The most prominent houses are on King William Street and Madison Street. The centerpiece of San Antonio remains the Alamo, the old stone mission at 300 Alamo Plaza that is the lodestone of Texas history. In 1836 Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie and 187 other defenders died at the hands of Santa Anna and the Mexican Army. But their deaths inspired the famous battle cry that Texas shouted in defeating Santa Anna's army later at the Battle of San Jacinto. Today, with 2.5 million visitors a year, the Alamo is the state's top tourist attraction.
Admission is free.
It is a very short walk from there to the Riverwalk, or the Paseo del R o, the twisting tourist district built along the banks of the San Antonio River. In the 1920's, city officials considered paving over Riverwalk. Now it is the centerpiece of the city's leisure life. Lined with shops, sidewalk cafes, restaurants and hotels, the Riverwalk stretches about three miles, punctuated by W.P.A.-era arched bridges and entrance steps. You will need a car to visit San Antonio's Spanish missions, but they are worth the effort.