San Antonio, Texas, is one of the most romantic cities on the planet. Don’t take it from me, take it from nine of my fellow Alamo City bloggers. The problem is, you’re going to need more than one day to take advantage of all that our fair city offers! Instead of Valentine’s Day, how about Valentine’s Month?! Or better yet, Valentine’s Year! ¡Viva San Antonio!
Cooking Classes
By Amanda Reyna
Everyone has a different concept of what romance is:
– flowers and chocolate
– dinner out
– candlelit meals
– love letters (you know, on paper)
– dancing (not at a club)
Romance is knowing what the other person will appreciate and making it happen for the enjoyment of the other. If cooking with/for your main squeeze sounds like a good way to go, here are some options for you to explore:
Sur La Table
“Celebrate your love and join us for an intimate evening of courtship in the kitchen. Working alongside your special someone, you’ll discover how fun and romantic it is to prepare a meal together. Delicious, authentic and approachable, this meal will offer you the opportunity to experience the passion that comes from sharing great cuisine.”
Central Market Cooking School
Learn how to make macaroons, a Valentine’s Day dinner, Lobster for Lovers, a chocolate brunch and more!
Boerne Cooking Cottage
Classes in February include Chocolate Ingulgence, Be My Valentine, Italian Cuisine and the Mediterranean Diet.
Gaucho Gourmet
The secrets of making chocolate truffles and chocolate mousse will be revealed on February 2 at 10 a.m. and at noon.
Now, I’m not sure how romantic it would be to have an intimate meal with a dozen or so other people, but hey, different strokes.
Amanda Reyna is a a work in progress trying to learn more about life, feed those around her, and work to remain an eternal optimist and adventurer with a toddler, teenager, husband, baggage, and mother in tow. Her blog is Optimistic Heathen.
Grey Moss Inn
By Shari Biediger
Even at dusk, it is a long, dark and narrow road, bordered by mossy trees and the occasional bungalow, that leads to San Antonio’s oldest and most revered romantic dinner spot nestled in the hills of the Grey Forest.
Then, as you enter the gravel driveway and stop beneath the centuries-old oaks, the glow of lights inside the historic Grey Moss Inn ease you into a dreamy, relaxing and true-Texas ambiance.
The Grey Moss Inn menu has remained virtually unchanged for decades, and there’s something comforting about that, as well as in knowing your steak is grilled over an open pit the way they were meant to be. (The spirit of the original owner is said to be lingering about just to make sure all goes according to her standards.)
If you go, here’s how to amp up the romance:
Take someone you love.
Dress comfortably and give yourself the entire evening.
Request a table on the enclosed garden patio.
Do order the sirloin-for-two dinner.
Say yes to the complimentary olive-twist appetizer.
And, if your date pops the question, as in my case 25 years ago, say yes again.
Shari Biediger is a freelance writer and grant writer in San Antonio. Between assignments, she blogs at sbiediger.wordpress.com. Connect with Shari via Twitter @sbiediger1.
Hardberger Park
By Megan Ortiz
Some men like it cheap. It just so happens that in my relationship that person is me. I not only prefer cheap, but convenient, too.
We tried to take the tot to a steakhouse downtown once. About five minutes in, she puked up goat’s milk on the floor, table, chairs and a well-done steak for all to see and smell. That night was neither cheap nor convenient.
Since then, we’ve been aiming not so high. By accident, my fiance and I ended up on the perfect cheap and convenient date. We took the little to Hardberger Park to play on the new rock wall. She’s a climber. We were sure she would have fun. Wrong. She didn’t care about the swings or slide or rock wall. She led us to the field instead.
On a beautiful Saturday in San Antonio, instead of running errands and planning for that moment, the moment found us. It was perfect with the capital P. Us laying on hay bales and our daughter trotting around the field as we watched her from a distance. Watching her gain independence and spending a much needed hour of uninterrupted conversation. OK, OK. It was interrupted a few times with the tot seeing how fast she could wade through the grass back over to us for a re-up on milk or water and, of course, a kiss.
Off she would run again, exploring and having the time of her life. What better compromise for Valentine’s Day without a sitter?
Megan is a San Antonio-based Digital Marketing Specialist and the mommy behind Pistol Wears, a toddler fashion blog, and Mean Baby, a baby planning and photography service, allowing parents-to-be to kick back and relax while they wait for baby to arrive and Megan takes care of the prep. When she’s not optimizing digital content, taking pictures around the state or building baby registries for her clients, Megan can be found cycling around town with her little one in tow.
Hotel Havana
By Patty Vela
I’m one of those unattached gals…at least for the moment. However, IF I were to have a special fella on Valentine’s Day and he wanted to surprise me with the best staycation in town, I would sincerely hope he would choose an evening at Hotel Havana!
While the hotel has been around for some time, it was recently purchased by the genius hotelier Liz Lambert of Hotel San Jose and Hotel St. Cecilia fame. Miss Lambert has lovingly and brilliantly restored Hotel Havana.
The moment you walk through the glass front doors, you are swept away into a hauntingly exciting time warp of understated elegance and pristine simplicity. Dinner is served at Ocho, located in the sun room overlooking the San Antonio River. If you choose to dine al fresco, you are treated to an old, silent film about Cuba projected onto the backside of the building. After dinner, retreat down to the basement bar where tattered blue walls are illuminated by nothing but votive candles set in red glass holders. The setting feels eerily familiar…as if you’ve experienced this before…but in a time far gone by.
Rooms are located on the first, second and third floors and are accessed by hollow wooden floors and old elevators. Each room is unique, but each has a perfectly understated quality. The attention to detail is impeccable from the Smeg refrigerators to the gifts that can be purchased from the gift basket. Breakfast arrives at your door, and you can lazily sip on your French pressed coffee while enjoying the view from the various balconies. An overnight stay at Hotel Havana is a step back in time…a sweet evening where for just a little while you forget who and where you are! Cheers!
Patty blogs at http://www.fetepatty.blogspot.com/
Morton’s
By Michelle Cantu
I get tempted to hit the town every now and then for a romantic Valentine’s dinner. When we do venture out, I have one request: we go somewhere where the atmosphere and food is superb. My all-time favorite romantic spot is Morton’s The Steakhouse.
The basement restaurant is a little gem attached to Rivercenter Mall in downtown San Antonio. For an extraordinary experience, make sure to make your reservation with a celebration. Even if the celebration is nothing more than a fabulous dinner, give them a reason to celebrate. Morton’s will have personalized menus awaiting you. They will snap a keepsake photo of your party before you leave, and we have even had desserts on the house on occasion.
I haven’t met a dish I didn’t like at Morton’s, but if I could suggest the ultimate dinner for two it would be bacon-wrapped sea scallops for an appetizer, Caesar salad, Cajun rib-eye medium rare plus (split for 2), mushrooms, Lyonnaise potatoes and their legendary hot chocolate cake.
Michelle is a thirty-something mom to three little boys, wife and the voice behind A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood. I adore life outside of the city and spend my days creating great little people of society through homeschooling.
River Barge Dinner Cruise
By Amanda Raba Gentis
For a crowd of two or a table for two, the adventurous romantic might enjoy a dinner cruise on the San Antonio River. There are several restaurants that offer packages for river-dining, from Boudro’s to Casa Rio to Club Giraud, if you’re a member.
Although not very private and susceptible to our mildly unpredictable Texas weather, it is a dinner that will become a dining experience and a cherished memory. Do your research carefully. Some restaurants have a fixed menu and some will accommodate special requests.
If you’re planning this as a surprise for your special someone who might be one who chills easily, it would be thoughtful to bring along a blanket to get cozy under after dessert while you enjoy the sights and the sounds of the bustling River Walk.
Amanda writes about life, new mommy-hood, DIY projects and glitter (oh, so much glitter!) at Petit Lapin.
Sustenio
By Colleen Pence
Nestled in a cozy, yet stylish, nook of The Eilan Hotel is Sustenio. There, Executive Chef David Gilbert combines the tried and true flavors of Texas with cutting-edge gastronomy techniques and a focus on local and sustainable food.
To celebrate our wedding anniversary last year, my husband and I enjoyed Chef Gilbert’s tasting menu. He created an experience for us that perfectly paired a romantic setting (down to the rose petals scattered around our place settings) with a wildly exciting menu that included chukar, a rich and savory game bird we’d never before tasted, and an exquisite chocolate bread pudding elevated with a dash of jalapeño jam.
We still talk about it as one of the most romantic and delicious dinners of our lives.
Colleen Pence writes at San Antonio Mom Blogs where she combines her love of parenting and lifestyle blogging with her passion for promoting and connecting mom bloggers in San Antonio.
The Palm
By Heather Hunter
Valentine’s Day is a time when we want something special with a touch of romance topped off with a dash of delicious. We need this day to remind us why we are together as a couple and give us an excuse to celebrate our love for one another.
One of my favorite restaurants is The Palm, and their 3-course Valentine’s Day special definitely fills the bill. Beginning Thursday, Feb. 14, and continuing through Sunday, Feb. 17, you and your significant other will relish a lobster dinner for two. Priced at a reasonable $125 per couple, your evening could also include a bottle of Chandon Rosé for an additional $30.
Heather Hunter makes Cowgirl Granola that she sells every Sunday at the Quarry Farmers & Ranchers Market, which she and her husband founded in May 2011. She also has The Cowgirl Gourmet food blog, which highlights mostly healthy and market-inspired recipes.
The Welfare Cafe
By Laura Nivin
My husband and I have been married for almost 19 years. We usually consider Valentine’s Day for amateurs and avoid the crowds and celebrate our love on any of the other 364 nights of the year! But some years we are tempted to throw caution to the wind when we want a romantic meal at a favorite restaurant.
Welfare Cafe is located just past Boerne in the tiny town of Welfare, Texas. Its Hill Country location takes you to a peaceful setting with fabulous food under the stars, well the ones you can see from the barn. It is truly a unique and unforgettable experience.
Laura Nivin is a former mortgage banker turned blogger. She loves to blog about the sassy life in and around San Antonio. The sassiness can be found at www.livinsassy.com.
Bonus romance recommendation: Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride
Happy Valentine’s Year!
Field Trip, Food, Fun
A Thrifty Diva Surviving Mommy Hood, Amanda Raba Gentis, Amanda Reyna, Boerne Cooking Cottage, Budro's, Casa Rio, Central Market Cooking School, Chef David Gilbert, Club Giraud, Colleen Pence, cooking classes, Cowgirl Gourmet, Dinner, Downtown San Antonio, Gaucho Gourmet, Grey Moss Inn, Heather Hunter, Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride, Hotel Havana, Laura Nivin, Livin Sassy, Mean Baby, Megan Ortiz, Michelle Cantu, Morton's The Steakhouse, Ocho, Optimistic Heathen, Patty Vela, Petit Lapin, Phil Hardberger Park, Pistol Wears, River Barge Dinner Cruise, River Walk, Rivercenter Mall, San Antonio, San Antonio Mom Blogs, San Antonio River Walk, Shari Biediger, Sur La Table, Sustenio, Texas, The Eilan Hotel, The Palm, Tourism, Tourist, Travel, Welfare Cafe
San Antonio Tourist 