SAN ANTONIO – Tourism spots around San Antonio are reopening after being forced to close amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Here is a list of tourism destinations in the San Antonio area with their plans for reopening while implementing new health and safety protocols.
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What’s open:
Briscoe Western Art Museum
- Members are invited to visit the museum May 21-22, with exclusive member access and the first look at the museum’s Night of Artists exhibition. The Briscoe then welcomes everyone to saddle up and ride West again on May 23.
- Museumgoers can subscribe to the museum’s weekly e-newsletter, which includes weekly Lego build challenges, historic trivia, Lil Partners activities, and crafts, behind the scenes tours, and more for the whole family.
- The museum also has Mother’s Day membership specials, which include curbside gift shop grabs and more. For more information, visit the museum’s website here.
The Historic Pearl
- The Boiler House SA, La Gloria, Larder (patio seating), Supper American Eatery, Hiatus Spa + Retreat (retail only), LeeLee (appointment only), Green Vegetarian Cuisine, Adelante Boutique and Dos Carolinas and The Sporting District are open.
- Fletcher’s Hamburgers, Jazz, TX, Savor Restaurant and SayTown Tacos will remain closed until further notice. Other food and beverage restaurants will continue to operate to-go and curbside services.
- All other retail shops will also operate via online and curbside service only, according to officials. For more information, click here.
Natural Bridge Caverns
- Natural Bridge Caverns will reopen cavern tours May 8. Cavern tour capacities will be limited to allow guests effective physical distancing between each family group.
- A dedicated cleaning and sanitation crew has been established to clean and disinfect all high touch surfaces throughout the park.
- New handwashing stations have been added around the park, and importantly, at the entrance and exit of the caverns, so guests can wash their hands immediately before and after their tour.
- Complimentary hand sanitizer will be made available throughout the park and inside the cavern and guests will be encouraged to wear face coverings while they visit and to use handwashing stations and hand sanitizer.
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
- Visitors are only able to visit the ranch from the inside of their own vehicles. The ranch is offering a safari drive-thru experience in an effort to eliminate exposure and health risks. The Safari Trading Post gift shop and Petting Barnyard are still closed until further notice, according to the ranch’s website.
- Restrooms are available at the entrance and exit in the Safari Camp Grill and at the halfway point in the Safari Sweet Spot. Dining is also limited to carry-out only, but picnic tables will be available on-site and are spaced apart.
- For information on admission prices and hours, click here.
San Antonio Botanical Garden
- Visitors to the garden must reserve a ticket in advance online at sabot.org. No tickets will be sold on-site, in an effort to promote social distancing. Daily tickets are timed entry, which will limit the capacity to 25%.
- Visitors are also reminded to wear face coverings, stay six feet apart from others, wash hands, cover coughs, and continue to practice good hygiene.
San Antonio Zoo
- The San Antonio Zoo is reopening and offering a “once-in-a-lifetime drive-thru zoo experience."
- Zoogoers can drive through the zoo on select dates from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the comfort of their vehicle.
- Admission, which is priced per vehicle, is $60 for non-annual pass holders/members. Annual pass holders and monthly member pricing is set at $32 per vehicle.
- To learn more about the drive-thru zoo, click here.
Witte Museum
- The Witte Museum will reopen May 30, with members receiving early access starting May 27.
- Safety measures will include Plexi protections, a stylus for every visitor, and amazing decals that will provide life-long learning at a distance.
- “Witte Where You Are" will still be available for online museumgoers. The online content from the museum curators and educators feature Witte’s award-winning camp, demonstration and school program curriculum, as well as behind-the-scenes tours. To learn more, click here.
Governor Greg Abbott’s orders on April 27, allowed all retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls in Texas to begin reopening May 1, as long as they maintain only 25% occupancy and follow social distancing guidelines.
Although some businesses and tourism spots will be reopening their doors, each has set new protocols.
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What’s still closed:
- Schlitterbahn
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- SeaWorld San Antonio
- AT&T Center- POSTPONING EVENTS
- The DoSeum
- San Antonio Museum of Art
- Although you may not be able to visit the San Antonio Museum of Art in-person, you can still enjoy the artworks it has to offer, all on its website. The SAMA has its art collection available to view online as well as videos on exhibit highlights, children’s storytimes every Thursday and other digital resources. For more information, or to see the artwork, click here.
- Army Medical Department Museum
- Fort Sam Houston Museum
- The Historic Quadrangle
- Ripley’s Believe it or Not!
- Artpace
- Morgan’s Wonderland
- The McNay
- The Alamo
- LEGOLAND Discovery Center
- San Antonio Aquarium
This list will be updated as more information becomes available.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March. The first case confirmed in the U.S. was in mid-January and the first case confirmed in San Antonio was in mid-February.
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