With a new World Heritage Designation, unforgettable culture, and its upcoming 300thanniversary, San Antonio is topping national and international travel lists for 2016. Today, Lonely Planet announced the addition of San Antonio to their “Best of the U.S. List” for 2016, adding to a growing collection of accolades from travel experts around the world.
Being designated by Lonely Planet’s U.S. authors and editors as one of the top 10 places to travel in America this year is another high-profile nod in a recent surge of praise for San Antonio. Celebrating the city’s ample opportunities to “admire bold public art and taste foodie-approved ‘Texas seafood,’” Budget Travel gave San Antonio the number two slot on its “Where to Go in 2016” list. San Antonio came in second only to Iceland, outranking Cuba, Los Angeles, Greece, the Galápagos Islands, and other international hotspots.
Travel + Leisure included San Antonio in its exclusive “Best Travel Destinations on the Planet for 2016,” citing the renovated River Walk and The Pearl as evidence of the city’s undeniable new “cool.” Ranked 18 out of 50 destinations, San Antonio clinched a top spot that underscores its growing global appeal.
Highlighting San Antonio’s engaging and easily accessible history emphasized by the recent UNESCO World Heritage designation of the city’s Spanish Missions, USA Today dubbed the city “One of the 14 Places in America You Have to Visit in 2016.”
Noting the DoSeum, other educational opportunities, and the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort’s expanding River Bluff Water Experience, Family Vacation Critic included San Antonio in its “10 Best Family Travel Bets for 2016.”
Meanwhile, Orbitz named the city one of its “Top Destinations for 2016” as well. Tipping their hat to the city’s “bohemian wonders,” The National Student also ranked San Antonio as one of its “Top 20 Destinations” for the year.
“San Antonio has mastered the art of embracing the new while cherishing the old,” San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor says. “It’s how we can remain the iconic town we’ve always been as we become a distinctly modern city on the rise. Rich culture and a welcoming spirit will always define San Antonio, which is truly one of a kind.”
“Travelers from around the world are discovering San Antonio,” says San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director, Casandra Matej. “We are definitely seeing San Antonio’s popularity rise as a travel trend, but for us, we think it’s because we’ve maintained our timeless appeal. Whether people are looking for Hill Country resorts, an unforgettable experience along the River Walk, tours of our historic districts or exploring the U.S.’s newest World Heritage Site, they can find it here. There truly is an adventure around every street corner and bend of our river.”
To learn more about what San Antonio has in store for vacationers in 2016, explore www.visitsanantonio.com.
