Things to Do in Redwater, Texas
Redwater is a small Bowie County town with a big lake nearby and a metro area at its doorstep. Between fishing and camping at Wright Patman Lake, the small-town rhythms of Dragon football and community events, and the museums, shopping, and entertainment of Texarkana a short drive away, there's plenty to fill a day.
Here's what to do in and around Redwater.
Wright Patman Lake
Redwater's biggest draw is Wright Patman Lake, a nearly 19,000-acre reservoir on the Sulphur River just southwest of town. Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it's a regional centerpiece for fishing, boating, swimming, and camping, with about a dozen parks ringing its shores.
Anglers reel in white bass, crappie, channel and blue catfish, largemouth bass, and sunfish across its wide waters, while families spread out at parks like Clear Springs, Piney Point, and Rocky Point for camping and picnics. Whether you want a serious day of fishing, a boat outing, or a relaxed afternoon by the water, the lake is the area's go-to for outdoor fun close to home.
Small-Town Life and Dragon Football
Much of what there is to do in Redwater itself revolves around community life. Redwater ISD — home of the Dragons, and known around town as 'Dragon Kingdom' — anchors the social calendar, and Friday-night football, school events, and fundraisers draw families together the way they do in small towns across Texas.
The town's churches, local gatherings, and the easy pace of a tight-knit community round out everyday life. For visitors and newcomers, catching a Dragons game, browsing the local spots, or simply enjoying the quiet, wooded setting is part of the appeal of a place this size — small-town Texas at its most genuine.
Texarkana and the Region
Redwater's spot on the edge of the Texarkana metro keeps a full slate of attractions within easy reach. Texarkana, about twelve miles northeast, offers museums, the historic downtown straddling the Texas-Arkansas state line, shopping, dining, and entertainment — including the famous Photographer's Island post office that sits in both states at once.
Nearby New Boston, Hooks, and the surrounding Bowie County towns add their own small-town charm, and the broader region offers more lakes, history, and East Texas scenery within a reasonable drive. Between Wright Patman Lake, hometown community life, and the metro attractions of Texarkana, Redwater offers a well-rounded menu of things to do for a small community.
Concerts & Shows Near Redwater
Listings from Ticketmaster, updated October 18, 2026. Tickets are sold by Ticketmaster; we don't check these dates ourselves, so confirm on the ticket page.
- Tue, Oct 27 · 7:00 PM Crowder LIVE! · First Baptist Church Texarkana, Texarkana · 13 mi · Rock
FAQ: Things to Do in Redwater
Redwater's top draw is Wright Patman Lake, with fishing, boating, swimming, and camping at about a dozen Corps of Engineers parks. In town, Dragon football and community events anchor small-town life, and Texarkana — about twelve miles away — adds museums, shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Wright Patman Lake is a nearly 19,000-acre reservoir on the Sulphur River just southwest of Redwater, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It offers fishing for white bass, crappie, and catfish, plus boating, swimming, and camping at about a dozen parks around its shores.
Redwater is known as the birthplace of the Page quadruplets — the first recorded quadruplets in the United States, born in 1890 — and for its unusual history as the town of Ingersoll, renamed Redwater after an 1886 revival. Today it's a quiet community near Wright Patman Lake.
Near Redwater, Texarkana offers museums, a historic downtown on the Texas-Arkansas line, shopping, dining, and entertainment about twelve miles away, while Wright Patman Lake provides fishing, boating, and camping. New Boston, Hooks, and the surrounding Bowie County towns add more small-town charm.
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Redwater in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →East Texas Festivals and Annual Events
Season-by-season guide to East Texas festivals and events — Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas Rose Festival, the Yamboree, Wonderland of Lights and more, checked against each host's own site.
Read Guide →Best Day Trips from Tyler and East Texas
Drive-time guide to day trips from Tyler: state parks, small towns, museums, and lakes within about 30 minutes, an hour, and up to three hours.
Read Guide →Best Lakes in East Texas
A fact-checked guide to 17 East Texas lakes, from Lake Fork's trophy bass and Caddo Lake to Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Lake Tawakoni. Sizes, species, access and rules come from TPWD.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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