Destination: San Antonio Meeting & Event Planning City Guide

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Destination Articles

  • In the Footsteps of History

    By Steve Winston

    April 23, 2013

    This is hallowed ground.

    It’s quiet now. But if you listen closely you can hear them, the men from both sides who gave their lives for their cause here. You can also hear the cannons bellowing across the centuries, belching flame and death with every explosion.

  • Meet Big in Texas

    By Jennie Nunn

    August 30, 2012

     Mention the word “Texas,” and three things immediately come to mind: spicy chili, leather cowboy boots and the Alamo. But aside from its warm climate, friendly residents and Southwest charm, there’s much more to the Lone Star State than meets the eye. From the idyllic setting of San Antonio’s River Walk and Austin’s famous live music scene to the state’s oldest modern art museum in Forth Worth to a wealth of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and fishing, it’s no surprise Texas is a top destination for meeting planners and hosts several world conferences each year.

  • In the 'hoods

    By Nikki Gloudeman

    April 30, 2012

    City dwellers often talk in neighborhood terms: "Let’s go shopping in SoMa." "Meet you in SoHo." "Have you been to that new Italian restaurant in the Warehouse District?"

  • Texas Round-Up: Meeting in the Lone Star State

    By Kendra Strey

    August 29, 2011

    It’s no secret that Texas is big. In fact, most of the Atlantic seaboard could fit inside its boundaries. But this is good news for meeting planners—it means more options. “Our hotel rates and food and beverage charges are competitive, and our central location is convenient for companies that fly in delegates from both coasts—or internationally,” says Dean Conwell of the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus

  • The Epicenter of Texas Pride

    By Judy Jacobs

    April 20, 2011

    There are a multitude of reasons to hold a meeting in San Antonio and its surrounding Hill Country. The city’s downtown area, where the convention center and major hotels are located, is walkable, the people are incredibly friendly and eager to please, and a wealth of attractions—the River Walk, The Alamo, 18th-century missions and celebrations thrown at the drop of a sombrero—make attendance numbers soar. People just want to go there.

  • Deep in the Heart of Texas

    By Richard Varr

    March 19, 2010

    It’s the small details that help capture the true feeling of San Antonio. Tejano culture comes alive with mariachi trumpets piercing the bustle of nightlife along the famed River Walk, where waiters serve sizzling fajitas to customers seated in riverside cafes.

Learn about San Antonio for Event Venues, Services & Meeting Destinations

Destination Description

Smart Stats:

Number of Meetings Hotels: 300
Total Hotel Rooms: 36,00
Number of Special Events Venues: 57|
Local Convention Centers: Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Alamodome, Municipal Auditorium
Local Airports: San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
Local CVB:

Smart Snapshot:

Any San Antonio visitor can name its two top attractions: The Alamo shrine, site of the pivotal 1836 battle in the struggle for Texas independence, and the winding River Walk, with its stone bridges, picturesque water views and quaint paths. Snaking through downtown along the San Antonio River, this three-mile soon-to-be-expanded pedestrian promenade connects a Texas-size sampling of restaurants, shops, museums, historic landmarks and hotels, as boat tours ply the water nearby. Each winter the walkway becomes a holiday wonderland; in summer, flamenco music sets the tone.

 

A delightful nostalgia pervades this town of Mexican mission–style buildings and desert terrain, and it’s hard to deny the overall vintage charm. But aside from beloved local customs—like the Alamo Bowl football game (played every year since 1993) and quirky River Walk spots like Marriage Island, where happy couples tie the knot—impressive modern amenities also abound. Home to three big convention spaces and myriad luxury hotels, San Antonio’s a place where forward-thinking meeting planners can bring people together to look ahead and transcend the past.