Seniors Find ‘The Oasis of Texas’

Del Rio, “The Oasis of Texas”,  with a population of 40,500, senior travelers will find by driving west of San Antonio for 150 miles. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña which is located in the Mexican state of Coahuila south of the Rio Grande River. This metropolitan area is also known as “Tierra de la Amistad”.

Del Rio is home to Laughlin Air Force Base, the busiest United States Air Force pilot training complex in the world. Del Rio’s growth got a huge boost when the Amistad Dam and Reservoir was built on the Rio Grande River in 1969. Built for flood control, irrigation, power, and recreation, today, it is a major recreational area.

Del Rio thrives with a ranching economy of primarily Angora goats and sheep, supplemented by tourism, trade with Mexico, and the Air Force military base with a population of 1,650.

Senior Visitors Seek Out The Amsted National Recreational Area

Del Rio was originally known as San Felipe Del Rio however the name was shortened to Del Rio by the USPD in 1883. The city of Del Rio can trace its history back to the 17th century, when Spanish colonists unsuccessfully attempted to settle the north and south side of the Rio Grande.

San Felipe Creek provided ample water for farms, orchards, and vineyards thanks to its many springs. Today, these springs feed millions of gallons of water into the creek, creating Del Rio’s pristine swimming holes, including Blue Lake and Horseshoe Park.

The Amistad National Recreational Area is a major draw for senior visitors. The beautiful blue water Lake Amistad was formed when the Rio Grande was dammed in 1969 and encompasses around 70,000 surface acres, which are shared between both Mexico and the United States.

History and Art abound in Del Rio. Justice of the Peace Judge Roy Bean is buried in Del Rio. See if you can find his tombstone.

 Seniors Enjoy Bass Fishing, Cave Art and Bull-Riding

Senior visitors can enjoy The Whitehead Memorial Museum, a western museum complex in downtown Del Rio. Don’t miss the huge Star of Texas made totally out of diamondback rattlesnake tails. Val Verde Winery is the oldest continuously running winery in Texas established in 1883 by Italian immigrant Frank Qualia.

Lake Amistad has some of the best bass fishing in Texas and the area is rich in archeology and rock art, and contains a wide variety of flora and fauna. Del Rio is home to the George Paul Memorial Bull-Riding, the oldest stand-alone bull riding event in the world.

Senior explorers can examine some of the oldest Native American cave paintings in North America and savor a glass of cabernet sauvignon or Sangiovese at the oldest winery in Texas.

Del Rio, Texas is an all-year vacation destination ideally suited for those seniors who love to explore the great outdoors. Enjoy Del Rio. -jeb