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My husband, Cody, and I were able to meet and take a photo with all six Looney Toons characters after the “Looney Toons: We Got the Beat” show. Check out the showtimes information sheet at the beginning of the park for all shows and showtimes. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

If you are looking for a ride to get you soaked at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, check out The Power Surge. It may be a short ride, but no matter where you sit, you are sure to get soaked. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

At Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the Superman: Krypton Coaster. It is one of the largest steel roller coasters in the region. It is 16-stories high and the highest speed hits 70 mph. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

The library at the Alamo is open to the public for research only. This library offers a history of Texas during the Republic period of 1836-1846. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday-Friday. ABOVE, Inside the Long Barracks is a museum that’s lined with cases of items that were used at the Alamo. There are also signs, banners and plaques showcasing the history of the Alamo. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

Inside the chapel is the shrine and several openings to show the history of the building. If you listen to the audio, it explains the shrine and what each opening represents. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

The gardens at the Alamo have a lot of greenery, flowers and cacti all across the grounds. Many visitors enjoy taking photos with the beautiful gardens behind them. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

Close to the entrance of Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the Boomerang Coast to Coaster. This coaster sends you through loops and corkscrews and then does it again, but backwards. Ila Stuart, Sentinel Graphic Designer

SAN ANTONIO - When my husband and I moved to Texas, several people told us that we needed to visit San Antonio. I am glad we took their advice because we enjoyed the River Walk and SeaWorld. This week I am sharing our experiences at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and the Alamo. If you are looking for an adventure, I recommend checking out San Antonio. There are more attractions than just these four, and I can’t wait to go back to enjoy more of the city.



Six Flags Fiesta Texas

Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, my husband and I ventured out to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. I wanted to ride all the roller coasters and enjoy the water park, but plans don’t always go the way you want. However, now we have something to look forward to if we end up going back while we are still living here in Texas.

In case you are wondering, the tickets cover both the amusement park and the water park. You can go check out Leisure Travel Services to get discount tickets to not only Six Flags Fiesta Texas, but to other attractions, cruises and vacations, as well.

To start off our day, we were smart and got there before the park opened. We learned from our experience the morning before at SeaWorld that we would rather be early than late and have to stand in line forever to get into the gate. We arrived there around 9:15 a.m. and the park didn't open until 10:30 a.m. Honestly, I thought the park opened at 10 a.m., that is why we got there as early as we did.

While standing in line, I actually overheard a family discussing how much they enjoy hopping from the amusement park to the water park. When they got too hot, they could just take a ride down the lazy river to cool off and then head back to the amusement park. Although, if you go into the water park, be sure before you exit the water park that you have your shoes, shirt and shorts on to be able to ride the rides in the amusement park again.

Anyway, the ropes were finally taken down and we went toward our first ride, Bugs White Water Rapids. Along the ride, there is a story told about Bugs Bunny’s journey to medieval England in search of an adventure. Lucky for him, he found one, and the next thing you know, you are taking a couple of drops and then hitting the water to get your whole Family soaked.

The next ride I was interested in was the Superman: Krypton Coaster. I heard several reviews on this roller coaster and how it was the best one there, so I definitely wanted to ride it. However, my husband didn't want to go on it, so I went by myself. This roller coaster is 16-stories high and the highest speed hits 70 mph. After the first major drop and the first loop, I didn’t feel like my stomach was in my throat like I did on the roller coaster at SeaWorld. The awesome thing about this roller coaster compared to the one at SeaWorld is it has corkscrews and loops, you feel like you are flying like Superman and it is the largest steel roller coaster in the region. Also, I suggest that you ride this roller coaster first when the park opens because there is no line, and if you want to go a second time, then you won’t have to wait in line forever.

After I rode the roller coaster, we walked around for a little bit, had a caricature done of us and then finally decided it was time to get something to eat. While walking, I noticed the Sangerfest Halle Food Court and thought that would be a great place to stop. Little did we know, we were going to get lunch and a show, “Looney Tunes: We Got the Beat.” I had a Polish sausage with German potato salad, and then we got to take a picture with six Looney Toons characters at the end of the performance.

This show runs throughout the summer. I recommend checking it out and catching the characters after the performance for a photo opportunity instead of waiting in lines around the park. Granted you don’t get to take a picture separately with each character here, but I thought it was the coolest thing to have a picture taken with all six characters at once.

After lunch, we found our next ride, The Power Surge, which I am pretty sure was our favorite attraction of the day because we rode it twice. There was no line at all, it was tons of fun and I highly recommend this ride if you are looking to get soaked. Literally, you go up the conveyor belt, go around a corner, and down you go. Water splashes everywhere and gets everyone soaked no matter where you are sitting.

If you have little ones that can’t ride the attraction, stand on the bridge with them and wait for a boat to hit the water. Everyone in the boat and the viewers on the bridge get soaked.

After The Power Surge, we relaxed and air-dried on the train, Whistle Stop, and then went on some more rides. When we were done with the rides, we saw another show and called it a day.

I definitely want to come back here before we move to our next duty station in a couple of years, but I would love to go with a group of friends next time. There is still a ton of rides and things I want to do there that we were not able to do. Also, I want to experience the water park. This trip, there were just too many people.

Too bad we live three hours away from San Antonio, or I would have gotten a season pass already.

For more information about Six Flags Fiesta Texas, visit the website at www.sixflags.com/fiestaTexas.

The Alamo

The final destination of our weekend getaway was the Alamo. We waited until Monday to spend some time there, spending the last day of our trip winding down.

The Alamo is located within a couple of blocks from the River Walk. This attraction is not just one building. There is the chapel and Long Barracks Museum, which are the original Alamo structures. Not too far from those buildings is a gift shop, comfort area and a library. If you are facing the chapel, there is a street to your left. Across that street is a museum that is narrated by the singer, Phil Collins. The museum was created to show the original structures of the buildings around the Alamo, which are now restaurants, hotels and other entertainment spots. The library has a collection of the history of Texas, which is geared around the period of the Republic, 1836-1846. However, the library is open to the public for research use only.

Inside the Long Barracks Museum, cases of items that were used as well as signs, banners and plaques telling the history of the Alamo, are displayed. Names of Soldiers that lost their lives are on display inside the shrine and there are Soldiers honored on a plaque in the Long Barracks Museum.

Even if you are like me and are not a history buff, I enjoyed the gardens outside near the chapel, gift shop and comfort area. The gardens have several plants I have never seen before, so I spent most of my time there. I enjoyed the cactus that is long and branch-like. I am not familiar with cactus because I grew up in Mississippi, so I stopped several times along the path to look at them.

At the comfort area, they offer a package with your Family’s picture in it for $25. There is a photographer at the front of the Alamo that will take the picture of your Family and hand you a card with a number on it to give to the attendant printing out the photos. The gift shop, photos and donation proceeds go toward the Alamo.

I can't quite tell you what I learned that day because I was steady trying to take pictures and watch the time since we had to go back to get our dog and check out of the hotel.

I do, however, recommend planning to spend more than a couple of hours there. Depending on the time of day, they give a tour of the battlefield for an extra fee. To tour the Alamo, it is free, but they also offer an audio tour for $6 per person. There is no guide for the audio tour, but they give you this device that looks like a phone and you can press a certain number to listen to the information. There are certain places in the tour that show the numbers to press.

We plan on going back to actually listen to the whole audio tour, see the battlefield and view the history museum. Whenever my parents come to visit, we may take them there. My dad would love to go and talk history with my husband since that is their favorite thing to talk about.

For more information about the Alamo, visit the website at www.thealamo.org.

We still have a ton to see and do in San Antonio, and I can't wait to go back to see more.

For more information about San Antonio, visit the website at www.sanantonio.gov.