Leaving San Antonio on US 90 to the US-Texas border, the city of Del Rio lives up to its nickname as "the best of the border," especially where nature tourism is concerned. The city is an oasis lush with vegetation thanks to the San Felipe Springs, artesian wells gushing over 90 million gallons of water daily. The community is a favorite with anglers, campers, hikers, and birders.

“Del Rio is home to 320 species of birds,” says Susan Leonard, Tourism and Convention Director for the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce. “This is the place the Edwards Plateau, the South Texas brush country, and the Chihuahua Desert come together so we have birds you usually don’t see together.”

Fall makes the perfect time for camping at Seminole Canyon State Park, which also offers biking and hiking trails. Located northwest of Del Rio about nine miles past the town of Comstock, the park is a favorite with archaeology buffs and a perfect getaway for bird enthusiasts as well. Guided tours are offered of the canyon including a look at the mysterious pictographs, drawn on canyon walls about 8,500 years ago. The paintings in the caves and on canyon walls represent animals, Native Americans, and supernatural shamans, but their meaning is still unknown. For more about the pictographs, make a stop at the Rock Art Foundation, located about a mile west of the park and opening on Saturdays at 12:30 pm. The foundation takes guided tours to the White Shaman rock shelter.

If an outdoor getaway means water to you, then you’re in luck in the Del Rio area as well. Water lovers can scuba dive Lake Amistad, the massive lake formed by three rivers including the Rio Grande. Amistad, derived from the Spanish word for friendship, was a joint project between Mexico and the US. Today it's a vacationer's delight and offers watersports of all varieties. Anglers are tempted with bass, crappie, catfish, and striper. Professional guides are available to help lead the way to a great fishing spot.

The best way to see the lake is aboard a boat, and the most luxurious ride is aboard a houseboat. Forever Resorts (www.foreverresorts.com) leases luxury houseboats to invite travelers to explore the innumerable coves tucked inside sheer canyon walls. The houseboats offer a home away from home with luxuries ranging from separate bedrooms to fully equipped kitchens. If you’d prefer to overnight on land, Del Rio is home to numerous hotels as wellincluding the Hotel Ramada Inn.

The combination of bountiful water and warm weather attracted Italian immigrant Frank Qualia to this region to establish the state’s oldest winery. For more on the region’s history, visit Whitehead Memorial Museum, best known for its replica of the Jersey Lilly, Judge Roy Bean's saloon and courtroom. (The original Jersey Lilly remains in Langtry, about 60 miles west of Del Rio.) Judge Bean and his son Sam are buried behind the replica of the saloon, their graves marked with simple headstones. The museum hosts many special events throughout the year.

Ciudad Acuna

Across the river from Del Rio stands Ciudad Acuña (877-717-9966, www.turismoacuna.com.). Bus service runs from Del Rio to bridge or you’ll find a parking lot on the Texas side if you would like to park nearby. Taxi service whisks shoppers to Ciudad Acuña, about a mile and half away, for the chance to shop its numerous stores, especially along Hidalgo Street. Don’t miss Indio Boots with a huge selection of western boots in various leathers and El Trebol Tile with an array of colorful tiles.

So that you don’t shop ‘til you drop, you’ll find plenty of restaurants in the region. One of the best known is Crosbys. The menu features Tex-Mex food, steaks, seafood, and fish from nearby Lake Amistad. Other popular stops include La Macarena Restaurant Bar, built in 1942, and Amigos Bar.

For nightlife fun, The Corona Club features both country and rock music and visitors can dance the night away on the outdoor patio. Recently the Corona Club has been featuring New Texas musicians such as Pat Green.

Nature lovers also find plenty of activity near Ciudad Acuña; Coahuila was once home to numerous dinosaurs including the Tyrannosaur, Albertosaur, and the duck-billed Hadrosaur. Today several quarries in the region are designated as paleontological reserves.

Ciudad Acuña is also home to several well-known hotels such as the Best Western Hotel Villa Real, just five blocks from the International Bridge, and Hotel San Antonio, just three blocks from the border.

For more information:

• visit http://www.drchamber.com/

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