In addition to the tours listed below, you can always opt for a carriage ride around downtown ($25 per person per 20 minutes). You can find carriages lined up around Alamo Plaza. You’ll also see pedicabs (bicycle rickshaws) circulating. These don’t have set routes or prices, but are generally inexpensive. 

City Tours ★—This company serves up a mix-and-match menu of long and short guided bus and trolley tours, with a hop-on, hop-off option for the trolleys. Trolleys—among them a double-decker—focus on the city’s key sights for shorter tours, while the larger buses travel farther to such destinations as the Hill Country for an 8-hour day.

101 Alamo Plaza (ticket office). www.citytoursinc.com. tel. 210/492-4144. Trolley tours start at $22 adults, $10 children. Full-day tours start at $79 adults, $62.50 seniors, $30 children 6–12. Tours run daily; earliest tours depart 9am, latest return is 4:30pm. 

GO RIO Cruises ★—Maybe you’ve sat in a River Walk cafe looking out at people riding by in open, flat-bottom barges. Go ahead—give in and join ‘em. The barges are colorful and eco-friendly, and the 35-minute tours are narrated by city experts, who will tell you about the history of the river. There are three spots on the river where you can buy a ticket and board a boat.

Ticket offices: Shops at Rivercenter, 849 E. River Walk; Historia, 706 River Walk; Aztec Theatre, 731 River Walk. www.goriocruises.com. tel. 210/244-5700. (Tickets can also be purchased online.) $12 adults, $9 seniors and active-duty military with ID, $6 children 5 and under. Boats depart daily every 15–20 min., from 9am–10pm.

San Antonio Bike Tours ★—These personalized guided excursions on recumbent tricycles are hard to beat for combining relaxation with education. You get to enjoy the fresh air, have a bit of exercise, and learn a great deal about the city without having to focus on keeping your balance as you would on a regular bicycle. Indeed, most of the trikes are tandem, so you share the pedaling. You’re connected by radio intercom to company owner and certified guide Steve Wood, whose sense of humor and insider knowledge about the art, architecture, history, and personalities of the city make the tours an all-around delight. 

875 E. Ashby Pl. www.sanantoniobiketours.com. tel. 210/823-2200. 2-hr tours $75 per person, 4-hr tours $125 (includes a snack), 6-hr tours $200 (including a meal at a local restaurant), discount if you bring your own trike. Departure times depend on weather. 

SegCity Tours ★—See some of downtown San Antonio while trying to master using one of these horseless chariots. Before the tour there’s a little teaching session. Tours vary in length and price. Exercise caution: Sidewalks in San Antonio can be narrow, and pedestrians don’t always lift their heads up from their phones.

124 Losoya St. www.segcity.com/sanantonio. tel. 210/224-0773. Tours start at $65 adults. Earliest tours depart 6:30am.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.