Enjoy the Great Outdoors at the 5 Best Parks in San Antonio

Outdoor parks are wonderful resources that feature attractions for people of any age. We're fortunate to have several wonderful parks not far from our Springs San Antonio luxury apartment communities. Head out to one of these spots when you want some physical activity or just a leisurely picnic in the sunshine.

Historic Brackenridge Park is so full of scenery and activities that you can have a different experience with each visit. Artifacts dating back 11,000 years show that the park has been a popular gathering spot since prehistoric times. In addition to outdoor activities including picnicking, golf, hiking and biking, Brackenridge Park features amazing attractions such as the Witte Museum, Japanese Tea Garden and the San Antonio Zoo, the third-largest in the country and ranked in the top 10 children's zoos by Parents magazine. Visit the website for hours and admission prices of the attractions.

Hardberger Park is still a work in progress, but it's already one of the jewels among San Antonio's parks. Located on the site of a former dairy farm, the park is an oasis of nature within the city's otherwise bustling urban setting. The grounds are divided into two parts with hiking trails, playgrounds and dog parks on each side. An activities calendar includes a wide variety of events such as outdoor fitness classes, guided nature walks and family scavenger hunts. Hours are 7:30 a.m. until sunset seven days a week.

This 202-acre park, formerly known as Bandera Road Park, was renamed after O.P. Schnabel, a driving force in efforts to keep San Antonio beautiful. It's only fitting that his namesake park has been referred to as "the cleanest little park in Texas." The park is home to walking and biking trails, playgrounds, and facilities for basketball, soccer and baseball. Visitors are frequently treated to the site of deer wandering through the wooded areas.

Want to move your workout routine into the sunshine and fresh air? Concepcion Park has an outdoor fitness system made up of nine pieces of stationary and interactive equipment. Enjoy a lively game of basketball on the new covered court, or go for a spin along the paved biking trails. Kids will enjoy the colorful playground with slides, elevated walkways and a 3D tic-tac-toe game.

Walking is a great all-body workout, and the only equipment you need is a good pair of shoes. Friedrich Park's 280 acres contain more than eight miles of paved and unpaved trails graded at one of four degrees of difficulty, so you can find a challenging hike for any fitness level. The park is open sunrise to sunset seven days a week.

Hours at all parks except Hardberger and Friedrich are 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. seven days a week.

Did we miss your favorite park? Share it with us in the comments!