It still has that desert vibe but it also has a golf course and if the Salton Sea project works out and water recreation returns to the Sea, it will be a game-changer for sure.

The link below shows recreation visits at national parks going back to 1979.

I would recommend an umbrella policy for any RE investor that has enough wealth that it could not be recreated in a small number of years.  

It's a decent enough place for Houstonians to get away for the weekend once or twice a year and have a good time, but it's lacking really great restaurants, 4-5 star hotels, and recreational activities.  

My wife and I visited Texas last Summer before moving and checked out all of the major cities and a couple smaller ones we liked, we settled on Dallas because of the mix of recreational activities, weather, and price point on properties in the surrounding suburbs (also lack of Hurricanes).

$155k distressed property located near a popular family recreation area. 840sqft, 1brm, 1bath; therefore, good as a vaca rental rather than a home (currently).

The property has direct access to Dupont State Recreational forest (a huge mountain bike/hiking/horseback riding area) and already has 10 miles of trails and a Pump Track that was built by Red Bull.  

We are even in a state that passed a law to allow the use of recreational marijuana.

But then that gets to the what is the difference between 1 'glamp' space and a 'outdoor recreational' use for a campground etc...In other words the devil is in the details...and the specific location. 

Driving for dollars, yellow letters to absentee owners and networking will be key.There are other opportunities for recreational land too and I have dabbled in that space.