This campground is filled with mostly winter Texans and the folks we met were very friendly. The park is older but well kept. The pool & hot tub were sparkling clean. The small laundromat had new machines. Lots of activities if you like to join in. Just 2 miles north of the World Birding Center which was fantastic. Nice area with tropical weather. We would definitely stay here again. The only negatives were gravel instead of cement pads, the water & electric hookups were too low to the ground, and our site was near a busy road so we had some traffic noise. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

A very nice, small park which I prefer for long stays. It is an older park but pretty well maintained. I stayed in Americana for three months. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They had several water problems so be sure to fill your fresh water tank. The Wi-Fi was flaky. I was close to the clubhouse (71) where the router is located so I had pretty slow reception most of the time. People any further away had to go to the clubhouse. The site was preferred; it had a nice concrete patio and was quite large but had only 30 Amp service. Cheaper sites behind me were all gravel but had 50 Amps!? The salt water pool is small but very nice and never crowded. The hot tub was the favored spot. There were lots of activities and the area has no limit of attractions. I would stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We chose this park "blind" and lucked out. Our site had good shade much of the day and was spacious. Many sites had a concrete pad next to the parking location plus a paved walk from the road to the pad. The rate shown included full hookups and no additional charge for electric. Most of the people in the park appeared to be here for the winter and came from the upper midwest US or central and western Canada. Everyone was very friendly and welcomed us for our 8 day stay. The managers in particular were outgoing and helpful. Laundry was clean as were restrooms. There are frequent activities and field trips offered to guests during the winter. All sites were back-in. Some "super premium" sites had no shade, nor did the "standard" sites on the south side of the park, a factor to consider as it was sunny and in the mid-80s in mid-March. The atmosphere in the park was very relaxed. Wi-Fi was available at the recreation building but our Verizon and Virgin Mobile air cards were slow. The amazing Bentsen State Park and World Birding Center is just two miles south of the park. It is a must-see! No cars are allowed into the park, so walking or biking is enjoyable. Although there are many campground choices in the vicinity, we would stay in this campground again due to the nice staff and guests. We camped here in a Motorhome.

From the moment we arrived, everyone was very friendly and welcoming. Many of the residents come back every year, but were still friendly. The staff is very friendly and helpful. There were plenty of activities available as well as the birding center in the park. The laundry was a little small for the size of the park. The bathroom and showers were clean. The clubhouse and lounge were very nice, too. The only complaint was that the lots for the "transients" were very tight. It was fine for the first week but then someone else moved in beside us and they were right on top of us. I would definitely stay here again but stay in a larger (more expensive) lot. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Rate reflects a weekly ($129.99) special. We really liked this park. Not as many fancy amenities as others in the Rio Grande Valley, but big sites under very large trees, super friendly managers, good laundry facility. Also a great lending library and a comfortable clubhouse. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is a 55+ park with a combination of mobile homes, park models and various RVs. The RV sites are mostly on gravel but some are on grass. If you do get on a grass site, don't back too close to the fence, especially if you are heavy. Coming in or leaving after a rain on grass can be difficult. The spaces are rather close but the neighbors are normally friendly and many gatherings of chairs occur in the afternoons. This is a gated community at night. There are many activities offered at the park during the winter months. Many Winter Texans come from across America and Canada, developing this park into a very friendly community. It is down the road from the birding park that is on one of the major 'flyways' for birds coming from South America. The Quaker parrot thrives here and frequently will make visits in the morning and afternoon to feed, frequently stopping traffic on road. It is likely we will return here for another extended stay during the winter. If you are interested in a Baptist church in the area, the FBC in McAllen is an excellent choice with both preaching and music. They also post some services on the Internet. Currently Progresso in the Donna / Weslaco area is the only safe crossing into Mexico. Many at the park are here to have dental work done in Mexico. There is heavy Mexican troop concentration to assure your safety as this city depends totally on the American and Canadians who come to buy and have dental work done. I think most of the dentists actually live in TX and commute across to work to avoid the malpractice premiums they pass on to the patient. It is possible to have a crown totally done in a day as good as in America but for under $200 each. Donwes (a contraction of the city names) has a large flea market Wednesdays & Friday – Sunday. There is a large fruit market across the street daily. Expect traffic when the flea market is open. We made many trips to the fruit market! We camped here in a Motorhome.

Overview: It is a mature park. I hesitate to call it an older park as it wears it's age well. With the maturity of the park comes many of the things that attracted me to it. It is a smaller park with about 125 spaces, lots of mature trees for ample shading for most of the spaces and just enough facilities to make it enjoyable.‬ ‪AmeriCana is in a good location close to I-83. It is only 3 miles from Bentsen State Park which is the birding capital to the world. There are many other RV parks in the vicinity so you will see many other Winter Texans biking and walking in the area.‬ ‪This also puts it close to just about any big box store you could ever want, many eateries, movie theaters, malls and gas stations. A few blocks to the west is an area that is a bit run down but I never felt uncomfortable driving through the area. ‬ The lots are one of the most attractive features of AmeriCana. The premium lots are large compared to most parks in the area at the same price point. Each premium lot has a cement patio and is well shaded. Most RV parks would have split them in two and stuffed another RV in the same spot. Each lot has at least a couple of trees with ground cover instead of dirt or gravel. The RV sits on a gravel pad as does your tow vehicle or towed if you have one. The economy lots can be small and cramped with a gravel surface and no cement patio. I highly recommend paying the few extra dollars for a premium site. If you use satellite TV or internet be sure to let them know so you will get a lot with a clear view to the south. All sites are back in and there are lots to fit any size RV. Since this is a mature park the roads are a bit narrow. Two vehicles can pass side by side but that is about it. With the lots being as large as they are I did not observe anyone having a problem backing into their sites. I would guess that 25% of the lots taken by permanent seasonal units that were all kept up very nicely. Each site is full hook up with 30 and/or 50 amp service, water and sewer. Sewer hookups are towards the rear of the lot so make sure you have enough hose to reach, I needed 30 foot of hose. My site had 50 amp only but I have an adapter to hook it up to my 30 amp cable. I never had a problem with electric power or water pressure. The water is hard as it left a lot of water spots when I washed my truck. Cable TV is available through the local cable company. I did not use it as reception was very good for the 4 major networks using my over the air antenna. Free Wi-Fi is available in the park clubhouse only. Air card reception using Verizon was excellent. The park as a pool and hot tub located next to the clubhouse. While not huge they are adequate considering the size of the park. There is a nice patio around the pool/hot tub and it was always clean and neat. There are men and ladies bathrooms with showers located close to the pool. The bathrooms were nice and clean but the showers are a bit on the small size. The laundry room has 4 pay washers and dryers. Also available are mail boxes if you plan on receiving mail. The clubhouse has ample seating for activities and has a large kitchen that is used for weekly breakfasts and other activities. The park is very pet friendly and you will always see someone walking their dog. At the back of the park is a bird sanctuary. It is privately owned by one of the park seasonal residents and it provides a nice stop to have a nice short walk in a wooded area and view a few birds at the feeding station. There are a number of activities planned each day. This varies from Spanish lessons to Bible Study, Exercise classes, Poker, Pokeno, Computer help and bike rides. There are also a number of special events each month that are one time events. I did not participate in the activities but I seen the Pokeno, poker, Spanish lessons and the weekly jam session were very popular. Cost: I paid $130.00 weekly including electric. Daily rates are $30 with monthly rates are $400 not including electric. Good Sam is accepted for a few day on the daily rate. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at AmeriCana. The hosts are super friendly and helpful and all of the parks guests/residents were great. My favorite things was the ample shading and comfortable laid back atmosphere of the park. It was great to have birds in the trees throughout the park instead of a barren plot with little to no landscaping. Almost every evening I would sit on the patio just to relax in the shade and chat with the other guests as they walked by. Almost ever day a flock of parakeets would fly in to occupy the local vegetation. My neighbor had a a hummingbird feeder out and it was interesting to see them fly in to have a drink. I would highly recommend AmeriCana RV Park to anyone visiting the Rio Grande Valley and would suggest that you upgrade to a premium site if at all possible. I would have rated it a 10 if they had Wi-Fi throughout the park. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

I usually travel in an RV, but this time I'm renting an apartment in the resort. Small park, not many people here during this time of year. Very nice personnel, even the the maintenance man. Very nice people in the park. Has a salt water pool and spa, which I enjoyed almost every day. Located on Bentsen Palm Drive, which has a great wide street out front to ride a bike to the state park. There's a birding area in the back of the park which is my favorite part of the park. Follow the trail, in the center is an area with chairs to watch the bird feeders. They have a bin of bird feed, and a water fountain that can be plugged in to attract the birds. There's jugs to fill with water to put into the fountain. When walking through the birding trail, many birds flew all around. I sat to watch, but don't know enough to ID the birds. Great start to learning birding, which this area is famous for. One couple has 5 dogs with them, so they aren't fussy about that. I have two dogs, and it's great to walk them around because there are hardly any tack weeds/goatspurs like in the other parks we visited. They have a rec room that's not air conditioned during non-Winter Texas seasons, but is nice. The kitchen has beautiful blue tile work in it. "Library" is along a wall in the kitchen. Laundry room is open 24/7, is clean and all works. Restrooms with showers are also clean. This probably has the most mature landscaping in the RGV parks. Has big trees, with lots of birds in them. Guess there's some parrots that roost here for a while during the year. It was real windy in the Pharr area, but not in this park, but enough wind to keep it cooler this time of year. The apartment I'm in was the best rate in the valley (I'm looking to buy a home in a resort). It was spacious, had a private patio to let my dogs do their business. But all their apartments have about three dozen pictures on the walls in each room. Had pokemo (?) 3 times a week during the summer. I had fun playing it with my neighbors here! Near a Dollar General, for a quickie supply stop. We camped here in a Campground Cabin.

This RV park has greatly deteriorated in a year's time. We camped here for two months last year -- the fabulous manager couple has been replaced by six totally inept, unfriendly persons. The birding area has grown over. Electricity comes and goes, as does water pressure. No picnic tables, Wi-Fi only in office. Will not be back. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We paid half price with Passport America membership - with restrictions. The sites are close together. The entrance is poor for big rigs. If you tow a car it would be best to disconnect before entering the park. Our 50A electric was very poor, the sewer connection needs a very long hose. There is a laundry & WiFi in rec room, planned activities, small pool and spa. We would not stay again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Actually has 800 to 850 total sites. Many have park models or larger on them. The $17 is based on the monthly rate. I am not sure what a "resort" is, but if this park is a resort, then we saw several "luxury resorts" while touring the valley. It is upscale compared to many we drove by. We liked it enough in our 30 day stay that we booked 3 months for next year. More activities than many other parks. We have friends that have stayed here for 3 years. We liked it because it was at the far west side of the Rio Grande Valley. Map Source shows it is actually in Palmview, TX. There were bike trails and the birding center just down the road. The weather, especially wind, appeared to be better than if you were over on the Gulf Coast. Good 3G data card service. We did not try the Wi-Fi but my understanding was that it was not free. Someone flagged this park as "family friendly." Like most of the parks in the valley, this park is geared to the 55 and older crowd and they might allow children to visit for a short period, but while we were there we never saw a child. VERY FEW pull through sites. We did not see any where you could pull in and not have to unhook. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This our second stay at this RV park because of the spacious level sites, great facilities, park amenities including an indoor pool, and lots of activities and shows. The winter Texans here are very friendly and helpful. The fee WiFi has improved. This is our home when visiting the RGV. We camped here in a Motorhome.

In general the park is very nice but positioned in a somewhat questionable area with lots of traffic and seemingly no police enforcement. The lots along the western side are very noisy because of traffic on Watson Road which is more race track the street. In addition, the lots are never cleaned or raked before your arrival and they expect you to do the maintenance. And as is the case with many parks in this area, the wireless is terrible and unusable at least half the time and the phone number for customer service never responds to calls. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

A nice and very friendly place. Lots of things going on. However the roads and sites are bit dated. Mostly older park models with spaces for RVs interspersed through out the park. The RV sites are gravel/dirt and the levelers/stabilizers tend to sink in 3-6 inches so you definitely need to use some sort of extra wide pads. Also, when backing in you definitely need a copilot as there are trees that could cause a problem in most sites. The staff will help you with this without hesitation. The security seemed to be good. Nearby to one of the Bird sanctuaries, in fact one could ride your bike there with ease. We would come again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Rate is based on a monthly rate. Electricity is extra (for monthly stays) and expensive at $.17 per KW. Cable is extra. Rates are based on site size. We parked in a larger site with enough space between neighbors. RV sites are interspersed with park models and mobile homes. This is an older park in which some sites are across a 2-lane highway. No problem with Verizon cell and Verizon air card. There is a wide variety of activities during the winter months. The winter Texans were very friendly. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Shore Services: 30 & 50amp good service, Sewer good, Water @ 30 psi, a little weak for us; WiFi: Weak - Didn't use it.This internet is not free cost about $24 per month. We Used our Sprint Air Card.; AT&T Cell Phone: Strong; Sprint Air Card: EVDO -80 to -84. Used small antenna got -78; Cable: Good; Site: Not real tight could put out awining. Plenty of room front and back; Site Size: about 20 x 70. Mainly dirt and some grass.; Roads: Paved; Restrooms: didn't use; Laundry: Good; Long term tentants: This is mainly a Snow Bird park like most in this area. Directv Satellite: From our site good signal. 59 - 179; Discounts: Good Sam only; Stayed a week & 3 days; Payment: Check or Cash No Credit cards; Additional Charges: Refundable deposit for entry card and dog walk card. Do not use your GPS to make your way here. Call the park and get directions. Entrance is at Lat 26.21900 & Long -98.37332. Streets & Trips 2009 has a good location. We camped here in a Motorhome.

A very dated park in need of refurbishing. We camped on the "west side" of the park. A lot of overgrown tree limbs and potholes in the blacktop. A full schedule of activities is available. We camped here because we couldn't get into our first choice down the road near the Bensten State Park. The upside is the great grapefruit trees scattered throughout the park--the pickins are delicious! A good park if others are full in the area. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Great park for the RVG, with all the facilities including indoor pool, lots of activities and exercise room. Good friendly and helpful staff. Most of the residents are winter Texans; who were very nice, friendly and helpful. We plan on a longer stay next year. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We paid $530 for one month plus electricity. They accept cash or check but no credit cards. This is an over 55 park with lots of activities catering to winter Texans. There is a weekly activity schedule, assigned mail boxes, and a key card to access some places. A work-kamper took us around on a golf cart so we could pick our site. Some of sites needed the trees trimmed and others just didn't allow enough turning radius for a large rig. We picked our site and then found that the service was only 30amp. The staff had us upgraded to 50amp within 24 hours. Our neighbors awning (when extended) is about 7 feet from the side of our rig. The sites are mainly filled by park models and the RV's fill in on the empty places. The wi-fi is an extra charge and is very poor. They are "working on it". We would stay here again when visiting the Valley. We camped here in a Motorhome.

If you are looking for a place to stay awhile, this place is great. It is a 55+ park. They cater to Winter Texans. The many activities and friendly folks bring us back in our fifth wheel year after year. They are in the process of updating some sites to better accommodate the new RV's. The nightly rate I quoted is an estimated one based on a long term stay. I highly recommend this park to those who want to stay awhile. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Bentsen Grove was an orange grove once upon a time. Each site has its own citrus fruit tree of some kind. We have stayed here for extended winter stays 3 years now. I agree with the review that at first blush this place is a "trailer" park as many sites have been taken over by park models, trailers, and even double-wides, but they are interested in us RV-ers as we are their future, after all. What we like most about this place is the people -- the activities (lots of golf and music groups) and the camaraderie. It is a 55 and over park, and because it has been around awhile there are some old-timers, but young folks are welcome for limited stays, and my husband and I love all ages -- the greatest generation and us baby-boomers! We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

In contrast to the previous reviewer, we have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Bentsen Grove Resort. We are staying 2 months this winter and will likely stay 3 months next winter. The various facilities are plentiful and well maintained. We found the office staff extremely friendly and helpful. Regarding children, although the park is listed as a 55+ community, they welcome children and grandchildren for visits. We love it here and plan to come back each winter, but stay longer to enjoy the mild Texas winters. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

They advertise for RVers in the big directories, but the sign outside say it all "Trailer Park". This place offers a lot if you are a seasonal camper staying 3-6 months, but it has no business advertising as an RV park for short timers (a month or less). We made reservations several months ahead, but were not advised that the office is closed ALL day Sunday. (And closed most of Saturday, unhandy since lots of us travel on weekends to avoid traffic and construction). They can be closed any day they want, but they didn't tell us they would be closed the day we arrived. In the parking lot were 2 other dazed new arrivees, all trying to figure out what to do. We are used to having a packet of info with name, site number, how to get there, rules, hints, etc. waiting when the office is closed. NOTHING HERE. Though it wasn't their job, the very kind residents of this Trailer Park (not an RV Park, in my opinion), helped us decode various symbols on our confirmation form to find our site. The reservation form was out because the directions for arrival were poor and we had to make a big U-turn in the middle of the road (because our phone call to the office was not answered, of course). When we went in to register on Monday, we didn't get the Good Sam discount we had been quoted over the phone. They claimed we had requested a different lot that costs the same, but has no discounts (figure that logic!). My wife is Ms. Meticulous and would have noted all that...they didn't tell us that. They suggested we could just move if we wanted the discount. These jokers (especially one) have NEVER been in a RV in their lives, have never leveled, unhooked a trailer hooked up utilities, etc. "Just move if you want the discount." is an insult. These folks NEVER said they were sorry about any problems we had. Stay away from this place and tell your friends to do so until they change the management. Nice park, great residents, unfortunately run by idiots. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Are you kidding me? This has to be, hands down, the nicest RV park we have ever stayed in. Beautiful landscaping, outstanding amenities, quiet and plenty of room between sites. It is also gated. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

One of the nicest parks I've stayed in. Earned its 10/10/10 Good Sam rating. Level concrete pads. Good Wi-Fi. Mostly friendly Winter Texans staying on a long-term basis. This is a city park, so do not expect state park wilderness. It's a nice place and I'll go back. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This resort is a wonderful place to spend the winter. We have never experienced any difficulty making reservations.  The resort is about eight years old.  The sites are large compared to others places we have stayed. All landscape with native Texas plants. Palm trees scattered around. Seems like something is always in bloom.  The resort is pet friendly with a fenced dog park. Activities galore, crafts with instruction if desired, wood shop, potluck dinners, entertainment, barbecues, party's, jam sessions, golf . I could go on and on. The resort is gated and we have never felt insecure. The managers and all the workers are always friendly and willing to help.   We have stayed here several seasons and never been bothered with late night noise or loud party's.  The park is about 3 miles from the main  roads so no street noise and no street lights in the resort. Makes it great for star gazing. The people we have met in this  resort as well as many full time residents in Mission and McAllen  are the friendliest you will find anywhere. Many have become lifelong friends. This is truly a destination resort with top ratings in several campground directories. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is an old park that has been taken over by a local builder. The manager was very friendly. The rate quoted is based on a 3 month rate. The sites are spacious. The tiny activity room was not heated or air conditioned. It could not hold many people and half the people who wanted to attend events could not get in. It borders a state park and daily admission is free to this park's residents. There were activities and there were many, many work campers to help with activities. The drawbacks of this park were 1. Getting a reservation. No one would answer the phone and no one would call back. 2. Border patrol were doing their job, but the constant low flying helicopters were disturbing. 3. Though fenced in, coyotes roamed inside the park at night and evidence of their droppings were everywhere. 4. Illegals knocked on one camper's door and asked for help in the middle of the night. 5. Even though this is a 55+ park, campers were very rude with noise late into the night. Parties, yelling, laughing, private bands playing in a volume that carried from one end of the park to the other and some work campers were at those parties so no use complaining. If you want a quiet atmosphere, this is not the place to go. If you want to feel that you are in a safe environment, McAllen/Mission area is not the place to go. AK47's were traded in the closest grocery store parking lot and Border Patrol were often on high speed chases through the area. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a beautiful park located just outside the entrance to the Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Pk. The park is clean and with beautiful native plants between every site to attract the butterflies and birds. The park provides free admission to the State Park which is a World Birding Centre park. For a nominal charge ($10) you can sign up to take a pontoon boat ride on the Rio Grande River piloted by one of the RV park workers. They also offer free kayak boat trips on the river. There are many fun activities to partake in; our favourite was Margarita Wednesdays. For $1 you get a margarita and if you bring an appy to share you can partake in a whole table full of goodies. Xmas Dinner was very nice with the Park cooking the turkey and providing the gravy; each table of 8 then provided the rest of the meal. The pool and hot tub were very clean as was the rest of the park. Note that the pool and Club House are located at one end of the RV park so you might have a walk to go to these amenities depending on your site. We found everyone at the park to be extremely friendly including the managers. The RV park recycles almost everything which we were very glad to see; a rarity for TX and most other states. The Wi-Fi worked well for email but found only worked for Skype with Audio only. The montly rate is $632 for standard pull-thru site. The park has 3 phones located at a number of common areas that are free for long distance calls to Canada and the US which was great. We would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a wonderful campground but seemed to have problems in the office. Do they know what's going on? We really liked the large site and the fact the everyone was so friendly. But, did not like some the the "new rules" enacted, apparently recently, that included restrictions on laundry usage, and on the state park through-gate usage that had attracted us to stop here. The park gate was an excellent place to get our dogs through to the park walking area but it was locked. For what we paid, we would have expected basic advertised park "frills". These were big disappointments to an otherwise top line park. We camped here in a Motorhome.

The nicest park I've seen in the valley. Beautiful landscaping and friendly people. Would have rated higher if their Wi-Fi worked. Considering this park is one of the highest priced in the area I would have expected a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Their website states their Wi-Fi "really works." Not so. If they could fix this problem this would be a 10 rated park. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Very nice new park. The pull throughs are in circles so they are of good size and you do not see coaches across from you. Originally planned 8 day but ended up 3 weeks. Very nice club house and excellent office staff. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a beautiful place to stay, especially if one is a birder. Location is next to Bentsen State Park and World Birding Center and has a gate from the park into the park for ease of use by park residents. Flowers and shrubs had recovered from a winter freeze and the blooms made for beautiful sites. Sites are concrete with plenty of space and grass between sites. Two laundry buildings and lots to do during the season. Staff and residents were friendly and answered any questions we had. The dog exercise area is one of the best we have seen. This is a difficult place to get into during the season as it is by far one of the nicest in the Valley. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is our third time at this park. Three months this year and the previous year. The park is not getting the TLC that it had been receiving in other years. A lot more needs to be done regarding repairs at sites, landscaping and enforcing guidelines in the areas of parking, pet behavior, etc. Resident organized activities regarding golf and cycling are excellent. Some other comments: Included Cable TV had very limited number of channels. Included Wi-Fi was reliable and the speed was good. HiSpeed Internet was available @ $$$$. Swimming pool was very small. Pets here, however management does not insure that pet guidelines are enforced. The Club House was too small for such a park. No AC and no heat. No kitchen facilities. Has free Long Distance phone from stations in the park. Rate is based on monthly rate. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Very nice clean, quiet park at the end of the road. Management was top-notch and very helpful. We didn't have reservations and were initially told they were booked up, but in further conversation they said they had a cancellation and we could have a lot for 3 nights. They even took us to the site in a golf cart to see if we liked it. The surrounding area was the height of poverty, but the park was top-notch. Would return if in the area again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a lovely snowbird park, mostly motor homes and 5th wheels, where most seem to be here for 2-4 mos., and most seem to know each other from previous years. Friendly if you make the effort to socialize. The dog park is terrific, and there are many pet lovers/nature lovers here. Neat and secure in what appears to be an area that needs gated parks. We liked this park and would stay again for a short time. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

This is a very nice, very large, and quiet RV park located in the popular Rio Grande Valley. Sites are very level, with concrete pads. There is a huge pet area, complete with a dog agility park. The landscaping is very nice and well maintained. The park has bicycles on loan (no charge), which are nice for riding in the adjacent state park which is also a bird watching park. Management was helpful and friendly, as were the other park residents. There is a very nice community of snowbirds/winter Texans who included us in the Park's Christmas dinner (we arrived late afternoon Christmas Eve). It is one of the nicest parks we have stayed in, and will return if we are in the RGV again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

The manager was very rude. The park was neat and clean. Concrete pads are close to 90 degrees off the street and rather hard to back onto with a long 5th wheel and long tow vehicle. The lub house is small and unheated. The pool tables were outside under a thatched roof. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

The nightly rate of $20 is based on a month-long stay at a discounted monthly rate. We stayed in a premium site, which had a full concrete pad, and a coach house. These nicely landscaped sites are along the perimeter, and each one has a BBQ grill in the grassy area behind the coach. We really enjoyed this park! The people were great and there were loads of amenities. There were bikes, kayaks and ATVs available for loan. This park is adjacent to the Rio Grande river, and there are plenty of places to go hiking, biking and kayaking. There was a nice clubhouse, fitness center, wood shop, craft room, pool and spa. We will definitely go back! We camped here in a Motorhome.

Price is for monthly rental. Really nice up scale park with cement sites and border plantings. Friendly, helpful staff. Nice huge dog run and very friendly residents. Loads of birds at our feeders. Probably the nicest commercial park we've ever been in. Right next door to Bentsen State Park and World Birding Center headquarters, a top birding destination. We would definitely return. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is probably the best landscaped RV resort we have been in our 4 years of full time RV'ing. The sites are concrete with lots of shrubs and grass, well maintained. The staff is very helpful. There are complimentary bicycles and passes to the State Park (excellent birding) that's across the road. The butterfly park is down the road although in season the Resort is full of butterfly's. There are free kayaks to use on the river that's not far away. For long term winter Texan stays there is a complimentary computer modem to use through the on site cable TV. The club house is not the fanciest but there are regular activities for the residents. This rate shown is for a monthly rate plus electric at 16 cents per KWH. We would stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This park is absolutely beautiful, quiet, and clearly a 10 plus with regard to facilities. It is located right next door to Bentsen State Park, the birding and butterfly centers, and they even provide bicycles and kayaks to take advantage of the trails. The sites are beautifully landscaped and paved (mostly concrete). Dog lovers will be hard pressed to find a better off leash area at any park anywhere. There are only a couple of permanent type sites, and lots of returning Winter Texans. The pool is smaller than one would expect. The staff was extremely nice and helpful. I rated the park down due to its reservation policies which permit February residents to reserve a specific site for the following year resulting in turning away lots of folks, or causing them to move to a different site and then having vacancies due to cancellations which occur with regularity and with only a minimal penalty. If you're not a returning guest from the previous year, it can be very difficult to get into this park during January or February. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Clean park that is well maintained. Even a big fenced dog playground. Staff has been the best! Plenty of activities. The whole area around BPV is great for walking or riding bikes. State park with world bird center next door. Planned to stay 1 month and ended up here for 3. Price is for their daily rate. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is an excellent park to spend some time in the RGV. All sites are concrete with well manicured grass around that. Flowers and shrubs planted between sites. The back in sites in the 200 number range are a little close together but you can put all slides and awnings out without a problem. I highly recommend this park if you are in this area. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Excellent park for an exteded stay in the Rio Grande Valley. Easy acess and very friendly staff and residents. Paid monthly rates so costs reflect. Some sites could use a little watering. Large fenced dog run. We will stay here again when in the RGV. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Superb! Spotless facilities. Beautifully landscaped. What every commercial campground should aspire to but I have to ask myself just how much money it must have taken to develop this place and how their per diem fee can be this low. We found ourselves considering a long term rental here for the winter months. Commercial camping just does not get any better than this place. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This may be the nicest natural looking park we have stayed in. It is comfortable with 3 sections of large sites, some shaded, arranged in a circle around a large natural area. There are also newly added jumbo back-in sites. All sites have a concrete patio. The surrounding grounds are well landscaped. This area is a spot popular for migrating birds, hence flowering plants are planted throughout the park. The pool and spa are delightful, as are the very friendly office staff. This is a park to put on you list if you haven't been here! We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Best park I've ever been in. Mostly new, spotless, great guest services staff and office staff. Love it, love it! We camped here in a Motorhome.

Great birding park, nice younger crowd. Walk way,s bike trails, concrete pads, workshop, and most of all friendly people. We camped here in a Motorhome.

The sites are nice. The Rec Hall has NO heat or air conditioning. The outside swimming pool is small. The wifi is slow and sometimes it does not work. The cable TV has a few channels. We would NOT stay there again! We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is our second most favorite park in the valley. We liked being outside the birding state park. The area around is developing with new homes and an owner-based park next door. We were lucky to get in for a few nights since most reservations are made a year in advance. The man we first talked to was short and told us they had no openings. I called back minutes later telling the lady we really wanted to visit their place for at least a few nights to see how we liked it. She was very accommodating and got us in. The only complaint we had was the tight roads. It is difficult to back into some of the sites if you have a large RV. We saw several people have problems. Otherwise, a great place to stay with many amenities and nice landscaping. We camped here in a Motorhome.

New campground that rates lower than a resort, but better than a campground. Back-in concrete sites a bit close together. Unique circles of RV's and very large sites also available. Mostly Canadians and mid-westerners spending the winter. Only a couple of park models which are for rent, as well as several "casitas". Nice landscaping, right next to state park right on Rio Grande. Too small swimming pool. Excellent laundry and bathrooms. Woodworking and crafts. Many activities. Probably the nicest RV park in the RGV. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Beautifully landscaped park with large, wide, paved pull-thru's and back-ins with patios. We stayed four months (the rate reflects this) and the price was great. Great for birding and butterfly watching, biking, and walking. In November, hundreds of migrating butterflies were around the flowering shrubs on our patio every day. The grounds were immaculate with a crew mowing, trimming and cleaning daily. Didn't use the bathrooms and showers but they appeared to be very clean. Our only complaint was the sometimes poor WIFI if a trailer was parked between you and the repeater. The park would be perfect if you could get broadband on the cable TV. We searched parks from the coast all the way to Mission, and this was by far the best park in the region. Would definitely return again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Bentsen is a walk or bike ride from Bentsen State Park and the World Birding site. Excellent park with lots of room. Hit me with a month of electricity at $158.00 which was excessive. Laundry and showers are clean. Cable channel selection is terrible. Some staff members are rude. However, park is extremely nice with lots of concrete, picnic tables, large fire pits for visiting, etc. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We have been to a lot of RV parks in Texas, and this one rates as the best. It is a new park that caters to winter Texan's. It is located near the Rio Grande River and is VERY quiet at night. No road traffic at all. The sites at all easy to get into, and very spacious. The park has scheduled activities every day, and there is plenty to keep you busy. Our favorite was the Margarita happy hour on Weds. The pool was clean and very warm. The fitness room is open 24/7 and spotless. It even had two satellite TV's to watch while exercising. It is a gated park with the gate locked at 6 PM. You use a key code to enter after six. Makes you feel very secure. This is a park that caters to the 55 and above crowd, and there is not much to do for kids. If we decide to winter in the Rio Grande Valley, this will be the park we choose. It was about 90% full when we were there. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This RV Park was one of the nicest we've ever stayed in. It is located in a rural area Southwest of Mission, Texas. The park is rather unique because the pull through sites are arranged in large circles, the first time I've ever seen this layout. I believe there were four large circles with each one having palm trees, nice landscaping, and some sort of activity within the middle. Our circle housed the Recreation Center. The park was immaculate and well landscaped. The free wireless internet service worked flawlessly and had plenty of signal strength through out the park. It is a pet friendly park and even has a seperate dog run area where you can unleash you pet and let him visit with other dogs. If you like to bike and hike there is the World Birding Center right next door. This was a former State Park but is now locked off from vehicle traffic so you can use the existing roads for biking, hiking, etc. We saw plenty of beautiful birds and butterflies within the area. Be warned that the two mile hiking trail to the Rio Grande river was fairly remote and strenous, but well worth the effort. If you like to golf there are numerous golf courses in the area with very reasonable rates. As you can imagine, you will need to make reservations well in advance. They are taking reservations right now for next year, and rest assured I will be on the list for next January. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

New park outside of Bentsen State Park (they no longer allow RV camping). Sites in a circle - good plants for butterflies and maybe in a year or two birds. Still being completed. Wireless internet - deposit allows hard and software. Phone e-mail available. Internet phone available. Everything is new and clean. Staff very nice and helpful. Just outside of Bentsen State Park (without the campground - only a few feeding stations are serviced). Volunteers work very hard to tell you where to go in Park to see birds. Sunsets at the end of March 04 were wonderful! We camped here in a Motorhome.

76 sites for RV's, more in a separate area for tenters. Gave us a handout that says they will do away with the current RV campground this summer. Will make another near outside of state park. This park deserves a 10 because of the bird watching. Got my 500th bird here! An ELF OWL. We camped here in a camper.

Our space filled with water during heavy rains, the dumpsters overflowed on a daily basis, and the bridge to the island in the center of the lake was closed for most of the time that we were here. Residents are generally unfriendly and there was a huge turnover in the workcamping staff. Oh, and the places was VERY crowded. We will never return. We camped here in a Motorhome.

To be fair, this is a 55+ park and we really didn’t belong here. That said, during our month-plus long stay we got a pretty good taste of life here. Everyone smiles and waves, but no one is particularly friendly. The park is populated with snowbirds who come back year after year, have their friends and go out of their way to avoid meeting anyone new. Like many of the residents, this park is tired. Once upon a time it may have been a pretty place, but it’s definitely showing its age and could use some serious sprucing up. We couldn’t use our portable surge protector because the power outlet was so low to the ground. WiFi is basically non-existent. It finally began to work when most of the snowbirds left. Even then it was weak. Sites are basically gravel and very, very tight, especially for our 40-foot motorhome. We had to wait for someone to move their truck from our site before we could back in and park. No visible security, but we were pleased to see the local police patrolling periodically. Activities are geared toward the 70-plus set. Any way you look at it, this place is old and tired. We won’t be back. Rate is based on monthly rent plus electricity. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This park is just OK. We booked for a month but decided to leave after 11 days. The first problem we encountered is the site they assigned and the person assigned to take us to our site. That person was totally useless, and we should have gone back to the office and asked for a different site. After great difficulty backing in, we found the site was so tight that we had people on all sides, who were only a few feet from our trailer. The residence in the park are friendly and there are a fair amount of activities. Internet worked very well. Laundry facilities were only moderately OK. We would not stay again, but part of that is we did not care for the area. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Older park with adequate sites, has good power and water pressure, sewer drainage was good. Electric boxes were low to ground which caused a problem with our outside surge protector (not hard wired). We were just able to get the 50 amp plug in. Our site along the front fence was wider than most and level. Electricity was 9 cents per KWH. The people were very friendly and meals when served, very inexpensive. They are building a new exercise room. The pool is small and not well heated but it was very cold in the valley this year. We enjoyed the park but will not return as we want a large pool and a park with a dancehall. The price paid reflects a monthly fee of $400. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Camp sites are generally 24 by 40. We found that to be too small for our 37 foot motorhome. By the time we parked our car next to the motorhome there was very little space for outdoor sitting. The campground is primarily gravel, dusty and gray. The Wi-Fi is spotty and weak and there is no Wi-Fi support. We paid $70 for a month of cable TV and cable modem. There's a lovely dog walk. The laundry room is small. People are generally friendly. Activities at rec hall. Small wood shop. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Dump. We stayed here three years ago but the place has gone downhill since then. It was over crowded, dumpsters and trash overflowing. Our space flooded when it rained, and the sewers backed up. Wi-Fi didn't work. Little girl in office was very rude and clearly out of her depth. We camped here in a Motorhome.

What a terrific find. Canyon Lake is so beautiful — the only park we've ever stayed at with their own private island on their own large private lake. We really enjoyed strolling out to relax under the gazebo on the island, and paddling around in the resort's (free) paddle boats. Plus, the Texas-shaped swimming pool and whirlpool spa directly overlook the lake. The whole place is neat and clean and the staff was really nice in helping us decide the best local places to visit (there's lots to choose from). We did great day trips to the coast, and to Mexico. We'd come back here again in a minute. We camped here in a Motorhome.

A happy place to be. Lots of activities - something going on all the time. Good areas to walk and bike ride all around the little lake. The mission of this "campground" is to build houses for the poor in Mexico and to achieve that end, residents donate items for auction and raise the money themselves. They just completed their 14th house! There's a woodshop, clubhouse with breakfast and some lunches and tons of games going on at all times (or line dancing, quilting, swedish weaving - you name it) a pool shaped like the state of Texas, and a little island in the middle of the lake to walk out to for some meditative time. Lots of birding. A flock of parrots just flew over. Wal-Mart is very close as is a large flea market on the weekends. Good place to spend a few months. Laid back - nothing hoity toidy - just good honest working folk. No complaints thus far. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Nice park on the Rio Grande. Very friendly people. Very good breakfast on Saturday. Would recommend staying here, and we would stay here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We came to Chimney Park because of the location, (the River) and after talking to several people in the park, they were so friendly we are glad we came here. It is close to major shopping, restaurants and the fishing is great. Love the sunsets along with the quiet and peaceful evenings. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Nice park about 3 miles off the freeway. It's right on the Rio Grande River. Has a boat dock, and nice swimming pool. If you back up to the embankment, the sewer connections are part way up the slope, so be aware. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Very nice park on the Rio Grande. The fishing is good and the property has a boat ramp. We ate at two restaurants, just a hundred yards down the river called Pepi's and Riverside Club. You can see Mexico right across the river! The Border Patrol uses the boat ramp at Chimney Park as a home base which also makes things a little more interesting. The park also has a historical landmark on site (the chimney). The park is also very close to Bensten Rio Grande State Park, the World Birding Center, and the International Butterfly Center. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We stayed in this park for 4 months. The ballroom/recreation is the biggest asset. The restrooms are cleaned daily, laundry is good and there are outside clothes lines for hanging your clothes. You need to purchase your own cable. The pool is salt water and maintained nicely along with the hot tub. The hook ups are older, but seemed to work most of the time. There were water outages and the water is not good for drinking or cooking. Wi-fi was unavailable most of the time. When we arrived everything was dirt by the time we left there had been a lot of rain and the grass was nice and green. There were lots of activities and many couples come here year after year. We will not be returning. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Daily rate is based on our monthly payment along with our electricity cost which is separate from the monthly rental cost. This is our first visit to "the valley" and Mission Bell proved to be a lovely place to begin our visit. Everything the previous reviewer set out is spot on. We enjoyed the activities, the friendly staff and residents and our stay was perfect. We chose a site on the back fence line. We were not bothered by any street noise. Our site was a bit tight by today's standard but the park is 27 years old. We did not feel 'squished' as we have in other parks. We are close to shopping areas which I felt was a perk compared to some other parks, which are a ways out. We just had a wonderful time and would certainly return if the opportunity arises. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Becoming full time RV campers in May 2011 brought us here to Mission, TX to spend our first winter because we didn’t want to see any more snow. We randomly picked Mission Bell RV Resort (55+ Park) via the web because we had never been to this area before. We have been very blessed because this park is filled with friendly people with lots of activities (golf, cards, dances, movies, pot lucks, shuffle board, billiards, bingo, monthly dinners, bicycling, hamburgers, crafts and quilting just to name a few) to do each and every day. It reminds me of my home town where everyone waves and says “Hi”. Our stay has been over 4 months and we plan to stay 2 more months before we leave. We rented a premium site along the back fence with 50 Amp which has a nice paved area with plenty of room. The free Wi-Fi works very well which is very important to us. If you need anything they help you find it and if you have any complaints they listen and do their best to address it. We have enjoyed hanging out at the chlorine free swimming pool almost every day. All the shopping, hospitals, restaurants, birding parks and chiropractors are within a few minutes from here. South Padre Island is less than an hours’ drive. Several people have gotten their dental work done (very cheap) and their medicine (cheaper) in Progresso, Mexico. We will miss our friends when we leave. We camped here in a 36’ motor home. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This review is based on our experiences and observations after spending 6 months at this campground from November 2009 through April 2010. The Rio Grande Valley consists of a 67 mile corridor along US 83 from Mission, Texas on the west, to Brownsville, Texas on the east. It is difficult to get an exact count but estimates run as high as 500 campgrounds blanket the area, giving Winter Texans a lot of choice in where to settle. Mission Bell/Trade Winds are two resorts physically separated by Stewart Road, that operate as one. Offices for both are located in Mission Bell. The grounds buildings and facilities are very well maintained, and response to problems is fast and efficient. In just one year the new management team has turned these parks a full 180 degrees, by concentrating efforts on customer satisfaction. Each park has it’s own pool and hot tub, that are heated and very well maintained. The pools are salt water which avoids many of the problems associated with chlorine, including burning eyes, faded swimwear and smell. Each park has their own shower facilities. Trade Winds has three mens and three ladies showers in two separate rooms. Mission Bell has three mens and three ladies as well as one unisex/handicap room. There is also a newly remodeled mens and ladies restroom in the main hall at Mission Bell. All restrooms and showers are very well maintained and reported problems are quickly resolved. The only negative here is that none of the shower facilities are heated or air conditioned and subject to the whims of mother nature. Past complaints of noise problems are being dealt with by management. Railroad tracks run along the south end of both resorts and frequently the trains make a lot of noise with their horn. Unfortunately the management can do nothing about this. The north fence line consists of single family homes that present a barking dog problem. Much progress had been made by animal control in cooperation with the resort management to alleviate this problem. The little noise that remains you easily get used to and unless you are a very light sleeper or leave all your windows open all night it will not bother you at all. Wind has also been cited as a complaint and unfortunately the whole valley gets the high winds and if you want to come anyplace in the valley you put up with it. I do not think it is as bad as some say. I have a weather station that has a wind speed readout and so far our highest sustained wind was 38 MPH and the highest gust was 45.8 MPH. I have had my awning open and tied down since we got here and not had a problem. Activities are pretty much the same as you find at all the campgrounds in the Valley. The difference here is the quality. The activities department seems to have a large budget and makes good use of it with a weekly dance with a very popular country band that also does a monthly rock and roll oldies dance. Also scheduled are frequent low cost breakfasts and hamburger fry’s as well as some great pot luck dinners. On the other hand the quality of the entertainment is not a good as it should be. Of the top ten entertainers that made their way from Branson this winter, only one of them appeared here. The only other negative is that a great majority of these activities take place in the Mission Bell Hall and not the Trade Winds Hall. Even with over 500 campgrounds and resorts to choose from the one thing lacking in most is size. A great majority of these places were built in the 60’s and 70’s when RV’s were small and the slide out was rare or non existent. We spent a lot of our spare time here in the valley visiting a lot of different parks, campgrounds and resorts, and found most of them to be the same as far as lot size. The one thing missing from campground directories, advertising and web pages is lot size. The average lot in Trade Winds/Mission Bell is 23 feet wide by 55 feet deep, and has a cement patio 5 by 16 feet. While I have not measured all the lots at all the parks here in the valley, this does seem to be the norm. There are a few places with much bigger lots, if you shop around. With size being pretty much the same, the only criteria left to base prices on is amps and concrete. Here, as in all parks 50 amp service makes the lot cost more than a 30 amp lot. Once again that age problem sneaks in. The older RV’s used mostly 30 amps and the parks are slow to upgrade to 50 amps. A lot of the people that return year after year have made improvements to some lots, in the form of pouring concrete to make larger patios and pads to park their RV on. When the people move on the concrete, of course, stays and the campgrounds reap the benefits by charging more for such lots. It is a fact of life in the RGV no mater what park you choose so if you want to park on cement rather than grass or gravel, you will have to pay the premium price. There are few differences among the resorts in the Rio Grande Valley, but there is one thing you will find at Mission Bell/Trade Winds that makes them stand out, warm friendly people. A walk around on a nice sunny day here will get so many greetings and waves you will almost get tired of saying hello, and you’ll think your arm will fall off from waving. Never before have we met such a great group of people. They are always smiling, friendly, and willing to lend a hand. To sum it all up in one sentence: Mission Bell/Tradewinds is a five star park with ten star people. We loved both the resorts and the friendly people make you want to return to renew friendships year after year. Life is an adventure and in spite of how much we enjoyed our stay here we will be moving on to a different resort next winter and a new adventure. We want to try the other end of the valley and have booked a space in Harlingen for next time. Don’t count us out yet because we may return in the future. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We stayed here for 2 months and enjoyed our stay. The people and staff are very friendly and helpful. There is lots to do, you can be busy all the time or part of the time. The laundry, showers very clean and well kept. The friendship hall and weekly dances were great. It was very convenient to have the propane truck come to the park on a regular basis. The only improvement I would like to see is the speed of their wi-fi. Signal was not bad but the speed was pretty slow most of the time. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

The rate is reflective of the four month rate plus electricity and a $200 off coupon for first time visitors. The staff and occupants are very friendly and helpful. The activities and gatherings at the park are numerous. The next time we winter in the area we will definitely stay here. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We stayed the first two weeks of June and had a very good experience. We had free Wi-Fi to our site, unlike a lot of parks that have a certain area you have to take your laptop to. They also had two business center areas where they had free long distance to anywhere in the US or Canada. I did not think I would need that because we have a cell phone but I was almost out of minutes so their free phone came in handy. They had two pools and we enjoyed them. They were salt water and it was our first time using those. It is really nice without a chlorine smell. We did not notice any sewer smell. As an experienced RV'er, we have noticed that some RV'ers are not considerate and when they leave a space, do not replace a sewer cap. The managers were so nice. They took us around and allowed us to select a site. We also did not have any sirens or train noise as another viewer suggested. We are coming back to stay next winter. Because of another reviewer, we looked around before booking at this park and should not have been concerned. We compared amenities and prices in the area: this is a very good value. A couple of real fancy parks in the area: double the price. This is a very nice park and had everything we needed and had great customer service. We understand that there are lots of activities over the winter and look forward to a fun time at Mission Bell. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Very friendly park located near to all needed amenities and easy interstate access. Large dance hall with varied groups for all ages. Friendly golf group, new large salt water heated pool, large pool room with 5 tables, Sunday worship services available on site, and all the volunteer opportunities you could wish for. Owners are friendly and helpful. Many, many organized activities that are enjoyable because of the good, friendly people participating in them. We have visited this park for the past five years, and enjoy it so much we have purchased a permanent unit. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This was not a quiet park as advertised. There was a train that went by quite frequently and sounded its horn at each crossing. This was quite annoying especially in the middle of the night. Also the campground is located on a major highway so you hear traffic and sirens constantly. The sites are very small and do not allow for slides on the units therefore you are extremely close to your neighbor. The smell of sewer gas was disgusting. The bathroom were locked from 9:00 pm until 7:00 am and were inadequate for the number of people using them. Half the shower stalls were inoperable. The lounge chairs at the pool were broken and one pool was servicing 2 parks as the other pool was closed. Restrooms were cleaned each day but did not look like it or smell like it. I would not return to this park or recommend it to friends. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Do not book for longer than a few days here until you are sure that you are getting what is advertised. Amenities at Mission Bell and their sister park ( Trade Winds )across the street did not match what was advertised in their web page in the 2008- 2009 season. Pool, phone and wi-fi were not available for much of the season. Management showed little concern for resident's requests to get what they had paid for. Pet walking area had many sand burrs. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is an over 55 park. We are active early retirees so we were part of a growing younger set at the park. The dance hall is huge and well ventilated with fans and a/c. There were plenty of activites available, even for newbies like we are. Free dance lessons, dances held 1 to 3 nights a week. Nice clean pool and new 600 sq ft shaded area on the pool deck. Loads of clubs are available; bicycling, golf, motorcycles, woodworking, many card games, pool, bowling, pot lucks and a lot more. This was our first year retired and we stayed here 3 months without having a day of boredom! We plan to return again next year. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Overall, this park was big, it was very hard to get my rig in the spot they assigned, and when I asked if I could be moved a few spaces down they rolled their eyes at me. The manager was a fairly new replacement and was incredibly rude. The pool and hot-tub was nice, but the people were quite clannish and stuck to their own. We felt like outsiders. The WiFi was a mess with special passwords being required and such. Definitely would not stay again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We stayed at Mission Bell in November and through the Thanksgiving holiday. It is a great park. It is very friendly and has a huge dance hall with a wooden floor that is as big as a basketball gym. They have dances there after the first of the year that everyone raves about. Great pool and hot tub. They have a lot of pool tables and shuffleboard courts. We used the free Wifi and free long distance calls and computer room for the residents. The manager was very nice. They are on call 24 hours and got us in on a late arrival after hours. They were super people. We really enjoyed our stay. We also stayed at Tradewinds, their sister park, on our return from Mexico to see which one we liked. We will have a hard time chosing next year which one. Both are friendly and really look after the residents. We camped here in a Motorhome.

55+ park. Managers and people in park were all extremely friendly. Access to McAllen and other city shopping is easy. It is more a seasonal park for the same people who come every year, but they make even short term travelers feel very welcome. Sites are a little close, but they all are in the area. The grounds are kept up and the appearance is very eye appealing. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Things are great here in the Rio Grande Valley. Mission West has taken on a new personality, more of a family atmosphere, now that many of the people causing problems have "moved on" down the road. Great place to stay for the Winter! We camped here in a Motorhome.

This park is still under a major lawsuit, and it is an ugly lawsuit. The owner/management does not want to recognize the signed contracts anymore and has locked out the owners of these paid for sites. If you are told differently then ask why most park models are now gone, people moved out, and there are so many empty concrete sites available. Most of these concrete slabs were put in by the contract owners and not the park owners. If staying and parked on concrete pads you may be subject to an eviction notice as most of the concrete sites are owned. Police have been called numerous times because of this trouble, and the owner has told them it is his park, and they have no jurisdiction. The owner has also showed signs of violence, ridicule, and name calling trying to get his way. Would you want to stay in a park where law enforcement is not welcomed? The electric at $.19KWH is some of the highest in the valley as is the price for staying here. With so many other parks in the valley WHY would you want to subject yourselves to the problems going on in this park? This is a problem that went on all last season, Oct 2011 to April 2012, and will not go away until the lawsuit is settled. The rate is based on the maintenance fee paid but saw very little done with it. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We have been coming to Mission West RV for a long time. It is under new ownership and things have greatly improved. Clean bathrooms, showers, and a great pool and hot-tub. The new owner and his family are very friendly and involved in the park. There are many activities for people in the park. They have a dance and other entertainment open to the public. Monday night is Hamburger Night. The Hamburger and chicken are fried fresh that evening. They serve between 375 to 450 sandwiches. I would highly recommend this park for a short or a long term stay. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Monthly rate applies to this but there are different rates depending on who you know. This park does not have a new owner but the silent partner has come back wanting money and nothing more, wants to sell without the other partners permission, (court date coming soon). This park is in litigation between the owners and residence have taken up sides between themselves. Pool/hot tub has periodic break downs (no money for propane), hamburger night (burgers are cooked in advance then reheated to give it the nice freshly cooked smell), very unfriendly staff, golf course is playable but so is a cow pasture if all you want to do is hit a ball, squatters in sites that belong to someone else but being friends with the new so called owner seems to make it right, court date on that coming soon. This park is in receivership and it shows. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This park has some of the largest sites in the Rio Grande Valley. For the most part it's a very friendly park, with many activities: golf, pool, hot tub, water aerobics, line dancing, music jams, crafts, bike club, horseshoes, just to name a few. The new owner has improved this park immensely. It's taken on a cleaner look, things are getting fixed and spruced up. We look forward to spending our winter here. The rate is based on a 3-month rental. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This RV park has faced many changes in 2011. Many issues have now been settled and addressed. The owner is implementing improvements to the park while maintaining things the park is known for. Yes, the reputation for the “ best burgers in the valley” is still being preserved while friendly smiles and waves make this park one of the best. Owner welcomes all to drop by and visit with him and his staff whether its to just say hi or to make a comment or suggestion. Lots of activities are scheduled daily or weekly for everyone to enjoy. The well maintained golf course is open to the public with weekly scrambles being the norm. The pool is cleaned daily and ready for use by residents. Large lots are maintained regularly. We currently stay 4 to 5 months a year and look forward to many more seasons. We love the friendly community and welcome home attitude feel of this RV park. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Over the years, we have stayed in many RV parks throughout Canada and the United States. Having experienced many parks in the Rio Grande Valley we have chosen this park to be our winter home. We arrive at the park in October and leave in April. What impressed us most about the park was the people. We could stay anywhere but it is the people that you are with that makes a home a home. The park offers many activities and lots of things to do. One only needs to make choices and sometimes there are too many choices to make. The pool and hot tub are most welcome on the days when it is sultry. We golf and the 9 hole course on the property has allowed us to do this right in our 'backyard'. Having read some other reviews we wonder if we are reviewing the same park. We would highly recommend this park whether you are there for a short time or for a winter getaway from the cold of the north. Congratulations to the management for taking a less than optimum situation and making the park the awesome place that it is. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

I am back here only because of medical reasons and I am a 6-in, 6-out lot owner. The golf course is now a semi mowed field, no Wi-Fi. The water gets turned off at night but not every night. No explanation for that. The rest is about the same. Hopefully the courts can settle this matter this coming week on 9/8/11. Will post again if anything changes for the better. Rate also reflects being a lot owner otherwise it is $17.50 per night. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We chose to stay at this park as we traveled east from Arizona. One of the things that drew us to the park were the activities provided and how friendly most of the people in the park could be. Yes - the park is under new ownership - we have had the good fortune of meeting the new owner and are excited with what is being planned for the park. Texas has had a hot dry summer and no doubt when the rain comes things will green up quickly. We all know that unless one plans on watering regularly then the best course of action is to not water at all so that the roots grow dormant until the next watering. Looking around the area it would appear that many parks have been affected by this severe drought. We look forward to visiting the park soon - remember a park is only as good as the people that choose to stay there. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This park is going through some legal issues, the two owners cannot agree on how to run this park. The current management is very unprofessional especially the so called manager. Rates will be going up, electric already has, services will probably be cut back, no Wi-Fi now, pool is cleaned only when you say something, the golf course is in good shape considering the drought and it is being maintained under the old management, trash blowing around is either mowed over or ignored. Probably will not come back until the problems are solved. If I hear that things have changed I will post back but this looks like a long drawn out legal matter and the only losers will be the people staying in this park. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Rate is daily rate for 30 amp back-in site with PA discount. Roads are paved, though a lack of maintenance is showing. All sites are back-in. No shade. This is one of those parks that has the word resort in its name, and depending on what that word means to you, either it is or isn't. Nice big hall in the center of the park, four or five activities planned each day, decent sized sites and security gate. As usual, the Passport America sites were in the least desirable spots, in this case alongside the front fence backed up to the main road outside the park, so motorhomes face the afternoon sun and 5th wheels get to view the street. The other sites in the park face east/west. We found nothing remarkable about the park, good or bad, and the Passport rate makes it fairly inexpensive to check out for a few days, and since the park was only about 2/3rds full in mid February, there were decent sites to move onto if you wanted to stay for a longer period of time. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Passport America rate is $17.50 but we were renting from friends who have an extra site on a slab with 50 amp service. This is our second stay and feel it is one of the better places in the Mission area. But we do prefer Florida over the RGV. It is windy and dusty here, plus English is a second language here. This park has a big hall and golf course, the hall hosts functions during the winter and the golf course hosts an open 9 hole scramble twice a week which is great fun. The Wi-Fi is great, they do have some road construction going on now. We enjoyed our stay. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is a very nice and very friendly park. The only downside is the distance from other activities in the valley. We will return here. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This a terribly overpriced park.The restrooms away from the rec-hall are in bad shape! One is little better than an outhouse!The "core" group are friendly to each other but that's all.They will hardly acknowledge anyone else. The wi-fi is good but no cable. If you don't know someone here you better go someplace else. It is only convenient to Bentson bird park. Town is 2 or 3 miles miles away We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Rate appx. paid $395 mo. plus electric for the two months we spent there. Rates are going up for next winter. This is a great people park, everyone very friendly. We had spent two nights in Mercedes before driving into this park, couple in the office were wonderful, marked off a bunch of available sites, we were checking one out and two people came over to say hello and welcome us. There is also a little 9 hole par 3 course here. Not the best, but good for the short game. They had scramble tournaments every Monday and Friday mornings where you drew for teams. Great fun. We would go back again. One thing about this whole area through, great weather, hardly ever rained, but windy and dusty. It is this whole area of the country is like that though. The owners have many upgrade projects going on. Three new Wi-Fi towers went up while we were there. Plus they added heat to the pool. A bathhouse is planned, along with new pavement on a couple of roads. Nice place to winter. We camped here in a Motorhome.

It is a very strange place and we won't go back. It is very, very dusty because of the farmer's field next to the park and the constant cultivation. Two of our cats vanished and when I found the body of a neighbor's cat I realized that the coyotes were getting the pets in the park. The Border Patrol makes almost a daily visit. We had illegals knock on our door one night asking for food and water. The next door neighbor went out for a walk and encountered a dozen illegals and their smuggler. Border Patrol helicopter woke us up several times hovering over the park. But the worse thing is that the park owner's son is basically a pest and the local village idiot and was awfully annoying; many of our neighbors went out of their way to avoid him when he would come around. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We stayed here because it is the closest park to Camping World. It is small, and we opted to stay in "the field" which was a open space with full hookups because we did not want to unhook. The inner roads had speed bumps on them which made it difficult on the rig. Area is not lit nor secured. Would only stay here again if visiting Camping World. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Very friendly park with lots of activities. WI-Fi is very hit and miss, but generally worked well. We have already placed our deposit for next year after our first visit to the valley. Best sites are along Onion Row and a back in. Sites 31-50 are converted back to back to pull thrus that need work and when wet are very muddy. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is a private ownership park, but owners rent their sites from the rental website referenced. This is a very upscale 55+ adult resort. Huge (40x80' minimum) sites with carriage house and all concrete pads. Very nice tropical landscape, a great clubhouse and pool area. Very clean and neat. Some arranged activities, but not as many as the typical "big resort". Owners are very friendly towards renters. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Beautiful park consisting of privately owned spacious concrete super-sites, beautifully landscaped, which can be leased with or without the casita. The clubhouse, amenities, and facilities are top notch, and there are lots of planned social activities. Owners/renters are allowed access to the nearby state park, bike and kayak rentals, and there is a delightful dog run which they share with Bentsen Palm Village. We would most definitely stay again when in the area. We camped here in a Motorhome.

Retama Village is impressive from the moment you drive into the property, and as you stay it only becomes more impressive. The property is maintained to the highest standards, the facilities that include pool room, card room, swimming pool, jacuzzi, work out room, craft room, BBQ area and well equipped kitchen are available to all residents and renters. Retama Village is located adjacent to the Worlds Birding Headquarters... Birds and Butterflies are abundant and enjoyable. Retama Village sites are available thru individual owners. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is by far the best RV park in the valley. The lots are rented from owners (see website) and many have the option to also rent a coach house that is also on the property. I would recommend doing that - it adds a lot to the experience. Our coach house had a bath and washer and dryer. The park is beautiful and the people very friendly. Besides the pool, there is a fabulous club house complete with work out room. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We are back in the RGV for a new season. This park has a new owner. A new shuffle board court is being installed. The pool is 85 degrees and the hot tub is wonderful. They added a number of large concrete sites for those who don't want to deal with grass. Lots of updating is being done and the place looks good. There are still grass burrs but they will be spraying in December and again in March so maybe the burrs will be gone by next season. The work camper staff people are nice and this place is about a mile from Expressway 83 so there is no road noise. The bird sanctuary is only 2 miles away and golf is next door. We like this place. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

We enjoyed our time here in the RGV. The weather was warm but a bit windy on occasion. The people at Seven Oaks were a blast to be with and the work camper staff treated us well. The pool and hot tub were great and there were activities throughout the week. The grass burrs were a pain but lots of parks had them this season for some reason. This park has the widest spaces we have seen in Mission but they are all back-in sites. The park is about a mile south of Hwy 83 so there is no noise at night. We will be back! We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

Wide streets, large wide sites, free wi-fi at sites, works good. Friendly helpful staff. Back in only sites were easy to get into. Nearly new pool and hot tub were always clean. Laundry,showers and restrooms were always clean and well maintained. The only problem we found were the little stickers in the grass, although we were told that they are everywhere in the Valley. Would stay here again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Park is well maintained but sites are back in only. Community center has many activities throughout the week. WIFI is the best I have experienced in any park. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

This is a very nice, clean and people friendly park. We had made on-line reservations and were given site 933 on Cherry St. When we got here I really didn’t care for that site and went to the office and asked if I could move to another and the lady said “sure, find one you like and let me know where you end up” We found a nice place on Pear St and set up. This park is attached to three other parks that are attached to a golf course. There are many homes around the golf course and parked RV’s also. Many year around homes and a lot of what they call Winter Texans. This is the Lower Rio Grande Valley and it is a super nice place to stay. You can stay here a week, 6 months or whatever you wish. Nice area outside the park except for the construction outside the front gate that will enhance the Parks entrance when finished. The construction does not interfere with the park at all; no noise can be heard inside the park. It’s very nice and quiet Shopping and Restaurants are all close by.. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.

We checked in this park in April and stayed for a month. We were treated very well by the managers. They were new so I cannot speak to the former management. This park had a lot to offer us. Our cell phone did not work in the area and they did have a free phone in the lobby and we used it the entire time we were there. It was unlimited. Our Wi-Fi worked just fine. It was also free and this is one of the few parks we have stayed where the Wi-Fi is to your site but they also have a few hard lines in their hall if you don't know how to get on the Wi-Fi. I liked not having to take your computer to a designated area. There were a couple of times it slowed down some but mostly it was fine. The pool was in perfect shape when we were here. It is salt water and we liked it a lot. The people were very friendly and if there was a fuss between some long time residents and the former managers, we did not see any of it. There are many permanent units in this park but also space for RVers. It was a nice blend for us. The bathrooms were spotless. They were just starting a big paving project toward the end of our stay but they notified us and were very accommodating to let us know when they were going to pave the street we were on. I would stay again. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This was the worst experience we have had in an RV park. I have never seen a management team treat their seasonal RV'ers and permanent residents with such a rude, arrogant and abusive attitude. Our first time to Tradewinds as a seasonal RV'er, we were caught in the middle of a true battle between long term residents and management. This park even made the local paper because it was illegally evicting residents. This did not include all the "warning letters" that were sent out to some of their most active volunteers. If the atmosphere wasn't bad enough, then not receiving the services they advertise should definitely keep you out of this park. The pool was closed for 8 of the 12 weeks we stayed here. The WiFi was never reliable or consistent and they were actually charging for it across the street at their sister park Mission Bell. There was suppose to be a free phone in the hall that was never connected the whole time we were here. They removed a filtered water machine, ice machine and closed their hall to residents, first at 10pm and when they complained they changed it to 9pm. There are people actually moving their permanent park models out of this park. There is a beautiful dance floor at the Mission Bell park across the street, but you can't attend the public dances without having to stay in the park. When I personally complained about WiFi and closed pool, the Assistant Manager told me I should move to a nearby park. So when my prepaid 3 months was up, I did. They advertise this as a family owned and operated park, but it is being operated by an unrelated management team. We camped here in a Motorhome.

We camped here three months this winter. The activities at this park are terrific. We had a nice shaded campsite. This park is joined with the one next door so we had a lot of facilities to choose from. They have two pools and two large clubhouses full of things to do. One of the pools was down for about 3 weeks, but we used the other one and it was great. The pools were salt water filtered and not chlorine so your skin and suits don't smell when you are done swimming. We have a cell phone so we did not use the free phone, that was down for technical reasons, but they did fix it. If we had wanted, we could have used the other free phone. We liked the ability to use the facilities at the other side of the park too. The dance hall is the biggest we have ever seen and we went to weekly dances and lots of entertainment. The bathrooms were very clean and the grounds were landscaped and manicured. A lot of parks in this area have no trees or grass and you park on gravel. They don't have a lot of activities or facilities like this park either. This park is older but very well maintained and the people are friendly. There are lots of Canadians and Americans. Most everyone got along fine. There was a small group of Canadians that caused some trouble and were asked to leave the park but everyone else was fine. We got a good value for our money and will stay again. They gave us a $100 discount because we were first time guests and in this economy, that was a big help. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This park has gone down over the last year. The Wi-Fi works part of the time. The pool has been closed for over a month now; the parts are supposed to be on order. The phone that is listed on their web site for making free calls has also been removed. The park made the local newspaper ( The Monitor) after a couple where asked to leave for not agreeing with the manager. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.

Sad to say the glowing reports about this friendly rv park are no longer true. The new owners and manager seem to have made no effort to create a peaceful and happy environment for the residents. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is an older park as are most in the area. We had a site with patio, our motor home has slides on both sides and we did not have a problem. Our $25.00 per night included full hookups which included electric. Only the people that stayed a month or longer paid electric at 16 cents a kilo watt. The pool was clean and well kept. Nice laundry room. Lots of activities, we were well received by the other people in the park. People in the office were very helpful and supplied us with an area map and information packet as well as a schedule of events and activities in the park. This is a 55 plus park so did not cater to families, we did not find one in the area that did., we had our grandaughter with us and that was ok with the management. We would come back to this park and stay longer. We camped here in a Motorhome.

What a fantastic park. We have never met such friendly people, particularly the managers . The residents make you feel at home and there is so much to do in this park. The pool and heated jacuzzi are great. They have dances, card games and shuffleboard. A great mix of park models and people staying 1-6 months. They offer free long distance calls in the USA and Canada. It was great. They also have free WiFi. The park is family owned and we met the owners when we were there. They were very nice and took care that the needs of the residents were being met. They are starting their fourth year of ownership. We highly recommend the park and think you get a great value for your money. We camped here in a Motorhome.

This is not a RV campground, it should be called a Park Model Park as most of the sites have been turned in to Park Model sites. The rates vary by the season and it is a very old campground with many of the people living there having been there 20 years or more. They have good security because the gates are closed by 8PM each night and you really feel like your in lock down conditions. People are friendly but stand offish as most have known each others for years. They have changed ownership twice in 4 years and managers twice in one year, plus the park is run by a very large management company hired by the owners to run the park. The last manager had no "0" people skills and the park was in an uproar the whole time we were there. We stayed there for 4 months from December 2005 to March 2006. Sites very small and tight, may not be able to open awnings when site next to you is filled. You can do much better in this area at other parks. New managers started first of March and do seem to have some people skills so things may improve. You pay for electric as it is metered and expensive. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.