Ep.#39 - New Beginnings In The Texas Hill Country W/ Executive Director Kristi Gerdes
Release Date: 09/05/2025
Ep.#39 - New Beginnings In The Texas Hill Country W/ Executive Director Kristi Gerdes
The Inn Between Podcast
Exploring the Frio River Region with Kristi Gerdes | The In-Between Podcast Ep. 39 Join Jake and Leah as they sit down with Kristi Gerdes, the brand-new Executive Director of the Texas Hill Country River Region (THCRR), to talk about the future of tourism, hidden gems along the Frio River, off-season adventures, and the importance of preserving dark skies. Whether you’re planning a summer float, a cozy fall getaway, or curious about family-friendly activities in Uvalde County, this episode is packed with local insight, history, and inspiration. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and...
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The Inn Between Podcast
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The Inn Between Podcast
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The Inn Between Podcast
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Ep. #32- How To Earn Money Floating The River? w/ Hailey Hart - River Cleanup & Digital Marketing Manager of Uvalde County Visitor Center
The Inn Between Podcast
Have you ever gone tubing, soaking up the sun, enjoying the company of the people around you, and thought, “Man, I wish I could do this all the time!” If you answered yes, we’re about to give you a really great excuse to get on the rivers in Uvalde County more often. Today on the Inn Between, we have Hailey Hart, the River Cleanup and Digital Marketing Manager of Uvalde County Visitor Center! Hailey is a community-driven individual who organizes river cleanups in Uvalde County, offering participants $15 an hour to clean the river while floating down it through the Uvalde...
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Ep. #30- Uvalde County Visitor Center: Texas Hill Country River Region w/ Director Erica Sagebiel
The Inn Between Podcast
Welcome to an exhilarating episode of The Inn Between! Today, we're thrilled to chat with Erica Sagebiel, the Director of Uvalde County Visitor Center: Texas Hill Country River Region. Get ready for a fascinating glimpse into this captivating region! Join us as we discover Erica's role in working with local businesses for events, marketing, and providing invaluable support. Marketing grants have allowed Uvalde County businesses to reach a wider audience, while beautification grants have spruced up the area with delightful touches like Tessa and Leah's wildflowers. Erica shares...
info_outlineExploring the Frio River Region with Kristi Gerdes | The In-Between Podcast Ep. 39
Join Jake and Leah as they sit down with Kristi Gerdes, the brand-new Executive Director of the Texas Hill Country River Region (THCRR), to talk about the future of tourism, hidden gems along the Frio River, off-season adventures, and the importance of preserving dark skies.
Whether you’re planning a summer float, a cozy fall getaway, or curious about family-friendly activities in Uvalde County, this episode is packed with local insight, history, and inspiration.
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories from the heart of Texas Hill Country!
⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome + Spotlight on Camp Riverview in Concan, TX
01:00 – Meet Kristi Gerdes, new Executive Director of Texas Hill Country River Region
02:00 – Growing up in Uvalde + early river memories
03:00 – The opening of House Pasture (1998) and local traditions
04:00 – How the area has grown & the role of social media in tourism
05:00 – Why travelers trust TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube over Google blogs
06:00 – Kristi’s vision for Visit Uvalde County social media
07:00 – Building tourism beyond summer: fall, winter, and spring opportunities
09:00 – The magic of off-season camping, hiking, and campfires
10:30 – Lower lodging rates + quieter river experiences in fall/winter
11:30 – Hidden gem: Lost Maples State Park & nearby Utopia
13:00 – Kayaking, Chalk Bluff Park, and water adventures beyond the Frio
15:00 – Uvalde Nature Park & family-friendly activities
16:00 – Local history, Briscoe-Garner Museum, and the Opera House
18:00 – Tourism challenges: seasonal closures & siloed businesses
19:30 – Kristi’s strategy to bring partners together for bigger events
21:30 – The role of social media & bridging generational marketing gaps
22:30 – Birding tourism opportunities and community collaboration
24:00 – Astro-tourism & preserving dark skies 🌌
27:00 – Advocacy for clean rivers, landscapes, and skies
29:00 – Building off-season tourism & uniting visionary locals
31:00 – Exciting new interactive website for Visit Uvalde County
32:00 – Wrap-up + Kristi’s warm welcome into the community
👤 Guest Bio
Kristi Gerdes is the newly hired Executive Director of The Texas Hill Country River Region (THCRR), a DMO founded in 1998 with the mission of promoting Uvalde County as an overnight year-round tourism destination and to increase off-season occupancy in the region’s accommodations.
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: https://visituvaldecounty.com/
📱 Text Questions To: (830) 834-5534
🙌 Special Thanks To Our Sponsors
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Camp Riverview – friocampriverview.com
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Songs On The Frio – songsontherfrio.com
🔑 Keywords & SEO Tags
Frio River, Concan TX, Uvalde County, Texas Hill Country, River Region, Garner State Park, Lost Maples State Park, Visit Uvalde County, Concan camping, Frio River cabins, Texas dark skies, astro tourism, Texas family vacations, fall in Texas Hill Country, spring getaways Texas, Texas birding, Camp Riverview, House Pasture, Texas travel podcast.