Water had always been a big part of life for both my husband and I growing up.
My husband is from upstate New York. His grandmother lived across the
street literally from Lake Ontario. Big open water was always present
for: fishing,swimming,boating,or whatever else they could come up with.I'm from Colorado. Growing up we had rivers and lakes;nothing as grand as Lake Ontario,but beautiful all the same. We went camping often and thou I inevitably got sea sick I enjoyed getting on our family's canon and fishing the afternoon away. We lived in Georgia for seven years and there we had so much water between small streams,lakes and the ocean.
Our little bit of Texas, El Paso, is pure desert.Water to play in...find a swimming pool or drive 3-4 hours! That is with the exception of a park that if it had not been for getting completely lost one day I never would have found, Ascarate Park .
http://www.epcounty.com/parksandrec/ascaratepark/lake.htm
Ascarate Park is defiantly kind of a smorgasbord of outdoor activity for family. On the 448 acres there is a golf course, baseball fields, a playground,a duck pond,walking and biking trails,places to picnic,and a 18 acre lake.
I won't lie,there are some things left to be desired at Ascarate Park. As you drive in,past the boat rental place there is a large area that has what looks to be an old race track,a room that looks like it could house a meeting room that are all but abandoned.If but to good use they would add considerably to the park but since they are not they are a bit of an eye sore. The place can get a bit dirty with litter. To fix those two issues would mean money dedicated to fixing and maintaining this little hideaway.I found an story from the El Paso Times(link below) talking about just that,fixing up the park.I am glad to report on our lst visit there was evidence that work was underway. We will likely be on to our next home by the time they are finished but I can't wait to read about the completion,
http://www.elpasotimes.com/opinion/ci_18728825
