Ultimate Itinerary: San Antonio

Hi, I'm Kira K. Dixon, and this is my five-day ultimate itinerary to San Antonio.

You'll want to make your base the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa. Everything is bigger in Texas, and this 60-acre property is proof positive, there are over 1000 guest rooms, seven dining concepts, and if you're here when it's warm, a refreshing water park and lazy river.

The adjacent TPC San Antonio is private and only accessible to resort guests, so it's a no-brainer to spend at least one night here in order to get access and enjoy all the amenities. For your first round start at the previous host of the PGA Tour's Texas Open, the resort course at La Cantera. I actually grew up learning how to play golf here. And this Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish design features some dazzling hill country scenery, including one of the most recognizable holes in Texas, the drivable par-4 seventh that overlooks Six Flags Fiesta. If you're up for more golf head about a mile down the road to La Cantera's Palmer course, which is newer and features some more dramatic hill country views and terrain, it's also a past recipient of the Golfers' Choice list as rated by Golf Advisor reviewers.

Now that your game is warmed up, it's time to take on the AT&T Oaks course at TPC San Antonio. This beautiful layout is exceptionally conditioned for the pros for the Texas Open, and the Greg Norman design is a real test with bunkers deep and plentiful, but keep your head up, the finishing stretch was built for excitement with a drivable par-4 and par-5 birdie chance. For an afternoon round, you can play the next door AT&T Canyons course, designed by Pete Dye and host of the Champions Tour's San Antonio Championship. Afterwards, get dinner and drinks in High Velocity, one of the coolest sports bars in golf travel complete with an HD video screen, 120-feet long.

It's time to be a townie and experience a taste of the city. In the morning, save an hour or so for a tour of the Alamo, the famous mission that became a rallying cry during the Texas revolution in 1836. Alamo city history continues on the golf course, Brackenridge Park has restored AW Tillinghast design, that was the original host of the Texas Open in 1922, and many of the Texas greats of the game competed here, including me. As a junior, I competed in many a San Antonio Junior Golf Association tournament at Brackenridge Park. And to this day, it's charming and venerable beauty, that's also one of the better values in the state. After golf, take in the San Antonio River walk by stroll or by boat, it's a festive scene full of history on any given night, or go to the nearby Pearl District, an emerging neighborhood with a brewery, bars and restaurants not far from Breckinridge Park.

Here's your chance to play one of the more unique courses in Texas, The Quarry Golf Club. The back nine is set inside and around an old quarry, and the result is some epic tee shots, including some nerve-wracking forced carries. If you have some bets to settle or just crave some after-hours golf, the nearby San Pedro Par 3 was recently renovated and is lit for night golf. On the final day, it's back to another one of San Antonio's great resort courses, this time the Hill Country Club at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort. This 27-hole Arthur Hills design is set on shady and gently rolling terrain, complete with numerous meadows, lakes and ponds. Don't leave Texas without checking out a honky tonk. Make the scenic drive up to historic Gruene Hall or visit John T. Floore's Country Store among many other live music venues around the city. If I only had three days, I'd pick day one, day two and day three.

I hope you enjoyed my ultimate itinerary to San Antonio. Are you ready for your next trip? Go to GolfAdvisor.com/golfpackages to create yours today.