NEIGHBORHOODS
With a range of neighborhoods and housing options as diverse as the people who make this city their home, San Antonio offers the amenities of a major metropolis with the charm and community of a small town.
Downtown
The Alamo, the River Walk, La Villita, El Mercado ... your new home? Thanks to recent economic initiatives and urban developments, San Antonians are moving into the heart of the city and enjoying its multitude of cultural, recreational, and culinary offerings.
Luxury condominiums have begun to rise high amid contemporary apartment complexes, mixed-income developments, student housing, and upper floors of historic buildings. Residents at the Grand Hyatt’s Alteza condominiums and the Arts Residences at the Thompson Hotel wake up to sweeping views of the downtown skyline. Those living at Vidorra are a short walk from the night life at Sunset Station and festivals at La Villita. Young professionals and singles at the 1221 Lofts walk their dogs along the River Walk’s Museum Reach to grab a cup of coffee or check out the exhibits at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Residents at Inspire Downtown and the Agave Apartments take advantage of the expanded retail shops at Rivercenter Mall and free outdoor concerts at Main Plaza. Proudly filling the narrowing gap in the Broadway corridor, Rivera residents enjoy the best of downtown and The Pearl. VIA Metropolitan Transit bus service connects residents and visitors to many downtown destinations.
Uptown
Many of Uptown’s neighborhoods boast spectacular homes with tree-lined streets, child-filled playgrounds, and packed local restaurants. What sets Uptown apart are its school districts, specifically Alamo Heights Independent School District and North East Independent School District.
Only about four miles north of downtown, the incorporated cities of Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills have their own city halls, police and fire departments, and commercial shopping centers. Since development began in the early 20th century, both neighborhoods now offer a mix of historic and new-construction homes—quaint bungalows, ranch homes, impressive mansions, and environmentally sustainable LEED-certified homes. In Terrell Heights, to the north, 1940s and 1950s single-family homes are among the more modestly sized and priced homes within the school district. Lincoln Heights, developed in the 1990s, offers larger luxury homes for larger luxury prices.
The commercial strip of North Broadway, along with the Lincoln Heights shopping center and Quarry Market, offers Uptown residents a variety of upscale boutiques, retail chains, cafés, and professional offices. East of I-281 is stately and stunning Olmos Park with access to Alamo Heights ISD schools. This incorporated city offers convenient access to popular Uptown commercial shopping districts while supporting its own lively strip of restaurants and shops along McCullough Avenue and Olmos Drive.
Other nearby areas popular with families of school-age children are Oak Park, Northwood, Ridgeview, Shearer Hills, and Oakwell Farms. Just south of Loop 410, the majority of these more affordable Uptown neighborhoods are served by the North East Independent School District and feature modest mid-century ranch homes as well as new construction on a range of lot sizes.
Midtown (Central)
Ongoing redevelopment of the Pearl Brewery into the mixed-use Pearl Brewery Complex has infused Midtown with vigor and style. In addition to the campus of the Culinary Institute of America, some of the city’s best restaurants and retail make their home at Pearl, and so can you. Singles, married couples and anyone else wanting to be a part of this local cultural icon and culinary hub live at the Pearl’s Can Plant apartments, which vary in rent depending on amenities in specific buildings. With the original Pearl Brewery to the north, the River Walk’s Museum Reach to the west, Pearl Plaza to the east, and the downtown skyline to the south, residents at The Cellars at Pearl apartments enjoy 360 degrees of San Antonio style.
Young families who desire the action of the city with the residential space of the suburbs are moving just west of Pearl into Tobin Hill’s single-family homes. Tobin Hill also offers garden homes and apartments, many of them newly constructed with a contemporary feel. The East Quincy Townhomes and SoJo Crossing attract people eager to enjoy Pearl’s amenities.
Major thoroughfare North St. Mary’s Street is home to cafés, bars, live music venues and clubs, and the equally popular Main Street is the epicenter of the city’s LGBTQ+ social scene.
Just east of Pearl is Government Hill, which borders Fort Sam Houston to the south, featuring turn-of-the-20th-century single-family homes, many of which have been converted into multi-family dwellings. Government Hill offers some of central San Antonio’s more affordable housing in a neighborhood whose location promises to increase in value.
On the southwestern edge of Midtown is Five Points, a neighborhood progressively transforming. A working-class area of single-family and multi-family homes, Five Points is likely to experience a slow but steady revitalization, given its location. Neighborhood staples M.K. Davis Restaurant and The Cove are popular destinations for people throughout central San Antonio.
Monte Vista is one of the largest and oldest historical districts in the nation, and its sprawling lawns, 20th-century bungalows and mansions showcase an array of styles. Residents can enjoy shopping and dining in the local commercial districts on Main and McCullough and never have to stray far from home.
West of Monte Vista, active neighborhood associations work to restore beauty to the more modest, but nonetheless striking, early-20th-century Victorian style homes and bungalows of Alta Vista and Beacon Hill. Both neighborhoods continue to undergo revitalization as young couples and other do-it-yourselfers renovate affordably priced distressed homes. San Pedro Avenue and Blanco Road provide convenient shopping, dining and retail, and children love San Pedro Springs Park with its gem of a public pool shaded by lovely overhanging Cypress trees.
East of Broadway, Mahncke Park shares borders with Brackenridge Park, the San Antonio Zoo and the San Antonio Botanical Garden. Built in the first half of the 20th century, Mahncke’s charming small homes display a variety of architectural styles and are popular with young couples and families. In addition to a multitude of rental houses and duplexes, the Cortland Brackenridge apartment complex offers contemporary units with luxurious amenities. Children enjoy interactive exhibits at the nearby Witte Museum and the DoSeum.
River Road, another community that takes advantage of San Antonio’s parks and public spaces, is tucked into a corner of Brackenridge Park between the San Antonio River and the U.S. 281 overpass and is characterized by winding, narrow, tree-shaded streets and an eclectic combination of small, early-to mid-20th-century homes.
Southtown (Central)
Directly south of downtown, Southtown is one of the hubs of the city’s developing visual arts and culinary scenes. Always active, this area overflows with people on First Fridays when the streets fill with local artist booths and live music. The Mission Reach extension of the River Walk links Southtown neighborhoods and connects the residents to the parks and historical Spanish Colonial missions farther south.
King William’s stunning Greek Revival, Victorian and Italianate mansions rest along the banks of the San Antonio River. Smaller, but still impressive, bungalows extend over to the east side of South Alamo Street, and previously abandoned warehouses have been converted into hip multifamily dwellings and apartments. The area’s residential developments include Southtown Flats, Steel House Lofts, and, close enough to claim, the Peanut Factory Lofts just west of I-10.
The oldest existing neighborhood in San Antonio, Lavaca has been experiencing a considerable revival. This more affordable neighborhood’s smaller homes are quickly being restored and renovated to accommodate the influx of married couples and young families, and home values are rapidly increasing. At its northeastern border, the Hemisview Apartments offer mixed-income possibilities for a variety of residents. Farther south, the single-family homes of the gradually improving Roosevelt Park and Lone Star areas offer the most affordable prices in the Southtown area.
Southern and Southwestern Suburbs
A variety of suburbs with more modest, affordable homes lies south of I-10 with schools served by Southside ISD, Harlandale ISD and South San Antonio ISD. Originally the site of a U.S. Army Air Corps base, Brooks now boasts a 1,200-acre campus for a varied community of businesses, employees and residents. To the west, Lackland ISD supports those serving at nearby JBSA-Lackland.
Northern Loops
From urban to suburban, the many neighborhoods, communities and cities from Loop 410 to just north of Loop 1604 have convenient access to everything San Antonio offers, including green spaces at McAllister Park, Hardberger Park and the Salado Creek and Leon Creek Greenways. Shopping centers with large retail chains, smaller shops, restaurants and office buildings ring this part of San Antonio, from the popular North Star Mall on 410 to the open-air, upscale Shops at La Cantera on 1604. Local boutiques and restaurants are scattered about these areas but mostly appear closer to residential areas. Residents in this area are close to the San Antonio International Airport and the South Texas Medical Center.
With good schools, a convenient location, and an abundance of amenities, some of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods lie between the north loops. Popular neighborhoods include Castle Hills and Bluffview, with a mix of early-20th-century and newer homes on large lots with beautiful landscaping; Hill Country Village and Hollywood Park, with a blend of country living and city convenience; and Deerfield and Inwood, featuring private community pools and other upscale recreational facilities. East of I-35, the incorporated city of Windcrest offers more affordable housing options for families who hope to send their children to North East Independent School District (NEISD) schools.
Northside Independent School District (NISD) also attracts many families, who move into modestly priced ranch-style homes, garden homes and apartments in the Vance Jackson and Whispering Oaks areas. On the higher financial end, the separately incorporated town of Shavano Park offers large lots with large homes, mid-century and new construction, and the Elm Creek gated community encompasses 140 acres of commonly owned and maintained green spaces and walking trails.
Loop 1604 (as well as its intersecting freeways of 1-10, U.S. 281, and I-35) has become a river of commercial development and is home to a wide range of neighborhoods, suburbs and businesses unique to the Alamo City.
North of 1604 and west of U.S. 281, Stone Oak and Sonterra are master-planned, deed-restricted and multi-use developments with many choices of gated communities. Both are within the boundaries of the North East Independent School District, thus making them attractive neighborhoods for families. East of 281 and also in NEISD, Encino Park and its surrounding subdivisions feature newer-construction homes and numerous amenities.
Approximately 20 miles north of downtown San Antonio on I-10, the Dominion is probably the best-known master-planned community because of its exclusivity, high security and roster of famous residents. Designed by some of the city’s most renowned architects, the Dominion’s homes appear in a range of styles, many sitting on multi-acre estates. This community falls within the boundaries of Northside Independent School District.
Eastside
Just east of downtown sits the historical district of Dignowity Hill, currently undergoing a revitalization. Other neighborhoods on the east side enjoy convenient access to the Alamodome and the Frost Bank Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs. As Eastside revitalization expands, areas including Denver Heights, Jefferson Heights, and Harvard Place/Eastlawn are following suit.
Westside
The Avenida Guadalupe Association is working to revitalize and support the mostly Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods to the west of downtown and promote local culture. The historic Guadalupe Theatre anchors the neighborhood, and the Plaza Guadalupe, a beautiful park, and El Progreso Hall serve as gathering places for the community. El Parian Business Center provides low-cost office space and stimulates activity in the area. Festivals, concerts and lectures draw crowds from all over San Antonio to Avenida.
West End
The neighborhoods of Woodlawn Lake, Jefferson, and Monticello Park comprise single-family homes in an eclectic variety of sizes and styles, reflecting the vibrant mix of residents. A drive down the gallery-filled, art covered commercial corridor on Fredericksburg Road makes evident the neighborhood’s popularity with artists and the artists’ love of their community. Area teens have the pleasure of attending classes in the architecturally stunning Thomas Jefferson High School, part of the San Antonio Independent School District.
