Western Villa MH Community

The Great Outdoors

In East Texas, Longview sits in the heart of Lake Country. Some of the closest state parks built around these lakes are the Caddo Lake State Park, the Martin Creek Lake State Park, and Tyler State Park, all less than an hour's drive from the campsites at Western Villa MH Community.If you’re ready to dip a paddle, the network of sloughs, bayous, and ponds shaded by bald cypress trees make Caddo Lake an excellent paddling destination. The lake also has a thriving population of largemouth bass, white bass, and crappie, and is an important waterfowl habitat. Fishing opportunities also abound at Martin Creek Lake State Park. Hoist your line, and you can land largemouth bass, tilapia, or sunfish.With a spring-fed lake smaller than the other two, Tyler State Park is nonetheless a lush destination, thanks to towering trees that clad the surrounding area. Hike through the Pineywoods on ten miles of trails, or check out the Whispering Pines Nature Trail that passes through the park. As an ecoregion, the park is a special place as this is where the Post Oak Savannah and the Pineywoods ecoregions converge.Several national forests lie south of Longview, the biggest of which is the Sam Houston National Forest, where hiking opportunities are plentiful. Take your rental RV from Longview to the trailhead of the 128-mile Lone Star Trail that runs through the forest and attempt to complete the trail in small chunks as it's neatly divided into three major sections. For those who seek solitude in the woods, the Little Lake Creek Wilderness offers seclusion and challenges to intrepid hikers. Mountain bikers should set their sights on Double Lake as there are 21 miles of trail encircling the water.

Exploring the Area

East Texas is no Hill Country, but Chambourcin, Syrah, and Muscadine are more suited to the region's terroir. Follow the Piney Woods Wine Trail that will take you on more than a dozen wineries from Naples in the north to Nacogdoches in the south and places in between.At a local arboretum, a different sensorial stimulation awaits as you walk on trails and garden paths to enjoy the flowers, trees, and other landscape elements. Children will love the Longview World of Wonders, where hands-on exhibits and interactive toys enhance their imagination and creativity.At the Museum of Fine Arts, works by regional contemporary artists are on rotation, and classes on multi-media are offered to various age groups. The Gregg County Historical Museum is also worth a visit not only for housing artifacts of early East Texas history but also for its remarkable collection of Caddo artifacts that tell the story of the region's prehistoric past.Longview has earned the honor as "The Balloon Capital of Texas," and you'd have to come in June to see why. Watch pilots from around the country and the world compete in the Great Texas Balloon Race. Balloon flights are launched from various venues depending on wind and weather conditions, so you have to keep tabs of the event as it unfolds. "Balloon Glows" on weekend nights also draw huge crowds. During this event, onlookers are allowed to come closer to see how participants inflate and operate the balloons.Balloons and wine don't always go hand in hand, but when you book an RV rental in Longview, Texas, that’s what you get, and then some. So find a family-friendly campground in Lake Country today, and start planning your Texas adventure.