San Antonio Riverwalk

After everything we saw and felt along the mountains and canyons of the Rio Grande river (see The Southernmost Crossing – Roswell to Pecos to Big Bend & across the Rio Grande into Boquillas, Mexico), after the rough trails and quiet desert towns, there was something magical about falling asleep in our Terlingua Ranch cabin. We lay there, wrapped in soft blankets, with the windows open just enough to hear the wind whisper through the Chisos Mountains foothills. Above us, the Milky Way was splashed across the night sky and the mountain silence was so complete it felt like time had slowed down. Shehzadi rested too, parked just outside, coated in the dust of a thousand borderland miles.

It was the kind of night that makes you feel small and infinite at the same time.

After a long, deep sleep, we brewed coffee on the porch and watched the sunrise bring light to the ridges. But wanderers must wander and San Antonio was calling! So we head east crossing Marathon, TX,  Junction, TX and Langtry, TX (home of Judge Roy Bean who declared himself "the Only Law West of the Pecos"!) into the colorful bustle of San Antonio’s Riverwalk.

Heading East on I-10: Terlingua to Junction, TX

Terlingua Morning

We packed up and said goodbye to the solitude of Terlingua Ranch, rolling Shehzadi onto Highway 118 and then east to Alpine. From there, we merged onto another Trans-American artery: Interstate 10. You feel the change instantly - open desert gives way to rolling limestone hills and wide skies.

West Texas miles are long but never boring. Somewhere near Fort Stockton, we passed remnants of the old Butterfield Overland Mail route, the 1850s stagecoach trail that connected the East Coast to California. Just imagining those early travelers bumping over cactus-dotted terrain in wooden coaches makes you appreciate the smooth hum of a modern engine.

We made our lunch stop at Junction, TX, a charming town nestled along the South Llano River. This place is more than just a gas-and-go stop - it’s a living slice of Hill Country history. Junction was founded in the 1870s and got its name from the confluence of the North and South Llano Rivers. Today, it’s known for its pecans (the town hosts an annual Pecan Festival), friendly folks and clean spring-fed waters.

Junction, Texas

We stopped at a Pilot Travel Center and kept it simple, ordering sandwiches from the Subway there and iced tea strong enough to kickstart a cowboy. The locals chatted us up when they saw the Maryland tags on Shehzadi. Turns out, Junction is also a favorite hunting destination during deer season and we even heard a local legend about the "White Ghost Buck" that supposedly roams the nearby hills and can never be caught. That felt right at home with the Southwest's long-standing storytelling tradition - a mix of myth, memory and magic.

Cruising Into San Antonio

The land shifts as you get closer to San Antonio. The limestone hills turn greener and the smell of cedar and mesquite begins to fill the air. We passed Kerrville and Boerne, towns steeped in German-Texan heritage. Old barns, barbecue joints and the occasional roadside shrine remind you that Texas is still stitched together by culture and history.

By the time we reached San Antonio in the late afternoon, golden hour light was bouncing off downtown buildings and Shehzadi rolled into a valet lane in front of our hotel like she owned the place. We were staying right on the Riverwalk near the historic Pearl District - our first taste of true city luxury after weeks of dirt roads, tent setups and rustic cabins.

The room was everything we didn’t know we needed. Soft pillows, crisp sheets, a rainfall shower and AC strong enough to chill a bottle of mezcal.

Evening on the Riverwalk

Lovelock Bridge, San Antonio Riverwalk

After cleaning up and dressing for the evening, we crossed over the San Antonio River via the Kallison Love Lock Walk Bridge (Lovelock Bridge), where couples seal their promises with padlocks, inspired by the global tradition (we have come across such bridges from Paris to Tbilisi). This particular bridge is named in honor of the Kallison family, a prominent ranching and philanthropic family in South Texas.

The Riverwalk isn’t just a tourist spot - it’s a cultural artery of the city. Originally built as a flood control project in the 1930s, it has since become a meandering, vibrant labyrinth of walkways, stone bridges, patios and gardens along both sides of the river. At night, it glows. Twinkle lights hang from trees, lanterns flicker beside the water and mariachi music floats from open-air restaurants.

Dinner at San Antonio Riverwalk

We grabbed an outdoor table beside the river and ordered dinner. Boats cruised by, low and slow, carrying wide-eyed visitors through the winding canals. The guides narrated San Antonio’s long and layered history - from the days of the Payaya people (the original Native American inhabitants of the area) to the founding of Mission San Antonio de Padua in 1718.

San Antonio Riverwalk

The river itself was once the life source for the indigenous tribes, who believed it to be a spiritual being. There are stories of water spirits, healing rituals and celestial alignments associated with its flow. The riverwalk is built atop those stories and you can still feel them under the buzz of modern nightlife.

San Antonio Riverwalk

As we sat and ate, we felt part of a grander rhythm - old stories meeting new ones, rivers weaving time together. Families, couples and groups of friends laughed around us. It felt celebratory but not rushed. A city at ease with itself.

San Antonio Riverwalk

After dinner, we walked a little more, listening to the laughter echoing under the stone bridges. It reminded us that travel isn't just about wild places and solitude. Sometimes it’s about finding the heartbeat of a place and San Antonio wears its heart proudly.

San Antonio Riverwalk

Sleeping in Style

View of San Antonio from hotel on Riverwalk

Back at the hotel, we sunk into a bed that felt like a cloud - a ridiculous contrast to the wooden bunk from the cabin the night before. Even Shehzadi, resting in the valet lot below, looked pampered under the city lights. We fell asleep instantly, wrapped in luxury and the memory of a perfect evening.

Onward East

Tomorrow we drive on. Eastward on I-10, crossing more German-Texan towns like Schulenburg, past the concrete sprawl of Houston and into Cajun country. Lafayette, Louisiana awaits, with its zydeco, its swamp lore, its deep-simmering stews (see San Antonio Riverwalk in Texas to Cajun Heartland of Lafayette, Louisiana).

But for now, we rest. In this city of stories, by this river of time.

Reference route map of The Vagabond Couple's 9,000-mile USA & Mexico overland roundtrip: Map-1 and Map-2.

Until next time,

 - The Vagabond Couple and Shehzadi