Canceled, But Still Slaps: Getting Around San Antonio Without a Car



The kids keep us young. They keep us on our toes. Thanks to them, we know what’s bussin’, what slaps, and that if you mess up royally—you’re officially canceled.


This trip to San Antonio was one of the first vacations we’ve ever taken without driving ourselves. No rental car. No 20 hour road warrior run. Just flights, feet, and the occasional Uber.


If it weren’t for the fact that Alida’s boyfriend’s family was staying on the opposite end of San Antonio, we probably wouldn’t have gone much farther than the airport and our hotel. But that gave us an excuse to see more of the city than just downtown—and downtown San Antonio, by the way, is incredibly walkable. Surprisingly peaceful for a city of its size. You don’t feel like you’re in constant danger of being honked at, mowed down, or asked to “move your vehicle, sir.”


I already had the Uber app on my phone from a recent Chicago trip, so getting around was a breeze. I even managed to send Jamie across town solo one day while I stayed behind to work. The app noticed I wasn’t the rider, let me add her as a contact, and boom—Uber magic. Easy squeezy.


Tonight was a big one—Alida’s boyfriend’s last night out before heading off to Tech School. I won’t say his name or share any details since there are rules about posting military kids, so I’ll just keep it simple: he was a good guy with a lot of hair, and now we know—under all that hair that’s gone, he does have ears.


About That Uber App…


We had just finished a walk through the Alamo (more on that in a future post), and Jamie decided to try out the Uber app she had just downloaded. Everything was going fine—until we reached our destination and found ourselves staring at a QT gas station parking lot.


“This doesn’t look right,” I said.


“This doesn’t look right,” our driver agreed.


Turns out Jamie had entered the wrong address—just off by one digit, 4150 instead of 415 TX-1604 Loop. On a keyboard, it’s a simple mistake. In real life, it was a $32 detour to a Slushie machine.


What would the kids say?


Canceled. You’re canceled, Jamie.


Luckily, the Uber driver was a good sport. He laughed it off and said at least it made his day more interesting and profitable.


Pork Belly and Power Loops


Later that night, we had Korean barbecue for the first time. My doctor says I’m supposed to limit bacon to one or two pieces. So naturally, I ate one massive piece of pork belly—which, let’s be honest, is just bacon in its final boss form. I more than my fair of share ribeye and even a nice chunk of fillet Minion. just on the verge of meat sweats, like a responsible-ish adult


The food slapped. The company was great. And the trip back? Let’s just say I did double-check Jamie’s app input. Trust but verify.


San Antonio’s highways are another story. Once you leave downtown, it’s all loops and long lines—like Charlotte’s 485, but busier and with more turnarounds. One local called it “the Loop,” and I could see how it could trap you if you’re not paying attention.

So yeah—no car, no problem.

We walked, we rode, we looped around the Loop. We laughed, got lost, got found, and ate our weight in sizzling meats. Jamie got us to the QT. We got us back. Teamwork.


Alida’s boyfriend is off to a new chapter, and honestly, seeing the pride in everyone’s faces—his, hers, even the Uber driver who saved us from ourselves—made all the weird turns and wrong stops worth it.


Travel isn’t always tidy. It doesn’t have to be. The best stories start when something goes sideways, and if you’re lucky, you’ve got someone riding shotgun who knows how to laugh with you—and who’ll let you check the address next time.


Until the next detour,

—Nate














Location: San Antonio, TX, USA

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