Sponsored By :: Hiltons of San Antonio

The first weekend of June my family and I had the pleasure of getting a front row seat viewing all there is to do in San Antonio for a fun-filled, family getaway. Talk about a perfect staycation… our weekend started off at the San Antonio Zoo.

The new Australia Exhibit was really well done and informed our kids about the animals and habitats in Australia. Our daughters were able to pet and learn about kangaroos, which created smiles from ear to ear. We also loved visiting the giraffes and the flamingos. The carousel was a favorite for our 5 and 3 year old daughters, we may have ridden it 4 times! The shady trees really helped keep us out of the hot summer sun. Definitely a perfect spot to visit this summer.

Next we arrived at the Embassy Suites Landmark hotel just an exit away from Fiesta Texas. Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny greeted us to get our weekend started. It was fun having such a warm welcome from some of the cartoon favorites.

For dinner we checked out The Rim, a new area with awesome restaurants and shops. We ate at The General Public and ordered delicious cocktails, oysters on the half shell and crab cake hushpuppies, which the kids loved. Sal, the manager took such great care of us and informed us that every weekend evening the entire restaurant gets a happy hour shot to cheers at dusk. #parentwin My husband loved their steak and I thought their shrimp and cauliflower grits dish was on point.

Next we walked over to Barrel & Bowl and enjoyed the unique bowling alley with our girls. It was the perfect way to end the night.

Day 2– We started off with the delicious breakfast buffet at Embassy Suites Landmark and then made our way to Fiesta Texas, they were nice enough to include the large logo cups and sunscreen in our swag bag for us to use all day. The cups were crucial as it was already so hot and the sun in Texas can be unforgiving, we filled up our drinks free of charge all over the park. Since our girls are little we focused on the smaller rides, but never felt like we were missing out.

We loved the first look at the Pirates of the Deep Sea ride, it was interactive, A/C was going and it was a fun and different ride for the whole family to experience. We also loved the log rides.

That evening we were excited to jump in the gorgeous pool and partake in the perfect happy hour at the Embassy Suites Landmark hotel. We felt like we were at a fancy hotel. The kids were splashing around and hubs and I were toasting to a great day.

Day 3 — After diving into another great breakfast buffet, we made our way to SeaWorld. I was hesitant after all the past stories about Sea World, but Clay the SeaWorld Ambassador, 14 year animal trainer and Social Media Guru quickly put my nerves at ease with our behind the scenes look at all Sea World is and what they are working on. The dolphin reef was full of a 5 generation pod, as young as 5 and as old as 50. We viewed the shark reef and were were educated on just how vital sharks are to our oceans and our world, we even got to pet one!

We ate lunch with the orcas, we heard from the trainers about how passionate they are for the animals and how strict their training is…. it usually takes about 2 years for a trainer to work one-on-one with a whale. They were clear about how they never force a whale to perform and they are focused on positive reinforcement. We learned about the pod of whales and how they are kept together, like in the wild. Huge 180 from years before.

We were shown the brand new Sea Turtle Reef and learned about their grass filtration system which is revolutionary and could make some incredible changes for every animal habitat within a manmade environment. The new rides Riptide Rescue and Sea Swinger were perfect for families, soaring above the reef.

My other favorite was the Pets Ahoy show, not only is SeaWorld focused on conservation and rescuing animals as large as an orca or dolphin or sea turtle. They are also very much concerned about small animals too. Sea World trainers go to rescue shelters all over Texas and rescue some of the animals that were thought to be the worst. These animals were brought to Sea World, trained and after 4 years, when they are healthy, happy and well-trained are then adopted out to the public or SeaWorld employees. This show was incredible, it included mice, geese, ducks, parrots, cats, dogs of all sizes, and pigs! They all had a job and did some amazing tricks. It captured all of our hearts.

Hilton hotels in Texas kicked off their four largest destinations this summer with the “Texas Sized Savings” promotion that offers up to $25 hotel credit per night and a host of local discounts and experiences exclusively to those staying with participating Hilton branded hotels through September 30th.

Go visit travel.hilton.com/Texas and click on Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston or San Antonio and book your “Texas-Sized Saving” reservation.

Needless to say, a weekend in San Antonio was a perfect staycation for our family. If you are trying to come up with something to do with your family…. I’ve got a fantastic itinerary for you. This offers so much value for all travelers, including great discounts from all partners, as well as experiences like an extra hour at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and the San Antonio Zoo just for Hilton Honors members. Everyone in our family was smiling all weekend. Check out each destination for all they offer!

Thank you San Antonio for an awesome weekend! Book your Texas Sized staycation today!

Lauren Wiatrek
Lauren Wiatrek is a native Austinite that after moving to New York and Colorado, decided her heart was in the center of Texas. Her husband, Evan helped build their family of daughters in a home they love. After battling stage 3 breast cancer in 2017 Lauren has become a strong voice for wellness, health advocacy, and her faith. Lauren loves to travel every chance she can get. Lauren enjoys extra hot coffee on the porch, her F45 workouts, Young Living lifestyle, being all things as a #girlmom and helping empower women. Lauren started her journey with cancer on her blog www.bestillandsmile.com you can also follow her on her Instagram: @lauren.wiatrek for motherhood tips and her wellness journey after cancer.

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