Guadalupe River State Park551

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best place for family bonding in San Antonio, Guadalupe River State Park encompasses four miles of river frontage - it's situated in the middle of a 9-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River.

Activities include canoeing, bird watching, fishing, swimming, tubing, picnicking, hiking, and camping. A 5.3 mile equestrian trail is also open to mountain biking.

The new (2010) Children's Discovery Center, designed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife?s Interpretive Services Department, occupies a hexagonal building not far from the Guadalupe River. The center encourages youngsters to look at the popular Texas Hill Country park's remarkable natural resources through the eyes of a scientist. Children enter the building by crawling through the trunk of a "cypress tree" to discover what awaits them outdoors in the almost 2,000-acre state park when they really pay attention to nature.

A two-hour guided interpretive tour of the adjacent Honey Creek State Natural Area is available on Saturdays at 9am; call to confirm.

Campsites with water and electricity can accommodate recreational vehicles and trailers; another area has campsites with water for tent campers, and a separate area offers walk-in tent campsites. Drinking water and sanitary facilities are provided at the picnic and camping areas; the restrooms at the water or water and electricity campsite areas have showers. Camping fees range from $12 to $19 per night; weekly rates are also available.