Weird Facts About San Antonio

San Antonio is full of unique history and is home to some great inventors and world records, follow along as we count down our top seven weirdest facts about the River City.

#1. You Can Walk Up The Tower of the Americas

For you fitness junkies - yes you can actually walk up the tower of the Americas, all 750 feet.

That is if you don’t mind walking 952 steps. Experience the Tower of the Americas with us on our Best of San Antonio Tour - but don't worry we won’t make you take the stairs, instead, we will even pick you up and drop you off from your downtown hotel AND we won't make you wait in lines as your admission fees are included with skip the ticket line entry.

You can even give your feet a break and escape the heat in the comfort and style of air-conditioned Mercedes Metris vans.

#2. San Antonio Is One Hot Tamale!

Not only is the city known for its Texan heat but Lanier High School currently holds the world record for the most tamales ever made, with 17,132!

#3. San Antonio Holds A Parade With Floats…That Actually Float

The Texas Cavaliers River Parade takes the term ‘parade float’ seriously and actually floats!

This one-of-a-kind celebration of San Antonio and its citizens started in 1941 after a group of Texas Cavaliers watched boats and barges covered in flowers in the “floating gardens” of Mexico City - this coincided with the city’s River bend restoration so they decided to bring the experience to the River City.

Eighty years later and the parade still takes place on the first Monday of Fiesta in April, from 7-9 pm. This experience brings in over 250,000 spectators each year and raises money for local children’s charities.

#4. San Antonio Knows How To Keep It Cool

San Antonio is not only home to the Milam building - the first high-rise building in the United States with air conditioning, but it also has the first air-conditioned bank, hotel, and Catholic Church.

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#5. San Antonio Bleeds Gatorade

Gatorade was invented by San Antonio native Robert Cade! Dr. Cade was an innovator focused on creating drinks, and popsicles that could help replenish protein.

He along with his team of researchers developed Gatorade when trying to answer the question “Why didn’t football players urinate after a game?”

The first flavor, and the only one available for the first 15 years, was lemon-lime. Then the drink was sold to Quaker Oats in 1983 and fruit punch made its debut.

#6. San Antonio Is All A-Boot Texan Pride

The city is home to the tallest cowboy boots sculpture. Bob “Daddy-O” Wade, known as a Texas pioneer of cowboy funk art, sculpted these boots in 1979. These boots stand 35 feet tall and 33 feet long, taking him six weeks, and he was paid $7,000.

Bob made these humongous fake ostrich-and-calf-skin boots using mainly junk materials he had scavenged. You can also see his work in New York City where he installed his first piece of major art - his giant Lone Star Iguana on a rooftop.

#7. San Antonio’s Stock Show & Rodeo Reuses Their Soil

The dirt used in the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is the same 2,160 tons of dirt used since 1988. Since 1949, the show has evolved into one of the largest, most prestigious events in the area, bringing together around 1.5 million visitors a year with over 6,000 volunteers.