25 Reasons We Love San Antonio

1. Recycling with a twist

The bartenders at La Tuna Ice House toss bottle caps into a metal box located behind the counter and then dump the contents into the outdoor seating area every night. Some caps are rusted orange--La Tuna celebrates its 15th anniversary next year--while others still flash their logos. Drinks are ordered inside a corrugated-aluminum shack (pictured) and then taken out to picnic tables beneath shady pecan trees. A fire pit made from a warped manhole cover keeps customers warm on chilly winter nights. 100 Probandt St., 210/224-8862, beer $1.50.

La Tuna Ice House (Eden Batki) [enlarge photo] DECEMBER 2006/JANUARY 2007 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Ambergris Cay, Belize: Beach Bum Central • Renting an Apartment in Venice • 25 Reasons We Love San Antonio • 10 Best Movie Locations • Road Trip: Florida Keys • 40 Best Vacations

2. Rosy parades

In San Antonio, July Fourth and Texas Independence Day on March 2 have nothing on Fiesta, an annual 10-day festival in April. More than 350,000 people attend the Battle of Flowers Parade, which started in 1891 with women tossing blooms at each other in honor of General Sam Houston's victory over the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. April 20-29, 2007; 877/723-4378, fiesta-sa.org, parade tickets $8.

3. Tacos for breakfast

Many locals jump-start their day with a strong cup of coffee and two soft flour tacos--often with salty chorizo and fried potatoes in one, and mashed pinto beans with melted cheddar in the other. You can't drive a block without passing a taqueria, but aficionados head straight to Taco Haven, where a THIS IS TACO COUNTRY sign is painted near the door. 1032 S. Presa St., 210/533-2171, from 99¢.

4. On the shopping block

La Villita is a charming two-block stretch of adobe and wood buildings that made up the city's first neighborhood, settled by Spanish soldiers and Native Americans at the end of the 18th century. On weekends, couples dance in the public squares, then explore shops like Mustang Grey's, which is stocked with cowboy hats and belt buckles. 303 S. Alamo St., 210/222-1894, buckles from $12.

5. Boots made for gawking

The world's largest pair of cowboy boots stand in the parking lot of the North Star Mall, not far from the airport. Made of concrete, they're 40 feet tall, 20 feet long, and 35 feet wide--and even though they've been there for nearly 30 years, no one seems to know exactly why. 7400 San Pedro Ave., 210/342-2325, northstarmall.com.

6. Films alfresco

One of the city's best-kept secrets is the Mission Drive-In Theatre, where teenagers sprawl on the hoods of their cars to watch the double feature. Bats occasionally flit across the screen, and once an hour, the actors' lines have to compete with the bells tolling at the nearby Mission San José. 3100 Roosevelt Ave., 210/496-2221, santikos.com, $7.