Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Slate.
Debra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Scott and Debra Slate. Bandera RV Park.
We have RVd most of our lives and intended to buy and operate an RV Park when we “were older”. The kids grew up and we bought this little gem-in-the-rough of an RV Park along the Medina River, next to the lively town of Bandera, TX “The Cowboy Capital of the World”. The RV Park needed work and we were up to the task. Both of us used our business and hands-on skills to add 18 spots and update the rest of the RV Park. We now have 45 sites with 30 and 50 amp service. We kept as many trees as possible because they add beauty and cooling shade in the Texas summers. Most of our sites are for long-term stays (a month or more, adults only), but we do have 3 sites available for shorter stays, and pens to accomodate horses or mules while traveling aka a “horse hotel”. Our sites are gravel, with full hook-ups. Find more information on our website, www.BanderaRV.com
We chose Bandera because Debra has relatives close-by, and the town is small but lively. With live music, cowboys, horses and rodeos, bars and churches, and lots of tourists to interact with, we found our home here. There is a good variety of restaurants in the area as well. If we want to go to the “big city”, San Antonio is 45 minutes away and has everything we need.
Speaking of tourists, Bandera is a good starting point for car clubs, motorcycle clubs and individuals to drive “the Twisted Sisters” which consists of three very curvy and roads to enjoy the Texas Hill Coutry. You can base your stay in Bandera, and take several day-trips from here. We used to ride motorcycles and have enjoyed many a ride from Bandera.
Speaking of horses and cowboys, Debra has traded her motorcycle in for horses. Our RV Park now has 3 “horse hotel” sites that provide a place to park a horse trailer (usually with living quarters included) and pens for the horses. This is a perfect location to ride from. You can ride into town and enjoy trails at the Bandera City Park, or park your horse at a bar or restaurant and enjoy a meal. How fun is that! Two of Debra’s three horses pull a western horse-drawn wagon in town most every week. Check out www.WagonRidesOfBandera.com for more information on a tour.
Also check out the Visitors Center website for many other things to do close-by at ww.banderacowboycapital.com.
We believe in being involved in our community. Scott and Debra volunteers for 10 years with the Bandera Fire Department. Debra is now volunteering with the Bandera Business Association.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Boy, we are glad we started this RV Park journey in our 50’s! We put sweat equity into the RV Park by performing much of the manual labor ourselves. We talked with the county engineer and hired professionals when we needed to. Sometimes health issues or the economy slowed progress. But we were determined to make this our way of living in our retirement, so we forged on. Probably the most difficult thing is being married and working together. Once again, it is a choice to forge on and we have been married for 21 years now (in 2026) even through the business challenges.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Scott’s past work includes an over-the-road truck driver, equipment rental manager, EMT and more. Scott now runs Bandera RV Park.
Debra’s past includes 30+ years working as an insurance agent, and with Commercial Insurance companies including Travelers, Liberty, and The Hartford. Now she is an Independent Insurance Agent with ACV Insurance Inc as their Texas Branch office producer. Debra also operates Wagon Rides of Bandera “for fun”. www.WagonRidesOfBandera.com
Pricing:
- see website
- monthly, weekly, daily, and horse hotel rates
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.banderarv.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BanderaRV
