The 2008 San Antonio Rock "n" Roll Marathon.

Marathon runners aren’t like everyone else. Lots of people run for fitness and health, but most stick to a distance of a few miles. Those who embark upon a race of more than 26 miles – and those who do this more than once in a lifetime – are quite simply a breed apart.

Just as marathon runners aren’t like other people, San Antonio’s Rock “n” Roll Mararthon isn’t like other marathons. Runners will be encouraged by music and cheered by fans who take cheering seriously. Is it possible to dance at mile 18? Find out during the San Antonio Marathon.

The big event takes place Sunday, November 13, 2011. The marathon starts at 7:30 a.m., and bands will be playing until the last runners cross the finish line. San Antonio Rock “n” Roll Marathon entertainment includes:

• 4FTJ
• A Variety of Bands from San Antonio
• Vince Neil

San Antonio Texas Bed and Breakfasts welcome marathon runners, marathon walkers, and supportive friends and family. Spend a few days exploring San Antonio before the race, when you can still walk without limping. Indulge in gourmet breakfasts in San Antonio Bed and Breakfasts during your stay; you’re sure to want a few extra stored calories during the race. If you can, stay a day or two after the race, and let yourself be pampered.

Please see our San Antonio Bed and Breakfasts for a list of lodging in the area.

Please Rock “n” Roll Marathon for additional information.

Enjoy San Antonio after the sun sets.

When the mercury is as high as it has been lately in Texas, it’s best to focus on activities that take place after the heat of day has subsided. Fortunately, the arts are strong in San Antonio, and there are dozens of evening activities in San Antonio on any given night. Guests of San Antonio, Texas Bed and Breakfasts have time to enjoy many of them.

The arts in San Antonio reflect the diverse population. There’s a symphony and classical ballet, but also Indian Dance, Japanese Folk Dance, and Classical Country Music. San Antonio is said to be the American capital of Tejano music, a lively blend of northern Mexican ranchero, German polka, and pop music. The Alameda Theater is dedicated to Spanish language entertainment, opportunities to dance the Tango are frequent at Rincon del Tango, and cross-cultural concerts featuring ethnic folk, classical, and jazz musicians take place at Musical Bridges.

Read on for a list of upcoming evening entertainment in San Antonio:

• Fiesta Noche del Rio at Arneson River Theatre. A great outdoor musical review. Ends 8.13.11.

• The King and I at San Pedro Playhouse. Ends August 8.21.11.

• Sunday Jazz at the Witte Museum. Outdoors, August 14, 2011.

• Beethoven Gardenkonzert at the King William Area. German entertainment, German food,  and a beer garden. 8.19.11.

• Free Concerts on Wednesday nights at the County Line BBQ.

• Jazz in the Streets at The Shops at La Cantera. Saturdays through 9.3.11.

Guests of San Antonio Texas Bed and Breakfasts have an advantage over many travelers. The innkeepers are local, they love their home town, and they love to share what they know about it. Ask them for up-to-date entertainment tips, and for good restaurants near venues.

Jazz fills the air on five Friday nights in July and August. Rain or shine, come 7 p.m., performers make music in front of the large reflecting pool at the outdoor Amphitheatre at Wonderland of the Americas. If you plan to stay in a San Antonio Texas Bed and Breakfast on a Friday night this summer, check out the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival.

Listeners gather all around, perched on walls and steps, stretched out on blankets, and nestled in lawn chairs. Intrepid fans have been known to stake their spot at dawn, but there is always room for more. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual. People come for the music, and the music is always fine.
The 2011 Balcones Heights Jazz Festival line-up is as follows:

• Stacey Knights and Jeff Golub on July 8.
• Fingerprints and the Shilts on July 15.
• Groove Therapy and Slim Man on July 22.
• Vincent Ingala and Michael Ward on July 29.
• Zamar and Mindi Abair on August 5.

Purchase food and beverages at the Food Court in Wonderland of the Americas or at various booths surrounding the outdoor amphitheater lawn.

Balcones Heights is close to many of San Antonio’s most popular attractions. If you’re inclined to drop a blanket at the amphitheater early in the day, you’ll find it easy to fill the hours until the music starts. Stretch your legs along the River Walk, see amazing creatures at Sea World, or delve into history at the Alamo. Whether you spend the day shopping or staying cool in one of San Antonio’s museums, you’ll undoubtedly be ready to relax to the sounds of jazz come evening.

One of the best aspects of the San Antonio Jazz Festival is that it draws a huge, eclectic crowd. You’ll find locals and tourists. You may even see the innkeepers of your San Antonio Texas Bed and Breakfast there; if so, don’t worry – they’ll be home in plenty of time to prepare a wonderful meal for you in the morning!

Mindi Abair will perform in San Antonio on August 5, 2011.

Please see Balcones Jazz Festival for more information.

Visit the Old Brick Factory in D'Hanis Texas.

One of the charms of this South Texas town is its very remoteness. D’Hanis is a mere hour west of San Antonio, but it is largely forgotten in modern times. It is so quiet here it’s tempting to call it a ghost town; but make no mistake, D’Hanis Texas is for the living.

A D’Hanis TX Bed and Breakfast is an ideal place to escape from hectic lives. You’ll want to bring a good book – or two. Bring the person with whom you most enjoy conversation, and spend hours talking together. There are few external distractions in D’Hanis; you may feel compelled to sit quietly and relax.

One final point: if you like Chicken Fried Steak, be sure to stop by Bill and Rosa’s KK Steakhouse for a most delicious and generous serving of that southern treat.

Don't leave Seguin without pecans.

By the end of February, wildflowers in the Guadelupe Valley will be peaking. Birds such as Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Green Kingfishers, and Crested Caracaras will be looking for mates. The temperature will be just right – not too hot, not too cold.

Plan a Seguin Texas Bed and Breakfast vacation for early spring, when the community blossoms along with wildflowers. Festivals such as the Noche de Gala, Main Street Trade Days, and the Cajun Jamboree fill the calendar. Enjoy walking tours that highlight the historic limestone architecture of Seguin and feast on locally grown pecans. Wonderful.

San Antonio Riverwalk, originally uploaded by cbcastro.

San Antonio is one of the most glorious cities in the United States. Come see for yourself, and stay in a San Antonio bed and breakfast.

The next time you are planning a getaway to a San Antonio bed and breakfast, bring your camera. The historic buildings in and around the city, like the Mission pictured here, make lovely subjects.

Come to San Antonio for the Texas Folklife Festival

The Texas Folklife Festival is in it’s 39th year, and it is by far the biggest celebration of the Texas cultures in the state. It runs June 11-13, 2010, at the Institute of Texan Cultures on the UTSA HemisFair Park Campus. Friday from 5pm – 11pm, Saturday from 11am – 11om, and Sunday from noon – 7pm.

Expect to find food, music, dance, arts, and crafts from 40 different cultural groups found in Texas. The festival is spread out over 22 acres, and therefore has ample room for 50 dance troupes, 65 music groups, and 150 ethnic food stalls. There is even a carnival.

You may think you know Texas, but you will be surprised by the diversity of this great state. Eat empanadas the way they do in the Canary Islands (with a little Texas flair). Taste a cactus tuna cup, born of American Indian traditions. Lebanese falafel sandwiches, German sausage on a stick, and of course, Texas barbecue. Spend all your time nibbling your way through the food stalls, or take a walk in search of The Astonishing Mr. Pitts Medicine Show. Then find some music, for music is essential to culture and to this celebration.

If you can’t make the Texas Folklife Festival, come to a bed and breakfast San Antonio anyway, any time of year.

623_Cypress on the river Castroville TX_web, originally uploaded by stone_singer48.

You’ll find the little slice of heaven pictured above just north of Castroville, in South Texas.

Spring is an excellent time to hop in the car and meander about, with no particular destination in mind. If you live in – or are visiting – San Antonio, you’ll find many lovely towns to explore. Throw an overnight bag in the car, have a list of South Texas bed and breakfasts in hand, and away you go.

Castroville is about a thirty minute drive west of San Antonio. The town is nestled in the Medina River Valley, and is known as the Little Alsace of Texas.

There is a festive air to this little town. Stop by on the first Friday night of each month for Fiorella Fridays, where you’ll encounter live music in September Square, wine tasting, and artisans selling their wares. If you are in town on April 22, 2010, you may want to check out the 5th Annual Fiesta on London Street’s Spring Mixer. Saturday April 24, 2010 is the Renaissance Fair – come in costume!

Quaint shops abound. In need of some French antiques? Try Chateau Lafayette. European and Mexican antiques can be found at Albros Casa y Garden.

Stop by Haby’s Alsatian Bakery when you feel your tummy rumbling, and don’t leave town without stopping at one of several outstanding meat markets /delis for Alsatian sausages.

In fact, why leave town at all? Stay a night or two at a Castroville bed and breakfast, and enjoy yourself to the fullest.

Manuel Barrueco. Photo by Stephen Spartana

The San Antonio Symphony does a tremendous job presenting a variety of musical influences and styles. One upcoming event that should not be missed takes place February 12 and 13, 2010, at the Majestic Theatre: Concierto de Aranjuez. David Angus will conduct, and Manuel Barrueco will take center stage on guitar.

The Concierto de Aranjuez was created by Joaquín Rodrigo in 1939, and it premiered in Spain a year later. It was inspired by the gardens at Palacio Real de Aranjuez (built in the 16th century by Philip II); indeed, Rodrigo wanted to evoke “the fragrance of magnolias, the singing of birds, and the gushing of fountains” that were in the gardens. Surely he succeeded, for Rodrigo is one of the most esteemed Spanish composers of the 20th century.

The work will be in the skilled hands of Manuel Barrueco, who is considered one of the most important guitarists working today. He is a “superb instrumentalist and a superior and elegant musician, possessing a seductive sound and uncommon lyrical gifts.”

February 12, 2010, marks the start of the long President’s Day Weekend, which also happens to include Valentine’s Day. In short, it is an ideal time to visit bed and breakfasts San Antonia. Go to the symphony. Walk the San Antonio River Walk. Try a new restaurant every day. You deserve it.