San with a Plan: It’s as Fun a Time as Ever to visit San Antonio

San with a Plan: It’s as Fun a Time as Ever to visit San Antonio

The adjoining AC by Marriott and Element by Westin hotels, a block from the River Walk

A VIBRANT DESTINATION any time of the year, San Antonio is especially exciting in October, leading up to weekend-long Dia de Los Muertos celebrations all over town. A river parade and special events in the La Villita Historic Village are among the festivities Oct. 27-29. Walkability is key, as ever — and two new Marriott properties have just opened in the heart of the River Walk, ensuring an easy trip for all.


The adjoining hotels, AC by Marriott and Element by Westin, are located on Soledad at Commerce; each offers a tasty breakfast buffet, and there’s a rooftop bar with bites, brunch and unbeatable skyline views.

The River Walk itself offers plenty of tourist-trappy fun (especially for families), but hop over to Hemisfair for more park and garden spaces, plus trendy eats like Box St. All Day. Farther east, find a more sophisticated take on the city’s mariachi-and-margaritas vibe at still-new Carriqui, with South Texas-inspired fare.

People + Places

David Ansell, Bennie Flores Ansell, Thuy Tran and James Tiebout

THE ROTHKO CHAPEL held its Inspirit fundraiser — a celebration of the power of art and activism — at the industrial-chic Astorian. The evening featured cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and an onstage conversation with actor Cheech Marin, one of the world’s foremost collectors of Chicano art; 2023 Art League of Houston Texas Artist of the Year Vincent Valdez; and legendary civil rights advocate Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with César Chávez. (She’s 93, by the way!)

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment

Cheech Marin reflecting outside of The Cheech (photo by David Fouts)

WHEN YOU TALK to Los Angeles-born actor Cheech Marin, regardless of how serious the subject, you can’t help but smile. His pop-culture presence is infused with an astute awareness of politics and history, and a “can do, make do, find a way to move ahead” spirit he connects to the word “Chicano,” a derogatory term that came to signify resilience, creative thinking, and social consciousness. “My dad, who died at age 93, always described himself as a Chicano, because it described him,” says Marin.

Keep Reading Show less
Art + Entertainment