Plan Your Trip

Plan your trip

The Luminaria festival transforms downtown San Antonio, making it THE place to be on March 10.  Whether you will be visiting for just a few hours or making a weekend out of it, below are some quick pointers on how to make the most of this FREE festival.

Where to Stay

For a great deal on hotels, the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau has worked with local hoteliers to create wonderful Luminaria packages.  Click here for more details.

Where to eat

Luminaria will have some of the biggest culinary names in San Antonio on site to satisfy your taste buds all night long. Enjoy delicious treats from:

Click here to follow our Food4Luminaria page on Twitter for all our latest updates.

Getting to HemisFair Park

Driving from the North—Take 35 or 281 South to Ceasar Chavez.  Exit Ceasar Chavez.  Hemisfair Park is to your right at Ceasar Chavez and S. Alamo.

Driving from the South—Take 90 or 281 North to Ceasar Chavez.  Exit Ceasar Chavez and take the “loop” Proceed straight ( north)  towards downtown.  Hemisfair Park is located at Ceasar Chavez and S. Alamo.

Driving  from the West—Take IH-10 West to Ceasar Chavez.  Exit Ceasar Chavez and take the “loop”.  Proceed North towards downtown.  Hemisfair Park is located at Ceasar Chavez and S. Alamo.

Driving from the East—Take 90 West to 281 North.  Exit Ceasar Chavez and make a left under the freeway.  Hemisfair Park is located at Ceasar Chavez and South Alamo.

VIA Bus—Via offers a Personal trip planner service online at  http://www.viainfo.net/BusService/TripPlanWrapper.aspx

VIA Park-&-Ride will run from 5:30pm on Saturday March 10 – 1:30am on Sunday March 11 from the Crossroads (NW) and Madla (South – Zarzamora/35) locations.  They will drop off at the Thompson Transit Center at the Dome, where guests will be able to take the walkway to Hemisfair Park. The fee is $2.50 each way ($5 roundtrip) and $2.50 roundtrip for kids. For more info: http://www.viainfo.net/SpecialEvent/Luminaria.aspx

FREE BIKE VALET service will be provided from 7pm - 12am by our friends at S.A. Cycles bike shop.   Your bikes will be checked in and secure, and it's  a great way to lessen traffic congestion while enjoying this event. The valet area will be located at the corner of S. Alamo and Cesar Chavez. 

Get to Luminaria via B-cycle! San Antonio B-cycle is a bike sharing system that currently has 20 station locations and 200 bikes in the downtown area. See all the locations at www.sanantonio.bcycle.com/. The short-term, self-serve bicycle program is ideal for trips that are too far to walk but too short to drive and is designed for quick, 30-minute trips. Users can pick up a bike at conveniently placed stations and drop the bike at any other B-cycle station. Riders can choose to purchase an annual membership or pay as they go. A one-day pass is $10, a weekly pass is $24, and an annual membership is $60. Students, active military and seniors can purchase an annual membership for $48. You can download a smart phone app for free, called B-cycle, and see where all the stations are located.

Where to Park

Luminaria is a free event with lots of comings and goings. Visitors may find parking throughout downtown San Antonio, with parking lots, parking garages, and parking meters within walking distance to HemisFair Park. Parking fees range from free to $20.  The Downtown Alliance has a great list of places to park, along with their fees.  Click here for more information:  http://downtownsanantonio.org/park/parking.

What to bring

Luminaria is free of charge. Limited-edition souvenirs will be available, and food and beverages can be purchased using tickets sold on-site.

What to wear

The most important thing to remember about Luminaria is to dress comfortably. This year, Luminaria will be covering all of HemisFair Park.  Therefore, we highly recommend comfortable walking shoes.  Other than that, you are welcome to dress to see and be seen!  Costumes are common at Luminaria—and lit costumes are especially welcome!

Notes about the park:

Wheelchair accessible:  HemisFair Park is paved throughout, making the majority of the exhibits and performances accessible by wheelchair.  However, some of the stages are on grassy areas and some exhibits may be located in historic buildings that are not ADA compliant

Family friendly: Luminaria believes art should be accessible to people of all ages. Most exhibits are appropriate for people of all ages.  The H-E-B Children’s Area will be open from 5pm to 7pm with exciting activities for everyone.

Pets:  We love pets.  That's why we are asking that people leave their pets to relax at home.  The large crowds that come to Luminaria can overwhelm Fido, so we recommend that you give your best friend  the night off.  This event is not pet-friendly.