9 WINTER TEXAN TIMES www.wintertexantimes.com MARCH 18, 2026 e m t t Winter Texans receive a warm welcome in RGV 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. Some of the first signs you see when entering the Rio Grande Valley are “Welcome to the RGV.” When Winter Texan season comes around though, you’ll also see signs all over the place that say, “Welcome Back Winter Texans.” Alano Johnston, who, with his wife, remembers their first visit to the RGV over 30 years ago. 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. “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. 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 stay and share word of how much they enjoy their new – or returning – winter home. We hear it all the time at events. At one recent event a Winter Texan told us this was their first time visiting the Valley and they will be back next year. She shared that neighbors barely let them unload before they were greeting them and telling them of all the places they needed to visit while in the Valley. Larry Boggs, a Winter Texan who hails from Branson, MO said, “They welcome you with open arms from the moment you 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 full-time 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, 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. As things become a little more expensive, and budgets become tighter, the Valley still offers ways to save money. Progreso is as much a Winter Texan hotspot as any place on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande. Arts, crafts, See PEOPLE pg. 16 See COST pg. 16 See WEATHER pg. 16 Visit the Rio Grande Valley Winter Texans enjoy the Progresso Tourist Day each year in March that the city puts on as a Thank You to its Winter visitors. (Photo by Herb Moering) Winter Texans shopping at Don Wes Flea Market. (Photo by Kathy Olivarez)
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