Gonzales Independence Park

The Great outdoors

This is a wonderful area to explore in a rental RV, with the vast open grasslands of southern Texas contrasting with the beautiful Gulf Coast to the south.Within Independence Park is the Independence Paddling Trail, a 2.6-mile loop on the Guadalupe River. As the river is slow-moving with a minimal current at this point, you can paddle upstream for just over a mile and then float gently back to the starting point. Along the way, there is excellent fishing, with plenty of catfish, sunfish, and bass to catch.A short drive northwest of Gonzales will bring you to the 270-acre Palmetto State Park. The San Marco River cuts through the center of the park and is ideal for swimming, canoeing, and fishing. The park also has an oxbow lake with a fishing pier, and fishing equipment is available to borrow from the park wardens. Several well-marked trails crisscross the park, plus you can hunt for geocaches while hiking.Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are available to rent in the park. The river is quite slow flowing with no rapids, so perfect for beginners. The more adventurous can follow the six-mile Luling Zedler Mill Paddling Trail.

Exploring the Area

Within walking distance of the park are several shops and restaurants, making this an excellent base for your RV camping vacation.Keen golfers will appreciate the 9-hole golf course right outside their camper's door, and the kids will love the sports facilities here.In Gonzales, you will find the Texas History Museum District, a group of five museums varying from historical buildings to collections of local objects.The Gonzales Memorial Museum was built to remember the 32 townsfolk that volunteered to help with the defense of the Alamo. Eggleston House is a log cabin built in 1845 that is typical of the homes of the era, and at the opposite end of the scale is J.B. Wells House, an impressive mansion completed in 1885. The Pioneer Village Living History Center is an authentic recreation of a pioneer town from the 1800s that includes numerous buildings to explore. The last property in the district is the County Jail Museum, housed in the original Gonzales jail, complete with gallows and cells. The building has a lot of history to tell, harking back to the more turbulent times when sheriffs and gunslingers would do battle in the street.A few miles northwest of Gonzales Independence Park is the town of Luling and Zedler Mill Park. Once a grist mill, historic Zedler Mill was built in 1874 and has now been incorporated into a recreational park that lies along the San Marcos River. Also, here is the Zedler Historical Museum, containing local artifacts and memorabilia detailing the history of the many mills that once existed along the river.The annual Texas Water Safari begins in San Marcos and has been billed as the world's toughest boat race. The event involves several stages, but the main competition is the 260-mile canoe race to the Texas coast that passes through Luling and Gonzales. Racers have four days and four hours to complete the distance and can only collect food and drink along the way. There's no prize for winning, just the bragging rights of having completed the course!Car enthusiasts won't want to miss the annual Gonzales Hot Rod Stand-Off Car Show, held in the town each June. It's a one-day event with live music all day, a parade and competitions, a great event to visit with family and friends.