Texas makes no attempt to deny the myth that everything is bigger, better and somehow badder in the Lone Star State. Thus, while cattle ranches as big as some states, cars with hood ornaments fashioned from steer's horns and cowboy hats fight for superiority elsewhere in Texas, we recommend t a retreat to the historical hangout that is San Antonio—where the only larger-than-life Texas-style artifact is a pair of cowboy boots outside a local mall.

We follow the trail of the Spanish missionaries and explore the city, which artfully blends the rich cultures of Old Mexico, Germany, the Wild West, African-Americans and the Deep South. The climate is mostly pleasant year-round—although temperatures in summer can reach the high 90's—and the folks are genuinely friendly.

There's a wide range of accommodations to choose from. The handsome, historic Menger Hotel on Alamo Plaza has housed such luminaries as Theodore Roosevelt, Sidney Lanier, Babe Ruth and Mae West. It's also said to be haunted, with reports of kitchen utensils exiting the cupboards, and at least 32 sightings of ghosts. Omni, La Mansión del Rio is a romantic, Spanish Colonial style hotel overlooking the historic Paseo del Rio, or River Walk. Purchased by the Omni chain, it has 337 rooms with European-style furnishings and boasts a highly-rated restaurant—Las Canarias—with a menu of largely local produce prepared with contemporary flair. The Omni, La Mansión del Rio, with its historically-influenced architecture and stylishly-imbued interior, will appeal to the world traveler. And the newer Watermark Hotel & Spa, also on the River Walk, is fast becoming known for pampering its guests with a wide range of spa options, along with dining delights at Pesca, the riverside restaurant sporting a massive oyster bar and an even more impressive tequila list.

DAY 1

More than 2.5 million people visit the Alamo annually. This is the old mission where a small garrison of Texans, Tejanos and settlers held out for thirteen days against the Mexican army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. The siege finally ended in a bloody battle and the death of the defenders in the early morning hours of March 6, 1836, but the spirits of Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, William B. Travis and their fellow men live on today at this memorial.

Located on Alamo Plaza in downtown San Antonio, just a short stroll from the River Walk, the Alamo consists of four buildings: the Shrine (its famous profile was the result of a fanciful restoration by 19th-century army engineers); the Long Barracks Museum; the DRT library, a research facility and archives run by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas; and the Gift Museum. New to the lushly-landscaped grounds—a lesson in local horticulture in town—is an amphitheater for costumed presentations as well as a covered area for classroom sessions.

In 1903, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas acquired the Long Barrack and shortly thereafter turned the deed over to the State of Texas. The DRT has managed the entire complex since 1905. Even alleged disdainers of Davy Crockett can spend hours here immersing themselves in Texas history. Inside the shrine there are artifacts such as Travis' ring, Crockett's buckskin vest, a flintlock rifle used in the battle, a period Bowie knife and more. Outside and over the footbridge that crosses a vestige of the old Acequia Madre, one of the city's early irrigation ditches, is the Wall of History exhibit, illustrating the Alamo's 300-year history. A seventeen-minute video on the Alamo can be viewed at the nearby Clara Driscoll Theater.

After honing up on your Alamo history, move west to El Mercado or Market Square, the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico, for bargain hunting, souvenir shopping and soaking in the colors, sounds and aromas of Mexican and Tex-Mex culture at art galleries, shops, bakeries and more. Before a major makeover in 1987, the area evoked the sights and sounds of the first public market held on adjacent Haymarket Square (now Military Plaza) 200 years earlier. The last revamping of the venerable precinct produced a colorful and contemporary building housing a museum affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the Museo Alameda.

On an equally cultural level (we take our food seriously), tourists and locals alike love landmark Mi Tierra for Mexican pastries such as cuernos de azucar (sugar horns), sweet empanadas with guava or mango filling, delicious dulces like candied pumpkin, and tri-color coconut "flags" as well as the Tex-Mex savory favorites, flautas, chiles rellenos, chalupas and enchiladas. Not to mention goat, if you've never tried it. Strolling musicians in full, silver-spangled costume offer mariachi music (for a price) at this institution established in 1941.

Nearby La Margarita, run by the same family, features fajitas and seafood in an equally evocative setting—mariachis included. And not far away, Pico de Gallo, another offshoot of the Mi Tierra Empire, holds forth with both tacos and trumpets. Many festivals are held in Market Square during the year, and on any given weekend you're likely to encounter kiosks offering "brimstone brew" in the manner of the fabled Chili Queens of yore and tacos of don't-ask ingredients.

Another popular destination is the charming La Villita (little village) Historic District, once home to Mexican military attached to The Alamo. It still shows its Spanish, Mexican, German and French influences and today features upscale shops such as Chamade with Native American and contemporary jewelry, as well as purveyors of rugs, blankets and accessories. On your walking tour of the village you'l see different 19th-century homes including Florian House (1854), Gray-Guilbeau House (1853) and Cos House (1835). Two venerable restaurants, The Fig Tree (think French) and The Little Rhein (steaks are the draw) occupy historic properties in the precinct, and both have unique views of the river. In the summer, Fiesta Noche del Rio, featuring stars of song and dance, takes place in the Arneson River Theater, with seats on one side of the river and the stage on the other.

Le Rêve is indeed a dream for dinner (reserve well in advance) with Chef Andrew Weissman, formerly of Le Cirque 2000 in New York, creating an always-changing menu. Next door, Weissman and his wife Maureen have opened The Sand Bar, an oyster and fresh-fish emporium that is casual in feel but strictly uptown in taste; its sashimi rivals that of most sushi bars. Color-saturated Ácenar, with its "modern Tex-Mex" menu, is but a few steps away, as are steak-centered restaurants such as Bohanan's and The Palm. And a short cab ride from downtown, Liberty Bar features Texas standards with a Mexican touch.