By Rachel Forrest
“So, whaddya wanna do?” “I dunno, whadda you wanna do?” “I dunno.” Teenagers want action, and that can be found through a little investigation. School is the easiest way to meet friends and learn about places to chill. But extra information is helpful when the school and the city are unfamiliar.
Adrenaline.
For those seeking adrenaline rushes and mild injuries, paintball and skate parks are the best locations. An excellent paintball course, Predator Paintball, is the renowned field of choice for individual challenge or sponsored team paintball. The city has over 10 public skate parks, but the Pearsall SkatePark is the most popular with well-built ramps and courses for speed, jumps, and tricks. For more serious injuries, Lone Star BMX is well organized for lessons, races, and clubs.
Nightlife.
Two of the best concert halls for all ages are Sunset Station and the Verizon Amphitheater. Tickets are not hard to acquire (just call the venue or check their websites), and the seat prices range according to the performers and seating locations.
Each area high school has a different popular hangout and promotional fliers are handed out, on a regular basis, around most campuses by partygoers and publicists.
Downtown.
The Riverwalk is a great tourist attraction that is also frequented by many San Antonio residents. Within a few blocks are restaurants, the Mercado (Mexican Market) filled with food, crafts, and cultural color, and the Arneson River Theatre, which stages Tex-Mex cultural events. Also downtown are La Villita, housed in original buildings dating from the 1800’s and used today by artisans and others, and the famous Alamo.
Shopping/movies.
The San Antonio metropolitan area has the economic capability to support some excellent stores and malls. The Quarry Market (Basse Rd. and Jones-Maltsburger) and The Huebner Oaks Shopping Center (IH-10 W. and Huebner Rd.) are just two of the more popular spots.
Both of these outdoor shopping experiences include a variety of restaurants including Chili’s, P.F.Changs, and Starbucks, and stores like the Gap, American Eagle, Banana Republic, and Borders; and fairly new movie theaters with spacious, comfortable seating. These are great for dating, group hangouts, and places for a younger crowd to be in a safe environment with plenty of entertainment.
Zoo/Theme Parks.
The San Antonio Zoo is one of the very best in the nation, ranking with the San Diego and Chicago Zoos. It provides a unique, fun experience at a reasonable price. Volunteering to teach children about animals is an alternative to summer boredom.
Thrill rides, shows, and water attractions are the best features of San Antonio’s theme parks. In the enticing worlds of Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Sea World, or Morgan’s Wonderland, it’s not hard to spend an entire day merged with the lively crowds and constant entertainment, but the strain on a teenage budget can be strong.
Other stuff.
There are an abundance of stables in and around San Antonio. They range according to budget and interest: dressage, boarding, barrel racing, and trail rides.
Fitness clubs are found around the city, so it isn’t hard to find yoga, martial arts, a nice place to lift weights, or somewhere to jog a track.
Corny and classic, bowling alleys are a fun way to spend a relaxing evening out of the house, and there are several conveniently located in all parts of town.
Day Trips.
Enchanted Rock, an enormous pink granite outcropping and keeper of historical secrets of Indian skirmishes, is west of San Antonio on IH 10 and a few miles north of Fredericksburg, a 1 1/4 hour drive. Some visitors camp out around the area and explore during the day, but it is convenient for a single day excursion.
Longhorn Cavern, off Hwy 281, about 60 miles north of San Antonio, near Burnet, is another spectacular place to visit. Texas is blessed with an abundance of state parks preserving the wildlife and natural beauty of the surrounding ecological regions. Many are within easy driving distance.
But after the town has been milked for excitement, being bored is a soothing alternative. Sometimes the best pastime is to laze around with friends. “So, whaddya wanna do?” “I dunno, whadda you wanna do?” “I dunno.”
The writer is a student at Clark High School in the Northside School District. She says her main interests are “driving around with friends, listening to music that irritates her elders and sitting in bookstores for a few hours devouring everything that is worth reading.”
