Howard Johnson Inn & Suites San Antonio Balcones Heights
Hotel Class: 
2 Stars - 55 Opinions
6901 IH-10 W, San Antonio, Texas, 78213, United States
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72%
of people enjoy staying here
55 Opinions
- Excellent
- 14
- Very Good
- 12
- Average
- 6
- Poor
- 7
- Terrible
- 4
More about San Antonio
Photos
Riverwalk lit up for the Holidays
Hospital train and ambulance displays out back
The Alamo Plaza lit up!
Or perhaps a.... cage
Forum Posts
Walk or drive the Missions?
by kimod74
I read that you can walk the missions national park, but some say a vehicle is mandatory. Which is it? If you are a healthy adult is it better to see the missions on foot than in a car? I think you experience more walking about than sitting in a car and driving from place to place if the distances are not that great.
RE: Walk or drive the Missions?
by mccalpin
Perhaps what is meant is that you need a car to drive between the 4 missions (or how many there actually are), and you get out and walk the grounds at each mission when you arrive...it's what we did...
Bill
RE: RE: Walk or drive the Missions?
by kimod74
Got it. I thought we could start at the Alamo and walk from there, but I may be mistaken. We'll make sure to have a car available, thank you!
RE: RE: Walk or drive the Missions?
by mccalpin
See http://www.nps.gov/saan/pphtml/maps.html for maps of the park and area. The main park area stretches over 8 miles. You know that the Alamo is in downtown San Antonio, but at least the first missions to the south are in residential (blue collar) neighborhoods. I doubt many people make that walk...of course, that could be because we're all Americans and come with cars. ;-)
From the map, Mission Concepcion is something like 2 miles from the Alamo, and it seems a lot farther. Well, in any case, even if it is possible to walk between the missions (without getting lost), I don't see how walking through residential neighborhoods would enhance the experience...better to park at a mission, walk in the gate through the walls, and try to forget the outside world ;-)
Note, I see you are doing research (good); before you visit the Alamo, get a good picture in your mind of how big the original mission was. What we call the Alamo now is just the chapel and some gardens; the mission site was considerably larger, as you'll see at the other missions...
Bill
RE: Walk or drive the Missions?
by sweetheart519
Definitely drive. It's quite a distance to walk and you go through some not so nice neighborhoods. Plus, if you go during summer, the heat would be too intense.
Travel Tips for San Antonio
Mission Gun Turrets
by ATXtraveler
One of the things that is interesting to me about the San Antonio Missions, is that these locations were more than just missions. These were communities that were built in hostile lands at the time, with many different people fighting over the land and the mission itself. Between the actual Spanish missionaries, Native Americans that were remaining native as well as those who had been converted, Mexicans moving north, and Americans moving south, there were always people fighting over these missions.
The interesting part about these gun positions to me were how small the holes were. It seems like there would be just enough room to stick a rifle out the slot, but then there would be not much room to see what you were shooting at. I guess the main point of these positions were to maintain an amount of safety from people shooting inward, so I assume this was a good give and take.
If you are interested in looking at these up close, the best place is in Mission San Jose.
She has a combination of rare beauty..
by Maria250
"She has a combination of rare beauty, freshness, vitality and ability that is as uncommon as a century plant in bloom.”
-–film critic Wanda Hale
"There are only seven movie stars in the world whose name alone will induce American bankers to lend money for movie productions, and the only woman on the list is Ingrid Bergman.”
-–actor Cary Grant
"She had an extraordinary quality of purity and nobility and a definite star personality that is very rare.”
-–producer David O. Selznick
Not the best food, but lots of fun!!
by jm34bee about Dick's Last Resort
The food is mostly cheeseburgers and other fried items but the service is what makes this place so fun. On the day I was there they were out of catfish and pasta but the food we ended up ordering was fine.
The gimmick at this restaurant is that the waters/waitresses are rude, impolite, and offensive.
Prepare to be embarrassed as mostly everyone at the table ends up with an embarrassing hat before the meal is over with. 17% gratuity is automatically included.
Steak on the River
by msbrandysue about Saltgrass Steakhouse on the River Walk
I went to the Saltgrass Steakhouse on the Riverwalk with my friend and her co-workers after their conference. They had a bar while we waited for the whole party to come...even though we made reservations apparently. The bar was way too small for as many people come through there on a Thursday-Saturday night.
We got seated indoors on the street level, so no real view or feeling of the river. I ordered a few margaritas on the rocks and they were very good. The waitor was good for a big group. There was one girl in our party that eats Gluten free so the manager was out helping her choose a meal to have. He seemed to be really nice and concerned to meet her needs.
Overall, I thought it was a good meal and in close proximity to the River Walk and everything that goes on there on weekend nights.
***Gets extremely crowded on the weekends so be prepared for long waiting lists and/or try to make a reservation if you can.
Sun - Thurs: 11am - 10pm
Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm I have loved everything I've ever gotten at Saltgrass Steakhouse. The filet is wonderful and always cooked to my liking. The salmon is SO GOOD! The veggies, salads, and potato dishes are also just as good. Definitely a wonderful place if you like medium priced steakhouses. The 6oz filet is about $20, along with the salmon but when you're on the River Walk I would be prepared for prices along those lines either way.
River Walk
by darthmilmo
Take a stroll downtown in this beautiful pathway along the San Antonio River. Early city designest build the sorounding buildings and streets higher than usual so it makes for a nice riverwalk submerged in the grounds of downtown San Antonio. If it's your first time, or the millionth time, I recommend the lovely boat rides... a tourist tradition :).
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the best way to get from the airport to the River Walk area of SA? "What is the best way to get from the airport to the River Walk area of SA (and back of course)? Is it far? Should I just Eff it..."
A: "If you're just going to San Antonio for the Riverwalk and for the Alamo, there's really no need for a car. Just take an airport shuttle. The overnight parking fee at your..."
Read 3 Replies »
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Howard Johnson Inn & Suites San Antonio Balcones Heights
We've found that other people looking for this hotel also know it by these names:
- Howard Johnson San Antonio
- San Antonio Howard Johnson
- Howard Johnson Balcones Heights
Address: 6901 IH-10 W, San Antonio, Texas, 78213, United States
