Far West Side Although a little further from campus than the Northwest Side, the Far West Side neighborhood is another area where UT San Antonio students live. It is a suburban area and slightly less expensive than the Northwest Side, and it is also the home of several attractions. For example, the San Antonio aquarium is located there, along with the Government Canyon State Natural Area, a camp with beautiful hiking trails. It is a good neighborhood suitable for students and their UT San Antonio roommates that want to live in a more suburban area.

Downtown/River Walk For UTSA students who will be studying at the Downtown Campus, living in the Downtown San Antonio/River Walk area is a good idea. This area is also perfect for students who want to be close to the bustling attractions of Downtown. For example, students can visit one of the various museums or performing arts theaters. It's also ideal for students without cars, since the Downtown neighborhood is very pedestrian- and bike-friendly. For students that want to be in the midst of the lively, busy, bustling downtown area, they should consider living in UT San Antonio off-campus housing in the Downtown/River Walk neighborhood.

Dining

Nearby Campus For students that are looking for food while on campus, there are many options available to them. First, there are two major food courts: the John Pierce Library Food Court and UTSA Student Union Food Court. These food courts serve food from popular chain restaurants like Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks, Subway, Smoothie King, Steak ‘n' Shake, Panda Express, and Chili's. There are also various “Provisions on Demand” locations throughout campus, which are small convenience stores where students can find “grab and go” meals, such as wraps, sushi, salad, and baked goods. Additionally, there is even a Tex-Mex food truck on campus called the Rowdy Curbside Food Truck that is popular with students. Still, perhaps a favorite option of students is the Roadrunner Café. The Roadrunner Café is a dining hall with multiple stations where students are bound to find a fresh meal they love. Students at UT San Antonio don't even need to leave campus to get a delicious meal.

Coffee There are many cute coffee shops around San Antonio, and especially around the University. For example, students love Indy Coffee Co, which is known for its specialty coffees and teas. It is also known for having a clothing and accessories store within the coffee shop, where students can buy t-shirts, baseball caps, tote bags, and coffee mugs.

Another coffee shop, Commonwealth, is actually a house! This gives it a cozy, homey feel. The coffee is also delicious, and they have beautiful outdoor seating. Students at UT San Antonio have great options when they're looking for a fix of coffee or tea!

Burgers and Steak Texas is famous for their burgers and steak, so it's no surprise that there are many delicious burger places and steakhouses around UT San Antonio. Of course, a very popular burger joint frequented by students is Whataburger. This chain is popular because it is known for having the best burgers in Texas. The best part is there is one nearby the UT San Antonio campus.

One of San Antonio's popular steakhouses is the Palenque Grill, located at the La Cantera Mall. When students want a fancier, sit-down, steak dinner, this is the place to go. They serve everything from ribeye to sirloin. Clearly, there is no shortage of amazing burgers and steak in San Antonio!

Tex-Mex Another popular type of food in Texas is Tex-Mex, so there are plenty of Tex-Mex places in San Antonio. One of those places is Taco Cabana, a fast casual Tex-Mex joint. They serve various tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, and enchiladas. They even serve breakfast tacos! Another great Tex-Mex joint is Ezekiel's Tacos food truck. It's the perfect place to have a quick, yet delicious, meal of your favorite Mexican-inspired food. The best part is that it's close to campus.

Transportation

The Runner Shuttle Bus One convenient transportation option is the Runner Shuttle Bus. It has two on-campus routes to take students to and from parking lots or garages to campus. It also has another six routes that go to nearby apartment complexes, which keeps students from having to drive to campus.

Zipcar Zipcar, a car sharing service, serves San Antonio. Students can use this short-term car rental if they need to drive somewhere for the day. There is a pick-up area in front of the Road Runner Café.

VIA Bus The VIA Metropolitan Bus service serves the San Antonio area with many stops on convenient routes. UT San Antonio offers a VIA U-Pass, which allows students to have unlimited, free access to the bus system.

B-Cycle San Antonio Biking is a convenient way to get around San Antonio. Students can participate in the B-Cycle San Antonio bike sharing program if they don't want to buy a bike, but still want to use one. It serves the downtown San Antonio area. There are bike racks available on the Main and Downtown Campuses.

Parking

Parking On Campus Like many other universities, UT San Antonio has parking permits students can buy to park in various lots or garages around campus. Permits can vary depending on whether the student is commuting or living in the residence halls, and whether the student parks in a lot or in a garage. There is also weekend and evening parking available, along with daily and hourly permits for visitors.

Parking in Downtown San Antonio If a student needs to park downtown, they definitely can. There are multiple parking lots and garages all around downtown where cars can be parked for a small fee.

Safety

According to US News, San Antonio has a Crime Index Score of 6.3/10. In general, the areas students spend time in are fairly safe. Still, it's important for students to be aware of their surroundings and not leave any valuable items in their cars.

Shopping

Groceries The main grocery chain that serves the San Antonio area is H-E-B. Students will be able to find anything they need there, from cereal to baked goods to produce. There are also a few Whole Foods Market locations throughout the city. Smaller grocery stores, such as Central Market and Sprouts Farmers Market are also great places to buy groceries.

Shopping Malls There are also multiple shopping malls in San Antonio. One of those malls is The Shops at La Cantera. It's an outdoor mall with a wide selection of stores and dining options, including PINK, L'Occitane, and Pandora. The Rim is another outdoor mall that has dining, shopping, and entertainment. It has stores like Bass Pro Shops, Best Buy, Chick-Fil-A, Cold Stone Creamery, GameStop, Panera, Target, Ulta Beauty, Macy's, and Michael's. It even has a movie theater. Between these two malls, students can do a lot of shopping!