Camino Real - San Antonio, TX

Situated within the Hill Country Village enclave roughly 10 miles north of downtown San Antonio, the Bluffview at Camino Real neighborhood offers stunning views of the city. The area came into its own during the 1940s when real estate developers began erecting houses on nine-acre tracts. Over time, the neighborhood's housing tracts shrunk to two acres in an attempt to populate the growing area without sacrificing the residents' privacy and quality of life.

Enjoy the annual week-long San Antonio Film Festival that testifies to the area's love for the cinematic arts. Featuring new, original films, this multi-screen event allows you to expand your horizons from just outside of your home base.

Spend a long, leisurely day at the McNay Art Museum in neighboring Alamo Heights. Showing off pieces by Monet, O'Keefe, and Picasso alongside contemporary artists, this museum also houses a beautifully landscaped garden and outdoor pond area.

Although North Star Mall houses a sprinkling of national eateries and fast food establishments, the best places to eat lie in different areas of Bluffview at Cameo Real. Earth Burger on NW Loop 410 puts an innovative twist on traditional fast food. Each plant-based burger mimics the usual burger, chicken and fish sandwich found on national fast food chain menus yet yields surprisingly great flavor combinations that give you whole new cravings to quench.

Wrigleyville Grill on NW Loop 410 makes the best Chicago-style hot dogs in the area. This casual eatery also prepares its Famous Italian Beef daily to pile high on Gonnella French bread. Traditional Greek gyros, Southwest tacos and burritos, and the restaurant's unforgettable Greek fries topped with imported feta cheese rank as other menu stand-outs.

Frank Sinatra on the stereo, black and white checkered floors, and counter service make Julian's Italian Pizzeria and Kitchen on West Avenue's dining room feel like a trip back in time. The no-frills restaurant serves up house specialties, such as Sicilian-style pizza, eggplant Parmesan and housemade ricotta gnocchi topped with a plum tomato sauce.

Once you've had your fill of food, take your closest buds out for a night on the town at RETOX Bar just off West Avenue on Patricia Drive. This high-energy dance club houses a spacious dance floor that fills up quickly during weekend live music entertainment events. When you just want a beer and fun, mindless conversation, head to McFinnigan's Pub on Blanco Road. This homey, "Cheers"-like bar houses a vast assortment of draft beers served in oversized mugs.

The Bluffview at Camino Real neighborhood's distance from the city center makes it a mostly car-dependent area that is mainly accessed by NW Loop 410 and U.S. Route 281. As a shopper, receive free parking from most of the area's businesses when you take your own car. However, sometimes you might be more inclined to take the VIA Metropolitan bus from one of the stops along San Pedro Skip or Blanco Road to explore the area further while out running errands.

Before a big night out, call for a cab or use the Uber app on your phone to make arrangements instead of depending upon the neighborhood's relatively sparse cab-hailing opportunities. When you want to take your bike out for a spin, head to the safe bike lanes along the western side of the neighborhood. Some of the streets that provide cyclist-only lanes include Wurzback Parkway, Blanco Road and George Road.

Keep an eye out for grazing deer as you meander through the nearly 25 miles of hiking and biking trails in neighborhood McAllister Park. This amazing Bluffview at Camino Real exercise haven also houses a fenced, 1.5-acre dog park, a basketball court and 22 soccer fields. Spanning a little less than 1,000 acres, this free park fills up quickly on clement weather weekends with families cooking out and picnicking. Best of all, the Astronomical Society brings a few of its scopes on specified nights each week to provide everyone in attendance with an unforgettable starry night show.

Bluffview at Camino Real has a higher-than-average cost of living for San Antonio. Expect to pay roughly $868 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and to pay between $5 and $7 for a beer at a local lounge or bar and grill.

Taking the bus proves a little easier on your pocketbook, with a one-way ticket to the center of the community only costing about $1.20 a ride. Expect to balance out the cost of your higher rent at the gas pump, with each gallon averaging about 20 percent lower than the national average.

Enjoy the perfect mix of high-end, high-value stores and moderately priced shops found in North Star Mall on San Pedro Avenue. A/X Armani Exchange, Coach and the Godiva Chocolatier provide you with well-deserved treats, while Abercombie & Fitch, Shoe Palace, and New York and Company give you numerous, moderately priced clothing and accessory options for your whole family.

Bitters Road near the center of the neighborhood hosts The Alley on Bitters, a boardwalk-style mall loaded with independently owned boutiques, vintage collectibles, estate jewelry, and other new and gently used goods. Originals -- Jewelry, Beads & Gifts provides you with personalized jewelry design services so you can tailor a special occasion outfit. While there, keep an eye out for stunning handmade necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.

When the fancy strikes you for designer-quality clothing, accessories and furniture at reasonable prices, stop in at Too Good to be Threw. This funky vintage store keeps a fresh, revolving stock of items for every room, and every closet, of your home.

The live music entertainment and overflowing fresh produce selection at the weekend Legacy Farmers Market out on U.S. Highway 281 North acts as all the invitation you need to get out of the neighborhood on Saturday morning. Local honey, handmade crafts and an array of accomplished, interesting people make this locals' gathering a cherished weekly hotspot.

On your way home, stop in at Central Market on Broadway Street in Alamo Heights to stock up on pantry staples, meat, seafood and toiletries. If you need spices or other hard-to-find items, visit Sprouts Farmers Market on Callaghan Road. Featuring hundreds of bins filled with nuts, herbs, spices, trail mix, wild rices and more, this store also sells an extensive selection of trail mixes.