AAA Returns to San Antonio!

The Academy is happy to be back in San Antonio for another great convention gathering. We have been hosted by this city once before back 2003 and had an outstanding experience so AAA is looking forward to repeating that again 23 years later!

San Antonio is rich in both national and international history.  The territory we know as Texas was originally claimed by Spain in the late 1600s and the city of San Antonio was named for Saint Anthony of Padua. St. Anthony was considered to be the patron saint of a variety of things, including travelers, harvests, lost items, poverty, the sick, the hungry, the elderly, sailors, fishermen and indigenous peoples, among others. The city of San Antonio became the largest settlement in the Spanish province of Téjas until the area was transferred to Mexican rule from 1821-1836. Eventually, it became its own independent republic from 1836 to 1845 and on December 29, 1845 it became the 28th state in the U.S.  The state of Texas later seceded from the Union in 1861 to join the Confederate States of America during the Civil War years. 

After the war concluded, Texas was restored to the Union and the city of San Antonio continued to prosper and grow as the railroad and cattle industries flourished there. The city was well known to have a wide variety of races and nationalities living there and in the late 1800s, several travel journalists reported that San Antonio was quite similar to New Orleans with its charm and hospitality, where people of many colors, creeds and cultures coexisted within the city. Today, the estimated 2024 census estimates that San Antonio is home to 1.5 million people and it continues to include a variety of ethnic groups, including Latino, White and African American families.

San Antonio has a great variety of attractions, both historical and for entertainment. Perhaps its best known historical site is The Alamo which was originally established as a Catholic mission by Spanish monks in the 18th century to convert the indigenous people of the region to Catholicism. It later served as a garrison for soldiers and it’s where a significant battle of the Texas Revolution took place as Texan soldiers clashed with the Mexican army who were trying to retake the Alamo for its own. Although short, the Battle of the Alamo became legendary and the phrase “Remember the Alamo” became part of the Texas historical consciousness. Over the years, the Alamo has been restored and recognized as a significant American historical site that is visited by nearly four million people annually. AAA 2026 is organizing group tours of the Alamo so be sure to register on the Academy website and see this bit of history for yourself.

Another great place to visit in San Antonio is the Riverwalk where history, culture, food, and discovery are there to enjoy. The Academy has organized a night at the Grotto on the famous Riverwalk where line dancing, food, drinks, and live entertainment will be happening. It will definitely be a fun close to the AAA 2026 San Antonio experience. 

Be sure to register for AAA 2026 so you can join friends and colleagues in the great city of San Antonio.  It’s sure to be an event to remember.