Del Rio is a city in southwest Texas and the county seat of Val Verde County, situated on the Rio Grande at the confluence of San Felipe Creek, directly across the international border from Ciudad Acuña in the Mexican state of Coahuila. Its population of about 34,000 makes it the largest community in a vast, sparsely settled region, and its position about 154 miles west of San Antonio places it at the gateway to the Big Bend country and the southern Edwards Plateau. The city's modern identity rests on two pillars: the military and the border. Laughlin Air Force Base, located about six miles east of town, is one of the U.S. Air Force's principal pilot-training installations, activated in 1942 and still central to the local economy. Its presence brings a steady flow of military families and supports a range of services and businesses. Alongside this, Del Rio's binational relationship with Ciudad Acuña — reflected in the name Amistad, Spanish for "friendship" — shapes the community's culture and daily life, with an international bridge linking the two cities. Recreation is defined by water. Lake Amistad, a 64,900-acre reservoir formed by Amistad Dam on the Rio Grande at its confluence with the Devils River, lies about 12 miles northwest of the city. The lake's American shoreline forms the Amistad National Recreation Area, offering year-round boating, fishing, and water recreation against a backdrop of limestone cliffs and arid flats. The historic Val Verde Winery and the Devils River add further local character. Education is provided by San Felipe-Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District, a large district serving roughly 9,900 students across 14 schools. Transportation runs along U.S. Highways 90 and 277 and the Southern Pacific rail line, connecting the city to San Antonio and the border. The result is a distinctive, affordable border community that combines military vitality, deep binational heritage, and exceptional water-based recreation in a region of striking natural beauty.