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Natural Bridge Caverns
Categories: Active Life Amusement Parks Hotels & Travel Tours Amusement Parks, Tours [Edit]
26495 Natural Bridge Caverns RdSan Antonio, TX 78266
(210) 651-6101
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
32 reviews for Natural Bridge Caverns
Review Highlights
"We also took the discovery tour."
(in 5 reviews)
"Stalactites and stalagmites galore."
(in 4 reviews)
"Then we went rappelling through the caves."
(in 8 reviews)
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32 reviews in English
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Review from Eric W.
We did the Hidden Passages Tour (HPT) this time. At first we were told there would be a bit of a wait for the next tour, but then the amazing person at the ticket counter said we could make the tour starting now, so there was no wait. This was great, as just as we started to head down to the meeting point we saw a convoy of yellow school buses show up. We did find out that they would be taking the other tour anyway, so we breathed a sign of relief for this too.
When we arrived at the tour starting point we were surprised that no one else was there... Did we miss it? No! As it turn out it was just us three (our guide, my brother, me) on this tour. It was a great, 5-star, experience to be in this cave with so few people. Having recently been on the other tour, I wondered which tour would be better. Of course the "private tour" made this an amazing experience, but I also learned that the two caves are different enough to make both worth while. There are formations in this cave that are not in the other. Most noteworthy are the much longer "soda straws" (I won't tell you why they are longer here, maybe you can figure it out). This cave also has much more dramatic lighting, and there is even a moment when all lights are turned off... So if you are afraid of the dark, be warned... It is DARK. So dark in fact that my mind starting making things up for me to see. My brain just did not know what to do with such absolute darkness. Also on this tour there are actual samples of the formations for you to hold (on the other tour there is but one place you can touch the formation). Both my brother and I were amazed and just how heavy and dense the formations are.
The other thing to note that this tour requires much more climbing of stairs. You walk out the same way you walk in, unlike the Discovery Tour (DT), in which you walk through the cave, and most stairs are down, with fewer stairs up, and more ramps.... But Discovery Tour is a longer walk, just moderately less strenuous. Be warned that both tours have damp and slippery sections.
If you have not been to NBC, I would choose a tour based on ability. You can't go wrong with either, but you'll appreciate both caves more once you've done both tours.Listed in: San Antonio Trip
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/10/2011
Thuy picked Natural Bridge Caverns as an activity for our 10-year old nephew. I did not have high… Read more »
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Review from Albie F.
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
We chose the Discovery Tour over the Hidden Passages Tour because we felt the Discovery Tour would provide a better overall tour of the caverns. We ended up being in a group of 30 on a Friday afternoon in mid October; any more people and it would have been way too crowded in a single group. The rooms progressively got larger as the tour progressed with the final room having a spectacular viewpoint looking over the open underground space. I was also shocked to see how wet it was in the caverns which got as deep as 180 feet below the surface. Luckily provided are convenient hand rails for visitors throughout the tour, especially in the more difficult switchback areas to walk. The tour guide provided an educational environment for all and it was really interesting to learn how the largest room formed through a series of the ceiling falling in cracked layers over the years. It was an excellent overall tour that my girlfriend became very more excited with respect to caves based on the amazing cave formations that existed. She exclaimed that it was more impressive than any of the caverns that we've been to in California. I would most closely compare this in quality to Kartcher Caverns in Arizona outside of Benson.
Tip: You can save a buck by making your reservation on their official website or you can easily find printable $2 off coupons online -
Review from Nabil A.
Bellmore, NY
1/8/2012
This place was a bit of a gamble. I was afraid it was going to be some sort of tourist trap with a small cave and a huge cost of entry but boy was I wrong. They offer two main tours of which I took the discovery tour. It's the one you should check out first of the two. I'm not going to spoil anything but if you are at all interested in caverns you owe it to yourself to check this place out.
Also, quick word of advice, if you have trouble walking or are with an elderly person please keep in mind this tour can be pretty demanding and it my aggravate some medical conditions. -
Review from Tia W.
Pittsburgh, PA
6/22/2011
Must take the Illuminations tour! You'll appreciate more and more what nature can creates... :)
We had an awesome private tour since it was just me and my husband. Emily, our tour guide, did a marvelous job explaining the history of the excavation and the different types of stalactites and stalagmites inside the cavern. The cavern is dark, but the lights are turned on as you stopped at different parts of the cavern -- so many magical moments! It's nice and cool inside the cavern. The tour was almost 2 hours in total. We went down the stairs with handrails, but the walk back to the main entrance was a pain. Going up so many stairs isn't a pleasant way to end the tour...
We also took the discovery tour. It's different from the Illuminations because you get to see the bigger cavern with larger-than-life stalagmites and stalactites (be sure to take pictures of the Castle of the White Giants!). The walk is pretty mild, even kids on our tour seemed to have a good time. Be careful as the path is slippery from the humidity.
We spent almost 4.5 hours in total at the site. -
Review from Judy H.
Henderson, NV
1/2/2012
We had a great time seeing the caverns. Party of six and everyone really enjoyed the Discovery Tour. It was amazing to see this underground gem. If you are in San Antonio, put this on your must see list.
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Review from Jason N.
Nashville, AR
3/22/2011
My family and I went on 2 tours. The main tour is the Discovery tour. It was around 70 minutes long. The rooms were beautiful, but I thought the walkways were dangerous because of all the steep ramps and damp walkways. They had rails, but if you slipped there is no way to keep from wiping out.
The second tour was the Illuminations tour. This tour was much more strenuous, but had many more formations to look at. There were no ramps, only stairs, but you were informed before going on the tour. This tour was also around 70 minutes.
Now for the main reason for the four stars. I go to a lot of caverns and respect the natural beauty at each one. I was surprised at how unprotected the formations were. They warn you not to touch, but you are literally dodging formations while you are walking. There is no way that these formations have not been touched. I wish they would do a better job at protecting them. I'm glad we are able to see them close up, but they are very tempting, especially for small hands. -
Review from Johnny A.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2011
This was a great cave to visit. I've been to my fair share of caves and I feel like I learned quite a bit about cave formations and was really impressed by the sights.
Some warnings:
1.) The tour is longer than it has to be, in my opinion. Lots of down time waiting for the rest of the tour group to catch up or waiting to walk ahead in back of the rest of the group. Perhaps the tour groups are a bit large?
2.) Day time visits are prime field trip time. We were in a group with 50 kids, so that was different. The mystique of the cave was kind of lost in the excited shrieking of kids or chaperons reminding them to keep their hands off one another. That has its own type of charm though.
Kind of pricey, but you can take a pic with a large orange dinosaur out front. -
Review from Elizabeth N.
The Colony, TX
11/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's an amazing feeling being in a place that is said to have existed millions and millions of years ago and still is growing today. They offer several different tours and activities but I opted for the Discovery tour and Illumination tour.
The Illumination tour was spectacular ... our tour guide was very inciteful and seemed extremely content with her job. We even saw a tiny little bat on this tour which she said was rare. I recommend this tour over the Discovery tour. Maybe because our tour guide was a bit monotone and didn't seem as enthusiastic as our first guide. Both tours offers great views and photo ops.
Be warned that it is very humid in both caves and you'll be dripped with the waters of the cave on top of your accumulated sweat. The illumination tour requires some stair climbing and both require walking with frequent stops. -
Review from Star C.
Houston, TX
3/6/2011
I have been here once and I absolutely loved the experience.
For the quality of the tour and the preservation of this natural formation, the tickets are well worth the prices.
The only thing I could warn people about is to wear sneakers and be prepared for a hike. Whoever goes with me, don't be surprised if during the ascent back to normal ground, I have to take a pit stop halfway to catch my breath. Native Houstonians are just not used to walking up inclines!
I would love to go back. -
Review from Tom R.
Richardson, TX
3/17/2011
Loved this place. We went to Inner Space in Georgetown a couple of years ago and thought it was great - This place kills it. You really feel like you're going down into the earth into another world of awesome formations. 50ft tall stalagmites that are 10ft across, maybe bigger. Big expansive rooms, and a couple of tight spaces to boot. I was worried about my 4yr old when I saw the steep way out, but she was a trooper and walked the entire way. Both my kids just loved it. We all could have stayed down there just looking around in awe for hours. They say it's around 70deg, but with the humidity, it feel like the upper 80's. You don't need a jacket.
They have a more challenging tour that has tighter spaces where you get dirty. I'd like to try that one next time. -
Review from Stephen W.
Dallas, TX
12/27/2010
What a cool experience! We had intended to go to Sea World in San Antonio but the weather was too cold so we decided to go to the caverns instead since the wife had never seen caverns before. We did the Discovery Tour, about 3/4 of a mile walk during 70 minutes (there is a lot of waiting for stragglers and out of shape Americans who can't walk up an incline). The cost is $17.95 for adults, but well worth it. Aside from the people issue (hope for a small group with no kids) the overall experience is exceptional. The caverns are magnificent and the stalactites and stalagmites are so impressive.
Be forewarned: it gets really humid and quite warm inside, so if it is cold outside you will want to dress in layers so you can take some off inside. And there are a few places with steep inclines but nothing too challenging. Some people were huffing and puffing, but everyone made it out alive. -
Review from William F.
Phoenix, AZ
4/3/2011
Took the Illuminations tour. What a blast. I've done cave tours before but, this one has interesting features that I've not seen in the past.
The only bad part about it was the climb out. Going up that many stairs is a bit of a chore. -
Review from Melia R.
6/28/2010
If you're into the wonders of nature, you need to do at least the Discovery Tour at NBC (formerly the North Cavern Tour; formerly the only tour). I used to be a tour guide there, and I'm still in awe of the place. Sometimes I just plain miss it.
A few things to consider before you visit:
It's a decent walk, even for the fit. It drops and climbs drastically in places, so wear some shoes that'll grip on a moist, steep surface. If you hit it in flip flops, you might just wanna chuck 'em and walk barefoot, at least in some spots.
It's 70 degrees year round, which is pleasant....until you walk uphill in the humidity. It's not terrible; just be ready for it. Taking it slowly and looking around instead of racing uphill makes the walk easier, plus you'll have gotten more out of it. SEE it while you're there!
If you've got little ones: only those small "umbrella" strollers will make it through the tour. And even those are kind of a drag. Also, consider how into a cave your kid(s) might be before you frustrate yourself and end up getting pushed toward the door the whole time.
If you're local, choose the time of year to visit that suits your personality. On big, busy weekends like 4th of July you will probably encounter "continuous", "self-guided" tours. You may have to wait in line for 20 or 30 minutes in the middle of the day, but then you can start the tour whenever you want and race through it or really take your time; whichever you're into. There are more people around on big travel weekends, but a lot of people tend to run through the place on the way to somewhere else, so you'll find you may still get to spend some quiet time in the cave, listening to the water drip. Of course, if you get there before the peak middle of the day, you may find yourself with a continuous tour without too many other guests (which would be the ideal situation for me, personally).
If you're not into crowds, you might want to go in the winter/"off-season". Lots of schools field trip at NBC during the school year, so be prepared for that, call ahead the day of to check, or aim for the weekend. The cave is the same no matter what it's like outside, so the main difference is the crowd you're running with.
As far as touring caves, NBC and the Caverns of Sonora are probably the most jaw-dropping in Texas, and for different reasons (NBC for size, "living" cave activity; Sonora for crystals/sheer retardedness and density of formations).
Speaking of "living" caves: I said the cave's always the same, but that's not exactly true... if there's a lot of rainfall in the area, when the water makes it underground there's a lot more dripping action and water may slowly come up over the trails from the bottom of the cave if the water table rises. If trails are under water, you obviously won't see the whole "regular" tour, but seeing the water is cool, too. (Don't worry; the caves aren't affected by rain while it's happening.)
The drop-in tour someone mentioned is the Adventure Tour. That's gonna run you about a bill, you have to be there first thing in the morning, and you need a reservation. I believe there are also age and height/weight restrictions. I honestly still haven't done that tour, but I hear good things if you like gettin muddy.
There's also an Illumination Tour, which you can do as a combo with the Discovery Tour. If you really dig caves and want to do some walking, I recommend both. Be aware that it's quite a bit of walking, though. If you have to choose between Discovery and Illumination, go Discovery.
If you visit when it's nice outside, hang out for a while. The grounds are nice hill country. Buy some nachos from the snack bar (and a Big Red). They mix a little jalapeno juice into the cheese. It's not too spicy; it's just right. My friend thought I was crazy and there's no way movie-theater-lookin nachos could be so good. Now she knows why I'd drive out there just for the nachos. -
Review from Ernesto M.
Bonita, CA
1/28/2011
When you are in the area this is must do, BUT...make sure you are somewhat in shape.
I took the Discovery tour and was greeted warmly by the tour guide. As we were approaching the cave he warned us about the length and depth of our walk (3/4mi, about 180ft), we were all brave enough to continue.
As we walked in and down I was amazed. It was a nice but balmy 70 degrees inside but the air was THICK, it did make it somewhat difficult to breathe.
It was very informative and the walk was not to bad.....until we had to walk back up. I was fine but there was a couple of people that we had to stop and wait for. The incline is pretty steep and it goes up in a zig zag pattern.
After we finally got up we were forced to take a picture which was available for sale at the gift shop which is the only reason they lose a star. Other than that it is a lot of fun, dont bring small kinds though unless you want to carry them....as I witnessed. -
Review from Louise A.
Boston, MA
6/7/2010
The natural caverns are a thing of beauty. Stalagtites... Stalagmites... Columns... out of this world, and as my mom described it, she could see Golum making it home (Lord of the Rings...)
We did the Discovery Tour (both tours are around 70 minutes), and bought our tickets online saving $1 each.
My complaint is that I am an impatient person and the tour groups are too large and move too slow, I could have done with a group half the size... about 10... and half the time... 30 minutes - And I still would have paid the same amount ($16.95). -
Review from Jolyn B.
3/17/2008 2 photos
Holy stalagmites Batman!! This place is cool. My dad 'claims' we went here as kiddos but I don't remember much from that long ago so I decided to take my kids and let them experience the underground adventure.
We took the Discovery Tour (which was $17 for me and $10 for kids). Since it was the weekend and Spring Break, they had constant tours,which was very convenient. You could walk, take pics, and stare as long as you want.
The tour was about 75 mins, almost a mile long. They suggest walking shoes and some parts of it are pretty slippery. But my 5 yr old daughter could make the trek with only one "mooooom pick me up" so it wasn't too bad.
The tour guides were very helpful and actually knew more than just what they memorized to tell you, which was good because my son had, oh about, 40 questions going through there. I kept telling him "I don't know, ask the guy..." I don't remember the last time I felt so dumb. (Note to self- research how those things are formed.)
They also now have a cool new experience called the Watchtower. It's part rock climbing wall, part zip line. Too bad my kids were too chicken to try, cause Momma wanted to fly down the line!!Listed in: For us procreaters
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Review from Michael E.
Sugar Land, TX
3/17/2010
I'll be honest, at first, I wasn't expecting much but after entering the caverns and embarking on my Discovery Tour, I was amazed! This was my first cavern exploration and the experience was exhilarating and definitely something I would love to experience again. The tour we went on was self-paced so you can take all the time you wanted to take pictures or just observe Mother Nature at her finest. The tour was $17.95, however, there are coupons available at some places. I didn't get to use a coupon because I found it too late but the hotel I was staying at had some literature that had a few.
If you are interested in the outdoors or love dark, moist caverns, this is the perfect place for you. The kids will love it and there are many interesting things to see. They offer two different tours, however, if you go on both, things could get expensive. I personally thought the tour we went on was more than enough but I'll leave that for you to decide. I'm sure they're both great in there own way so if you can experience both, I don't see a reason not to. There are tour guides that discuss how the caverns were built and provide a bit of history as well as some info on how the stalagmites were created.
A gift shop is located nearby with many wonderful souvenirs for a reasonable price. They offer various gemstones, jewelry and other things for all age groups. If you visit San Antonio, I'd put this on my top 5 things to do. The kids will love it, and you will, too. Although the price may be a bit steep for some, I thought it was worth it and it was definitely a sight to be seen. Do not miss the caverns if you're stopping in San Antonio! -
Review from Kelly H.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
6/13/2009 2 photos
I had sooo much fun here! We took the tour where you get lowered 200+ feet through an old mining shaft. VERY kool. Then we went rappelling through the caves. They are so incredible. We were covered in mud head to toe by the time we were finished. Do not go if you are afraid of heights, claustrophobic, or don't like getting dirty. Also- the shaft you get lowered through is very narrow so if you have really wide shoulders a wide ass... you will not fit so make sure to check with staff before booking this if you are bigger than the average bear. I wouldn't recommend watching the movie "The Descent" before going either ;)
The only almost bad part of this tour is that I almost left my camera and the staff didn't tell me. When I asked if they saw a camera they were like "Oh ya its out there". They were obviously trying to come up on a nice camera...If I hadn't asked they would not have volunteered the info and my camera would have been on eBay.Listed in: Places to go.
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Review from cat k.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is worth the stop! Pretty amazing rock formations! Wear shoes with good grips, humid and wet inside. No hiking to get to the cavern. Pretty easy walking tour for 75 minutes with just some steep areas, but there are grab bars everywhere for those who need it.
Check this place out. You can also pick up a cheesy souvenir photo! Fun! -
Review from Lisa B.
Alameda, CA
5/3/2011
Visited Austin in March and stopped here before heading to San Antonio. Can I just say WOW? My friend and I took the Discovery tour which had more of the bigger rock formations. They were massive and very well illuminated so you could see every detail of the rocks. It was like being in a magical underground city...so beautiful. If I do visit again, will definitely go on the Illuminations tour with the smaller rock formations. Note to all: wear tennies or shoes with good traction...ground gets pretty wet.
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Review from Esther Y.
3/10/2008
We went to the Natural Bridge Caverns and did the North Cavern Tour. It was AWESOME. I will warn you though, when you read the signs before entering the caverns, it tells you that it gets to be 70 plus degrees and something like 99% humidity. Yeah, I thought they were exaggerating, but they weren't. So, needless to say, by the end of the tour, I was very "moist."
The tour was awesome. It was cool to see the stalagmites and the stalagtites. All of it was worth the trip. -
Review from Adhana T.
Manhattan, KS
8/17/2009
I'm not sure that this is as good as it gets, but it's pretty fantastic! We did the Discovery tour and I wasn't expecting much after my first "caving" experience at Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs, but this was ten times better.
It's funny that these attraction managers can charge you the same price for two caves that are simply not equal simply because it's the ony cave around. I thought that we set up antitrust laws to eliminate monopolies. I guess that doesn't work so well in the natural wonders market.
I say that to say this.
Natural Bridge Caverns made me stop in awe. I did not expect it to be as jaw dropping as it was. I honestly had not seen a cave like this before. I have swam in cenotes in Mexico, walked along rivers that ran through caves in New Zealand, and of course we've already discussed CO Springs. NBC went on for longer than I expected and surprised me around every corner. I couldn't stop looking and taking pictures. I truly felt like a child again.
Thanks. -
Review from Allison L.
Irving, TX
6/22/2009
We took the Discovery Tour on a Friday afternoon in June. The trip was a good length (a little over an hour). Expect for your hike to be very humid and muggy. The temperature inside is 70 degrees, but it feels like 85 or 90. Wear shoes with grip on the bottom because in some places it's very slippery inside.
The walk becomes very steep going down and back up again. An elderly woman had to turn back a few minutes into the walk, and a young child (around 6 years old, I think) became scared and also had to turn back. Also, I wouldn't recommend this tour for people who are completely out of shape.
We enjoyed it! -
Review from Jeffrey L.
Round Rock, TX
8/22/2011
very enjoyable. great for kids who are past the crying/whining stage. tour guides are fantastic - very knowledgeable and engaging, always taking time to answer questions.... even very dumb ones.
couldn't believe how large and majestic the two large cavern rooms are at the bottom (the largest was longer than football field, and approx 100 feet in some places floor to ceiling). really good cave features throughout the approx hour long tour.
a must see in central Tx in my opinion. and it's much cooler down there, so great break from the heat if you're looking for a family activity on a hot afternoon.
it's a fair amount of walking, much of it up and down some fairly steep walkways, so the very young and very old (and very out of shape) may have issues. my 4 year old girl had no troubles, however, and loved the tour. -
Review from Bob C.
CA
5/27/2010
This was my first cavern experience and it was a good one. We went on the 1.5 hour Discovery Tour (as the 3.5 hour Discovery ADVENTURE Tour wasn't available and needed at least 7 day advance notice). The Adventure part of it required actual spelunking, so we settled on this one.
The only part I didn't care about was all the cemented walk-ways.
Everything else was pretty spectacular (rock formation wise). If you don't care about stalactites or stalagmites and you don't care much what the differences are, this probably isn't for you.
By the by, stalactites hang from the ceilings while stalagmites rise from the floor. -
Review from jess a.
3/2/2009
I love this kind of stuff!
We were driving from Austin to San Antonio, and decided to do what struck our fancy. I saw this place on the map, then started to see billboards when we got closer, and we decided to check it out.
I was surprised at how crowded it was! The tour was pretty awesome, and informative. It was also really warm in the caves. For some reason I thought it would be cold. With a relative humidity of 100%, and a temp of around 75, it was a hair nightmare, but it was awesome!
If you find yourself deep in the heart of Texas, check it out! -
Review from Tina R.
Ada, OK
4/22/2010
had the best time, first time caving wasn't sure what I was getting in to and was sorry I hadn't dune it sooner, awesome beautiful...kids would love it and yes I would do it again.
it was just beautiful never seen anything like it.. it you are a little on the big side it is eazy going in but a little hard coming out, its up hill coming out and it is a little warm & damp. I was tired but I so enjoyed the tour.. big yes would do it again... -
Review from Veronica M.
Houston, TX
9/7/2010
The caverns were a great end to our mini vacation with a 13yr, a 4yr old, and a 8month old the walk was not as bad as they made it out to be. If you are going tbe rushing thru the tour then maybe I can see where it's going to be difficult but since you are walking at a slow pace to take everything in the deep slopes and uphill hiking is not bad at all. I would do this venture again and again I own the Blue Ray set of The Planet Earth and this was an in your face experiece the DVD is great but being there in person is awesome. Maybe I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to things like this but I just wanted to sit in some areas and just stare.
Would I recommend this place to families a BIG YES however wear walking shoes be prepared for wet cement, they will not let you take your stroller should you have younger kids or babies, and where light clothing the humidty is a killer in some areas. there were some tight squeezes b/c they urge the public not to rub against the walls due to the damaging of the formation. So take your time in here take it all in and enjoy. -
Review from Meg G.
10/3/2009
Stalactites and stalagmites galore!!! I remember the caverns being a refreshing reprieve from the stagnant heat radiating from the Texas sun, albeit it just as humid. If you want to visit a cavern for both fun and education, this is the one. Exploring nature is a past-time of mine that I'd like to embrace more often. You won't find me hiking up mountains or white-water rafting; but, throw a cave or some marshes around and I'm there. The Natural Bridge Caverns are a must-do for anyone who visits San Antonio. I used to think that this area was all shopping, eating and SeaWorld. I was wrong. I'd like to come back some time soon; and, hopefully, you will too.
Listed in: Out & About Texas Style
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Review from TruthSpeaker I.
Boston, MA
11/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is sort of a tourist trap, but the formations inside the cave are so incredible that I really didn't care about how touristy it is. The tour is also very informative. I highly recommend it.
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Review from Andrew N.
Brush Prairie, WA
3/30/2010
This was an ok visit with kids. Overpriced IMHO. Once inside you no longer feel like you were just taken. Pretty warm and humid, no jackets needed. 3 1/2 stars.
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Review from Cass B.
Parker, CO
3/17/2009
This is definently one of the better caverns that I have visited. Very expansive caves and tour was well done. No complaints.
