Planing to go to Texas

Buzz102 · 04-11-2016, 04:07 AM

My wife and I plan to go to Texas in the winter. We have never been there. Would appreciate any nice RV park recommendations

Thanks

Travelin' Texans · 04-11-2016, 02:47 PM

Texas is a big state, a little more info would help. Are you snowbirding, or are you just wanting to see the highlights??

Buzz102 · 04-11-2016, 04:00 PM

I'm looking for places where we might stay for a week or 2. So, get to see quite a bit of different places in Texas but in the comfort of staying in really nice RV parks. Sort of a semi-Snow Bird.

Chance · 04-11-2016, 05:09 PM

Not sure what you expect in "really nice" campgrounds. I'm more about access to what I want to do or visit, so I'm probably not the best judge.

If you enjoy cycling, Fredericksburg in the Hill Country is a nice little town to visit. It's not too far from Austin or San Antonio. I usually visit in March and meet many there that spend the entire winter. Occasionally we go in Fall when it's not as busy.

I can think of four campgrounds there, with farthest about 3 miles from town. None stand out as anything that special. We normally stay close (about a mile or less) so we can ride bikes during day and then walk or ride into town for dinner.

Kerrville area is also nice for cycling, and there are campgrounds along the river close to town. Haven't stayed there in years since I prefer Fredericksburg being smaller and quieter.

Palo Duro Canyon (the Grand Canyon of Texas) near Amarillo is a state park I also enjoy visiting. In the past we have stayed there passing through on way west, but plan to go back for longer stay to hike when I have more free time.

I haven't visited Big Bend yet, but have friends that like camping there. Mostly they go to hike and cycle.

Buzz102 · 04-11-2016, 07:20 PM

Thanks for all the information. Fredericksburg sounds very nice. I see that there are several parks with very good reviews on campgroundreviews.com

Chance · 04-11-2016, 08:05 PM

Of the four I referred to, I've stayed at the two closest to town center many times for entire week during spring break. Mostly at Oakwood because it is convenient for cycling in all directions. Many of the smaller sites for compact RVs have nice shade. The larger pull through sites are generally less shady.

Have only stayed at Lady Bird Johnson campground a couple of nights, but have visited friends there many times. Facilities were lacking in my opinion compared to Oakwood or Fredericksburg RV Park. The KOA on east side of town on 290 looks nice from street but I haven't stayed there because it's not convenient to ride a bike to town.

saddlesore · 04-11-2016, 08:46 PM

I use this for all my travels, seems to be quite a bit more actual and truthful as opposed to the Good Sam sites.
Texas Campground Reviews - The Best of Texas Camping - RV Park Reviews

Travelin' Texans · 04-11-2016, 10:45 PM

Marble Falls is a nice place, right on the river, we've stayed at Sunset Point rv park several times & it's beeeautiful right on lake LBJ & have dinner & a fabulous piece of pie at the Blue Bonnet cafe.
If your going to visit Palo Duro canyon (stay in Amarillo at Ft. Amarillo rv park) it's best to go in the fall, it can get very flooded in the spring with not much rain & it's very hot in the summer, but it's a beautiful spot September til mid October & stop by to eat at The Big Texan steakhouse.
We've really enjoyed just about everywhere in the hill country (San Antonio is a must see), gulf coast at Port Aransas (Gulf Waters & Pioneer rv parks) taking your rv across on the ferry & South Padre (nice KOA & 1 other I can't remember).

Buzz102 · 04-11-2016, 10:50 PM

These Texas areas sound great. I'm really looking forward to heading out on the trip in October/November.

Thanks all!

connelljanis · 05-01-2016, 11:11 PM

If you want to be among the wineries near F'burg, stay at the Jellystone. Nice park, great location. We are cyclists and wine drinkers and this was a good location for us.

We live in Austin and LOVE going to the Hill Country. Just got back in fact. The wildflowers were amazing. I would recommend F'burg, Kerrville, Burnet, Marble Falls, Llano etc. Inks Lake State Park is a favorite if you like being on the water. Hard to get reservations tho. I would easily spend a week in any of those towns. Don't have advice on good RV parks tho.

To access Big Bend Natl Park and Big Bend Ranch State park (both are amazing), I recommend the town of Lajitas. It's a golf resort right between BB Natl Park and Big Bend Ranch St Pk. Very nice RV park. Just keep in mind, that if you go to BB, it's a long way away from anything, so plan accordingly. But, you should go. Especially in the spring. I would definitely spend two weeks at the RV park in Lajitas.

Ft Davis out near BB is awesome too. We've stayed in the State Park there. TX State Parks are pretty good, so stay there if you can. But, can be hard to get into.

We haven't done much around Houston or Dallas--we like hills & creeks etc, not flat land or beaches. don't bother with El Paso except to go to Camping World in Anthony TX (north of ELP). There's a KOA right next to Camping World. It's basically a parking lot, but a good place to overnight. WE stayed at another RV park in ELP and it was scary. KOA was not.

Marfa, near Big Bend, is fun and funky and lots of RV parks around. Go see the "MarfArt" as we call it. And the mysterious Marfa Lights. i wouldn't spend 2 weeks there tho.

We are headed to Palo Duro in July, so haven't been there yet. But, we are shooting to spend a week there or in nearby Amarillo.

Good luck with you travels. TX has a lot to offer. Just remember it is really, really, big.

Janis

mustang94 · 05-02-2016, 12:38 AM

Texas is really so big and depends on what you like. We are more into sight seeing of the lands so to speak. If you like the desert I would have to say Big Bend State park. Lots of wild life, plants and animals with great hiking trails and even some off road 4X4 trails right along the Rio Grande river. In the Hill country we love the Highpoint resort, Medina Highpoint Resort in Texas - RVC Outdoor Destination swimming pools, live music on Friday nights with all you can eat cat fish. Head north up into the Panhandle, things are a lot more open but some of the best BBQ in Texas The Big Texan were they will pick you up at your camp ground in a limo.... The Big Texan Steak Ranch
Or one of our favorites is a hole in the wall on privet property out in the middle of no where is Bearfoot Park right on the river and here you are more roughing it so to speak. Barefoot Camp and R.V. Park But if you like pine trees you might like east Davy Crockett National Forest. Very close to the first and oldest city in Texas, Nacogdoches.... not to far southeast for there it Martin Dies, Jr. State Park. First place I have ever seen wild gators and there are a few of them. Great park with lots of woods, just keep fido away from the water. If you like to stay and live right on the beach I would have to say Galveston Island State Park. Here you will park your RV on a asphalt area and beach is only a few feet away with the water about 100 or so feet. There is so much to see and do here week go for at least 2 week at a time and always do something different. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...and_Texas.html
just remember the saying here... EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS

Hunter11 · 05-02-2016, 12:56 AM

Fredericksburg and the Kerrville area are both good places to visit with a lot to do in the area. We are headed that way next week staying at Buckhorn Lake Resort just out of Kerrville. A lot of the State parks are very nice with hiking and biking trails. As said before, it is a big state so a lot to do and see.

mustang94 · 05-02-2016, 12:59 AM

WOW... sorry but forgot to mention the area right here where I live, Fort Hood. The biggest army training post in the united states. Lots to see on base just have to get your self a pass at the main gate. Here is a nice face book page. https://www.facebook.com/1st-Cavalry...-321982384784/ Just stay at one on many Corps of Engineers parks Search for Places - Recreation.gov from any of these you can head south less than a hour and see our state capital in Austin Texas.

mustang94 · 05-02-2016, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunter11

Fredericksburg and the Kerrville area are both good places to visit with a lot to do in the area. We are headed that way next week staying at Buckhorn Lake Resort just out of Kerrville.

When you stay at Buckhorn what are they calling there Executive spots? Maybe is it up over close to the adult only pool? We have been in a few camp grounds all around in this area and this was next on the list.

Hunter11 · 05-02-2016, 01:36 PM

Don, the sites in the adult section are what they call Executive at least that is what they said when I made the reservation. I usually get one of the regular pull thru sites when we go there but this time we are trying out the adults only section.

mustang94 · 05-02-2016, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunter11

Don, the sites in the adult section are what they call Executive at least that is what they said when I made the reservation. I usually get one of the regular pull thru sites when we go there but this time we are trying out the adults only section.

Just got a email back from them and from what it sound like is, its for motorhomes that want to pull straight in and all hook ups are on the other side. I guess so your view would be out the front rather than the back like a 5th wheel would be.

Teeitup26 · 05-03-2016, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buzz102

My wife and I plan to go to Texas in the winter. We have never been there. Would appreciate any nice RV park recommendations

Thanks

I don't know if you folks are golfers or not. Or how fancy you want the RV park. I have relatives in the San Saba area in the Hill Country. Google up the San Saba River RV and Golf Resort. I've played golf there several times but never been in an RV there. It's a quiet, low key type of place. Not sure if it's got the RV amenities you're looking for or how 'high end' you wish it to be. It's along a river with a heavy stand of live oak. Very pretty and so forth. But if you're looking for glitz this probably wouldn't be it.

**EA37TS** · 05-03-2016, 11:27 AM

Buzz,

This is coming from a person that is not a Texan but did three tours of duty in Texas (2 in El Paso and 1 in Killeen). My wife and I were planning to do this past winter in Texas, however, our daughter hatched the first grandchild on Halloween so becoming a Winter Texan was out of the question this past year and possibly this coming winter.

My experience with Texas is that there is too much to see and do and one must first decide their primary area of interest. Is that interest history, recreation or nature. Although all three areas of interest are generally available in all locations certain areas have more of one than the others or in the area of recreation more availability in one aspect than another. For example if you are into fishing the Corpus Christi or other gulf coast regions as well as areas with lakes or rivers may be of interest. On the other hand a fisherman would be lost in El Paso. El Paso, IMO, is a great place for someone that is into biking or jogging. I spent many mornings there watching the sunrise while my oldest daughter and I were riding bicycles on the desert trails or while taking a breather from jogging at the top of Trans Mountain Road. If El Paso is in your plans day trips to White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns and the arts district of Santa Fe, NM must be taken. Also no trip to El Paso is complete without at least one dinner at the Cattleman's Steakhouse. I still recall our motto for El Paso: "El Paso Texas, 30 miles from water and 3 feet from hell".

If your intent is to escape the brutal winters of the NE a word of advice. Some regions of Texas will get snow, ice and cold weather. It generally does not last long but it does happen. Also, unless you need an excuse for a new RV paint job I would recommend staying away from El Paso from mid Feb through the end of April. The wind storms will sand blast the paint right off an RV in a very short time.

Again this is my perspective as a non-Texan that spent a number of years in the state. And BTW, when we were looking last year our areas of concentration were around San Antonio and the area running from Corpus to Mission.

My only problem with Texas is that Armadillo World Headquarters no longer exists in Austin. I spent many a night in their beer garden listening to some great music.

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