Toast the Rough Riders at the Menger Bar After a River Walk Lunch
A private noon walk with a local guide: Alamo Plaza history, lunch on the River Walk and a drink inside the Menger Hotel.
This private tour turns a San Antonio lunchtime into a guided history walk with three stops: Alamo Plaza, a locally owned bistro on the River Walk and the Menger Bar, where it finishes with a walk through the Menger Hotel. The Barwalk runs it, and its guide, Emzy, has been showing visitors around the city for more than twenty years.
The group is only your own party, up to six travelers, and Emzy pulls up historic photos on a tablet as the stories go. The tour starts at 12:00 PM every day in the Menger Hotel lobby and ends back there 150 minutes later.
The booking below covers the guide. Lunch at the bistro and any drinks are not included and are bought separately, and alcohol is served only to guests 21 and over.
Private Drunk History Tour: Lunch, Libations & HistoryPrivate 150-minute tour · Certified guide included · Lunch and alcoholic drinks not includedwww.viator.comThe Alamo First, Then the River Over Lunch
The first quarter hour is spent on Alamo Plaza, going over the mission's history, the 1836 battle and the ongoing effort to redevelop the plaza. From there the group heads to the River Walk for about an hour of lunch at a locally owned bistro.
Lunch is when the river itself becomes the subject. Emzy has produced the river parades himself, and he covers the hidden engineering and flood control behind the River Walk as well as the parades.
Back at the Menger, Where Rough Riders Enlisted
The last 45 minutes bring the group back to the Menger Bar. This is the bar where Theodore Roosevelt helped recruit the Rough Riders in 1898, and the room itself dates to 1887, built as a replica of London's House of Lords Pub.
With drinks in hand, the group then follows Emzy on a private walk through the Menger Hotel. It opened in 1859, calls itself the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi, and carries a reputation as a haunted hotel that he gets into along the way.
Who Can Book, and Who Should Check First
Tickets come in three age groups: adults aged 21 to 80, travelers 13 to 20 and infants 1 to 2. There is no ticket for children 3 to 12.
The booking page marks the tour as wheelchair- and stroller-accessible and suitable for all physical fitness levels, and service animals are allowed. The operator's own site says nothing about access, and travelers using a wheelchair should confirm the route with the operator before booking.
What It Costs and When to Book
As of November 2, 2026, adults pay USD 100 each when one or two adults book and USD 50 each when three to six adults book. Travelers aged 13 to 20 pay USD 40 each, and infants go free. Three adults pay USD 150 in total, less than the USD 200 that two adults pay.
Bookings close 12 hours before the noon start and are confirmed instantly. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund on the booking page; bookings made directly with the operator follow its own 48-hour rule.
📍 The Menger Hotel lobby, 204 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio. Look for a guide wearing a black T-shirt that reads "Drink up the History!" and carrying a blue messenger bag. The tour ends back at the same spot.