but won't be attending a game.

$200 roundtrip is what I've got. Anything better?

[ElNono]

$200 roundtrip is what I've got. Anything better?

Sorry, I'm in the NE... just pointing out that they had reasonable prices, substantially cheaper than American or United for me...

[maurolv]

Sorry, I'm in the NE... just pointing out that they had reasonable prices, substantially cheaper than American or United for me...

Understood!

[Mel_13]

We were thinking about cutting out Houston in order to avoid the rental car. I know time is tight, but there are other more important things holding us back from booking everything yet.

Got it.

You could stay at one of the many hotels near the Austin Airport. Short cab ride (or Uber) to downtown Austin and you could do a 24 hour car rental to get to San Antonio.

Also, I've been to almost every home game since 2004, so feel free to PM me with any specific questions about seeing the Spurs in San Antonio.

Good luck!

[Drachen]

Great tips! Thank you so much!



We were thinking about cutting out Houston in order to avoid the rental car. I know time is tight, but there are other more important things holding us back from booking everything yet.

Thanks for the info!




Awesome! Thanks!



Will take your comment into consideration. Maybe we can cut some things and rent a car. Thank you!



Ehhh...the cheapest I was able to get for the rental was a bit over $400 (which sucks considering I rented a car for 4 days during September for only $41 - but September is the slowest month for car rental companies - December....not so much :/)



Oh wow! I had no idea what the Megabus was but I just googled it thanks to you. $20 for all 4 of us from Austin to San Antonio...that's amazing! We might actually consider it now. Thank you!

Yeah, depending on the time that you take the ride and how far out you book it, you can get rides for as little as $1, even from San Antonio all the way to New Orleans.