San Antonio Bike Tours will close in June after 16 years, as owner Steve Wood retires. For many, it offered a personal glimpse into the city’s hidden stories.
SAN ANTONIO — For 16 years, San Antonio Bike Tours has helped people see the city a little differently — not through a windshield, but from a bike seat, rolling through downtown streets, past historic sites, and into the kinds of stories people do not always find on their own.
Now, that chapter is coming to an end.
Owner Steve Wood says San Antonio Bike Tours will close at the end of June, wrapping up a business he started after retiring and looking for something new to do. What began as a simple idea eventually turned into years of rides, conversations, and memorable moments with visitors from all over the world.
Wood says one of the best parts of the job has been the people.
A few years ago, he was giving a tour to a visitor from Australia at Mission San Jose when an ordinary stop turned into something unexpected. Wood says he spotted a man nearby getting his picture taken, realized he looked familiar, and soon figured out it was Willie Nelson. He says Nelson ended up chatting with his guest, who had no idea who she was standing next to. For Wood, moments like that became part of what made the work special.
He says the tours were never just about showing people the Alamo or checking off landmarks. The goal, he says, was to give people a more intimate understanding of San Antonio — the deeper history, the influences that shaped the city, and the stories in between the big attractions.
As for why he is stepping away now, Wood says the decision was not especially difficult once he made it. After 16 years, he says, it simply felt like a good run, and he is ready to focus on other interests and spend more time closer to home.
Still, he says there is one big thing on his mind: what happens to the business next.
Wood says his biggest challenge now is finding someone who can be “a good steward” to take over what he built.
For many riders, San Antonio Bike Tours was more than just a fun outing. It was a slower, more personal way to experience the city — and sometimes, a chance to stumble into a story they would never forget.