About San Antonio
Located in South Texas, San Antonio is a cultural gateway into the American Southwest. It is the seventh largest city in the United States and the second largest in Texas with 
approximately two million people in the metropolitan area. Despite being one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, San Antonio has managed to maintain its charm, cultural beauty, and independent spirit. With a variety of tourist attractions, tasty cuisine, and mild weather, it is no wonder that San Antonio is the most visited city in Texas and was recently voted one of America’s top 10 best places to live in 2008 by Relocate-America – http://top100.relocate-america.com.
San Antonio has a diversified economy with four primary focuses: financial services, health care, national defense, and tourism. The city has a strong military presence – it is home to Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, and Brooks City-Base. It is also home to the South Texas Medical Center, the largest medical research and care provider in the South Texas region which is made up of a conglomerate of major hospitals, clinics, research and higher educational institutions. It is the center for a $14 billion biomedical industry.
Famous for its River Walk, the Alamo, Tejano culture, and home to the Sea World San Antonio and Six Flags Fiesta Texas theme parks, the city is visited by 26 million tourists per year according to the San Antonio Convention and Visitors Bureau. San Antonio is also home to the first museum of modern art in Texas – the McNay Art Museum, as well as one of the more successful National Basketball Association teams in the league, the San Antonio Spurs. The Botanical Gardens, Brackenridge Park, the San Antonio Zoo, and the Japanese Tea Gardens are other favorite attractions. Visitors also enjoy exploring the unique culture and colorful history of San Antonio in its world-class museums of art, natural history, and anthropology. The various cultural influences that make up the modern city of San Antonio are brought together in imaginative, educational exhibits at the Institute of Texan Cultures as well as the various Missions.
The jewel of the city is the River Walk, which meanders through the downtown area. Lined with numerous shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as the Arneson River Theater, this attraction is transformed into an impressive festival of lights during the Christmas and New Year holiday period, and is suffused with the local sounds of folklorico and flamenco music during the summer. Also based along the River Walk is the newly restored Aztec On The River, the only surviving exotic-themed movie palace in Texas. The downtown area also features the Cathedral of San Fernando (the oldest cathedral in the United States), the Majestic Theater, HemisFair Park (home of the Tower of the Americas and the Institute of Texan Cultures), La Villita, the Spanish Governor’s Palace, and the historic Menger Hotel. The San Antonio Cavalry Museum, located near the Alamo complex, features cavalry artifacts and exhibits and is frequented by local historical re-enactors. North Star Mall, El Mercado, and the Shops at La Cantera provide a diversity of stores and opportunities for San Antonio shoppers.
