Overview
The San Antonio River Walk, or Paseo del Río, is a network of walkways along the San Antonio River, one level below the city streets. It is one of the most visited attractions in Texas and the center of the city's tourism and convention business.
History
A deadly flood in September 1921 led to calls to pave over the river's downtown bend as a storm drain. Instead, the city built Olmos Dam upstream for flood control, and preservationists pushed to keep the river. In 1929 the San Antonio architect Robert H. H. Hugman proposed lining the bend with shops and walkways. The Works Progress Administration built much of his plan between 1939 and 1941.
The River Walk was extended for HemisFair '68, the world's fair held in San Antonio, and again in the 2000s and 2010s. The Museum Reach to the north and the Mission Reach to the south added miles of trails linking downtown to museums and the Spanish missions.
Today
The River Walk links hotels, restaurants, the Henry B. González Convention Center and shopping, and narrated river barges carry visitors along it. Parades, festivals and holiday lighting draw large crowds throughout the year.
Compiled October 2026. History is summarized for general interest; check primary sources for research. This landmark is local context, not an employer or job listing.