I rolled out of bed that first morning at Bentsen Palm Village, stretched, and peeked out of our RV’s blinds. Dew clung to the grass around the level pad; the air was soft and humid. The distant calls of birds greeted me.
We’d driven nearly all day yesterday from home, passing miles of highway, and arriving just at dusk. Pulling into our site with full hookups felt like landing in a private little haven.
I brewed coffee on our little propane stove and sat at our folding table outside. While sipping the hot brew, I watched other early risers: someone walking their dog, a couple adjusting their awning, and shimmering palms by the lot edges.
By mid-morning, we decided to stretch our legs with a walk through Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, adjacent to the resort. Trails of soft earth, low brush, and rustling brush greeted us; we spotted a scissortail flycatcher and a flash of orange from a butterfly wing. The proximity of nature felt magical — you step out of your RV and you’re almost immediately among wild birds and native flora.
Lunch was simple: foil packet tacos in the campsite grill — corn tortillas, chopped grilled chicken (precooked at home), onions, peppers, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of queso. I wrapped them up in foil, placed them on the grill, and let them warm and char a little. While eating, a soft breeze sent butterfly wings dancing overhead.
Later that afternoon, we swam in the resort pool and joined a casual gathering in the clubhouse where folks traded local tips. I learned about the National Butterfly Center just minutes away.
That evening, as the sky flushed rose and gold, I made a tortilla-stack skillet: layers of corn tortillas, black beans, cheeses, peppers, and a little salsa, baked in a cast-iron over the RV stovetop. We sat outside under a string of camp lights, sipping margaritas (in glasses, of course), listening to frogs croak in the distance.
As I slipped into bed later, I thought: “Yes — this place was worth the journey.”