Texas may be known for its football, but San Antonio is a basketball town.
Texas may be known for its football game , but San Antonio is a basketball town . Victor Wembanyama is thesubject of five local murals . Championship wins are an self-justification to cruise ( and honk ! ) through downtown . And goad geared wheel is a absolutely satisfactory option for date nighttime .
The metropolis is also an NCAA favorite , hosting the Regional Championships a staggering six times . This year will also be thefifth Final Four at the Alamodome , a tall feat considering the arena has only been unresolved since 1993 . Each visit see changes . While landmark like the Alamo remain furbish up , a riches of new dining , drinking , and lodging options have transform the once - sleepy town into a cosmopolitan city .
San Antonio is Texas ’s most democratic tourist city , with entertainment parks and historical land site spread out throughout , but make unnecessary those for another trip . This clip , stick to the city center and be disposed to sweat . inner circle shorts and all the sunscreen TSA will allow . Then , ready yourself with our guide on how to get the most out of your Final Four trip to San Antonio .
Illustration by Don Caminos for Thrillist
How do I get tickets?
Official ticketsare still available for individual games , but the price are rising speedily . Should you need to buy or sell on the lowly market , jump with the trustworthyOfficial NCAA Ticket Exchangebefore exploring third - company market likeStubHub . trip up all sessions with theNCAA Fan Experience , which includes an open beer and wine-colored bar , tailgate - style collation , and a hazard to mystify with the NCAA prize .
The Alamodome was originally design for football , so it has some sightline restriction that an NBA area does not . This move against ceremonious wisdom , but the “ nosebleed ” behind in the mediate 300 subdivision offer a far dependable eyeshot than the shallow upper seats in the center court 100s .
How should I get there?
Unless you work a Houston or Austin stop into your path , you ’ll dry land atSan Antonio International Airport . Luckily , it ’s one of Texas ’s easiest - to - sail airports with a breezy security outgrowth you ’ll apprise on the elbow room home .
Major car rental companies like Herst , Avis , and Enterprise are useable should you desire to force in a barbecue - filled day trip to nearbyLockhart . If you are just in town for the Final Four , do n’t rile . Call a rideshare soon after landing , and you ’ll unremarkably be pick up within 10 minute . Fares to the city ’s central core typically cost you about $ 30 .
How do I get around?
Texas is behind the curve on public transit , so do n’t expect to be whisked from neighborhood to neck of the woods on an urban train . TheVia busbar systemis dependable but not deserving the lag time for a short trip . San Antonio may be a sprawling city , but most of its sports , night life , and dining districts are a short rideshare from the internal city .
If you ’ve booked a business district hotel , feel free to get originative . The scourge of sea scooter has mostly languish , butBCycledocks are conveniently scattered through democratic neighborhoods . TheRiver Walk , San Antonio ’s most famous
tourist “ name and address ” , connects historic King William , Hemisfair Park , and the Pearl District but is often brim over with tourists sum whalebone - sized margaritas . Book aGo Rio river shuttleinstead if you desire to check it off your bucket list .
Courtesy Visit San Antonio
What should I know about the venue?
These days , theAlamodomeis more probable to host Disney on Ice than wicket , but the Spurs call it home during their first championship time of year . The massive sizing of the arena also makes it the preferred stop for touring human activity andUniversity of Texas San Antonio RoadrunnersandSan Antonio Brahmasfootball games .
Clear bags are required , but the types and proportionality are more generous than many other venues . Here ’s your chance to reuse thatlime green - piped rump pack you bought at the height of Brat summertime .
Most of the concessions in the construction are cashless and offer the same pizzas , red-hot dogs , and Dippin ’ Dots you may find elsewhere . Head to locally - ownedEarl Abel’s(on the Iower grade ) for comfort food orLos Barrios(club point ) for Tex - Mex snacks . Some folks might have a conniption that the sports stadium serves Pepsi or else of Coke ; fellate it up and order a root beer .
Courtesy Visit San Antonio
You ’ll postulate to uphold that equanimity when dealing with traffic . When heading to the Alamodome , add 30 minutes to your estimated arrival time . San Antonio ’s traffic can be bloodcurdling during steady conditions , and a fistful ofroad closureswill add to the route rage .
To aid ease some of the congestion , there will be no public parking uncommitted at the sports stadium during the semifinal and championship game . The surrounding neighborhood has limited street parking and a few ad - hoc raft , but Via’spark - and - rideshuttles will in all probability be more speedy .
For taxi and rideshare weft - ups , take a walkway across Interstate 37 to reach Lot D. Or vamoose one of life ’s most unpleasant activities by waiting the throng out . Cherrity Baris closest to the Alamodome and serves Nipponese snacks and a buckram honest-to-goodness fashioned . Hemisfair Park is a longer tramp but has practiced dining options likeKuenstler Tap HausandDough Pizzeria . Plus , there are some nerveless selfie opportunities on the ground .
Basketball, bracket and betting
Duke has received a daily round of high-risk mechanical press late forgrousing about the closet used in a violent view of HBO hitWhite Lotus . One way to halt the snickers would be to take home the national championship . The Blue Devils are prefer to get ahead the Big Dance , having ably bested scrappy team like Alabama , Arizona , and Baylor .
They ’ll first have to expert Houston in the most gripping duad - up of the Final Four . The Blue Devils ’ freshman forward Copper Flagg is exceeding all prospect , earn a top offensive spot perKenPomstats . The Cougars , meanwhile , had an electric first one-half against Tennessee on March 30 , keep the Volunteers far away from the basketful . Though their defence is at the top of the pack , the spread is Duke -4.5 .
Florida has already romped Auburn in the regular season , accounting for some of the -2.5 scatter . The other part is Walter Clayton Jr. and Thomas Haugh , who staged a stunning comeback against Texas Tech to varnish their one-armed bandit . Still Johni Broome is represent with a mass of heart for the Tigers . After an accidental injury scare that seem likely to be the star forward ’s time of year end , the star forward render to the court of law to lead a previous upsurge .
Other places to eat (and watch)
Southtown , the neighborhood close to the Alamodome , is the surest wager to catch the biz . With outsize screen viewable from almost every corner , McIntyre’sis the top choice for true basketball fanatics . Nearby barThe Friendly Spotoffers dozens of guile brewage and a giant outdoor silver screen , perfect for take vantage of San Antonio ’s abbreviated spring season . Those sensitized to sunshine should give punky barGimme Gimmea try . The TV sets are only easily viewable from the bar , but swanky cocktail and duck’s egg fat waffle french fries bring their own kind of action .
Downtown’sSore Losercombines a stripped - down dive atmosphere with above - level cocktails . A twain of San Antonio hospitality vets are work extra time to get the basketball - themedAtlee ’s Rallyopen for the Final Four . If they stupefy the clock , chitchat it . If not , there are several other measure inSt . Paul ’s Square .
Your docket will be busybodied enough without a drawn - out dinner party , so cohere to better versions of arena fare . Leo ’s Hideoutslings slices and frozen Bourbon and Coke . Smashburger newbiePumperscovers hotdogs with one-fourth - pound rippers topped with Hungarian relish or charred cumin . NearbyHot Joy ’s twice - fried extension fancify the game day staple with crab louse fat caramel .
Other must-dos
If millennian stripling movies teach us anything , it ’s that jock can also be polite . Go with that pulse by visiting theMcNay Museum ’s blockbusterSports and Spectatorexhibit . Deflated basketballs become blooms , crochet wraps a football helmet , and New Jersey are wander into complex textiles . At the very least , you ’ll leave with DIY idea for your TV way .
Final tips
While watching the biz and scarfing down taco will eat up up most of your March Madness misstep , many of San Antonio ’s nigh - business district attractions wo n’t necessitate a long dedication . story buffs can take in the amazingly smallAlamoin 30 to 45 minutes . TheMuseum Reachsection of the River Walk is also a rapid outing . contain by theSan Antonio Museum of Artif you have a mates of hours to vote out . If not , there are immersive sculpture and soundscapes installed on the route .
