FIESTA SAN ANTONIO
San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country
April 25-30 2012
The Newark Museum




Capture the spirit of Texas on our five day trip to lively San Antonio, named by American Style magazine as one of America's top 25 cities for art. Sparked by San Antonio’s long history as an international crossroads, the lively art scene reflects the city’s confluence of cultures in the heart of Texas. San Antonio has always been a crossroads where sounds and flavors of Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, the Wild West, African-Americans and the Deep South mingle and merge. Its sense of history and tradition is carefully blended with cosmopolitan progress.



Our trip coincides with Fiesta San Antonio, begun in 1895 to salute the heroes of the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. Fiesta is a 10-day, city-wide, fun-filled, multi-cultural celebration. With over 100 different events, parades, festivals, art exhibitions and more, it's the biggest party and greatest community benefit in the state of Texas. Weather permitting our trip coincides with annual explosion of spring wildflowers, extolled by the late Lady Bird Johnson.






1.  Wednesday, April 25     San Antonio Bound
Your Continental Airlines nonstop flight departs at 2:35pm from Newark, and arrives San Antonio non-stop at 5:30pm.  You’ll have taste of the town with an overview tour and dinner.  Spend five nights at the Marriott Riverwalk, located near the historic center and popular River Walk. Welcome dinner tonight (D)



2.  Thursday, April 26     San Antonio
This morning’s sightseeing includes The Alamo, the most famous spot in Texas, where Davie Crockett and Jim Bowie and 186 others died fighting for independence. The Alamo is located inside beautifully landscaped grounds in the heart of San Antonio. At Mission San José, known as the "Queen of the Missions",  explore the largest of Spanish missions, which were communities, with the church the focus. Mission San José shows the visitor how all the missions might have looked over 250 years ago. Take a relaxing cruise down the beautiful Paseo Del Rio, shaded by towering cypresses, oaks and willows.  After lunch visit two restored areas. Historic Market Square /El Mercado, is patterned after an authentic Mexican market, and has an outstanding art gallery as well as specialty shops in Farmers' Market Plaza. The South Flores Arts District, originally named for the many flower vendors who worked there, is now emerging from its industrial past to play host to one of the more vibrant art neighborhoods in San Antonio. The South Flores galleries present everything from traditional painting to contemporary intermedia installations. Dinner tonight. (B/L/D)



3.  Friday, April 27     Texas Hill Country
The scenic Texas Hill Country with its beautiful rolling limestone hills and wildflower-filled meadows beckons today.  In the charming German community of Fredericksburg, once the edge of the frontier and home to brave German pioneers,  tour the Admiral Nimitz Museum and Historic Center as well as the History Walk of the Pacific, an outdoor exhibit which offers visitors a deeper understanding of the struggle that took place between Allied and Japanese forces on the Islands of the Pacific. Stop in the Garden of Peace, a classic Japanese garden, which was a gift of the people of Japan to honor Admiral Nimitz for his wise administration and his respect for the Japanese people and their culture in the post-war years.  After lunch, the tour continues to Stonewall, Texas, for a visit to the LBJ Ranch located on the Eternals River for a look at the Texas "White House. Tall tales of one of Texas' favorite sons, Lyndon Baines Johnson and former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson bring the site to life. Return to San Antonio.  Dinner on your own. (B/L)



4.  Saturday, April 28     San Antonio Museums
Works of art by modern masters including Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir are on view at the McNay Museum. After lunch tour The San Antonio Museum of Art which is housed in the reclaimed historic Lone Star Brewery, built in 1884. The immense building has been turned into one of the most impressive art museums in Texas. Its permanent collection spans the continents. Asian art, European and American paintings, and antiquities from Greek and Roman eras attract art aficionados of all ages. The Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art houses the museum's extensive collections of pre-Colombian art, Latin American folk art, Spanish Colonial art and contemporary Latin American Art. Tonight we celebrate Fiesta at one of the many events (subject to scheduling) (B/L/D)



5.  Sunday, April 29     Austin
Spend the day in Austin, the Texas state capital and home to the University of Texas, which maintains its small-town feel and green spaces. The city takes pride in eccentricity, even in the face of rapid development.  We see the stunning pink granite State Capitol building, and visit the campus of the University of Texas for a tour of the Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art, one of the largest university art museums in the United States, housing some 18,000 works from Europe, the United States and Latin America. The Blanton has embraced a mission of serving as a "cultural gateway" between the university and the community.  After lunch visit the Austin Museum of Art   to tour the recently restored 1916 Italianate-style villa former home of Texas legend Clara Driscoll which has intimate art exhibitions focusing on art and nature. Outside stroll the lush 12-acre grounds overlooking Lake Austin and enjoy sculpture and the revitalized historic gardens. This beloved site has been declared a national treasure and is on city, state, and national registries of historic places.  Return to San Antonio for a farewell dinner.  
(B/L/D)  



6.  Monday, April 30     Adios
Check out of the hotel and visit the last San Antonio site, The Witte Museum, whose collection has 200,000 artifacts, promoting lifelong learning through innovative collections in natural history and South Texas heritage. Walk around the Witte's backyard which has historic houses from all over San Antonio.  You have a light lunch and depart from San Antonio airport on our non-stop Continental flight at 2:35 p.m., arriving Newark at 7:35pm. (B/L)  





This engaging experience includes:

  • Round Trip non-stop flights (coach) on Continental Airlines from Newark
  • 5 nights in San Antonio Marriott Riverwalk Hotel
  • Breakfast daily
  • 4 dinners, 5 lunches
  • Porterage in the hotel
  • Private bus according to above mentioned itinerary
  • Local guide for tours, entrances as per itinerary
  • Tips for guides and coach drivers
PROGRAM PRICES  
Per person (double occupancy): $2450*  
Single Supplement: $450  
(*tour cost based on a minimum of 20 people)  
 
TERMS: $100 administrative fee per person for ALL cancellations  
In addition, the following penalties apply:  
January 1 – March 1, 2012 $300. additional penalty  
After March 1, 2012 NO REFUNDS