Cienegas Terrace offers quiet living between Del Rio, Mexican border
Cienegas Terrace is a small residential destination in west Texas. The community offers secluded living in Val Verde County on the Mexican border near the town of Del Rio. “Growing up there, I’d say it’s a good place to live,” says Blanca Ozuna of eXp Realty. “It’s peaceful, quiet, and it’s growing.” A Dollar General recently opened in the community, near a new subdivision. Residents enjoy proximity to the amenities of Del Rio, the county seat, and Laughlin Air Force Base. Between the base and border-related security services, the federal government is the largest employer in the area.
A wide variety of options, including newly built homes
Despite the parched landscape, trees are surprisingly plentiful along the community’s streets, which contain a mix of single-family homes and manufactured homes. Ranch and contemporary styles are common. Newer homes offer features such as driveways and attached garages. “There are not a lot of restrictions, so you have a little bit of everything,” Ozuna says. “From when I grew up to now, it’s starting to look a lot nicer.” Most of the recent sales are new homes, so it is hard to gauge a proper price range. New homes sell in the $200,000-$300,000 range, but manufactured homes can sell for much less. “There are no city taxes, so it’s a cheaper place to live,” Ozuna says. Residents can expect plenty of hot weather and little rainfall.
Students attend school in neighboring Del Rio
The community is served by the San Felipe-Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District, which receives a grade of C-plus from Niche. Younger students can attend Dr. Lonnie Green Elementary, rated B-minus, and Garfield Middle School. The latter was reconfigured from what was previously Garfield Elementary School for the 2025-2026 school year, and it doesn’t have an updated grade. Older students can attend Del Rio High School, rated C-plus. Another option is Del Rio Early College High School, across the street from the main campus. It offers high school students the opportunity to earn a two-year degree in conjunction with their standard diploma. The district allows students to apply for transfers within the district and outside of it.
Del Rio's parks, Lake Amistad are popular destinations
Del Rio is known for its outdoor recreational opportunities. Swimming pools and athletic amenities are featured attractions among an array of city parks. Several local businesses and organizations are sponsoring planned improvements to the “William S. Nixon Sports Complex” in the Buena Vista section of the city. San Felipe Springs is a nearby natural attraction, and Lake Amistad along the Rio Grande is the centerpiece of the Amistad Recreation Area north of the community. “It’s one of the largest lakes in Texas; it’s really popular,” Ozuna says. “It doesn’t have as much water as it used because we’ve had some droughts, but you still see a lot of people fishing, jet skiing and those kinds of things.”
Tex-Mex favorites highlight the dining options nearby
There’s a definite Tex-Mex flavor to the dining destinations in Del Rio. Steakhouses and Mexican restaurants are featured stops among the options conveniently concentrated around the city’s commercial corridors. Shopping centers and big-box retailers are highlights of the city’s shopping options. New and used car dealers are prominent along Veterans Boulevard.
A car-dependent community in a remote area
While the county provides demand-response service, and fixed-route bus service is available in the city limits of Del Rio, Cienegas Terrace is a car-dependent community in an isolated part of Texas. Val Verde Regional Medical Center is within 5 miles of the community. U.S. Route 90 is a convenient thoroughfare for regional travel. However, the closest big city, San Antonio, is about 150 miles away. The Del Rio International Airport does not currently offer commercial flights. Residents would typically have to drive to San Antonio International for domestic and foreign flights. Amtrak operates out of Del Rio Station near the city’s airport.
Written By
Matt Pallister
