Prices & schedules checked October 18, 2026
San Antonio’s headline sights are free or cheap — the Alamo church, the four mission churches, the River Walk itself — so the real decisions are which paid extras are worth it: a guided Alamo tour, a river cruise, a missions tour if you don’t have a car, or a ghost tour. From the day after Thanksgiving, the River Walk adds its famous holiday lights. We compare the options using official sources and say plainly which fits which trip.
Top picks at a glance
| If you want… | Our pick | Key fact (official source) |
|---|---|---|
| The Alamo | Free church entry (reservation required) or the guided tour | Open daily 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; guided tour adults $48 |
| The missions | San Antonio Missions National Historical Park | Free; open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| The river | GO RIO narrated cruise | 35 minutes |
| Everything in one go | Small-group “best of” tour (Alamo, mission, tower, cruise) | See inclusions on the listing |
| A ghost tour | Sisters Grimm ghost walk or ghost bus | Walking or by bus |
| This December | River Walk holiday lights | Free; day after Thanksgiving to early January |
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Start here
River Walk holiday lights & parade
The Ford Holiday River Parade, the free lights and how to see them from a boat or trolley.
Alamo tickets & tours
How the free church reservation works and what the paid tours add.
The four missions
Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada: by car, bike or tour.
River cruises & city tours
GO RIO cruises, the hop-on trolley and combination tours.
San Antonio ghost tours
Walking or bus, and what each covers.
One day in San Antonio
Alamo at opening, a mission in the afternoon, the river at night.
River Walk, Pearl or King William?
What each area suits, with hotel and rental searches.
Getting there & getting around
Nearest airports, whether you need a car, and transfers.
How we pick
- Facts from the source. Prices, hours, dates and departure points come from the Alamo, the National Park Service, the River Walk organizers and operators’ own pages. Each guide lists its sources and the date we checked.
- No fake reviews. We don’t invent first-person stories or star ratings.
- Free first. Where the official experience is free, we say so before suggesting anything paid.