Fiesta San Antonio
We just recently returned from Spring Break which was spent visiting family in Dallas with a side trip to San Antonio, Tx. If you have not been to San Antonio it is a great place to go with kids. We were there for part of Fiesta. Fiesta is a week long city wide celebration which grew out an annual parade in honor of the Alamo.
The week kicks off with the Texas Caviler's River Parade. This festive parade actually takes place floating through San Antonio's river walk. Hey, how often do you get to see an actual floating parade? And one with a "King Antonio" as well as lots of princesses! Pretty cool! This is a very family friendly event. You can purchase tickets to sit in the chairs along the river walk or a few blocks from the center of town you can join the many families with young kids sitting on blankets along the river banks. If you've got little kids try and find spot close to the start of the parade as it runs 2 hours. I did not find the crowds at this event to be too much. From what I can gather there is another parade towards the end of the week going through the town which can get much more crowded.
Even if you do not make it for Fiesta there is still tons to do in San Antonio with children. Make sure to stay in a hotel on the river walk. It is gorgeous and tons of fun for kids. My kids loved strolling down the river looking at ducks, little water falls and more. We had some lovely meals dining outside along the river as well. There is a nice 30 minute boat tour we all took which I'd highly recommend as they point out many points of historical interest.
The Alamo is not to be missed. It's a very moving experience. The grounds around the Alamo have recently been redone and they are exquisite. San Antonio has lots of wonderful museums, a fabulous zoo and some truly stunning botanical gardens. 
An old cement quarry was miraculously transformed into Japanese style gardens at the Botanical Gardens.
Just outside of San Antonio is Sea World as well as some interesting Hill Country attractions. We did the caverns in New Braunfels. They are massive and by guided tour only. My 5 year old princess and 9 year old son were equally impressed and mesmerized during the entire hour plus tour. Make sure to wear sneakers! Also make sure to check the Sea World schedule. We just assumed it would be open when we were in town but it was actually only open from Thursday through the weekend. Luckily, the kids had had such a great time at the zoo, they did not even complain about missing it.
We stayed at very kid friendly hotel. Popcorn in the lobby every afternoon, roof-top pool, self-serve complimentary breakfast and great location. We had a 2 1/2 room suite (2 bedrooms and kitchen area with sink, fridge) for under $200. It was called the Drury. (They have 2 Drurys in town. We stayed at the old fashioned one as opposed to the modern one in a former bank. I feel it was better located.) If you are looking for a more elegant hotel try the La Mansion del Rio.
Mary Kate
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