Entry No. 40 — the San Antonio file — filed under: ruins
Hot Wells Hotel Ruins
Once a premier 19th-century luxury resort where celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and Teddy Roosevelt bathed in therapeutic sulfur waters, the Hot Wells Hotel was repeatedly devastated by fires before falling into complete decay. Today, the stabilized, roofless brick facades and bathhouse foundations are preserved as the centerpiece of a public county park. Visitors can admire the striking, window-lined ruins from paved walking paths along the San Antonio River.
The story
In the late 19th century, drillers hunting for water on the South Side hit a subterranean pocket of 104-degree, sulfur-heavy water off South Presa Street. Almost overnight, the muddy bank transformed into an extravagant luxury resort. Gilded Age elites, silent film star Charlie Chaplin, and Teddy Roosevelt flocked here to marinate in therapeutic sulfur water and pretend the rotten-egg stench was curing their ailments.
Fire, however, had an appetite for Hot Wells. Catastrophic blazes repeatedly tore through the property over the decades, burning the hotel to its bones until only the brick bathhouse shells survived. Bexar County eventually stepped in to stabilize the remaining roofless walls and brick foundations, turning the scorched skeleton into the anchor of a quiet public park along the San Antonio River Mission Reach.
What it's like
You'll spot the towering, window-lined brick walls standing in the middle of manicured lawns off South Presa Street. Chain-link fencing keeps you from wandering inside the unstable masonry, but paved walking paths bring you close enough to frame sharp photos through the empty window arches. Visit near dusk when the setting sun hits the exposed brick, or look out for community 'Reels at the Ruin' nights when silent movies are projected straight onto the historic facade.
The move: Take a scenic walk along the paved paths of the county park to photograph the dramatic, fenced-off brick ruins, then continue your stroll along the adjacent San Antonio River Walk Mission Reach trail.
📍 Before you go The ruins are located within a free, public Bexar County park, but the crumbling structures themselves are fenced off for safety and cannot be entered.
- 📍 San Antonio
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 5503 S Presa St, San Antonio, TX 78214, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Camp Hot Wells (at Hot Wells Historic Park) — Soak in hot sulfur water right next door after photographing the roofless brick facade.
- Papa Jim's Botanica — Drive a mile and a half west to explore 6,500 square feet of Texas folk magic, floor washes, and spell kits.
- San Jose Burial Park (Old Stinson Field Graveyard) — Continue your South Side history trip 1.6 miles south to an active cemetery with its own local ghost lore.
Good to know
Can you walk inside the historic brick ruins?
No. The structural ruins are fenced off for public safety to prevent collapse hazards, but you can walk the entire perimeter on paved park trails.
Is there an admission fee to visit Hot Wells Park?
No, access to the Bexar County park and the viewing paths around the ruins is completely free.
Can you still soak in the mineral water at the ruins?
Not inside the historic ruins, but you can book a soak right next door at Camp Hot Wells, which sits on the same park property.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: bexar.org · Wikipedia · rivercityghosts.com
last checked: 2026-07-20