List: San Antonio area hotspots that are opening for the spring and summer season

SAN ANTONIO – It’s that time of year to get outside for some fun in the sun.

Many of the seasonal activities are starting to open so I’ve compiled a list to make it easier for you to figure out where you want to go.

This mid-month edition of the newsletter is focused on seasonal businesses and parks that are already open, or about to open for the summer.

From a Texas-shaped wave pool at Six Flags Fiesta Texas to the cool waters of Jacob’s Well, there’s a little something for every kind of adventure you’re looking for this summer.

Here’s what’s opening for the summer season:

• Aquatica at SeaWorld San Antonio - Currently the SeaWorld San Antonio water park is only open on the weekends but starting June 3 it will be open seven days a week for the summer. A new ride called Riptide Race is now available for park guests to enjoy. Riders will start at the top of a 51-foot tower and plunge down side-by-side flumes as they race along 565 feet of water slide towards the finish line. SeaWorld San Antonio is located at 10500 SeaWorld Drive near Highway 151 and Military Drive.

• Blue Hole - Located in Wimberley, it’s about an hour’s drive from downtown San Antonio. Day passes, which are required to swim, are available for one of two time slots and cost anywhere from $6 to $12. Swimming passes will be available on the weekends starting in May and will be available daily starting in June. Purchase tickets here. The address for Blue Hole Regional Park is 100 Blue Hole Lane.
• Hamilton Pool - While Hamilton Pool is considered to be one of the most stunning swimming holes in the Hill Country, it is closed for swimming for the foreseeable future. The preserve is located near Austin at 24300 Hamilton Pool Road. It’s still open for hiking the trails and walking along the beach. Reservations are still required for hiking in the area to help keep the nature preserve from overcrowding.

• Jacob’s Well - Jacob’s Well in Wimberley is located at 1699 Mt Sharp Road, about an hour’s drive from downtown San Antonio. Reservations for summer swimming slots are currently available for dates starting in May. Jacob’s Well is an artesian spring that releases thousands of gallons of water a day.
• Krause Springs - This swimming hole is located at 424 Co. Road in Spicewood, approximately an hour-and-a-half drive from downtown San Antonio. Camping and swimming are allowed, but you will have to pay a fee of up to $9 for a day pass. The springs that feed the pools are 68 degrees year-round. Krause Springs is already open for the summer season.
• Landa Park Aquatic Complex - Landa Park in New Braunfels is a short drive from San Antonio at about 40 minutes. The spring-fed pool will open in May. It’s a constant 72 degrees year-round. The pool was built in the early 1900s and is one of the oldest and most historic bathing pools in Texas. It’s located at 110 Golf Course Road.
• Schlitterbahn New Braunfels - Voted as one of the world’s best waterparks for years, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels will be opening for the season on April 15. The park is located at 400 N. Liberty Avenue, around 40 minutes from downtown San Antonio.

• Quest Cable Park - This cable wakeboard park in southeast Austin is opened for the season on April 9. There’s a water obstacle course, an aquatic playground, slides, a blob and more. The park is located at 10815 FM 1625, roughly one hour and twenty minutes from downtown San Antonio.
• Six Flags Fiesta Texas - The park, located at 17000 W I-10 in San Antonio, is open for the weekends. Expanded days start in mid-May and the park will officially be open seven days a week starting May 23.
• White Water Bay at Six Flags Fiesta Texas - The water park at Six Flags Fiesta Texas opens for the season on April 30. Admission is included with regular admission to the theme park. Relax in the Texas-shaped wave pool for the summer. The theme park is located at 17000 W I-10 in San Antonio.

Paddling Parks:

These places are open year-round but in case you missed this article I wrote, I wanted to include it as part of the newsletter.

These Texas parks are some of the best for canoeing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding:

• Caddo Lake State Park - This is a bit of a drive at nearly 6 hours and 30 minutes but Caddo Lake State Park in Karnack is full of bald cypress trees that tower over a maze of bayous, ponds and Caddo Lake itself. Paddle these waterways, stay in a historic cabin or try your hand at fishing at this East Texas park. You might spot an alligator on your paddle journey.
• Devils River State Natural Area - Head to Del Rio if you want to paddle in some of the clearest spring-fed water in Texas. Located nearly four hours from downtown San Antonio, you can swim, fish and paddle the river — but be advised that it’s a one-mile hike from the parking lot to the river.

• Fort Parker State Park - This park is located west of Waco, about 3 and a half hours outside of downtown San Antonio in Mexia on the banks of the Navasota River. In addition to paddling you can fish, hike, bike and camp at this park.
• Goliad State Park - This park is the endpoint for a 6.6-mile paddling trail down the San Antonio River. The park is just under a two-hour drive from downtown San Antonio in Goliad. Native Americans, Spanish explorers and missionaries, Texian soldiers and early settlers walked the land of what is now the state parks so you can soak in some history while you paddle down the river.
• Guadalupe River State Park - This is the closest park on the list to San Antonio, located just 45 minutes north of downtown. Many visitors take advantage of the swimming opportunities but the park is the starting point for the 5-mile Guadalupe River State Park Paddling Trail.

• Martin Dies Jr. State Park - Located nearly five hours from downtown San Antonio in Jasper, this park has a lake and sloughs for paddlers to check out. The Neches and Angelina rivers meet at this park and it makes for a wild and diverse habitat. Swimming is also allowed at the park.
• Mustang Island State Park - You can paddle along the Texas coast at this Corpus Christi park, located about 2 and a half hours south of San Antonio. The park has more than five miles of coastline and is actually an unspoiled barrier island.
• Palmetto State Park - This park is just a stone’s throw from San Antonio, one hour east of downtown, in Gonzales. The park is small but offers opportunities to paddle down the San Marcos River, which has a steady current but no rapids.
• Sea Rim State Park - Located nearly five hours east of San Antonio in Sabine Pass, this park has 5.2 miles of Gulf shoreline and 4,000 acres of marshlands. There are a range of paddling trails here from a 1.79-mile easy trail to a 9.59-mile advanced trail.
• South Llano River State Park - This park is located roughly two hours from downtown San Antonio in Junction. The park has two miles of river frontage, and multiple put-in and take-out points. It’s great for tubing in addition to paddling. There are also shuttle services for kayak and canoe rentals.

• Village Creek State Park - Located about 4 and a half hours from downtown San Antonio in Lumberton, this park is on the edge of a large thicket and is known for being quiet. It sits along Village creek but be careful because alligators are known to live in the area.

I hope you guys are ready for the warm weather. I’ve got a lot of great stuff planned for this summer so keep an eye out for my next newsletter. It’ll be hitting your inbox in a few weeks.

Mary Claire Patton, Digital Journalist