How we started

How We Built Southbound RV Park From the Ground Up

Welcome to Southbound RV Park and Cabins! We’re excited to share our journey of entrepreneurship with you, where dreams are born, ideas are brewed, and coffee is consumed at an impressive rate.  We’re hoping to inspire you to dream big, work hard, and maybe laugh a little along the way. Our story is not just about real estate and RV sites; it’s a tale of perseverance, late-night brainstorming sessions, and maybe a few too many pizza deliveries. Because let’s be honest, nothing ever goes exactly as planned, and that’s half the fun!

From Psychology Class to Building a Dream

It all started in a community college psychology class where Chris and I met. Back then, Chris was set on climbing the Walmart management ladder, while I was determined to become a nurse. I headed off to get my Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Chris stayed on his path. Eventually, we both found ourselves back in Victoria.

At first, we were just friends, but it didn’t take me long to realize that Chris was the most driven (and stubborn) guy I’d ever met. He recently told me that convincing me to marry him gave him the confidence to believe he could do anything.

“I Found a Great Deal on a Place…”

From the beginning, Chris was all about entrepreneurship, which was a totally foreign concept to me. I was fresh out of nursing school and just happy to have a paycheck. But Chris was good at selling his ideas. So good, in fact, that while planning our wedding, he convinced me to buy an old mobile home because it was “a steal.”

Yep, I willingly moved into a fixer-upper trailer as a newlywed. Why? Because Chris had this crazy idea that living economically would help us pay off my student loans (I put myself through college without financial aid) and some of his old debts, too. And, as much as I hate to admit it, he was right. Little did we know, moving into a mobile with questionable siding as newly weds was just the first of many personal sacrifices we’d make on our journey toward becoming entrepreneurs.

Chasing Dreams and Changing Plans

About a year into married life, we were ready to pursue our dream of starting a business. We thought we’d open an auto salvage yard, so we met with a realtor to check out some land. The property didn’t work out, but our realtor suggested we take a look at another piece of land down the road.

The moment we drove onto the property, I was in love. But there was no way I was letting Chris turn that beautiful land into a junkyard. Luckily, he had another idea: an RV park. He’d lived in an RV park during his Walmart days and had always thought about starting one himself. Our vision began to take shape.

Negotiation Wars: The Offer That Almost Wasn’t

Chris, being Chris, couldn’t just offer the asking price. He negotiates everything—seriously, everything. I was panicked, convinced someone else would snatch up the land, but Chris was calm as could be. He was perfectly fine with losing out on it if we didn’t get a good deal. I was not so calm.

After what felt like an eternity (and a few rounds of negotiation), they accepted our offer! We closed on the property just two weeks after our first wedding anniversary in February 2009. Our dream was becoming real… kind of.

We Need a Driveway… Oops

Here’s a fun fact: the original property was landlocked. We only had access through a neighbor’s driveway, which wasn’t going to work for an RV park.

Thankfully, we were able to buy the adjoining property that connected our land to the highway. And our dream was back on track.

The People Who Cheered Us On

One of my favorite memories is when my older brother Travis visited and saw the property. Travis was a big influence on my work ethic—I used to help him with his paper route and his lawn care business when I was in my early teen years.  He looked around, nodded, and said, “I think I can see it.” His approval meant a lot to me.

Tragically, he passed away the next year at just 34 years old. I still wonder what he’d think of Southbound RV Park and Cabins today, and I miss his humor and encouragement.

Building an RV Park… One Breakdown at a Time

Let me tell you, building an RV park from scratch with no investors (initially) is no joke. We were living onsite in the old mobile home, working day jobs, having and raising four kids, and navigating a new insulin-dependent diabetes diagnosis. To say we were busy is an understatement.

If we weren’t digging ditches or laying pipes, we were having budget meetings. I dreaded those meetings. There never seemed to be enough money, and as the “keeper of the numbers,” I was always stressed. Chris, on the other hand, was the eternal optimist, confident we’d make it work.

I had more than one meltdown along the way, and there were times I wanted to quit. But Chris was always there to remind me of the dream and keep us moving forward. He’s annoyingly good at that.

Hard Work, Humor, and a Lot of Faith

Thomas Edison said, “Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Well, we were wearing those overalls every day. We weren’t afraid of hard work, and looking back, that was one of the biggest blessings in our journey.

With God’s help, through the chaos and the laughter (and maybe a few tears), we kept moving forward. Even though we’ve reached some milestones, we’re still dreaming big and working hard. We don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon!

Dream Big, Work Hard, and Keep Moving Forward

Looking back, our journey to build Southbound RV Park and Cabins has been nothing short of an adventure—filled with hard work, unexpected challenges, and plenty of laughter. From living in a fixer-upper trailer to building a thriving RV park from the ground up, every sacrifice has been worth it.

But this is just the beginning. We’re not ones to rest on our laurels, and our vision for Southbound RV Park and Cabins continues to grow. We have exciting plans for expansion, including adding more boutique cabins and enhanced amenities to make every guest’s stay unforgettable. Our goal is to create a welcoming community where guests can relax, explore, and make memories that last a lifetime.

We’re also exploring new ways to serve our extended-stay guests, embracing the growing trend of RV living and remote work. From upgraded Wi-Fi to more spacious sites, we want to ensure that Southbound RV Park and Cabins feels like a home away from home.

Through it all, we remain committed to dreaming big, working hard, and trusting God’s plan for our journey. We hope our story inspires you to chase your dreams, no matter how big or crazy they may seem. And if you ever find yourself traveling through South Texas, we’d love to welcome you to Southbound RV Park and Cabins—where the adventure continues, and the best is yet to come.