Skip to Main Content
Road Scholar logo
Texas

On the Road: Exploring Texas Heritage from Austin to San Antonio

Program No. 25127RJ
Discover Texas heritage — explore the historic districts of Austin, learn about agriculture in the Hill Country and experience traditional dance, music and food in San Antonio.
WishlistShare
Start
  • Historic buildings with neon signs line the vibrant Sixth Street entertainment district in Austin, Texas, with cars parked along the busy road.
  • A low-angle view of the Texas State Capitol building in Austin, with the Texas flag waving against a cloudy sky.
  • The historic San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas, is seen from an elevated viewpoint, surrounded by trees and city buildings.
  • The ornate stone interior of San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas, features a high vaulted ceiling and visitors admiring the golden altar.
  • A vintage green covered wagon sits in a grassy field with a rustic barn in the background in Fredericksburg, Texas.
  • The weathered stone walls and dome of an old mission in Texas stand behind a wooden cross and vibrant pink flowers.
  • The weathered stone and brick bell tower of a historic mission in San Antonio, Texas, stands against a bright blue sky.
  • Colorful papel picado banners hang above a historic brick building at Market Square in San Antonio, Texas, under a clear blue sky.
On the RoadSmall GroupCity DiscoveriesMulti-City DiscoveriesNew
Length
8 days
Rating
New
Activity Level
Starts at
2,749
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
8 days
7 nights
What's Included
16 meals ( 7B, 5L, 4D )
2 expert-led lectures
22 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Expand All
Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously). Minimal walking to dinner and the bridge. Please note, participants must be physically capable of participating in all planned program activities.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 3:30 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 4:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Meals will be provided at the program hotels and local restaurants. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
After dinner, we will join our group leader in a quick walk to the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge - locally known as the bat bridge. We will have an opportunity to hear (and hopefully see) the free-tail bats that reside underneath the bridge. While the estimated 100,000 bats reside here all year long, viewing ability does vary with weather and current climate conditions. Afterwards, we will head back to the hotel to take the rest of the evening to continue getting to know your fellow participants, relax, and get a good night’s sleep for the full day ahead.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach, walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 1.5 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
The land we know as Texas has been inhabited by many peoples dating as far back as 14,000 BCE. As explorers and immigrants have settled throughout the region they have brought diverse traditions and a unique collection of histories which we will explore this week. This morning a noted professor will provide a lecture about French Explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (commonly known as La Salle), who established the first European colony in Texas. In August of 1684, La Salle left France with four ships and about 300 hopeful colonists. La Salle’s mission was to find the Mississippi River to bring his cohort into the middle of North America to settle, but instead landed upon Victoria, Texas in February of 1685. We will hear about how the actions of this lost Frenchman in the 17th century helped to eventually establish Texas as a US state. Next we’ll set out on a walking field trip with a local expert along Sixth Street, where turn-of-the-century Victorian buildings provide a vibrant backdrop for Austin’s famous live music district. We’ll see the Moody Theater, home to Austin City Limits, and step into the lobby of the famous Driskill hotel.
Lunch:
We’ll stop at a nearby restaurant for lunch.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll continue our walking tour as we make our way toward the Capitol. We’ll learn about the Capitol grounds and admire the various architectural styles along Congress Ave, with the oldest building dating back to 1856. We'll then enjoy a guided tour of the Texas State Capitol, the largest state capitol building in the United States. A docent will point out some of the buildings principal features as well as enlighten us with stories of the famous figures who have walked it’s halls. Next we will board a motorcoach for a brief driving tour of South Austin before making our way to dinner.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
After dinner, we will have an opportunity to visit a local honky tonk to listen to live music and learn new dance moves.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach, riding on coach up to 1.5 hours total, walking up to 2 miles, standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll hop on the coach this morning for our first field trip to Boggy Creek Urban Farm, an historic East side fixture that grows a variety of vegetables using sustainable, no-till, regenerative practices. We’ll take a step back in time as we tour the farmhouse which is the second oldest home in Austin (and once hosted Sam Houston himself for dinner!) and observe how the owners are making farm-to-table accessible for the whole neighborhood. Then, we will head to the French Legation Museum for a docent-led tour. This former French diplomatic outpost has witnessed the growth of Austin and served as a symbol of diplomacy and cultural exchange for almost two centuries. We’ll have time to explore the house and grounds including a detached Creole-style kitchen. Next, we will embark on a walking exploration of Austin's east side. We’ll learn how this predominantly African-American neighborhood played a key role in the birth of Austin’s music scene and the steps locals are taking to help preserve their neighborhood history.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will continue our walk down the historic 11th Street until we arrive the George Washington Carver Complex where we enter the museum and library to learn more about Juneteenth, The City of Austin's 1928 Master Plan and creation of the "Negro District". Then, we'll head to the Texas Music Museum to learn more about the contributions of East Side residents to blues and jazz.
Dinner:
On your own. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for checkout in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach, riding on coach up to 3 hours total, walking up to 2 miles, standing up to 1 hour.
Breakfast:
At hotel.
Morning:
Today we will delve deeper into Texas’ agricultural history and visit two establishments that are utilizing old-world techniques to grow healthy and sustainable foods and wines. After checking out of the hotel, we’ll then depart for a field trip by motorcoach to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, which was founded in 1982 by Lady Bird Johnson and Helen Hayes. The center, which is connected to the University of Texas at Austin, is referred to as the “Botanic Garden of Texas” for its focus on conserving native plants; it is well known for its outreach programs, sustainable gardens, and research. We’ll explore parts of the 284-acre center with experts from the Wildflower Center. Our journey continues as we drive into the hill country, famous for it’s orchards and vineyards. We’ll explore the wine-making process from start to finish through a tasting tour at a local vineyard before enjoying a picnic lunch at the property.
Lunch:
Lunch and wine tasting at the vineyard.
Afternoon:
We will continue through the hill country with a quick stop in Luckenbach, a legendary spot for country music. We will then make our way to Fredericksburg, a unique German settlement that’s become a spirited tourist destination.
Dinner:
On your own in Fredericksburg. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for checkout in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach/trolley, riding on coach up to 1.5 hours total, walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 1 hour.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel and embark on a trolley tour of historic Fredericksburg. Dating to 1846, Fredericksburg is freckled with examples of German architecture that can still be seen in it’s over 700 historical homes. A local guide will take us past some of these homes and regale us with tales of what life may have been like for early settlers.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will get on the coach and head south to San Antonio, a city known for its cultural celebrations and festivals. As the seventh largest city in the US, it has over 300 years of history and is a melting pot of heritages that can be found in the form of art, music, food, and architecture. It is one of two cities in the United States recognized as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. We will orient ourselves with a walking tour of downtown San Antonio and see several historical sites starting with the San Fernando Cathedral. The cathedral is the oldest religious community in Texas and is still an active parish of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Santa Anna raised the red flag of “no quarter” from the church tower during the siege of the Alamo. We’ll also see the Menger hotel where Theodore Roosevelt once recruited his Rough Riders and the infamous Alamo which played an integral role in the founding of the Republic of Texas. We will also explore the Pearl District of San Antonio and will embark on an exclusive visit of the famous Hotel Emma We will end at our hotel and check-in before regrouping for dinner. . Each evening, the hotel in San Antonio hosts a complimentary “kickback” reception with a rotating variety of food and drink daily from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on the second floor. Everyone is invited.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We’ll set out on foot with our Group Leader to San Fernando Cathedral for an outdoor light show by French artist Xavier De Richemont. This 24-minute show tells the story of San Antonio from its beginnings to present day.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach, riding on coach up to 1 hour total, walking up to 2 miles, standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will begin our morning with a lecture from a member of the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project. This organization aims to both strengthen connections between descendants of Indigenous peoples and revive native agricultural practices including raising a regenerative herd of Bison in Southeast Texas. Then, we will board our coach to visit the Japanese Tea Garden.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will board the motorcoach and visit the recently-opened World Heritage Center. We will have the opportunity to learn about the San Antonio Missions at this center before we embark to see them in person. We will spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. Beginning at Mission San Jose a member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation will be our guide as we learn about the history of the missions and what became of the indigenous groups who were colonized in these mission communities. Here we will experience traditional song and dance and enjoy a lunch of pre-colonial native foods.
Dinner:
On your own in San Antonio. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking up to 2 miles, standing up to 1 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning, we will travel back to the Pearl District to wander along the weekend Farmer's Market. Every Saturday, hundreds of locals come to the Pearl Farmer's Market to socialize, learn, and support local farmers. Then, we will drive to San Antonio’s Westside where Hispanic roots run strong. We’ll drive past a collection of vibrant murals that celebrate Chicano culture before visiting the newly-opened Museo del Westside, a community museum dedicated to preserving the stories of its residents. The museum specifically highlights the women who have made waves as leaders of social justice and who continue to fight for the conservation of their familial traditions and heritages.
Lunch:
On your own.
Afternoon:
Free time.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel Checkout by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Please select a day to update the map
Map details are not available for this location.