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Del Rio, "The Best of the Border"
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:
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