San Antonio is located in South Central Texas, Bexar County, 140 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, and is ranked the eighth largest city in the nation. San Antonio is considered a top tourist and convention destination, with over 8 million visitors and 500,000 convention delegates annually. San Antonio is a place the military likes to call home with four air force bases and one army base. The military is the predominant public employer that has an economic impact of over $ 4.6 billion a year. The overall economy of San Antonio is a healthy mix of business services, manufacturing, health care, communications, government, and the tourism/convention industry.

San Antonio is Texas’ number one tour destination among Texans and those from out of state alike. In San Antonio, tourism is the second largest industry, which has increased in part due to the city’s proximity to Mexico. The city has always been a crossroads and a meeting place. Sounds and flavors of Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, the Wild West, African-Americans and the Deep South mingle and merge. One of the major tourism highlights is the Venice-like downtown San Antonio River Walk that leads into myriad of restaurants for dining, exceptional art performances, and historic places to visit in the nearby Alamo.

San Antonio is home to six universities, four colleges, over 70 private schools and a public school system composed of 16 independent districts. The University of Texas at San Antonio, Trinity University, St. Mary’s University, and the University of Texas Health Science Center, has all recently received national recognition for excellent quality and/or value.

San Antonio is a city that offers a varied and sophisticated array of first-rate activities in the visual and performing arts. Including a world class symphony orchestra, a diverse dance community, and a vibrant and unique selection of art galleries and museums. Housing one of the nation’s premier art collections is the McNay Art Museum, where you can find extensive works of modern, impressionist and Gothic art. The San Antonio Museum of Art has converted and restored the original Lone Star Brewery, a 1890’s structure on the National Register of Historic Places, to be the city’s host of all national traveling art exhibits.

San Antonio is the home to the multiple time NBA Champions, the Spurs. The city offers many sports activities for all ages and has the ideal weather for outdoor interests. Many beautiful lakes and rivers grace the nearby Texas Hill Country, which provides opportunities for the enjoyment of camping and backpacking as well as a wide variety of water sports. If you prefer to watch sports, you can visit the Alamodome located downtown by the famous River Walk. The Alamodome opened in 1993 and hosts amateur, collegiate, Olympic and professional sports.

San Antonio is only minutes away from the newest Six Flags theme park, the Six Flags Fiesta Texas. This exciting 200-acre theme park offers thrilling rides, exciting shows and many water adventures. The park celebrates Texas cultures and music through theme areas such as German, Mexican, 1950’s and Old Southwest. San Antonio is the home of the internationally known Market Square/El Mercado, the largest Mexican market in the United States. This is where you can stroll pedestrian plazas and also enjoy performers and working artisans. You can shop the world market for its vast array of imports from Afghanistan to Zambia with particular emphasis on the Latin culture.