Getting Rowdy in San Antonio

Get the day started right with a to-go cup from this neighborhood coffee shop. It also has light breakfast bites, if you're looking for that, and the empanadas come highly recommended.

The next leg of your Texas triangle road trip needs a stop at Buc-ee's. Make sure to pick up some Beaver Nuggets (a crunch corn nugget with brown sugar caramel) to satiate your sweet tooth.

If your first stop in San Antonio is going to be lunch, it needs to be the Tex Mex for which the city is so well known — it may just be the best in Texas. Rosario's is one of the most popular restaurants in town and your best order is classic Tex Mex: enchiladas, tacos, or fajitas.
Open Tuesday to Thursday from 11am to 10pm; Friday and Saturday from 11am to 11pm; and Sunday from 11am to 9pm. Closed Mondays.

Plazas have a long history in San Antonino. Dating back to the 1700s, they are where townsfolk went to gather, be entertained, and shop at marketplaces. This market dates back to the 1890s and was revitalized in the 1960s. It's a great spot to find a Mexican wedding dress, have a margarita, and find the vaquero hat of your dreams.

The River Walk can be a bit of a tourist trap, but it's a good thing to see and stroll around to get a sense of the city. Walk around long enough and you'll be serenaded by mariachis — and see several of the historic statues and ceramic murals in the area.

Just off the River Walk, the Pearl was the site of Pearl beer brewing company, an iconic Texas company that was once the largest brewer in the state. In 2009, a farmer's market opened in the former brewery and it's been building up tenants and markets ever since. Now it's a cool place to wander around, doing a bit of shopping and sightseeing in a historic landmark.

Inside the Pearl lies Best Quality Daughter, an Asian restaurant created out of the desire by two local chefs to wanting to address the lack of Asian-American female chefs in South Texas. The short ribs and crab boudin egg rolls are among the highlights on the menu.
Open Monday to Thursday from 11am to 3pm, and 5pm to 9pm; Friday and Saturday 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm; and for brunch on Sunday from 11am to 4pm.

Also inside the Pearl, enjoy a cocktail to end the night at Blue Box Bar. It's named for the unmarked blue cooler that Pearl assembly line employees were allowed to drink their beer from while on the job — a funny little piece of history. The bar is known for it's cocktails and impressive beer list. What's in rotation is constantly changing with the seasons, so ask the bartender for suggestions on what to order.

Rest your head for the evening in one of San Antonio's rustic hotels.