One of the most popular travel nurse assignments is San Antonio, TX! There are a ton of things to see in San Antonio while you’re traveling for work. The Natural Bridge Caverns (opens in new tab)is incredible, it’s home to The Alamo (opens in new tab)of course, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the picturesque River Walk (opens in new tab)! Oh, and did I mention the food! There’s a reason that YELP displays 100 pages of restaurants in San Antonio! Nice choice. Traveling RN’s come from all over to work in SA!
The big attractions in San Antonio are The River Walk and the Alamo, both located downtown. Believe it or not, it has a pretty healthy tourism economy which can be both good and bad. Good, because there is plenty to see while there, but bad because most of the furnished properties are set up for vacation rentals/short term furnished rentals.
Here’s the deal, most assignments involve the Medical Center in Northwest San Antonio or the Metropolitan Hospital Downtown, and just like any city, those areas can be very much hit & miss. If you want to stay right next to your assignment in the Northwest (Methodist Hospital), I would recommend visiting the property first and NOT signing a lease until you have visited the area. Just park it in a hotel for a night or two until you get boots on the ground so you can get the lay of the land.
We have had mixed reviews from our travelers in the Medical Center area where some say it suits their needs and others say that there is no way they’re living there. Our #1 goal is to always keep our travelers safe, so we would probably steer you away from the Northwest Medical Center area. It’s totally up to you and your situation.
Alamo Heights and Olmos Park are the two nicest neighborhoods which are near most San Antonio hospitals and the downtown area. They are both very high-end and desirable areas where the location, neighborhood, and safety ratings simply cannot be beat.
Olmos Park is 4 minutes to all the downtown attractions, but still very much within easy driving distance of the medical center (10-15 minutes) and downtown Metropolitan Hospital (5 min). If you are lucky enough to land a spot in Olmos Park, you will be surrounded by Multi-Million dollar homes. Strangely, there is not a huge price difference between Olmos Park and the Medical Center. The Medical Center will run about $1375.00 per month for 1 bedroomunit. Olmos Park will be about $100.00-125.00 more per month. By just driving around the neighborhoods, the difference will be very apparent. The enchanting tree-lines streets of Olmos Park make it beautiful and inviting. Trinity College is also in the area, which is known for their Graduate Health Care Management program.
Alamo Heights is equally desirable but arguably a little more expensive. It will be a little further drive to the Medical Center, Methodist Hospital NW, and Metropolitan Hospital down town, but still close to downtown and good shopping. If you can score a solid unit in these areas at a reasonable price...do it!
The Quarry
The Quarry (opens in new tab)is the newest downtown shopping center located directly north of the Alamo Heights and Olmos Park areas. It has your typical Bed Bath and Beyond (B cubed), Whole Foods, Restaurants, Department stores etc. It has a high-end feel to it as everything is relatively new and you can find everything you need here without a doubt.
The River walk
The River walk (opens in new tab)is of course the main attraction for San Antonio. It’s buzzing with activity at all times. Art, music, restaurants, bars, nightclubs…it’s all at the River Walk. Be careful though. Some say you can easily get caught up in its enchantment and wind up walking for miles as you want to explore more and more. This area of the city sort of has a New Orleans vibe which is reminiscent of Venice. Eat, people watch, and be merry!
As always, if you are a traveling nurse, be careful where you live and make sure you have done your homework!