We’re just connecting the dots
WINTER TEXAN
Volume 11 • Issue 19 March 11, 2026
Welcome Home RGV
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A Season of Tours and Travel With
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Sometimes being a local tourist can be just as much fun as being an actual tourist. It always surprises me when I mention one of the Rio Grande Valley’s landmarks or attractions and hear “locals” say they’ve never even heard of it. That’s exactly why our local tours are where it all begins. Sharing the places, history, and hidden gems of our region with both our Winter Texan friends and our local community is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. There is so much to see and experience right here in our own backyard; sometimes it just takes someone to point the way. For many travelers, it all starts with a simple day tour. People join us once out of curiosity and, before long, they’re hooked. The next question is almost always the same: What’s next? The good news is we’re already working on an incredible lineup for next season, with plenty of new day trips, overnight tours, and extended adventures in the works. Whether you’re discovering something new for the first time or finally visiting a place you’ve driven past for years, we’d love to have you join us on the journey.
Thank You
SEASON SPONSORS 2025-2026
Tours & Travel by Welcome Home RGV’s Sarah Denzer and Stella Riester at the Tower of the Americas
One of the San Antonio missions serves as the backdrop for a tour-group photo. Story by Eryn Reddell Wingert Photos by Welcome Home RGV Staff
“It was a mini cattle drive, as far as us city folks are concerned.” Kim Matson is referring to an incredible moment during a recent King Ranch day trip with
Welcome home RGV. A herd of about 30 Texas Longhorn cattle--including a few calves--moving through the ranch, passing alongside the group’s tour bus. “It was quite spectacular,” Matson said, referencing the different patterns of each animal and how they didn’t seem
aggressive, or even large, except for their notorious horns. Longhorns weren’t the only intriguing sight. Matson says they saw all kinds of wildlife--peacocks strutting around the historic ranch home and lots of wild CONTINUED ON PAGE 2