Most famous as being the setting for one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history, San Antonio is indeed the home of the Alamo but it is so much more.

The holiday season is a great time to visit this Texas city, located in Hill Country. The River Walk, which is enjoyable to wander at any time of the year, is illuminated with strings of lights from late November to the end of the season.

Sparkling with holiday joy, the River Walk beckons visitors to ride on bargelike water taxis or walk along the wide sidewalks. Sitting at one of the many eateries outdoor patios and sipping a margarita or Texas’ signature beer, Shiner Bock, and enjoying a great meal is perfect on a warm winter Texas night. Boats carrying choral groups singing carols navigate up and down the river nightly in the weeks before Christmas.

Gastronomes will delight the varied fare available. A seat on the balcony of The Hard Rock Café offers excellent Tex-Mex fare and affords a full view of the San Antonio River or enjoy freshly made pasta and excellent service at Paesanos Riverwalk.

San Antonio’s evening skyline sparkles at this time of year, as the trees are festooned in downtown parks. The San Fernando Cathedral, in Main Plaza, is illuminated by a light show periodically through the evening. Street performers are often found entertaining crowds with Latin music and dances.

The city’s most famous resident is also not-to-be-missed at night. Though it closes at 5:30 p.m., the Alamo is definitely worth a walk or ride by – in one of the carriages that parade around the downtown. Street performers and vendors entertain under the sweeping branches of live oak trees, one of this state’s most venerated varieties of fauna.

Stop back by during the day to tour this monument to American courage. It is free to visit and see the main building and grounds where an estimated 200 Texian soldiers (white settlers of Mexican-held Texas) and volunteer frontiersman – like Davy Crockett – fought 6,000 troops commanded by Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Nearby is the cenotaph dedicated to those who died at Alamo.

To get a panoramic view of the area, visit the Tower of the Americas. The 750-foot observation tower is located in Hemisfair Park, the site of the 1968 World’s Fair.

A great way to cap off your visit to the Hill Country, try a true taste of Texas. The vintages produced by local wineries are growing in popularity and many offer tours and tastings. The Weimary offers flights so you can taste a variety of wines made from locallygrown grapes.

A trip to Texas for the holidays is sure to be a gift for the whole family.