Where to Play, Eat, and Stay During Pride San Antonio

Plenty of the 18 sponsors who participate in Pride San Antonio are just as fabulous the rest of the year (well, maybe not in the height of summer unless you’re strolling the river at night and catching up on your beauty sleep in the heat of the day). Plus, San Antonio is an easy city to visit with nonstop service from many airports, road trip potential from cities like Dallas and Austin, and service on Amtrak’s Texas Eagle that travels between LA and Chicago. So, whether you’re visiting for Pride or just visiting, here’s where to play, eat, and stay on a queer-friendly trip to San Antonio.

Things to do during Pride San Antonio

San Antonio’s 15-mile-long River Walk ranks high on the city’s list of attractions — in fact, it’s up there with the top must-sees in all of Texas. On an average day, the River Walk is a hub of dining, shopping, and entertainment, including river cruises with operators like Go Rio. It’s also one of the city’s main arteries, connecting attractions like the Alamo and several museums.

One fun aspect of seeing the River Walk used as the parade route during Pride was that it was packed with tourists who may or may not have even realized that Pride was happening. During the fun, mostly family-oriented drag show just before the parade, Go Rio river cruisers had passing front-row seats. Mostly, they seemed thrilled and impressed (only a few were scandalized). Drag performers hugged children, lip-synced, and performed acrobatics in heels while a fire dancer and eater twirled flaming batons and blew flames sky-high.

Then the parade began. Each parading group decorated a flat-bottom boat, putting more than just queer pride on display. There were floats showcasing Texas pride, honoring Mexican culture, and highlighting local business support for our communities. It was a fun and wholesome display with seating in the built-in amphitheater.

In downtown San Antonio, Pink Shark hosted the official Pride afterparty. While it bills itself as a fun bar for all, it’s pretty dang queer. (Seriously, though, I went back on a Sunday afternoon, and there was a wide range of people who seemed comfortable and delighted by the wacky shark decor.) The storefront bar is just the beginning — a vending machine in the back wall opens to a speakeasy with a gorgeous set of windows facing a courtyard that gets the golden hour light. After dark, a shark-shaped disco ball spins over the dance floor.

Pink Shark’s owners are a lesbian Latina couple who also operate Howdy, Sore Loser (the best name for a country Western sports bar I’ve ever heard) and Picks Bar on North Loop (away from the river), which has karaoke accompanied by a live band. At the Pride afterparty, I scarfed onion dip and chips with my fancy pink cherry-skewered drink. Some cocktails even come in shark-head and cowboy-boot-shaped vessels.

When you’re not participating in Pride-centered revelry, San Antonio still delivers with plenty of spots to enjoy downtown. The San Antonio Botanical Garden provides 39 acres to explore, including a “family adventure garden” with sand to roll in, water to splash, and lots of ways to interact with nature. There are also beautiful trails to admire and indoor environments for plants from other world climates. It also helps that the botanical garden opens at 8 AM for those looking to avoid the heat.

The San Antonio Museum of Art is a great choice when the sun is hottest. I was particularly impressed by the Indian/Hindu and Latin American collections.

Where to eat during Pride San Antonio

The list of noteworthy River Walk restaurants is long. It includes Zocca, which is just a few minutes from the embarkation point for Go Rio cruises (approximately 35-minute boat tours). My favorite dish was a roasted cauliflower and artichoke appetizer with hummus and pine nuts. The restaurant takes special care of vegan and vegetarian diners, rather than limiting them to starters, so be sure to let them know if you have dietary preferences. I also enjoyed the Cozy Blanket mocktail using a tequila alternative.

A few blocks away, La Panaderia always had a line out the door. Queuing in the summer heat for those gorgeous breads, sandwiches, and coffees is the ultimate testament. There are three locations in San Antonio, but downtown is the original.

Less than half a mile away, Pharm Table focuses on food as medicine, which, to my surprise, included meat and alcohol in addition to wildly flavorful vegan fare. As I glanced around at the clientele, I saw a higher-than-usual number of bearded men with buns dressed in high-quality linen, accompanied by women in expensive-looking tube tops and flowy skirts. I enjoyed dining in this demographic of well-resourced folks with hippie sensibilities, including viewing soil as sacred.

Further from downtown, the food was no less magnificent. Staying with the vegetarian vibe, Green served magnificent Texas diner fare — but meat-free. I had chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a kale salad. The “not-zerella sticks” pulled just like cheese. It’s easy to see why Green has been in business for nearly 20 years. Plantaqueria is also worth a visit if you like Mexican tacos: carne asada, pollo, and jackfruit — all vegan.

Another must-see area for great food and shops is The Pearl, also located on a scenic river. The site of the old Pearl Brewery, started in 1883, this area north of downtown now has a different luster. I dined at Ladino whose menu is inspired by Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jewish culture. Ladino is the name of the endangered language that the chef grew up speaking. I recommend ordering a lot of the appetizer dips. Maybe all of them.

Where to stay during Pride San Antonio

All of the major hotel chains are represented on the River Walk, and there are some lovely smaller historic hotels in the vicinity, too. I stayed at The Westin Riverwalk, which has petite balconies overlooking the river and a small pool for those hot days. (Don’t forget to join the Marriott loyalty program for free WiFi.) Hotel Havana holds some great queer history, having been a haven for drag queens and trans patrons in its heyday, according to the chef at The Ocho Lounge.

This hotel restaurant, situated in a glass conservatory overlooking the river, hosts a drag show on the first Sunday of each month. I was lucky enough to attend, and the performers — some local and some from Austin — were top rate. The sun-dappled, tree-lined venue was superb. We all had a great view of the dancers, and the length of the lounge served as their runway. Cocktails and mimosas were on offer, along with non-alcoholic fare and a Cuban-inspired menu featuring vegetarian and meat dishes with beautiful presentation.

What to consider before attending Pride San Antonio

San Antonio truly charmed me. To be sure, I was already a fan of the Texas vibe: cowboy hats, Tex-Mex, and brightly colored pointy-toe boots for date night. Still, I’d be remiss not to mention that queer folks might not love the idea of traveling to Texas for fun and on purpose these days.

If there’s one thing that happens in regions inhospitable to queer folks, though, it’s the tight-knit queer community. And with establishments like The Pink Shark and all of the local Pride sponsors, there are plenty of havens available. I wouldn’t take a busload of my trans friends on a road trip across Texas, but San Antonio feels pretty inclusive. As one lesbian mom told me, “We live here because of San Antonio, not because of Texas.”