If you’re itching to try something new, San Antonio provides a wide range of opportunities to explore a fresh hobby and discover a new you.
Stuck in a rut and looking for something to shake up your normal routine? Lucky for you, San Antonio offers a wide range of classes and workshops to introduce you to a new hobby.
Did you know that learning a new skill or challenging yourself to try something different is actually good for you? Our very own Texas Medical Center conducted research on the benefits of stepping outside of your routine and found that it leads to clearer thinking, more positive mental health, and strengthened brain resilience.
So whether you’re looking to try your hand at painting or you’d like to learn to sew a costume for one of this city’s many festivals, the novelty of these experiences will break you out of old, rigid routines, reduce stress, and increase your confidence, and that’s a win-win.
To help you take the first step, we’ve curated a list of classes and workshops available around San Antonio that have received high customer satisfaction ratings for fun, challenge, and overall enjoyment.
Abby’s Attic
2250 Thousand Oaks Ste. 208
The Trad Wife trend of recent years has brought about a resurgence of interest in all things homemaking, including sewing. And with the cost of everything skyrocketing, being able to sew your own clothes or draperies can save a substantial chunk of change.
Enter Abby’s Attic, a studio that welcomes everyone, particularly people who have never picked up a needle. They’ll get you started not just picking up a needle, but threading it too, and before you know it, you’ll be hemming your own pants (c’mon, we all know they’re always too long for the average person) and making back every penny you spent on the class.
True beginners can focus on Sewing 101—learning the mechanics, adding zippers, creating buttonholes. Others can learn alteration skills, have fun upcycling fabrics and garments that need a refresh, and challenge themselves with advanced sewing projects. Abby’s also offers instruction in quilting, crochet, and serger sewing.
Purchase a class pack and stay committed, or pop in for one class for about $69.
Stained Glass Crafters Workbench
7515 Eckhert Rd.
If you find yourself drawn to churches filled with stained glass windows or love multi-colored glass items, you’ll love the classes at Stained Glass Crafters Workbench.
This family-owned shop offers workshops focused entirely on glass, but you’ll soon discover that there’s some versatility in the lessons. Choose to pursue mosaics, fused glass, or stained glass, and beyond that, your creativity takes over.
Everything you need for each workshop can be purchased at the Workbench store. If you fall in love with your newfound hobby, you can purchase everything from simple beginners’ supplies to professional saws, grinders, and kilns.
April classes will fill your calendar, so register now. Go big or go home with the mosaic table class, where you’ll create a small table for a plant or snacking, for $125.
Capistrano Soap Company
210 S. Presa Street
You may have already shopped at Capistrano Soap Company for lush body care toiletries and aromatherapy products. But did you know that Capistrano also offers workshops to introduce you to a few new hobbies?
Creative Maker Workshops are two hours long and are led by pro makers who will guide you step-by-step through a hands-on project. Learn about how milled soap is made, then create a few bars of your own in the soap making workshop. Or learn how to use superfoods in a whole different way in the fresh produce facial class. Or select your own scents to burn at home in the candle making workshop.
You’ll find the classes, all priced at $55, at Capistrano Soap Company’s downtown San Antonio studio in the La Villita Historic Arts Village. After you’ve selected your class, be sure to secure your reservations at least 24 hours in advance.
Cozymeal
1100 NW Loop 410 Ste. 700
San Antonio is rich with history—the Alamo, the Briscoe Western Art Museum, the River Walk—and heritage food is every bit as important to this city’s legacy.
If you love the idea of learning to cook native dishes based on Spanish influences, or you just want to up your skills from boiling water, the multi-awarded and highly popular Cozymeal is a great place to start.
Join a class on your own, with a partner, or with an entire group, and you’ll be slicing and dicing in no time. Use the website filters to find a class based on type of cuisine (Pasta Making, Sushi Making, French, etc.), desired cost (under $80 to over $100), group (solo, couples, friends), or just pick a date that works for you and let fate decide what you’ll be cooking.
In April, you’ll find classes covering everything from Asian Dumplings for Beginners to Steakhouse Fare, so you can go wherever your taste buds lead you.
Caliente Hot Glass
1014 Roosevelt Ave
Walk past any glassblowing studio and you’ll find a crowd. That’s because the art of glass blowing is, let’s face it, kind of mind blowing, and people are fascinated with the process.
At Caliente Hot Glass, you can be the person in the middle of all that attention-getting artistry.
In April, you’ll make your own version of Faberge eggs, and after five classes, you can apply to advance to cups and tumblers.
Most creations are about four inches in diameter, so it will take about five classes to create your basket of eggs. More importantly, it’s time well spent learning a new skill and then honing it to perfection.
Classes are priced at about $100 a person and themes change according to the month. Think glass flowers in the summer, glass pumpkins in fall, and globe ornaments in winter.
Board & Brush
19178 Blanco Rd Ste 107
If you think this is another canvas painting class, think again. Board & Brush Creative Studio brings a creative twist to the standard, and San Antonians are here for it.
Here, your canvas is wood, and it makes all the difference. Sure, you’ll sip wine and chat with your friends in this social art studio environment. But you’ll walk away with something that is not only creative, but also useful.
From a monogrammed sign for your home to a charcuterie board styled with your best paint strokes, you’ll create something you’ll be proud to show off to guests. And the beauty is that all supplies are provided, and all the mess is cleaned up.
Since you’ll choose your own project, prices will vary, but expect to pay about $50 for a 12×20 board.
Soft Sensuous Moves
6441 Blanco Rd
Sometimes fitness can get a bit boring with the same workout routine over and over. If you’re looking for a little San Antonio spice to break out of the boredom, slide on over to Soft Sensuous Moves, a pole fitness and exercise studio that welcomes both men and women.
This isn’t your mama’s workout of step aerobics and dumbbells. Imagine a state-of-the-art dance space with pulsing sounds meant to bring out your inner diva.
Sign up for a host of pole fitness classes like Art of the Strip, Aerial Yoga, Try Me Out…Intro To Pole, Spin Pole, Floor on Fire, Twerk, Chair, or Power Pole for those who really want to push the strength challenge to the next level. The Intro to Pole class is just $20; after that, packages of four classes range from $100 to $145 per month.
The studio offers group fitness classes for bachelorette, birthday, girls night out and even Glad to Be Rid of Him events. Aside from providing a great physical workout, these classes are designed to boost self-esteem and confidence, so expect a supportive group that cheers you on with every twirl or twerk.
San Antonio is home to a variety of activities, so why not turn one of them into an opportunity to discover a new side of yourself? You may just decide that you like what you see.
