11 WINTER TEXAN TIMES www.wintertexantimes.com MARCH 12, 2025 You’ll receive a warm welcome in Texas Time and again, Winter Texans list friendliness as big a reason to live here. Not only does that include their neighbors in the park or other parks, but also the people in the community who are happy to have Winter Texans because they appreciate the economic and other benefits they bring to the Valley. Alan Johnston remembers coming to the Rio Grande Valley from Minnesota over 30 years ago. One of the first things Johnston saw were signs that said, “Welcome Back Winter Texans.” After the couple’s unimpressive experiences in Arizona and Florida the previous two seasons, the warm welcome in South Texas was just what they needed. The friendly people here made them feel right at home. “We went to Florida first and the people on the East Coast, they were too much, and the ones on the West Coast said, ‘When are you going to go back to Minnesota.’” Johnston said while the couple enjoyed a local event last year. “Then the next year, we went to Phoenix, and It’s the weather that brings them back The beautiful subtropical weather of South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley is definitely one of the biggest attractions for Winter Texans. There could be as much as a 100-degree difference between South Texas and places like Northern Minnesota or South Dakota. The Rio Grande Valley is definitely a joy to live in, especially if the other option includes snow, ice and all things frozen. The average high between December and February runs from 70-74 degrees (but can reach into the 80s) and lows are generally between 49 and 54 – with the token warning once or twice a year that a frost is on its way, sending fulltime residents scurrying to cover their outdoor plants. The mild winter temperatures – and no snow – allows folks to get out and be active during the winter months. For Winter Texans that means playing golf, racing RC cars, playing pickleball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, cycling, bird watching and many other outdoor activities – often with temperatures in the 70s. Wayne Watts said, in 2018, he would be back home right now Get more for your dollar in the Valley As our winter visitors come to the Valley, it seems they are more frugal when it comes to where they go. They want to have a great time, but they don’t want to spend the money they’ve saved and earned to go just toward living expenses. They want to live it up – from dances and shows to trips to South Padre Island and Nuevo Progreso, Mexico and, of course all the free events that take place on a daily occurrence at the RV resorts. Progreso is as much a Winter Texan hotspot as any place on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande. Arts, crafts, medicine as well as deliciously prepared adult beverages and a world of exquisite fajitas, Visit the Rio Grande Valley we couldn’t get a place to park our motorhome unless we were going to stay for a month. That snobbishness didn’t appeal to us.” As new Winter Texans get situated in their park, they are already making new friends. Those open arms and friendly, caring faces are a big reason that Winter Texans Progreso Winter Tourist Appreciation Day, 2018. Photo by Herb Moering Winter Texans shopping at Don Wes Flea Market. Photo by Kathy Olivarez The palms trees are a staple in the warm weather in South Texas that brings Winter Texans to the Rio Grande Valley. See WELCOME pg. 17 See DOLLAR pg. 18 See WEATHER pg. 17
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