United States San Antonio Missions

“We decided to rent bikes from Blue Star Bike Shop located in the Blue Star Arts Complex about 5 minutes south by car from the main Riverwalk area. The folks at this little shop will get you fitted with the right bike and make sure you have everything you need for your day on the trail. Access to the trail is literally across the parking lot. So, we were off and on our way almost immediately. [...] Along the Mission Reach Trail there are also pedestrian bridges, fishing spots, and pavilions. So, you can really make a day of visiting the missions, while enjoying the river and picnic spots in between. The trail is well maintained. There are a few moderately difficult sections, and we definitely felt it in our legs by the end of the day. Still, it was easier than walking and such a great way to see the nature along the river.”

“I’m not saying the bike trip is bad. In fact, I’m sure it would be very beautiful, especially on a nice Texas day. The bike trail is paved, and there are plenty of BCycle stations near it to make bike pick up and drop offs easy peasy. However, the place is freakin hilly, and if you’re not an experienced bike rider, you might have a seriously hard time. When I was first doing my research, my plan was to ride a bike. But, I let my Dad talk me into renting a car for the day, and I am SO DAMN GLAD.”

“Since we had previously visited The Alamo, we decided to start (and end) our round-trip adventure at the Blue Star Arts Center where we rented our bikes. When we entered the trail, we had to bike about 2 miles (10 minutes) to reach Mission Concepción. From there, we followed the trail south, stopping at each mission until reaching Mission Espada, and then biked back.”