There is no Starbuck's in Red River. There are three coffee houses, though, and every restaurant in town has java with plenty of caffeine to jumpstart your day. But Starbuck's... nope. There is also a chocolate shop and a candy store.Don’t bother looking for a Micky D’s, or a Pizza Hut, Taco Bell or a Walgreen’s, either. Cheeseburgers are not hard to find in town and not only is there pizza, but tacos and burritos and a ton of other good things to eat like steak, lobster and trout. And you can get antacids and aspirin in town, too.
No, Red River isn’t the kind of town where franchises and chain stores dominate the landscape. It’s still a Mom and Pop place and the owners of the shops, stores, restaurants and lodges may be waiting on you at the front desk.
Some folks say the valley is in a time warp, but the residents who call it HOME choose to think of it as life the way they prefer it: a laid-back, down-home, friendly way of living where strangers are welcome and the daily pace will give you a chance to catch your breath and clear your head.
If you’re feeling “puny,” there is a medical clinic that treats everything from altitude sickness to broken bones and dozens of things in between. There are two gasoline stations, one’s also a convenience store, and there’s a grocery store. There are stores where you can buy fine wine.
There is a public library with real books, as well as internet access, and wireless service is not hard to find around town. Check out the Conference Center.
There IS a Little Red School House that serves as a museum. It is a Red River Time Machine so take your time.
There is no airport or train station or taxi cabs, but there is a Red River bus that will pick you up at your door and take you anywhere in town. How’s that for down-home hospitality?
There are no pro sports franchises, but there is a ball field that holds softball tournaments throughout the summer. A theme park? No, but there are three public parks, two with playground equipment and there’s a skate park, and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, as well as a disc golf course.
There is an arcade with video games, pool tables and a roller skating rink, and there is a go-cart track on Main Street. There IS a fun place where you can have the adventure of scaling a climbing wall, experience the power jump, ride a mechanical bull named Pepe, and drive a scoot car down Main Street.
There ARE horseback rides available, and mountain bikes, town bikes and super-cool scooters for sightseeing fun. Don’t forget the surreys. You can also take a jeep tour to the top of the world for some spectacular vistas. If your jeep gets muddy, there is a car wash.
There is also clean, fresh air to breathe. (Go on: take a deep breath.)