With a 15-mile River Walk spanning historic attractions, dining, nightlife and meeting venues, downtown San Antonio was designed around the great outdoors, with walking and strolling the preferred modes of transportation.
For those looking to live it up during down time, the city and surrounding Hill Country deliver with a world of recreation options and activity-oriented attractions, from kayaking and biking to experiencing waterslides and animal encounters, as well as that innately Texan venue—the ranch.
“At dude ranches, immersive experiences like horseback riding, hiking and gathering around a campfire inspire connections between peers and draw attendees closer to nature,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit San Antonio. “Smaller groups may be able to host their entire meeting at one of several ranches outfitted with amenities including conference space, AV and banquet facilities.”
Back at the Ranch
One venue functioning as both a home on the range and a meetings destination is the Marriott-managed Knibbe Ranch, north of San Antonio, where activities include trail rides, armadillo races, skeet shooting, nature hikes and a large inventory of teambuilding options.
Whether for an all-day seminar or a Western-themed dinner, the working cattle ranch can accommodate up to 4,200, according to Event Coordinator A.J. Bononcini.
“We have 12,000 square feet of meeting space, and can transform that into a dinner space,” Bononcini said. “Technically we have seating for 1,100 but we can bring in additional seating. If it’s a big group, we’ll stagger their arrival to the ranch so they arrive in waves of 200 to 300. People can kind of plan their own agenda, anything from Texas tailgating to a rodeo.”
As a Marriott facility, Knibbe Ranch draws groups from the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, the Marriott San Antonio Rivercenter and the Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk. However, there are times when the ranch welcomes guests from other properties.
“If we’re open and it’s off-season, we may be able to accommodate them,” Bononcini said.
Also in the Hill Country neighborhood of ranches is the Mayan Dude Ranch, which in addition to a 3,000-square-foot conference center offers lodge rooms and cottages decked out in Southwestern decor, with rates that include three meals a day, horseback riding and other activities.
“We do cowboy Olympics, BB shooting, roping and games that encourage teambuilding,” said Shea Butler, co-owner of the ranch. “When you come here you’re going to get the cowboy experience. We have that dude ranch flair.”
Still, the group doesn’t need to visit a dude ranch to infuse an event with authentic Texas flavor.
“For those looking to stay in the city, our convention services team also can work with meeting planners to bring experiences such as line dancing, armadillo racing and interactions with ranch animals including horses and longhorns, to select meeting facilities,” noted Visit San Antonio’s Matej.
If animal interactions are on the wish list, both the San Antonio Zoo and SeaWorld San Antonio offer behind-the-scenes group tours, with the latter inviting teams to trade business casual for wetsuits and hop in the water for hands-on experiences with dolphins, beluga whales and sea lions.
PageBreakRun for It
For some groups, things don’t get going until attendees break a sweat. Mission Adventure Tours has options for the fitness-minded that pass some of the city’s most beautiful and historic sites while helping burn those calories.
Bike tours along the Mission Reach stretch of the San Antonio River Walk, for example, take in the city’s historic missions, the 300-year-old Espada Dam and the former Hot Wells Resort, where hot sulfur springs—thought to have healing qualities—drew tourists from all over the world in the early 20th century, including such luminaries as Teddy Roosevelt, Cecil B. DeMille and Rudolph Valentino.
Running tours along the Mission Reach also are offered by Mission Adventure Tours as well as guided runs through the Pearl district, where a brewery was established in 1881, and the 25-block King William Historic District.
For something a little less strenuous, Mission Adventure offers kayak excursions down the San Antonio River conducted by certified instructors from the American Canoe Association. But the company will work with meeting planners to customize itineraries, according to owner Sarah Neal.
“We can be flexible. It just depends on the size of the group,” Neal said. “I just had a client call who wanted a triathlon tour of kayaking, biking and running. We also can do simpler trips.”
Here’s a unique plus from Mission Adventure—tours conducted in American Sign Language, should a group need them.
Indoor/Outdoor Adventure
A different type of water action is waiting at Splashtown San Antonio, featuring 50-plus rides and attractions, including slides and tubing, and group packages that are offered for corporate picnics and reunions.
Meanwhile, planners looking to schedule a little friendly competition can organize basketball, volleyball, baseball or soccer tournaments at Mission Concepcion Sports Park, a youth sports complex also available for group rentals.
“We’ve had companies come in and rent our indoor basketball and volleyball courts; the building can hold 1,300 people,” said Leroy Vielma, event coordinator. “We set up the nets but they bring their own equipment.”
But who says all the excitement has to be above ground? Just north of San Antonio groups can explore 180 feet below the surface at Natural Bridge Caverns, where amazing subterranean formations include stalactites, flowstones, chandeliers and soda straws. Among the many tour options are hidden passages tours and lantern tours.
In addition to group cave tours, the Caverns offer the Canopy Challenge, a zipline and ropes course combination, as well as a 5,000-square-foot outdoor maze where participants have to find various checkpoints. Other activities include gem and fossil mining and seasonal opportunities to visit the nearby Bracken Bat Cave. The property’s new Discovery Pavilion offers a shaded spot for groups to convene, with catering services available.
If time is limited to head off-site, many area properties can step up with a range of activities. The Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, for one, boasts a five-acre waterpark, a 27-hole championship golf course and nature trails for jogging, walking and biking.
On the other hand, if time allows a few side trips, the city of Laredo to the south will keep attendees busy with fishing, birding, golfing and cultural discoveries.
