Next we visited The Paseo del Rio!

Next, we visited the River Walk, or Paseo Del Rio.

It is a 2 1/2 mile stretch of beautifully landscaped

waterfront with lots of stores and restaurants.

(Most of the buildings, and all of the bridges

are older than my Auntie Karen! )

In the 1600s and 1700s, the river was used for drinking, irrigation and livestock.

When the river was no longer needed for practical purposes, an architect developed the River Walk with fun, park-like features, like the Arneson River Theatre (below).
During the summer, visitors can take a boat ride down the river.

Across the water from this little stage, there is ampitheater-style seating built into the riverbank,with steps leading up to La Vallita, a little shopping village that was once the first neighborhood of homes in the area. All of this is nestled deeply in the middle of the big city!!