More visitors expected for July Fourth

A family poses in front of the Alamo. AAA has ranked San Antonio as the top Texas summer destination, tied with Galveston. A family poses in front of the Alamo. AAA has ranked San Antonio as the top Texas summer destination, tied with Galveston. Photo: Julysa Sosa, San Antonio Express-News Photo: Julysa Sosa, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close More visitors expected for July Fourth 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Fireworks will light up the San Antonio sky tonight, and lots of people might be here to see them.

AAA is projecting that almost 3 million Texans will travel during the Fourth of July weekend — a 5 percent increase from last year — and most of the state's summer travelers are expected to descend upon the Alamo City.

Thanks to the variety of tourism attractions in the city, from the Alamo to SeaWorld San Antonio's new water park, and lower gas prices, AAA also ranked San Antonio as the top Texas summer destination, tied with Galveston.

And two free fireworks shows doesn't hurt, either.

“We're really excited that there isn't that fireworks ban as far as professional shows, because it does add so much,” said Casandra Matej, executive director of the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Residents and travelers can enjoy two free fireworks shows this year — the official city celebration Woodlawn Lake Park and a show at HemisFair Park put on by the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Matej said Fiesta Texas and SeaWorld are also putting on fireworks shows.

The Fourth of July weekend is defined this year as Tuesday, July 3, through Sunday, July 8. Doug Shupe, AAA spokesman for Texas, said the holiday falling in the middle of the week means families are taking extra days off to stretch the holiday into the weekend.

Bev Keyes traveled to San Antonio from Syracuse, N.Y., to spend the holiday with her son Shawn, who's on leave from Fort Hood. She's staying for two nights at the Homewood Suites and will be taking in the HemisFair Park fireworks show from the hotel roof.

“We basically came for the River Walk and the shops and the cool-looking restaurants down there too,” Keyes said. “Plus, how many hotels have complimentary margaritas at 5:30?”

Shupe said San Antonio is typically ranked high in the state's summer travel polls, partially because of its accessibility to drivers statewide.

“For one, it's in the state. It's an affordable place for people to get to,” he said.

The city's increased traffic might be a result of gas prices' fall. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in Texas was $3.16 on Tuesday, cheaper than the $3.43 average for the same day last year, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The city also has a reputation for being family friendly, especially because of attractions such as SeaWorld, its newly opened water park, Aquatica, and Six Flags Fiesta Texas with its new SkyScreamer ride.

Dan Decker, park president of SeaWorld and Aquatica San Antonio, said he is encouraged by the summer's increased travel trend.

“Since our summer season began, we've seen more in-state guests this year than last year,” Decker said in an email. “With the draw of our new water park Aquatica and the number of product reservations we have in July, we expect the trend to continue throughout the summer.”

And with the increase in travelers comes an increase in demand for hotels. Rusty Wallace, president of the San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association and general manager at Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel and the Mokara Hotel & Spa, said bookings are up at his hotels for the entire week.

“We have a few rooms left to sell, but we're ahead of pace for last year, and we will definitely fill,” Wallace said. “June was a very good month, so we're expecting a much better summer than last year.”

Wallace said the increase in travelers might be a result of the recovering economy, and the Eagle Ford Shale providing work for thousands of people.

bbrown@express-news.net