A weekend guide to a family-friendly getaway in San Antonio
When I booked our trip to San Antonio, I already had the entire weekend planned. Every restaurant. Every activity. Every nap. Every route from point A to point B.
As a Good Gritter—and honestly, as someone who loves building the perfect itinerary—I had spent weeks organizing our 36-hour family getaway. My husband, Andrew, and I have always been determined not to let having a baby slow us down. Our daughter Zoe had already been on plenty of flights and road trips before her first birthday. We had this traveling-with-a-baby thing figured out.
Or so I thought.
What I didn’t account for was that a 10-month-old travels very differently than a 3-month-old. Or a 6-month-old. Within hours of arriving in San Antonio, my carefully crafted schedule was falling apart.
“What do you mean you don’t think we can make it to the Alamo by 8 a.m.?”
I stared down at my Notes app, trying to rearrange the weekend for the tenth time, before finally doing the one thing that gives me the most anxiety: I threw the schedule out the window.
As it turns out, that was the best thing that could have happened. Because this trip wasn’t about checking boxes. It became about wandering the River Walk, lingering over margaritas, following whatever caught our eye, and discovering that San Antonio is a city best experienced at a slower pace. And the reason we were able to do that was simple: we stayed at Hotel Emma. The smartest decision we made during the entire trip was booking a room there.
The stress of flying with a baby, worrying about naps, bottles, diapers, and whether we were taking up too much space as new parents seemed to disappear the moment we walked through the doors.
We were greeted by Javier, who began sharing the story of Hotel Emma—a beautifully reimagined 19th-century brewhouse in the heart of the Pearl District. I tried my best to listen, but I was distracted by everything around me. The tile beneath my feet. The custom lettering. The perfectly curated details that made me wonder whether they’d been there for 100 years or were installed yesterday. My Creative Director heart was beating a little faster with every step.
(I would later learn that the renovation was led by the brilliant team at Roman and Williams, which explained a lot.)
Then Javier looked at Zoe, looked back at us, and asked:
“Would y’all like us to arrange a babysitter for tonight? Or both nights?”
“YES.”
As we made our way to our room, learning more about the building’s history along the way, we found Zoe’s crib already waiting for us. One less thing to think about.
A few minutes later, while Zoe settled in for her first nap, I realized we had forgotten some pretty important things. We didn’t have a way to bathe her. We didn’t have dish soap for bottles. We were, admittedly, winging it.
One call to the concierge later, and a baby bath, dish soap, and sponges appeared at our door.
When Zoe woke up, our San Antonio adventure officially began.
Day 1
Afternoon
After we settled into Hotel Emma, we realized we forgot a few more things…. Diapers being one of them. Thankfully, Hotel Emma sits in the heart of the Pearl District, making it incredibly easy to explore on foot. Our first stop was Pullman Market, a specialty market that somehow manages to be a grocery store, bakery, butcher shop, kitchen supply store, and dining destination all at once. All we needed was diapers, but we also needed to find lunch.
Being too hungry to keep searching led us straight to Mezquite. We ordered beans and guacamole for Zoe, tacos and margaritas for ourselves, and settled into our first real moment of vacation. The stress of travel started to melt away, replaced by chips, salsa, and sunshine.
Back at Hotel Emma, we returned to find our housekeeper preparing the room for turndown service. I immediately apologized for the tornado that naturally follows a baby into any hotel room. She laughed and assured me she’d seen it all before.
Her name was Nelda, and before long we were swapping stories about family, dogs, and life in San Antonio. When she noticed we were juggling diapers and baby gear, she offered to bring us a diaper pail. It was such a small gesture, but one that perfectly captured what made Hotel Emma feel different. We weren’t just guests—we felt genuinely cared for.
Evening
For dinner, we decided to do what quickly became our favorite activity in San Antonio: walk with no plan.
The River Walk near the Pearl feels worlds away from the crowded tourist images many people picture. It’s peaceful, beautifully landscaped, and lined with places that invite you to linger a little longer.
We eventually landed at Otto’s Ice House, where we grabbed a couple of cold beers, a burger, and a grilled chicken sandwich and enjoyed one of those perfect spring evenings outdoors.
On the walk back, I found myself falling a little in love with San Antonio. Turtles lounged along the water’s edge. Public art popped up around every corner. The entire path felt like an invitation to slow down.
As an Atlantan, I couldn’t help but wonder:
Could I trade the BeltLine for the River Walk?
Could I move here?
Would anyone notice if I never left?
Night
One of Hotel Emma’s greatest gifts to traveling parents? Babysitting services.
For the first time all day, Andrew and I got to be something other than Mom and Dad.
At check-in, we’d received two wooden tokens that could be redeemed for complimentary margaritas. Naturally, we knew exactly what to do with them.
We wandered downstairs and through a set of double doors into what felt less like a hotel and more like a movie set.
The Library is one of those rooms that makes you stop mid-sentence. Towering bookshelves. Rich textures. Dim lighting. A space that feels both grand and impossibly intimate.
A bartender greeted us from a vintage bar cart and shared the story behind the evening’s cocktail: the La Babia Margarita, inspired by the historic Hacienda La Babia in Coahuila, Mexico.
After our margaritas, we were instructed to head upstairs, climb the library staircase, and pass through a hidden door.
Obviously, we did.
On the other side waited Sternewirth, Hotel Emma’s iconic bar. There was live music, warm lighting, incredible cocktails, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay for hours.
It was there that I realized something important: sometimes the best night out is one that never leaves the hotel.
Day 2
Morning
The night before, we’d submitted our room service order before bed—a parenting travel hack I highly recommend.
The next morning, breakfast arrived right on schedule. Slow mornings are sacred when you’re traveling with a baby, and there was something wonderful about easing into the day without rushing anywhere.
But eventually we had somewhere to be… The San Antonio Zoo! As a Texas native, I’d heard about the zoo for years but had somehow never visited. And Zoe had never been to any Zoo!
We arrived just before opening, which turned out to be the perfect strategy. The crowds were light, the weather was perfect, and the animals all appeared like they had had their morning coffee. We were welcomed by flamingos, entertained by gorillas, and completely mesmerized by the alligators. Watching Zoe take it all in was the most magical part of it all.
Afternoon
After the zoo and a much-needed nap, we set out with no agenda whatsoever. A day earlier, that would’ve terrified me. Now it felt relaxing and exciting.
We walked down the River Walk until we found somewhere worth stopping.
That led us to Elsewhere Garden Bar & Kitchen, an outdoor oasis that felt like stepping into an Alice in Wonderland storybook. Surrounded by lush greenery, quirky details, and colorful spaces tucked around every corner, it quickly became one of my favorite stops of the trip.
We grabbed a couple of beers, ordered snacks, and claimed a swing overlooking the water. As turtles drifted past and we managed to fit all 3 on one swing, I found myself appreciating the beauty of doing absolutely nothing.
No schedule. No destination. Just being outside together.
Evening
For dinner, we picked up food for Zoe from Larder, Hotel Emma’s beautifully curated market, and began preparing for another night out.
The only problem was, I had packed exactly zero outfits for a night out. In my defense, I hadn’t planned on going out past 5PM. A quick trip through Hotel Emma’s gift shop solved that problem immediately when I spotted a Sandero jean jumpsuit that somehow felt destined to come home with me.
Once the babysitter arrived, Andrew and I headed to Supper for dinner. Like so many of our favorite moments from the trip, we barely had to leave the hotel.
We sat outside and ordered far more food than two people reasonably needed: oysters, fish heads, mac and cheese, whole branzino, and a bone-in pork chop. Stuffed but determined to technically leave the hotel at least once that evening, we wandered about 200 feet down the street to Jue Let.
Jue Let was an immediate sensory delight. Rich reds, peach tones, vintage-inspired decor, and enough personality to make any design lover happy.
I ordered a martini with three different stuffed olives while Andrew opted for one of the bar’s creative takes on a highball. Somewhere during the evening, we noticed people disappearing through a hidden door and realized we’d accidentally stumbled into a karaoke bar.
For a brief moment, we considered joining. But another temptation won out: Going back upstairs and sleeping next to our baby.
Day 3
Morning
The next morning arrived far too quickly. We ordered breakfast to the room one last time, slowly packed our bags, and tried our best to convince ourselves we were ready to leave. Hotel Emma made departure as seamless as arrival. Someone collected our luggage, arranged transportation to the airport, and generally made us feel like we had absolutely nothing to worry about.
Before heading out, we made one final stop at Larder for a pair of quad lattes—because parenting, travel, and late-night cocktails all require a little extra caffeine.
On the flight home, Zoe had her own seat between Andrew and me.
Within minutes, all three of us were asleep.
As we flew back to Atlanta, I found myself thinking less about everything we hadn’t managed to fit into the itinerary and more about everything we’d discovered because we let go of it. The River Walk. Long walks with nowhere to be. Unexpected margaritas. Turtles. Hidden doors. Babysitters. Hotel Emma.
Sometimes the best family trips aren’t the ones that go according to plan. They’re the ones that teach you to stop planning and simply go with the flow.
NOTES ABOUT HOTEL EMMA
About Hotel Emma: Housed in a reimagined 19th-century brewhouse, Hotel Emma blends industrial heritage with refined luxury, deeply rooted in Pearl’s vibrant cultural hub. The MICHELIN Two-Key 146-room hotel, designed by Roman Williams, offers a specialized San Antonio experience handcrafted by local artisans and makers, and elevated by the world-class hospitality of a Five-Diamond hotel. Inspired by the culinary legacy of the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, three distinguished venues provoke discovery into the region’s flavors: Supper, a refined American eatery; Larder, offering fine groceries and provisions; and Sternewirth, an iconic bar and clubroom. With 6,160 square feet of elegant indoor and outdoor spaces, each occasion becomes a rare and memorable celebration. Amenities include a rooftop pool, fitness center, historic library, specialty gift shop, and signature service touches from the welcome La Babia margarita to nightly turndown service. Surrounded by Pearl’s acclaimed restaurants, lively entertainment, boutique shopping, and curated events, every stay unfolds as an elevated and unforgettable immersion into a destination where history and modern luxury converge.
