My step-dad doesn’t know that we are supposed to be speaking with shorter words when conversing with millenials. But, for the whole time I’ve known him, he has been a pro at calling cities and towns by half their real names.
San Antone is short for San Antonio. Until I was 14 years old, I literally Did.Not.Know.That.
Same with Albu-kerk. That’s only the half of it. 
I should have figured it out sooner. We listened to plenty of country music on family trips in the brown station wagon – but, for real, I thought the singers were arbitrarily elongating San Antone, adding the -eeee-ooooh- for rhyming purposes. It’s the truth. I thought that.
Since we’ve moved to Austin, I find San Antone to be a day trip worth taking for many reasons.
First: Its romance.
There ain’t a thing in this world
To make you fall in love, girl
Like the San Antonio Stroll. – Tanya Tucker
Mike once surprised me with a little trip from Amarillo, (up from San Antone) to a James Taylor concert at the Majestic Theater. As we walked along the river, I had no idea we were leisurely killing time before I would see my favorite artist perform with the San Antonio Symphony. Ahhh…he got a whole bunch of brownie points for that one. (Here’s a link to the calendar of upcoming events at this romantic, beautiful venue.)
Second: Its cuisine. Anywhere you go, the Mexican food is flavorful and delicious.
Have you been to Mi Tierra? This is a great place for two, and probably an even better place for groups of 4-8, so if you have a group of friends who want to make a day of it, this is a great restaurant to suggest when someone says, “Where do y’all want to eat?”
The mariachi band plays your requests, tableside. Be sure you have some cash in your pocket if you ask them to play – it’s a small fee for each request.
If you want a little something sweet, stop by the Mexican bakery case filled with all manner of Mexican pastries and cookies. A little sack of these nibbles will tide you over until you can get back to Austin for some flan. 
Third: Its flair.
Isn’t it amazing how our big ol’ Texas cities each have such different personalities? I’m fascinated by the fast pace and huge homes in the Metroplex and enthralled by the enthusiasm of H-town, but give me San Antone for some pure Texas flair – of the Mexican kind.
Ejemplo principal? The River Walk.
A walk down the sidewalk of the famous San Antonio River Walk can be long and leisurely, or just a short stroll on your way to The Alamo . There are plenty of entry and exit points along the River Walk, so you can walk up to the street, or stay down by the water. (Tip: The Ford Holiday River Parade is coming up soon. What a great idea for the day after Thanksgiving.)
Photo – The Alamo Trolley
These are three really great motivations for a day trip to San Antonio – but if you want to spend the night, by all means! There are fancy hotels and relaxing resorts all around.
I love a good day trip, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of everywhere we can see on a day’s journey from Austin, but you can hang your George Strait hat on this one – San Antone – the city with all the flair of Texas heritage and history – has a rightful place at the top of any day trip list.
Encouraging intentional adventure and a little Tex-Mex in your weekend,
PS – Remember the Alamo!
