San Antonio Sightseeing Tours - The Best Ways to Explore San Antonio for First Timers

From historic day trips, to all-around-the-city tours, to guided nature tours, there's a lot to discover in San Antonio. One of the best ways to make sure you get the most out of your trip and see it all is with the guidance of the pros on a professionally guided tour. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive overview of the city to kick start your sightseeing or want to go on a day trip outside the city, San Antonio has lots of tours to choose from, so it's easy to find one (or a few) tailored to your interests. We put together a list of the best San Antonio sightseeing tours to help you choose one that suits your sightseeing style.

Save on Popular San Antonio Sightseeing Tours & More

Admission to a bunch of these San Antonio tours are included on the San Antonio Explorer Pass®. Choose as you go from top attractions and save up to 40% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. See all available San Antonio passes, attractions & prices. A few of the available sightseeing activities include...

• Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour
• Texas Hill Country & LBJ Ranch Tour
• Natural Bridge Caverns - Discovery Tour
• Rio San Antonio Cruise Ticket

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

The San Antonio hop-on hop-off bus tour is the best way to start your visit to San Antonio - you'll get a feel for the city layout and a comprehensive overview of all the top sights. Each bus features entertaining and informative narration by a professional guide who will direct your attention to landmarks along the way - making sure you don't miss a thing. Hop-on and off and explore any of the 18 stops as you go - with tour buses operating on 20-30 minute intervals, you can hop right back on when you're ready to pick up your tour where you left off. Getting In: Hop On Hop Off San Antonio Bus Tour tickets are available as an option on the San Antonio Explorer Pass.

Texas Hill Country & LBJ Ranch Tour

Go on a full day trip from San Antonio and experience Texas Hill Country on this fully narrated, guided tour. This tour goes to Lyndon B. Johnson’s boyhood home and the LBJ Ranch, also known as the “Texas White House,” where your guide will fill you in on the history and legacies of both Lyndon B. Johnson, America’s 36th president, and his wife, Claudia “Lady Bird” Taylor. The scenery is fantastic, with stunning vineyards, olive, pecan, and peach orchards, and stunning Texas wildflowers. After touring the ranch, you’ll get free time for lunch in the historic German town of Fredericksburg where you can see the influence of the great German migration of the 1840s and 1850s before continuing the tour on to Luckenbach, where countless musical legends have emerged from, including Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Hondo Crouch, among others. The final stop on the tour will be at an award-winning winery where you can see and learn about the development of the Texas wine industry first hand (21+). Getting In: Texas Hill Country & LBJ Ranch Tour tickets are available as one of the Premium Attraction choice options on the San Antonio Explorer Pass.

Natural Bridge Caverns - Discovery Tour

Descend 180-feet below ground on a guided adventure and get access to a half-mile of the largest, most extensive underground cavern in the San Antonio area. On this tour, you'll see fascinating natural formations, dating back to the Cretaceous period, when geologists believe that a warm, shallow sea covered much of Texas, and learn about the history and science behind the caverns from entertaining and knowledgeable guides. Insider Tip: be sure to wear comfortable shoes, you’ll need traction on the steep, wet surfaces–and don’t forget a camera! Getting In: San Antonio Natural Bridge Caverns tickets are available on the San Antonio Explorer Pass.

Rio San Antonio Cruise Ticket

Experience San Antonio’s vibrant and festive riverside culture on a guided river cruise - one of the most quintessential things to do in San Antonio and a great way to get acquainted with the River Walk area and pick out sights and restaurants you want to visit after your cruise. Your colorful boat will take you on a 30-minute ride under picturesque bridges and past historic sights your guide will point out while providing historical context to each site along the way. Getting In: Rio San Antonio Cruise tickets are available on the San Antonio Explorer Pass.

Let’s Recap

There you have it – our list of some of the best San Antonio sightseeing tours and other fun ways to explore this city - from walking tours to movie bus tours and everything in between. Whether you're looking to learn more about the city's rich history from the pros or want an overview of the city so you can get out and explore more on your own, it's easy to find a tour (or a few) tailored to your interests in San Antonio. Remember, many (if not all) of these options are available on the San Antonio Explorer Pass, where you can save up to 40% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. We hope you plan to add a few of these fun touring options to your vacation itinerary.