San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden, San Antonio (must see)

Japanese Tea Gardens, otherwise known as Sunken Gardens, were opened in an abandoned limestone quarry in the early 1920s. These gardens feature wonderful floral displays, a waterfall and a habitat for new Koi and various aquatic plants, complete with idyllic walkways, stone arch bridges and a Japanese pagoda. The garden is an interesting re-use of an old quarry which dates back to 1899 and its remnants can still be spotted in the gardens' design. The entrance that replicates a Japanese Torii gate in a wood-imitating concrete construction was created by Dionicio Rodriguez. The Japanese Garden is a designated national landmark and a great example of Texas Civil Engineering.