Trying to decide between Mission, Texas area or the Mesa, Arizona area for next winter. DW and friends have some concerns as to safety and crime in the Mission, Tx. area. What are the thoughts of those who just spent this winter there?
Ron Stevens 38 ft. Damon Intruder
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Saturn Toad
H-m-m-m-m .... we've spent the past 7 winters in the Rio Grand Valley with 2 dogs & 1 cat. Never saw any fleas. Our pets do get Revolution monthly but I have never heard anyone else with the problem, either. We have heard of bicycles being taken from RV parks and I'm sure there have been other things but we are not afraid of going down there. And it is less expensive.
We would much rather winter in Rockport-Fulton area of Texas than in the valley. It's on the coast 30 miles northeast of Corpus Christi and has both good fishing and golf courses if those are your interests. It is also a prime birding area if you're a birder like my wife and has a very active fine arts community if you are a painter as I am.
The best RV parks cost much less than comparable ones in Mission and have just as many activities.
Fulltime RVer May 1997-June 2007
2003 HitchHiker Champagne 33LKTG
2007 Ford F350 Lariat CC w/Tow Boss
Never been to Mission Texas so I can't respond on that area, but I do live year round in Phoenix so I can comment on my city.
It depends on what you're looking for as far as activities. Pheonix is obviously bigger so you would have a larger variety of activities to keep you busy. Not only is there golf, hiking, fishing ect...but also a variety of restaurants, plays, concerts, sports events and if art is what you're looking for...Sedona isn't that far of a drive.
However with all this comes more people and heavier traffic.
We have been in the Mission Area the past 5 winters & absolutely love it. There is much to do in & outside of the park. Every type of eating establishment, shopping, entertainment & medical facility that you could ever want. There are several World Birding Center locations here, a World Butterfly Park and an easy drive to spend a day on the beach, walking, picking shells or surf fishing. The night time temperatures are considerably warmer than most of AZ. We did not have a single night with frost the past 2 years. AZ does have more sunshine & less humidity. Never heard of a flea problem in Mission and very few other bugs except for ants. The media does make much of the drug crime but it is usually between rival drug gangs and is equally as common as in AZ.
We just finished our second winter in Mission and will going back for a third, the Good Lord willing. MOST of the drug crime that is making the news is happening "south of the border" other than the same kind of drug crime that is going on in every city in the US. We go to Progresso about every 2 weeks and have never seen or heard any problems there.
There are some problems with theft of bicycles and also trucks. Many of the parks in "The Valley" have controlled access between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM and I haven't heard of any of those parks having problems.
This was the first winter I went to the RGV and, I must say, it will be the last. Too much wind, too hot at times, and far too boring a drive coming through the west side of Texas. My preference is Arizona but rather than Phoenix, I think Casa Grande is a better choice - far less traffic but with everything we needed - great, affordable golf, shopping, etc. and Phoenix and Tucson are both only about an hour away by car.
* This post was
edited 04/04/09 08:14am by PCOB *
2005 Pace Arrow 36'
2007 Saturn Vue Toad with Brake Buddy and Blue Ox
runmaster3 wrote: Trying to decide between Mission, Texas area or the Mesa, Arizona area for next winter. DW and friends have some concerns as to safety and crime in the Mission, Tx. area. What are the thoughts of those who just spent this winter there?
Arizona. Everyone is Texas carries guns and are braggards. You'd hate it here.
We love Mission. We bought our lot this year and can't wait to come back. Any restaurant you can imagine, any shopping you can imagine including a large Mall with Macy's Dillards, Pennys, Sears & specialty stores, an outlet mall, every big box store you can imagine, Progresso Mexico, golfing, the McAllen Civic Center, the McAllen Convention Center, Dodge Areana (concerts, hockey, basketball, livestock show), entertainment in every park clubhouse almost always for $5.00 or less (lots of Branson entertainers spend their winters here entertaining), dancing of all kinds every day of the week, craft shows weekly, blue skys, wonderful weather albeit sometimes windy, but that just keeps you cool in the warmer weather, at least 5 major hospitals/medical centers from 5 to 20 minutes away just about anywhere in the valley, but best of all, the friendliest people you will find anywhere. We're about 5 miles from the Rio Grande, and we've never felt hesitant to go anywhere. It's just like anywhere else in the country - just be aware of your surroundings. Oh, and did I mention flea markets & margaritas?
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