San Pedro Springs Park

San Pedro Springs Park is the second-oldest public park in the United States, established in 1729, and it holds one of San Antonio's best-kept family secrets: a free spring-fed swimming pool that operates every summer. While tourists spend $30-$50 per person at water parks, local San Antonio families pack their coolers and head to San Pedro Springs for an afternoon of swimming in naturally cool, clear water that has been flowing from underground for thousands of years — and it costs absolutely nothing.

The spring-fed pool is the park's crown jewel for families. Fed by the San Pedro Springs that once sustained the Payaya people and early Spanish settlers, the pool maintains a naturally cool temperature of around 72 degrees even during San Antonio's scorching summers. The water has a clarity and freshness that immediately distinguishes it from chlorinated pools.

Kids splash and play while parents relax under the enormous pecan and live oak trees that shade the pool deck. The pool is staffed with lifeguards during operating hours (typically 1-7 PM, late May through September) and is free to use with no registration or reservation required.

Beyond the pool, the 46-acre park offers playgrounds, basketball courts, a walking trail loop, and expansive grassy fields for running and games. The mature trees throughout the park provide generous shade, making it comfortable for picnics and play even on warm days. The playground equipment serves a range of ages, with structures for both toddlers and older kids.

Local families often arrive in the morning for playground time, swim in the afternoon, and picnic throughout — spending a full day without spending a dollar.

The park's history adds unexpected depth to a family visit. San Pedro Springs has been a gathering place for over 12,000 years, with archaeological evidence of Paleo-Indian encampments along the spring banks. The Spanish established a community here in 1718, making it the site of San Antonio's founding.

For kids studying Texas history, standing at the spot where the city began — and swimming in the same springs that drew people here for millennia — creates a physical connection to the past that no textbook can match.

The Five Points neighborhood surrounding the park is a local favorite for casual, affordable dining. Taquitos West Avenue, a short walk from the park, serves some of the best breakfast tacos in San Antonio at $2-$3 each. Deco Pizzeria offers excellent thin-crust pizza in a colorful, family-friendly space.

This neighborhood gives visiting families a taste of authentic San Antonio life far removed from the tourist corridor downtown.