Uptown Central San Antonio

Monte Vista, Alta Vista, and Olmos Park

Monte Vista is the largest historic district (and one of the oldest!) in the United States. But don’t let its age fool you. There’s newness popping up on every corner as locals reinvest in the neighborhood to keep shops and eateries fresh and fun. Adjacent to Monte Vista, Olmos Park is tucked into lush landscaping and boasts unique architecture on every block. Just south, Alta Vista (another historic neighborhood) borders Pearl and is filled with locally-owned restaurants and bars off the beaten path. What’s old is new again in this neighborhood. Come see what we mean.

Historical Significance

The grand residences of Monte Vista, the largest historic district in America, were built between 1890 and 1930 to represent Georgian, Moorish, Antebellum, Victorian, Queen Anne, Spanish and Hollywood Bungalow styles. And, nearby Olmos Park’s history dates to the mid-1920s, when prominent oilman H.C. Thorman purchased property from an Austrian count to develop the exclusive suburb of magnificent manors. Prior to that development, the site served as training grounds for U.S. Army balloonists.

Neighborhood Favorites

Browse the Landa Library (a local favorite for outings with kids!) and Valero Energy Pavilion for indoor and outdoor reading and playtime.

Take a dive into the San Pedro Springs Park, San Antonio’s oldest designated park, or pick up a racket and play tennis at the adjacent McFarlin Tennis Center. Then visit local favorite Scobee Planetarium.

Catch a professional musical or play at The Public Theater of San Antonio, housed at the historic San Pedro Playhouse — the first municipally-funded and constructed theater in the country, located in the second oldest park in the country.

Visit a mural honoring Tejano icon, Selena, at Alamo Candy.

For a unique dining experience, try Mixtli. The progressive Mexican cuisine restaurant serves meals in 10 courses to 12 guests per dinner and rotates its menu every six weeks based on the chef’s most recent travel adventures. For breakfast tacos, visit Taco Taco Café, voted “Best Tacos in America” by Bon Appetit, and don’t miss out on Taquitos West Avenue’s famous street tacos.

For family food and fun, visit local favorite, The Cove – a beer garden, restaurant, laundromat, car wash, dog wash, and live music venue. They serve up sustainable, organic food and more than 50 varieties of beer on tap. Yes, they have it all.