Manager Norma Perez Finds The Balance Between The Fast Pace Of The Business & The Community She Serves
In the western hills of Travis County, on the outskirts of one of the most bustling metropolitan areas in the country, fulltime and recreational RVers pull up alongside each other in a sprawling park called La Hacienda RV Resort.
Long RV sites and cottages are available for rent, if available since the park is as active as the town it serves: Austin. Norma Perez, the head manager of La Hacienda, is trying to turn over sites as quick as possible.
"We have all the northerners headed out," Perez said on that busy morning. "We have about 80 RVs that come in for six months and today, they are all checking out.”
Perez got her start in the hospitality industry at a large Austin hotel. In 2005 she moved into the RV industry and steadily worked her way up at another RV park, before Sun Communities took over La Hacienda in 2015. Today she manages a staff of nine, the majority of which live at the park as full time RVers.
“I just fell in love with the RV industry. I realized it was still hospitality, but 90 percent less stress,” Perez said. “It is just a fun industry. RVers are just so laid back – they are just having a good time.”
The 243-site park plays host to a throng of winter Texans -- travelers known colloquially as snowbirds. Being that their homes have wheels, they travel south in the winter to escape the frigid air, and north in the summer to dodge the oppressive heat. La Hacienda is full of these migratory mobile RVers for months on end, and the grounds come alive with parties and grill-outs put on by the temporary community.
While not visible from the RV park, La Hacienda is located just three miles over the road from Lake Travis, a popular outdoor destination for winter Texans and Austin natives. The man made reservoir, fed by the Colorado River, runs 65 miles up through Travis County into neighboring Burnet County. After spending the day fishing, boaters can visit several bars and restaurants like The Oasis at Lake Travis or Lucy’s Fried Chicken on the waterfront.
Long-term visitors at La Hacienda organize a variety of social activities, including potlucks, birthdays, and themed parties. Short-term leisure travelers are often invited to join in, Perez said, an indication of the welcoming atmosphere that exists inside the resort. One of the most popular pastimes in the park is karaoke, which is hosted every other Friday in the pavilion, a venue that holds up to 200 aspiring singers at a time.
"Karaoke seems to be a big hit when the winter Texans are here. They are here to have a good time. I have been so amazed by the talent some of these people have … and some not so much," Perez joked. “But I give them points for getting up there."
Large sites, cable hookups, WIFI, and daily trash pick up are some of the perks of staying here. Management maintains the right to refuse a long-term spot if a rig isn’t attractive in appearance or condition. Rigs 10 years or older must be approved by management…an appreciation of standards but also one that requires RVers to take pride in maintenance and appearance.
Once inside the park visitors can expect a relaxing and collegial atmosphere. At night many campers set out lights and lanterns, giving the park an ethereal feel to all those admitted. Besides RV sites, the park also offers 63 cottages for rent.
“We turn away 10 people a day that want to stay more than a month at a time,” Perez said, calling La Hacienda a diverse and beautiful place. The park is sold out between September and April for the next 2 years, but the staff tries to set aside 10 to 20 sites for casual RVers just passing through.
Austin has been called the live music capital of the world. Whether it’s a an indie rock show on 6th street, a blues show at Antone’s Nightclub (an old haunt for blues legend, Stevie Ray Vaughn), or the Karaoke crooning at the La Hacienda pavilion, many musical opportunities to catch tunes in and around this city.
But as spring approaches with the wild flowers emerging on the local ranch roads, many begin to head north. However, for others, the RV season is just beginning.