Village North - San Antonio, TX

San Antonio repeatedly served as a major site of military operations in the 19th century, but the construction of Fort Sam Houston in the 1870s solidified its role as the progressive core of the country's armed forces. Like many of the surrounding quasi-suburbs, Village North evolved from the sudden 20th century population growth in central northeast San Antonio as locals sought armed forces occupations and spacious landscape to build homes.

Military-oriented establishments, such as the VFW, make modern-day Village North an accommodating environment for armed forces personnel. With its Spanish Colonial-inspired architecture and medical museum, Fort Sam Houston is a notable attraction in its own right.

History enthusiasts interested in comprehensive city culture visit the Witte Museum to explore innovative exhibits, ranging from South Texas art to alien-themed science fiction. Delve into San Antonio's diverse culture by indulging in the city's best cuisine at the Culinaria New World Food and Wine Festival.

Village North restaurants populate the Austin Highway and Loop 410 areas, providing inexpensive dining options close by for busy military staff. Southern and ethnic cuisines dominate the area, so expect an abundance of Tex-Mex, Asian and barbecue restaurants.

Jamaica Jamaica Cuisine attracts a faithful military customer base due to its low-cost authentic dishes, which include discounts for servicemen and women. Bite into tender oxtail or jerk chicken with a side of rice and beans, cabbage, and fried plantains. Save room to try the coco bread and meat pies, and ask for some of the house-made ginger beer. Due to the eatery's small dining room and limited parking, locals recommend stopping by outside of rush periods.

Visit Silo Elevated Cuisine & Bar for American fare served in an elegant atmosphere. Silo has steaks, seafood and poultry dishes to impress even the most discerning foodie. Satisfy your appetite by ordering an entrée accompanied by grilled asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes or grits seasoned with green chile, or expand your culinary horizons by trying Silo's signature dish: chicken-fried oysters served on a bed of sautéed spinach and applewood-smoked bacon.

Since 1978, El Maracumbe has been serving up authentic Mexican cuisine in a family-friendly environment. Start off with nachos, enchiladas, fajitas or a bowl of spicy Mexican soup. Entrées come with flavorful accompaniments, such as pepper jack cheese and sauce made with spicy poblano peppers. Finish off your meal with a margarita from the restaurant's full-service bar.

Nightlife around Village North mainly consists of sports bars, cocktail lounges and gentleman's clubs catering to the transient military population. Military personnel who obtain a membership at the local VFW 8451 stop by for live music and year-round social events.

Get lost in a good movie at Santikos Rialto Theatre. This casual hangout serves standard concession snacks and full meals, so you can enjoy a California burger or a chicken quesadilla from the comfort of your theater seat. Cowboys DanceHall draws an eclectic crowd with well-rounded entertainment, ranging from MMA fights to dance lessons. Locals stop by regularly to wind down at the bar or to see cheap music concerts.

A sprinkling of mini marts allows residents to make quick grocery runs or minor errands on foot, but most tasks require transportation. Taxis don't frequent this low-demand area, but VIA city buses pick up about every 20 minutes on the 410 Loop, Perrin Beitel Road and Austin Highway. Bike riders can safely travel on most roads and should stick to Austin Highway when leaving the area, rather than braving traffic on the less accommodating 410 Loop.

With two highways as borders, Village North is ideally situated for locals commuting downtown or to New Braunfels and San Marcos. Free public parking is widely available for residents' cars, but if you don't have your own transportation, Uber's ride-share service is available in this area.

The Village North neighborhood flanks Tobin Park and the surrounding Salado Creek Greenway, giving locals a direct entry point into the free trail system. Don't be surprised to spot deer while passing through the Tobin Park woodlands. Bring your pups along on treks through the paved trails, which provide scenic views of the creek and conveniently connect to nearby James Park and Wilshire Terrace.

James Park features 89.6 acres of land occupied by soccer fields, rentable softball fields, hiking trails and a playground. As part of the citywide fitness initiative, the park houses a fitness station with built-in workout tools, such as bars for standing push-ups.

Kallison Park lies a few miles northeast. Play touch football and Frisbee in the large multipurpose space, or pass the time by coming up with your own field games. Unpack your picnic lunch at the designated seating areas, and enjoy a meal after hitting the basketball courts.

Locals head into central San Antonio to take part in fitness events and educational children's recreation at parks around the city. For outdoor entertainment closer to Village North, visit the San Antonio Botanical Garden for art shows, dog days and night-time nature excursions.

Village North's low cost of living falls about 3 percent below the San Antonio average. The area offers fairly inexpensive housing with a median rent of $662 for a one-bedroom apartment. A bus trip to the city center only costs about $4, while a beer at a local pub costs $4 to $6 a pint. If you frequently travel by car, expect gas prices that are roughly 20 percent lower than the national average.

Small grocery marts, leather-goods businesses and auto-related shops mainly populate Village North's minimal shopping areas. Whether looking for discount home décor or high-end clothing, locals venture into Alamo Hills, Terrell Hills and Windcrest for a more extensive selection.

Visit the Shops at Lincoln Heights for a small, convenient cluster of restaurants, salons and retail stores. When you want your pick of trusted brands, explore Alamo Quarry Market to pick up running gear at Lululemon, beef up your business wardrobe at LOFT and step out in a new pair of Lucchese boots.

San Antonio's central northeast region attracts diverse boutique owners, giving you ample opportunities to shop off the beaten path. Stay sharp on a budget by finding designer menswear on consignment at Second Looks. The store sells everything from Ralph Lauren sportswear to Gucci suits at prices reduced up to 90 percent.

Shop for housewarming gifts or buy cookware for your new apartment at Sunset Ridge Home & Hardware. Look for paint and color samples at this ACE-affiliated hardware store for do-it-yourself décor projects. Try not to blow your entire shopping budget at Aquarius Boutique, a youthful, fashion-forward clothing store with an attached salon and beauty bar. The collections combine contemporary and exotic elements for hip head-to-toe looks complete with jewelry, shoes and handbags.

H-E-B stores serve all the neighborhoods surrounding North Village, so residents have no trouble making fast grocery runs. Browse the vast inventory of Whole Foods at Alamo Quarry Market, or find your favorite organic goods at the specialty store Sprouts Farmers Market. The South Texas Farmers' Market sets up in Windcrest every Saturday morning, but you can also arrange deliveries of locally grown goods from Greenling.