Here is a FAQ about some attractions in San Antonio available to you during BMT Graduation weekend that are relatively close to base. Anyone may add to this list but please explain how to get there or provide a map as majority of the parents are coming from out of state and may not know where anything is located.

Chopsticks is a great chinese buffet. It is located on 410. Go out the Valley High gate on take a right onto 410 and keep going until you see a giant light up "Chopsticks" sign on the left hand side. Take the next exit and hit the turnaround and it will take you to it.

Las Palapas is a great mexican restaurant on 410 that gives a 50% military discount. It's just a little ways past the Best Buy and Bandera road also on the left hand side so again you'll have to take an exit and hit a turnaround.

You have the All American classic Denny's. The closest one is on Military Dr on the other side of HWY 90. When you are leaving the BMT Reception center parking lot hang a left going away from the mini mall. Hang a left at the stop sign onto Selfridge Ave, go straight out that gate and hang another left onto SW Military heading towards HWY 90. Go under the bridge on through both sets of lights, get in the right hand lane. Make sure you are watching because the turn is right after Taco Cabana called Renwick Dr and is very easily missed.

There is an IHOP on W Military. Go out the same way as you were going to Denny's and hang a right onto Military Dr. You will go past Kelly airfield. IHOP is on the right hand side of the road. Be cautious here, the traffic is a nightmare. There is also an IHOP on 410 on the right hand side. Take the Marbach exit and go through the light.

Pizza hut on 410 has a cheap all you can eat pizza buffet. Take the Marbach exit and hit the turnaround get all the way over to the far right lane as it is immediately past the turnaround.

Texas Roadhouse is a great steak house located right next to the Regal cinema 18 across the highway from the Ingram Mall. Head out the Valley High gate and get on 410 just like heading towards Chopsticks. Take the Ingram exit #10 and the turn is right after the apartment complex on the right a little past the KFC. You'll be able to see the theater from the steak house.

Joe's Crab Shack is a great seafood joint located a little further up 410 on the other side of the highway.

The best for last. Buffalo Wild Wings has $.50 boneless chicken wings on Thursday nights. Take the W Military Dr exit and hit the turnaround and get in the far right lane. It's in the Westover Marketplace.

That's all I can really think of for good food locations so on now to entertainment.

Movie theatres:

You have the Regal Cinema 18 as I have already mentioned and The Alamo Drafthouse is another good one that is close to base. If you haven't noticed just about everything is located in the same general direction and this one is no different. Get on 410 from base and take the HWY 151 exit and hit the turnaround. You will immediately see a Home Depot on the right hand side. The Drafthouse is just a little further up on the right.

The North Star Mall is a huge mall! To get here head towards the Airport and take exit #20. Take the exit slow because it narrows and winds. Please pay close attention here because the off ramp splits in two with one lane going right and the other going straight and you will have idiots merging without looking. When you take the exit stay in the left lane so you won't be merging and just continue going straight until you can get over to the right lane and into the mall parking lot. The best place to park is in the parking garage to the right on the second level. It's usually pretty empty and has a second level entrance. If you go to this mall make sure you get there before 5 pm or you will get into a terrible traffic jam. Actually if you can avoid it, stay off the highway from about 5-630 pm if you can. This seems to be the rush hour and a lot of crashes happen causing even more delays.

You also have the river walk and the Alamo downtown along with the Rivercenter mall. Get onto Military Dr heading toward HWY 90 like you are going to Denny's. Turn right at the first light to get onto 90 going East. Continue on 90 until you reach I-37 exit. Take it North which will be a left turn once on the exit ramp. You will pass the Alamodome on your right hand side. Find the exit that will get you onto E Commerce ST and turn left and that should take you right past the Rivercenter Mall. From there you shouldn't be too far from the Alamodome either. Parking is more expensive the closer you get to the mall.

If it is still open you are allowed to go to Sea World. Take the HWY 151 exit, aka Sea World exit and follow the signs. You can't miss it.

There is a Laser tag place called Laser Quest and there is a pool hall right next to it called Slick Willies. Also right across from the Ingram Mall just after Ingram Road on the right hand side.

I would suggest if you haven't already get a map of San Antonio and it will have a lot of the malls and what not on it. The shopette right next to the fire dept and Warhawk gym should have some.

Have any questions feel free to ask of PM me and I will help as best as I can.

Rudys has some GREAT BBQ. Take the same exit for Sea World, instead of going left (which takes you to Sea World) take a right, it'll be down the road about a 100 ft

Another great place I forgot was Dick's Last Resort Restaurant located on the riverwalk. The staff is suppose to be rude to you so don't get offended when they are.

I'm not sure if Sea World still offers this but it was completely free for me and any guests I had with me while I was in uniform after graduation of basic training.

quote:

Originally posted by BlackMagix:
I'm not sure if Sea World still offers this but it was completely free for me and any guests I had with me while I was in uniform after graduation of basic training.

I emailed a SeaWorld rep about this and this is what was said:

One free admission plus up to three direct dependents (example: spouse and up to two dependents, this does not include parents, fiancée, extended family, brothers and sisters, etc.). To take advantage of the offer, service members and dependents age 10 and older need only:

Must present your valid active duty Department of Defense issued I.D. for members of your family (ten years of age and up).

Additional tickets may be purchased at a discount at the ITT office on base at 10% off.

The program runs from January 1, 2007– December 31, 2007 on scheduled operating days only and we will re-open on March 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008. The form currently online, is already for 2008 but it can be used if an active duty member planned to come this last operating weekend as well. As long as they come before December 31, 2007 it would count as their one visit for this season, even with the 2008 form.

If you want the full email I received PM me offlist and I will be happy to send you the full text.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mitty140,

Hrm... our ti's would tell us it was free for us and up to 3 guests with us. Doh!

On town pass I would think that the airman would want a nice LOOOONG shower (30 min or so) a HUGE buffet (Pizza Hut comes to mind) and a nice long nap, maybe watch some sports on the tube. Sea World would not be at the top of the list.

When I was in SA I had one thing on my mind, FOOD! I didn't care about much else other than eating.

quote:

Originally posted by YaFace6:Sea World would not be at the top of the list.

You'd be surprised... When I was TDY to Lackland this past September/October, I went to SW, there were tons of BMT grads there...

Edit: I forgot to mention Guajillos off of the 410 loop. They have great mexican food there.

I'll second the nod from HH60CC for Rudy's BBQ. I think I spent about $10 or $11, and had more INCREDIBLE brisket than I could eat, and a beer. The coleslaw was thick and homestyle (not the KFC finely shredded and sugared up type).

I will eat at Rudy's every time duty brings me back to Kelly/Lackland...for sure.

There's also a really good Mexican Seafood joint just off 90. I can't remember exactly where (I'll look it up and edit the post), but it's a hole in the wall (NOT a fancy joint at all), not far from Kelly...right off the frontage road somewhere. Absolutely the best seafood I had while in San Antonio. It looks like a dump, and the trash can near the parking lot smells to high Hell, but just take my word for it...good chow.

There are two PF Changs Chinese joints in SA, one north of 410 loop, and one down by Fort Sam Houston off the 281 at Jones-Maltsberger road and E. Basse Rd (in the mall complex by the golf course). There is much better Chinese to be had in town, but it's PF Changs...same wherever you go...and it's close to a mall, so if you are taking your "mall-rat" teenie-bopper out to dinner, it kills two birds with one stone.

Stay AWAY from the China Rose off Military Drive off 90 (out the gate by billeting). The WORST.

***update***

here's the hole in the wall Mexican Seafood joint:

Biagra Mexican & Seafood Restaurant
2615 Castroville Rd # 205
San Antonio, TX
(210) 434-8518

Costa Azul at 3825 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, was also pretty good for Mexican Seafood.

These Mexican recommendations are coming from a California guy who spends every possible vacation day in Baja Mexico surfing the BCS coast (Todos Santos) or paragliding the north coast (La Salina), so I know good Mexican Seafood when I see it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lstgnfghtr,

OMG RUDY'S!!! We had it catered in a couple days before our tech school graduation....it's honestly the best bar-b-que I have ever had.

I really enjoyed seeing the Alamo, downtown SA. And my husband, Mom and I had dinner at Landry's seafood on the riverwalk. Somewhat pricey, I know, but well worth the money spent, portions are generous and the food delicious. I had a platter with shrimp, fish and scallops. And we ate cheap for the rest of the visit... Since both are downtown, I'll omit directions!

There's a place called "Magic Time Machine," up on North Loop 410 (Interstate loop around San Antonio), near Broadway. It's a fun place, no matter whether you're just a couple, or a whole group.

Servers are all in character, ranging from Tinker Bell to Obi Wan to Captain Jack Sparrow, and others. Their rooms are all themed: Red Room, Spanish Room, Venetian Blind Room, etc. I don't remember a lot about it, other than my wife and I used to go there for special occasions, and my section from OTS went there as part of our commissioning celebration. My recollection is that the food was pretty good, if a little pricey, but it was good fun. They have a 1953 MG Roadster as their "salad CAR." Open for dinner 7 nights a week, open for lunch Saturday and Sunday.

Rudys is a tough place to beat for barbeque. They give a great discount on easily the best barbeque around. The brisquet is better than any rib-eye or filet if you ask me. A Corona washes it down oh so well. There is another one up on the North end of town way outside the loop as well as the Seaworld location. There is a big bass pro shop on the way.

Magic Time Machine is cool, but you have to make a reservation.

RUDY'S is indeed the best BBQ joint in all of Texas (not as good as it is here in the deep south, but still good)

If you like to go to malls, head over to Ingram Park Mall. Leave the Valley Hi gate, turn right onto 410 just a few miles and you will see it on the left hand side. Right up the hill from there is a Best Buy, Barnes and Noble and there are some good restaurants around the area too.

Can anyone recommend a hotel that is decent(not a super 8...) and close to Lackland?

quote:

Originally posted by suzyq27:
Can anyone recommend a hotel that is decent(not a super 8...) and close to Lackland?

Here is a link with a list of local hotels. I don't know exactly what you want so I'll let you decide for yourself.

http://reservations.hotel-guides.us/nexres/search/searc...%3F-&Go.x=47&Go.y=22

Thanks!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by suzyq27:
Can anyone recommend a hotel that is decent(not a super 8...) and close to Lackland?

Suzy, there have been a lot of discussions about hotels/motels in San Antonio/near Lackland. Scroll up to the top of this thread--right above the first entry on the page, there is a row of six boxes, marked: Go, New, Find, Notify, Tools, and Reply. Click the one marked Find. It'll open up a small window. In that window, type in "hotel" (without the quotes) and then click "GO". It'll give you a list of every time "hotel" has been mentioned in this forum.

Hope this helps.

Ahhh... yes. Probably shoulda done that first.... I've been looking, and trying to find something relatively closer than 20-30 min. but that's all I was coming across. Thanks again. Note to self: search before asking!!! I usually do, but I'm stressin' trying to find one for my hubby to stay while he comes to my grad (I'm the deal finder!!! ) And with a week left am sorta starting to freak!