Tower of Americas, San Antonio

Tower of Americas, San Antonio (must see)

The Tower of the Americas, a prominent 750-foot (229-meter) observation tower and revolving restaurant graces the Hemisfair district in southeastern Downtown San Antonio, Texas. This iconic structure, designed by renowned San Antonio architect O'Neil Ford, debuted as the theme centerpiece of the 1968 World's Fair, HemisFair '68, which celebrated San Antonio's 250th anniversary.

Initially referred to as the "HemisFair Tower," its official name, "Tower of the Americas," was the winning entry in a name-the-tower contest with 68 submissions. At its opening, it claimed the title of the tallest observation tower in the United States, holding this distinction until 1996, when the Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower surpassed it. Today, it remains the tallest occupiable structure in San Antonio and ranks as the 30th-tallest in Texas.

Strategically located in the heart of HemisFair Park, the tower features an observation deck offering panoramic views of the city, accessible by elevator for a fee. The top also houses a revolving restaurant and a lounge, enhancing the visitor experience with a unique dining perspective of San Antonio.

The tower's construction, completed in just 18 months, is a marvel of engineering. Its 1.4-million-pound "top house," encompassing observation decks and the restaurant, was assembled at ground level and then meticulously lifted inch by inch to its final position atop the concrete shaft, using twenty-four steel lifting rods—a process that took twenty days to execute.

Over the decades, the Tower of the Americas has evolved. For over 30 years, its restaurant was operated by Frontier Enterprises, the owners of the local Jim's Restaurants chain. Since then, Landry’s Restaurants has taken over, bringing new life to this historic landmark.

A 30-meter-tall (98 feet) steel mast was added to its roof in 1970, supporting FM antennas. In 2007, these antennas were replaced with a state-of-the-art 16-bay master antenna system, significantly improving signal coverage for three FM radio stations, including HD transmissions.

As a centerpiece of San Antonio's skyline and a symbol of its vibrant history, the Tower of the Americas continues to attract visitors with its breathtaking views, innovative design, and rich cultural significance.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in San Antonio. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Tower of Americas on Map

Sight Name: Tower of Americas
Sight Location: San Antonio, USA (See walking tours in San Antonio)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in San Antonio, Texas

Create Your Own Walk in San Antonio

Create Your Own Walk in San Antonio

Creating your own self-guided walk in San Antonio is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
River Walk Tour

River Walk Tour

The San Antonio River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río or simply The River Walk) is a network of walkways along the banks of the San Antonio River, one story beneath the streets of the city. A successful special-case pedestrian street, this walk winds and loops under bridges as two parallel sidewalks lined with restaurants and shops, connecting major tourist draws and attractions that add to its...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
King William Historical District Tour

King William Historical District Tour

San Antonio’s first “suburb” and the very first historical district in Texas, revitalized during the 1960s, the King William District encompasses 25 blocks south of downtown and east of the San Antonio River.

Back in the late 1800s, it was the most elegant residential area in the city. Settled by German immigrants, the neighborhood was named after Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia and...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles
San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour

San Antonio Introduction Walking Tour

San Antonio, one of Texas' major cities, boasts rich colonial heritage. The city was named by a 1691 Spanish expedition for Saint Anthony of Padua, whose feast day is June 13. At the time of European encounter, the area near the San Antonio River Valley was inhabited by Payaya Indians who called it Yanaguana, the "refreshing waters".

In 1709, Spanish Father Antonio de Olivares...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles