Rio Grande Valley
Visitors Guide 2017-2018 Edition
TIMES
Published By:
Wintearn Tex
RGV Visitors Guide online: www.wttrgv.com/directory
Photo by: Cheko Tapia Photographer
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
URBAN SANCTUARY
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Tuesday to Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm Thursdays until dark Park Admission Fee is $3 Adults, $2 Seniors & Children.
NATIVE GARDEN TOUR
WEDNESDAYS, 10 am to 11 am (Oct. to April) Take a tour of our native gardens and experts will lend tips of the trade so you can create a backyard habitat too!
ART IN NATURE TOUR
THURSDAYS, 10 am to 11 am (Oct. to April) Enjoy a guided tour of the outdoor bronze sculpture trail, and develop an appreciation of the creatures and plants that call our region home.
THURSDAY EVENING SPEAKER SERIES
THURSDAYS, 6 pm to 7 pm Expert speakers will present on topics including art, music, food, trees, gardens, birds, butterflies and books
ADOBE MANSION TOUR
FRIDAYS, 10 am to 11 am Tour one of the largest adobe homes in the state of Texas with our historian sharing the family stories.
SONGBIRD STROLL
SATURDAYS, 8:30 am to 9:30 am An expert birder will be quick to spot birds for you at this World Birding Center and tell you all about them.
www.quintamazatlan.com
QUINTA MAZATLAN
WORLD BIRDING CENTER
600 Sunset Drive Like us on Facebook McAllen • Texas 78503 www.facebook.com/ McAllenQuintaMazatlan (956) 681-3370 Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ McAllenQuintaMazatlan
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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For information: 956-361-3800 cityofsanbenito.com www.sanbenitobusiness.com Page 5
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018 4/20/17 6:58 PM
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Welcome R W
To The
io Grande Valley
elcome to the Rio Grande Valley! Whether you prefer nature and the outdoors, historical sites, parks, fishing, boating or parasailing over the surf at South Padre Island, the Rio Grande Valley has it all. Visitors are attracted by the Valley’s mild winter weather, which makes outdoor activities, such as golf and fishing, year-round opportunities. Over 100,000 Winter Texans stay for the winter season to enjoy our warm, subtropical climate with an average temperature of 65-70 degrees. In addition to the warm weather, Winter Texans are attracted by the friendly people and the many social activities in the RV resorts Jim Brunson and mobile home parks filled with fellow Winter Texans in the winPublisher ter. They also enjoy the beaches and relaxed atmosphere of South Padre Island, dozens of talented entertainers from Branson, Nashville, and other parts of the country who come here to perform at the resorts, and a wide array of other activities, including festivals and special events. The Winter Texan Times publishes a weekly schedule of shows, entertainment and activities held in the RV resorts during the winter season – October through March. For the latest information about what’s going on for Winter Texans, visit www.wintertexantimes.com, or pick up a copy of the paper at any RV resort or chamber of commerce office Valleywide. Winter Texans aren’t the only ones who have discovered the Rio Grande Valley. Birding, butterfly and nature enthusiasts from all parts of the country come to the Valley every year, attracted by the more than 500 R io Grande V alley species of birds and 300 butterfly species that are either native to the area or that migrate through the Valley each year. Because of its neo-tropical climate, the Rio Grande Valley is 2017-2018 Ed ition home to many tropical birds that can be seen nowhere else in the United States. It is also a major bird migration corridor with two major flyways converging here. With nine World Birding Center satellites located all across the Valley, visitors have the opportunity to view different bird species, depending on the habitat offered by each location. A brief description of each of the nine sites is listed in this guide, along with other popular birding destinations nearby. With all there is to see and do in the Rio Grande Valley, we hope you enjoy your stay!
Visitors Guid e
Inside this guide
Points of Interest................................9 Valley Chamber Offices...................42 Top Valley Birding Sites..................36 Valley Birding & Nature Events......43
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide Vol. 20, No. 1 2017-2018 Edition Published by Times Media Group, Inc. 1217 N. Conway Mission, Texas 78572 (956) 580-7800 www.wttrgv.com
© Copyright 2017 by Times Media Group, Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the express consent of the publisher. All rights reserved.
Page 8
TIMES
Published By:
Winter Texan
RGV Visitors
Guide online:
www.wttrgv.com/d
irectory
Photo by: Cheko
About the cover Tapia Photographer
Pictured on the front cover is a nighttime scene on the lake in front of the Shary Mansion. The mansion was built in 1917 by John H. Shary, a major land developer in the Mission and “Sharyland” area who came to be known as “Father of the Citrus Industry.” The 18,000-square-foot mansion was recently purchased by a private investor from Mexico who plans to re-open the mansion as a museum and event center. The mansion is located on Shary Road in the small but tight-knit community of Palmhurst, Texas. Cover photo by Cheko Tapia Photography. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Andy Bowie Park
Those wishing to spend a day enjoying the waterfront will want to visit Andy Bowie Park. The park features nature trails and has a pavilion and picnic area along the beach. We also have BBQ pits and 4 volleyball courts. The park is a must for bird watchers because of the many water birds that live in the area. The park is located about 5 ½ miles from the Queen Isabella Causeway, and the entrance fee is $10 per car. Hours are Monday-Sunday, Winter Season, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Summer Season 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information call 956-761-3704.
Anzalduas Park
See Nature Sites, p. 39.
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
See World Birding Center sites listed on page 36.
Black Dragon Pirate Cruise
Boots on the Ground Mercedes, Texas
Nothing says Texas more than boots; and no one knows that more than the quiet community of Mercedes, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley. Boots have been a staple of the western lifestyle for generations and the spirit of the cowboy is alive and kicking as the City of Mercedes puts their boots where their mouth is – as they promote the fact that this community is home to several custom boot makers. The term “boots on the ground” has a whole new meaning with 27 five-and-a-half foot tall custom-made aluminum boots adorned with college logos throughout the town. This is a way to promote a college-going culture in the community with an old symbol of Mercedes, the cowboy boot. Mercedes is home to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo, which celebrated its 76th Anniversary this past year. The community is also visited by almost six million people every year who shop at the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlet Mall, located on the Expressway. So when in south Texas, c’mon over to Mercedes and get your photo taken with your favorite boot. There is more to this community than meets the eye.
Brownsville Farmers’ Market
This popular tourist attraction is located in the Laguna Madre, headquartered at Pirate’s Landing, 501 Maxam Street in Port Isabel. The two-hour cruise features water gun fights, sword battles, cannon firings, and tales of pirates, face painting, area history and lots of fun. In addition to the two-hour cruise, a half-hour pre-show features events such as magic or knife show, or a fire manipulator. There are 3 daily shows in the summer (11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., 2:30 p.m.-5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m.) During the winter there are 2 shows. Winter show times are 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Rates start at $38 for adults and $27 for children. For information or to make reservations, call 956-943-MATE (6283) or go online to www.blackdragoncruises.com. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Begin your weekend with a stroll in our beautiful open-air Brownsville Farmers’ Market to meet friendly farmers selling locally-grown, fresh produce. The market is open every Saturday morning, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Linear Park. Located in the heart of the Mitte Cultural District, the Market is walking distance from Gladys Porter Zoo and the Brownsville Museum of Fine Arts. The market offers a variety of naturally grown seasonal produce including carrots, radishes, grapefruit, dill, beets, rosemary, tomatoes, cabbage, squash, green onion, nopales, salad mixes, and other seasonal fruits and vegetables. Also found at the Market is local honey, baked goods, coffee, natural smoothies, kettle corn and farm fresh eggs. For more information on the Brownsville Farmers’ Market look us up on Facebook, or visit the website at www. brownsvillewellnesscoalition.com or call 956755-0614. The address is One West University, Brownsville, Texas 78520 and our email: brownsvillewellnesscoalition@gmail.com Page 9
Brownsville Heritage Complex
The Brownsville Heritage Complex is comprised of the Brownsville Heritage Museum and the Stillman House Museum. Guests to the Brownsville Heritage Complex will step back in time to the 1850s as they walk through the home of Charles Stillman, one of Brownsville’s founders. In addition to artifacts and décor of the time period, bilingual interpretive panels introduce guests to the culture, architecture and early history of Brownsville. Brownsville Heritage Museum allows visitors to explore the history of South Texas and Mexico, through interactive exhibits, bilingual signage and unique artifacts from our collections. The Aiken Education Gallery now houses an exhibit centered on Mexican Revolution and displays a 1909 German MAN limo which was allegedly custom made for Porfirio Diaz. The Vezzetti Room accommodates temporary art and cultural exhibits in addition to hosting our wide variety of programs and events. The Brownsville Heritage Complex is located in the heart of historic downtown at 1325 East Washington. Admission to entire complex is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. Children and children under 6 are free (accompanied by an adult). A day pass with admission to both the Heritage Complex and the Historic Brownsville Museums is available: Adults $10, Seniors $6, Students $3, and children under 6 are free (accompanied by an adult).
1935, the museum owns a permanent collection of more than 500 works from renowned artists including Mark Chagall, Whistler, N.C. Wyeth, Augustus John, and Alexander Calder. Hours are Monday-Tuesday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Group rates and tours are available. Regular admission fees are $5 for adults, students, and children 6 to 12, seniors and students with ID are $2.50; and children under 6 are free. (Weds. after 5 p.m. 50% off). For more information, call 956-542-0941 or visit www.BMFA.US.
Camille Playhouse
In the heart of the Mitte Cultural District, the Camille Playhouse is located across from Gladys Porter Zoo in Dean Porter Park. It is dedicated to bringing the finest in theater performances to Brownsville. Call 956-542-8900 for upcoming events, times and admissions, or visit the website at www.camilleplayhouse.org. Hours of operation are Tuesday- Friday 10 a.m.4 p.m.
Children’s Museum of Brownsville
Brownsville’s Historic Places Walking Tours
The Discover Brownsville’s Historic Places Walking Tour Maps are available (while supplies last) at Brownsville Heritage Complex at 1325 East Washington St. in Brownsville. Call 956541-5560 for dates and times of tours or go online to www.brownsvillehistory.org. Tours of the area are often led in winter months through the Brownsville Heritage Complex. The Tour Maps are also available at the Brownsville Convention & Visitors Bureau, 650 FM 802 in Brownsville. Call 956-546-3721 or 800-626-2639 or go online to www.brownsville. org.
Brownsville Museum of Fine Art
Opened in 2006, Brownsville’s Art museum is no ordinary experience. Located in the Mitte Cultural District of Brownsville, across the street from the Gladys Porter Zoo, is a state-of-theart, 17,000-square-foot museum. Founded in Page 10
The Children’s Museum of Brownsville is located at 501 Ringgold Street, #5, Dean Porter Park in Brownsville. The non-profit museum is a safe environment where children can learn and explore through the many hands-on exhibits, workshops and programs. Admission is $8 per person and children under 1 enter for free. The museum offers Community Free Night once a month, look for Community Free Night dates and other information on our website www.cmofbrownsville.org. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Welcome To TEXAS
e B o T e c a l The P
JANUARY Texas Citrus Fiesta FEBRUARY Winter Texan Fiesta MAY Tardeada Zapateada OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER Texas Butterfly Festival NOVEMBER Dia de los Muertos Celebration DECEMBER Annual Christmas Lighting
Come Visit Us!
956.580.8650
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
www.missiontexas.us Page 11
The children’s museum is open Tuesday Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. Closed on Monday except during spring break and summer when we’re open 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. For more information call 956-548-9300 or visit www.cmofbrownsville.org.
Commemorative Air Force Museum
tures yearly rotating exhibits of authentic dress and artifacts, some over 100 years old, from the Americas and beyond. Tours are available by request. Museum hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Monday. Admission: $2, Children 10 and under are free. Website: www.cotam.net . For more information call 956-547-6890.
Donna Historical Museum
Located in the Historical Donna News Building located at 129 S. 8th Street, The Donna Historical Museum has memorabilia of early pioneer days in Donna. Named for the daughter of one of Donna’s founders, the museum is open Tuesdays thru Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Open during lunch too. Admission is free, although donations are welcome. For more information, contact the museum at 956-464-9989. The Rio Grande Valley Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Museum is located at 955 South Minnesota Ave., Brownsville, Texas, just south of the Brownsville/South Padre Island Airport terminal building. It is home to a unique collection of World War II and subsequent military memorabilia. The hangar area houses an assortment of flying military aircraft dating back to 1935. The local wing hosts its annual Air Fiesta the second weekend in March each year. It is the largest privately staged air show in South Texas. The show provides a flying exhibition of WW II era aircraft and modern military jets. Re-creations of famous battles of WW II are the highlight of the show. The museum is open October through March from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors 55 and over, and $3 for youth 12-16. Children 11 and under are free. Groups of 20 or more can call for special rates of $3 per person. School fieldtrips welcome. For information call 956-541-8585, or go online to www.rgvcaf.org. The hangar also operates the Brownsville Barnstormers Lounge that opens at 5 p.m.12 a.m. on Monday, 3 p.m.-12 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday. Family atmosphere.
Costumes of the Americas Museum
Located at 5 Dean Porter Park, the Costumes of the Americas Museum plays a vivid role in the enrichment of the Mitte Cultural and Education Center in Brownsville, Texas. The Museum feaPage 12
Delta Lake Park
Located in eastern Hidalgo County, Delta Lake Park is one of the nicest parks around. With a pavilion, barbecue facilities, picnic tables along the lakeshore, it is a perfect place for birdwatchers to spend a day watching the water ducks and geese that call the lake home while in the Valley. The lake is on FM 88 north of Elsa, three miles north of Monte Alto. Hours: Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. to sunset, around 7:30 p.m. For more information call 956-968-8733.
Falcon Dam
The need for water and electrical power for the growing demands of the Rio Grande Valley and Texas border resulted in a Water Treaty of 1944 with Mexico to build three dams on the Rio Grande River. Construction of the $35 million Falcon Dam began in 1950 and was completed in 1954. The dam and reservoir covered 87,000 acres of land. In 1953 President Dwight Eisenhower dedicated the dam, making the first presidential visit to the Rio Grande Valley in history. Those wishing to drive across the spillway can visit the Mexican town of Nuevo Guerrero. Falcon Dam is located about 14 miles northwest of Roma on FM 2098.
Falcon Lake
See Nature Sites, p. 39.
Falcon State Park
See nature sites on page 39. The park is located near Falcon Dam on Park Road 46 and FM 2098, off of Hwy 83. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; open 365 days a year. For inforRio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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mation call 956-848-5327.
Fort Brown/UTB
While most of Fort Brown, a military fort established in the 1840s when the U.S. went to war with Mexico is gone; some of the old barracks have been converted into classrooms for students attending the University of Texas-Brownsville. A frame home where General “Black Jack” Pershing, Charles Lindberg, Abner Doubleday (creator of baseball) and Col. Robert E. Lee stayed at one time or another has been preserved. An old commissary that had a jail in the basement remains on the campus along with a bachelor’s officer’s quarters, the post chapel, the morgue and an old hospital. During winter months, walking tours of the campus are sponsored by the Brownsville Heritage Complex. Check website for upcoming tours, www.brownsvillehistory.org
of December each year. San Ygnacio is the only place left that has this type of Spanish colonial dwellings. Others that existed in the area were destroyed when Falcon Dam and Lake were built. Over 100 buildings in San Ygnacio are listed on the National Register as part of a National Historic District featuring Spanish Colonial Homes.
Frontera Audubon Nature Preserve See nature sites on page 39.
Gladys Porter Zoo
Fort Ringgold
Established in 1848 as a cavalry fort, today most of the old fort is part of the Rio Grande City School District. Several of the old buildings such as the hospital have been retained along with the parade grounds. The most prominent is an old house where Col. Robert E. Lee stayed when visiting the fort. The house has been turned into a museum in his honor. It is located at 1 S. Fort Ringgold, Rio Grande City or call 956-716-6700 for more information.
Fort Treviño-San Ygnacio
For a look into Spanish Colonialism on the north side of the Rio Grande, drive out to San Ignacio and look at Fort Treviño, located at the corner of Uribe and Treviño Streets, from the outside. Built in 1830 this former residence of Jesus Treviño is typical of the homes built during the 1750s to early 1800s. The fort has been called one of the outstanding examples of Spanish heritage and architecture in the Rio Grande Valley. The home is built of sandstone walls, and features troneras, small openings in the walls, where settlers fighting Indians could stick their guns through the walls and shoot without fear of being hit by a roving Indian. There is a stone sundial at entrance to the fort. The courtyard has a well and room for a horse and carriage, a few goats and chickens. Settlers under siege could set up in the fort for long periods of time without fear the Indians could storm the place. The fort is open for viewing only during the San Ygnacio Home Tours held the first Sunday Page 14
Explore one of the top zoos in the country, Gladys Porter Zoo. Take a trek through Africa, Asia, Tropical America and Indo-Australia. Encounter three generations of gorillas, tigers, macaws, kangaroos, Orinoco crocodiles, 255 species of tropical plants and more. Recent additions include an enchanted South Texas themed playground, Stingray Landing in the Russell Aquatic Ecology Center and a Capuchin Monkey exhibit. The playground features sensational one-of-a-kind play structures, plus visitors can cool off under the refreshing water misters at Martha’s Cove. The Zoo is open every day of the year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors may stay on the grounds until dusk. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children ages 2-13, and children 1 year and under are free. Admission for seniors, 65 and over is $10.50. Discount rates are available for groups, senior citizens, AAA and AARP members. Memberships are also available. The Zoo is located at 500 Ringgold Street, Brownsville. Call 956-546-2177 or visit www.gpz.org for more information. The Gladys Porter Zoo is a visitor oriented zoological and botanical park, dedicated to the preservation of nature through education, conservation and research.
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The Rio Grande Valley offers premier golf Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Mission, Texas
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Page 15
courses with pristine fairways that, due to our mild winters, can be enjoyed year-round. Each has been uniquely designed to accent the tropical vegetation and climate that make the Rio Grande Valley a favorite among golf enthusiasts. Set in Deep South Texas, both novice and professional golfers alike can take advantage of a wide selection of golf courses – from Mission to South Padre Island. Our winter temperatures average 65-70 degrees with over 200 sunny days throughout the year. Following are just a few of the Valley’s golf courses: Cimarron Country Club - 1200 S. Shary Road, Mission, TX (956) 581-7405 Ebony Hills Public Golf Course - 300 W. Palm Dr., Edinburg, TX (956) 381-1244 Howling Trails Golf Course (formerly Martin Valley Ranch) - 7400 W. Expressway 83, Mission, TX (956) 585-6330 Los Lagos Golf Course - 1720 Raul Longoria Rd., Edinburg, TX (956) 316-0444 Meadow Creek in the Valley - 1300 Circle Drive, Mission, TX (956) 581-6262 Monte Cristo Golf Course - 3101 N. Kenyon Road, Edinburg, TX (956) 381-0964 Palmview Golf Course - 2701 S. Ware Rd, McAllen, TX 99560 681-3444 Rancho Viejo Resort & Country Club - 1 Rancho Viejo Drive, Rancho Viejo, TX (956) 350-4000 River Bend Resort & Golf Course - 281 Military Highway, Brownsville (956) 548-0194 Shary Municipal Golf Course - 2201 N. Mayberry St., Mission TX (956) 580-8774 South Padre Island Golf Club - 1 Ocelot Trail, Laguna Vista, TX (956) 943-5678 Tierra del Sol Golf Club - 700 E. Hall Acres, Edinburg, TX, (956) 402-4545 Tierra Santa Golf Club - 1901 Club de Amistad, Weslaco, TX (956) 973-1811 Tony Butler Municipal Golf Course - 2640 South M Street, Harlingen, TX (956) 216-5970 Treasure Hills Golf Club - 3009 N. Agusta National Drive, Harlingen, TX (956) 425-1700
Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum
History comes alive through tours of the Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum, 2425 Boxwood, across from Texas State Technical College and Valley International Airport. Step inside the Paso Real Stagecoach Inn, built at the end of the 19th century. Marvel at the vintage medical equipment on display in the city’s first hospital. Take a glimpse at daily life in the city house of city founder, Lon C. Hill, which features many original family possessions. Page 16
Enjoy photos of Harlingen’s history as an air base and exhibits of railroad and ranching history in south Texas and enjoy temporary exhibits of art and history in the main museum building. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There is no admission fee but donations are encouraged. Guided group tours are $1 per child and $2 per adult; tours must be arranged 14 days in advance. Call 956-216-4901 for information.
Harlingen Heritage Trail Harlingen Murals
Take a walking tour of Harlingen by crossing the railroad tracks where the town got its nickname of Six Shooter Junction. Marvel at the beautiful homes on Taylor Street, once known as Silk Stocking Row. Drive through Harlingen and enjoy the beautiful murals that describe Harlingen’s history as a major city in the development of the Rio Grande Valley. From the old cinema downtown to the historic Route 77, murals can be found on inside and outside of many Harlingen buildings that tell the story of Harlingen’s heritage. Visitors can pick up guides to the walking tour or where to find the 30 murals at the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce, 311 East Tyler Avenue. For information call 956-423-5440 or log on to www.visitharlingentexas.com or for downtown attractions and events log on to www.downtownharlingen.com.
Harlingen Municipal Auditorium
The Harlingen Municipal Auditorium has hosted hundreds of famous musicians, speakers, circuses, and plays since its opening in 1928. Renovated and expanded in 1993, it remained a venue for concerts and dramatic performances, and serves as headquarters for the city’s signature events. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Warm winters, the country’s lowest cost of living. Check out McAllen you’ll be surprised and charmed.
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Renovated again after being devastated by Hurricane Dolly in 2008, the auditorium hosts dramatic performances, concerts and other special events. Located at 1204 Fairpark Blvd. Call 956-216-5992 or 956-216-5990 or visit www.myharlingen.us for information.
house should call Ariel King at 956-330-7497. The house is listed on Facebook at the William Jennings Bryan House - The Bryan House and the website is www.thebryanhouse.com. Our email address is Thehistoricbryanhouse@gmail. com.
Harlingen Community Theatre
Historic Jackson Street – Downtown Harlingen
Musicals, comedies, concert and dance performances are regularly scheduled at Harlingen Community Theatre, located at 1209 Fair Park Blvd., Harlingen. Call 956-412-PLAY for information on upcoming events or to make reservations. You can check out our website at www. harlingencommunitytheatre.org.
Historic Brownsville Museum
Don’t miss the train while in the Valley! The Historic Brownsville Museum’s feature exhibit is a Baldwin wood-burning railroad locomotive, the last one in the world of its kind. The museum is located within the old Southern Pacific Railroad Depot built in 1928 and covers the history of Brownsville from its beginning with emphasis on the War with Mexico and the Civil War. Significant historical artifacts from Brownsville’s past are also on display and feel free to view artwork currently on exhibit in the art gallery. The museum is located at 641 E. Madison Street. Admission: Adults $6, Senior Citizens $4 and children under 6 are free (accompanied by an adult). A day pass with admission to both the Heritage Complex and the Historic Brownsville Museums is available: Adults $10, Seniors $6, Students $3 and children under 6 are free (accompanied by an adult). Open Tues. - Sat., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays. Parking is free. For more information contact the Museum at 956-548-1313.
Historic Bryan House
The historic William Jennings Bryan House was built in 1909 as a winter farm between Bryan’s three runs for presidency and becoming Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson. The Bryan House was recently purchased and restored by Frank and Ariel King. It now hosts boutique weddings, special events, community events, a seasonal farmer’s market, catered ladies’ luncheons, meetings, retreats, historic heritage tours, photography shoots, bird & butterfly watching, and it is also a bed & breakfast. Prices vary depending on the size, duration and day of scheduled event. People wanting to tour the Page 18
You won’t find a “Main Street” in Harlingen, but Jackson Street has been the focus of community life for more than 100 years. This palmlined avenue in Downtown Harlingen offers dozens of unique shops, great food, history and more! Enjoy browsing for antiques and collectibles, original art, home décor, jewelry, gifts, and apparel. Take a trip down memory lane in a vintage vinyl shop or cool off in the shade at a 100-year-old garden center. Check out the many beautiful, larger-than-life-size murals portraying aspects of Valley history and culture. Stop for lunch or a snack at delicious locally-owned restaurants featuring deli sandwiches, fresh salads, brick-oven pizza, hot enchiladas, and juicy burgers. Downtown Harlingen hosts the Harlingen Farmers Market every Saturday afternoon, Jackson Street Market Days the first Saturday of each month, and Harlingen Art Night every last Friday. Historic walking tours and Segway tours are also available. For more information, call the Harlingen Downtown office, (956) 216-4910 or visit www.downtownharlingen.com.
International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS)
IMAS is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. IMAS was developed through the efforts of the McAllen Junior League to increase the quality of life for the citizens of the Rio Grande Valley and to provide activities in the arts and sciences that are meaningful, educational, and available to the public. A new building expansion, partially funded by the New Millennium Capital Campaign, was constructed and completed in 2001, which added an additional 17,259 square feet to accommodate three classrooms, an artist studio, gift shop, theater, and a hands-on exhibition space called the Discovery Pavilion. In the same year, the Museum completed its “Community Big Build” project and unveiled “RioScape: A Children’s Discovery Park,” incorporating play in an outdoor learning environment that reflects scientific and environmental concepts specific to the Rio Grande River. The Museum currently has over 50,000 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
8th St.
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
S. Bridge Ave.
N
Ranchero Village
956.968.2708
www.riovalleyestates.com 715 N. Westgate • Weslaco
Rio Valley Estates
55+ Communitie s
956.968.6223
www.rancherovillagetx.com 1900 S. Bridge • Weslaco
Larger concrete pads. 50 amp service heated pools and Jacuzzi . Shuffleboard. Large Rec Halls Free WiFi (in select areas of both parks)
Our parks offer:
Bus. 83
Rio Valley Estates
W. Pike Blvd
Ranchero Village
Ranchero Way
N
Bus. 83
EXP. 83/ U.S. 2
Not Just A Park It’s A Community
N. Westgate Dr.
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square feet of exhibit space and public access areas. IMAS is the only museum in South Texas accredited by the American Association of Museums. IMAS’s galleries host a number of revolving international and regional art and science exhibits each year. The museum provides a unique opportunity to participate in hands-on science exhibitions, and to learn original works of art while engaging the creative mind. The museum houses the McAllen PUB Science Lab and Ann Moore Art Studio, which host a variety of activities that change weekly. A must see exhibition at IMAS is the Science on a Sphere, located inside the IMAS Theatre. There are only 145 Science Sphere theaters throughout the world. The museum is located at the corner of Bicentennial and 1900 Nolana in McAllen. Regular hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Thursdays 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Fridays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Summer hours are Mon.Wed. and Fri. 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Thurs. 9 a.m.- 8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., and Sun. 1 p.m.- 5 p.m. IMAS offers Family Fun Night every Thursday evening from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. General admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors/students (with ID), and $4 for children (ages 4-12) and free for children 3 and under. Special exhibitions require an additional admission fee. For more information call 956-682-0123 or visit IMAS’s website at www.theimasonline.org.
Isla Blanca County Park
A favorite destination among island lovers, this park located at the southern tip of the island has picnic facilities, a full service marina, a fishing jetty and sites for RV hook-ups. The University of Texas-Pan American Coastal Studies Laboratory, with examples of marine life from the Laguna Madre and the Gulf of Mexico, is located inside the park. The lab is open from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., Sunday- Friday. For more information on the lab call 956-761-2644. The park is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. There is an admission charge of $10 per vehicle or $5 with veteran and $25 for bus. For more information call 956-761-5493 or 956-761-5494.
Iwo Jima Monument and Museum
Iwo Jima Memorial, is located on the grounds of the Marine Military Academy. The memorial depicts the five Marines and one U.S. Navy corpsman shown in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph as they struggled to plant an American flag atop Mount Suribachi on the Pacific IsPage 20
land of Iwo Jima Feb. 23, 1945. The island had been taken by the Japanese in the early years of the war and the planting of the flag was a symbol to the free world of the struggle going on in the Pacific to preserve freedom. Dr. Felix W. De Weldon, a sculptor serving in the Navy at the time, created a scale model, which was used for the final war bond drive of the war. After the war, De Weldon worked almost 10 years to prepare a working model for the memorial to be cast in bronze and set in Arlington National Cemetery. When the bronze statue was completed, it was dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954. The original model remained in De Weldon’s possession until 1981 when he gave the work of art to the Marine Military Academy. The Iwo Jima War Memorial Museum is located on the grounds of the Marine Military Academy, next to Valley International Airport in Harlingen. The museum honors the efforts of Marines everywhere, but concentrates on the Battle of Iwo Jima. The museum, located at 320 Iwo Jima Blvd., also houses a gift shop. The museum is open Monday- Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Sunday. There are no admission charges but donations are appreciated. Phone: 956-4219234 or 1-800-365-6006, or visit www.mma-tx. org/museum.htm. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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La Borde House
Founded in 1897 and renovated in 1987, La Borde House was first a trading post where Indians and fur trappers brought their wares. It was located in Rio Grande City because Rio Grande City was the head of navigation for the Rio Grande River. Due to the difficult terrain around Rio Grande City, and the fact that traveling by ox cart was the only other method of travel to get to Rio Grande City, almost all trade was done by shipping wares by steamboat up and down the river. In 1917, the trading post was converted into an elegant hotel. Eventually, the hotel fell into disrepair but a local philanthropist, Larry Sheerin, purchased the hotel and began restoration in 1981. When the restoration was finally over, the eight hotel rooms restored were authentic examples of turn-of-the century elegance furnished with authentic period antiques. The property is now owned and operated by the Starr County Historical Foundation. They recently completed a renovation project that returned this magnificent site to its original splendor. The hotel is listed in the national registry of historic buildings. La Borde House is located at 601 E. Main Street in Rio Grande City. For more information call 956-487-5101.
La Lomita Chapel
La Lomita Chapel is an important glimpse into the history of Mission and South Texas. Constructed from adobe, the chapel was built in 1865 by Rene Guyard, a French merchant and devout Roman Catholic, on the Lomita Ranch he purchased in 1845. It continues as a religious shrine and popular site for historians. La Lomita means “little hill” in Spanish, and is the namesake for the present city of Mission. The chapel is located at 3601 E. Military Rd. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. There is no admission fee. For more information call 956-585-2727.
eral Elvis impersonators come on a yearly basis to perform. Located in a private home at 701 West Ocean Blvd. The museum is open only by appointment. For more information contact Rosie Vega Mezouari 956-233-5482. Admission is donations.
Los Ebanos Ferry
The Los Ebanos Ferry was first used in the 1740s by Spanish explorers and colonists under Jose de Escandon. This ancient ford was also used by Mexican war troops in 1846, by Texas Rangers chasing cattle rustlers and by smugglers in many eras, especially during the American Prohibition of the 1920s and 1930s. Named after the abundance of ebony trees that flourish around the site, the ferry is the only hand-pulled ferry across the US/Mexico Border. It can transport three cars and several pedestrians across the Rio Grande. You can even help them pull! Located 14 miles west of Mission on Expressway 83, then 3 miles south of the expressway on FM 886 in Los Ebanos. The ferry operates 7 days a week, weather permitting. For more information call 956-487-1688.
McAllen Convention & Visitors Bureau
Located at the intersection of Expressway 83 and Ware Road, the McAllen Convention & Visitors Bureau hosts many events during the year including symphony presentations, sporting events, trade shows and special events. Opened in 2009, the center offers 172,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting space. Call 956-682-2871 for information or go online to www.mcallencvb.com.
McAllen Performing Arts Center
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
See Nature Sites, p. 39.
Little Graceland
Located in Los Fresnos, this is a privately owned museum that Elvis Presley fans will love. The owner, who served in the U.S. Army with Elvis while stationed in Germany, has an impressive collection of Elvis memorabilia including albums, photos, posters and many other things. In January around Elvis’ birthday, there is a festival held with food, fun and fanfare. SevPage 22
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
When world-renowned crooner Tony Bennett performed for the grand opening of the brand new, 93,000-square-foot McAllen Performing Arts Center on November 19, 2016, he looked around the new state-of-the-art facility and said, “They don’t build them like this anymore. This is a beautiful theater.” Since opening day, the $44.9 million, 1,828-seat center has been an incredible venue to host the Jersey Boys, Annie, Elf, America, Mamma Mia, Moscow Ballet Nutcracker, Valley Symphony Orchestra and many other exciting shows, bringing the best of the arts to the city of McAllen. The new venue offers unobstructed views and perfect sound with a magical house experience and stage presentation. Commercial development exploded in what is now referred to as the Convention Center Campus, with five signature hotels, major restaurants chains, dozens of retail shops that entice the entire family and a park featuring a pond that often sees paddle boats and outdoor community events taking place. For information about upcoming shows, go to www.ticketmaster.com. The McAllen PAC is located at 801 Convention Center Boulevard, and the box office number is 956-681-3800.
Mission Historical Museum
Located at 900 Doherty Ave. and 200 E. Tom Landry St. in downtown Mission, the Mission Historical Museum offers something for history lovers of all ages. The former John H. Shary office building (900 Doherty) features exhibits relating to important themes in Mission’s history. The Old Post Office (200 E Tom Landry) features a large gallery which houses temporary exhibits, as well as a tribute to the original 1940 post office that occupied this space. The Museum’s Hands-on History Center occupies a portion of this building and features activities, and crafts designed to engage our younger visitors and encourage an interest in history. The Mission Memories Museum Store (also located in the Old Post Office Building) offers unique history and Mission-themed souvenirs, books, and other items to remind you of your visit. The Museum is open Tuesday- Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Please call 956-580-8646 or find us on Facebook for more information. Go to our website www.missionmuseum.org.
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Museums of Port Isabel Port Isabel Lighthouse
To get a great view of the Laguna Madre, climb to the top of the Point Isabel Lighthouse, constructed in 1852 to guide ships through the Brazos Santiago Pass into the Laguna Madre. Built at the direction of President James K. Polk, it was also used for the protection of Fort Polk, once located along the coast where Port Isabel now sits. Opened as a state park in 1952, it is the only lighthouse now open for viewing in the state of Texas. The lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage on the grounds now houses the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce. The lighthouse is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission prices are adults $4, seniors $3 and students $2. For more information call 956-943-7602.
The Museums of San Benito
The Museums of San Benito are located in the San Benito Community Building, 210 E. Heywood Street, San Benito. (Corner of North Reagan & East Heywood) Open Thursday- Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $3 Adults, $1.50 Children under 12. We are in the process of building a new museum. Expected opening date is January 2018.
San Benito History Museum
Step back in time and see how San Benito came to be. From the natural formation of the Resaca (an old course of the Rio Grande River) where Indians and Spanish land grant ranches flourished to the arrival of the railroad and diverse ethnic pioneers hungry for cheap and fertile land, a small community grew and prospered. San Benito grew into a social and commercial center in the tropical Magic Valley of Texas. Pioneers built schools and churches, formed clubs and held dances and even put on a “Hog Waddle.” Over 100 years have passed since San Benito’s founding and naming by Col. Sam Robertson and his business colleagues. Walk through our small tale in United States history and as the words of a popular song echo, “Reminisce about the days of yore…” For information, contact the San Benito Historical Society at 956-399-9991 or 956-3996032, www.sanbenitohistory.org.
Freddy Fender Museum
Texas Folk-life Resources calls “Freddy Fender an icon and the most significant MexiPage 26
can-American singer, writer and musician in musical history.” The Freddy Fender Museum gives a rare glimpse at his roots and what made him such a significant entertainer to so many. Freddy Fender’s music career was ignited in the late 1950s when he recorded Spanish-language versions of “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Jamaica Farewell,” which were chart-topping hits in Mexico and South America. He first recorded and had regional success with “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” in the 1960s, but in the 1970s the song, along with his signature, “Before the Next Teardrop Falls,” propelled Freddy to international stardom. In 1975, he won the Academy of Country Music’s Best New Artist award. This was the first of many major awards that Freddy would receive throughout his life. In more recent years, he co-founded the Texas Tornados with Flaco Jimenez, Augie Meyers and Doug Sahm, toured as a solo artist, and as part of Tejano super group, Los Super Seven. A multi-Grammy Award winner, Mr. Fender performed for US presidents, governors and soldout audiences worldwide. With music awards in 4 decades, numerous movie and TV credits, he continued to perform to sell out audiences from Vegas to Amsterdam until 2005. Freddy was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999 for his contribution to music. Now you can enjoy Freddy’s story in his own words of his humble beginnings to the height of fame as an international recording star. See his Grammy awards, his Harley Davidson and costumes worn in various performances. The legend and the spirit of Freddy live on in San Benito, Texas. Freddy Fender Museum, www.freddyfendermuseum.org or call 956-2451666.
Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum
The Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum is a part of the Museums of San Benito, the birthplace of conjunto music. The museum works to promote, preserve, archive, document, and to permanently display the history of Conjunto regional music and to honor those who created it. Detailed information on the instruments used in conjunto music, its cultural origins, and stories of San Benito’s legendary music institutions – “La Villita” dance hall and the Ideal Records are among featured exhibits. In annual ceremonies, capped with a grand dance, worthy conjunto personnel are inducted into the Hall of Fame, which today features 33 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
notable individuals. They are highlighted in the biographies and memorabilia featured in the museum. Conjunto music pioneer Narciso Martinez is credited with solidifying the combination of the German and Polish accordion polkas, schottisches and redowas with the Spanish bajo sexto (12-string guitar) and musica ranchera (ranch music). Called the “working man’s music,” conjunto legends’ memories, and their spirit, are kept alive in the Resaca City at the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum. For information, call 956-245-1666 or 956-276-9588.
Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center
The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center, located at 225 E. Stenger Street, in San Benito, Texas is dedicated to the preservation, promotion and development of the rich cultural heritage of the Mexicano community through arts programming, including visual arts, music, theater, dance, media and literary works. The Center is named after Don Narciso Martinez who is considered to be the father of Texas-Mexican conjunto music. Since 1991, the Center celebrates this her-
itage in the annual Narciso Martinez Conjunto Festival, a three-day music festival held every year on the weekend closest to the 16 de Septiembre. This year’s event is scheduled Oct 20-22. This grass-roots festival has received national acclaim; in 1998 the Smithsonian Institution’s Folkway Recordings captured the event in a CD entitled “Taquachito Nights” and in 2006 Radio Bilingue produced a three-day special that was broadcast internationally. The Center continues to document the history of conjunto music in a popular program entitled Conjunto Nights, every third Thursday of the month. For information, call 956-244-0373.
Museum of South Texas History
The Museum of South Texas History (MOSTHistory) is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Founded in 1967 as the Hidalgo County Historical Museum in the 1910 Hidalgo County Jail, the museum has grown over the decades through a series of expansions to occupy a full city block — later renamed the Museum of South Texas History to better reflect its regional scope. Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memo-
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rial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. Experience centuries of stories from the borderland region at Museum of South Texas History. The museum’s signature Rio Grande Legacy exhibition creates a passage through time in state-of-the-art multimedia settings. Stand in the shadow of a full-sized mammoth, gaze up at stars that first guided Spanish explorers to our shores, hear corridos or ballads from the Mexican Revolution while warming your hands over the horno or oven, and even watch as a steam train rolls by in the train station. Enhance your visit by viewing any of the three educational videos in the comfortably integrated theaters. MOSTHistory also holds a variety of family-friendly special events, programs and educational classes throughout the year including Pioneer and Ranching Crafts Day, Dia de los Muertos, MOSTHistory Puppet Theater, Sunday Speaker Series, guided tours and more. The Museum of South Texas History is located in downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are from 1-5 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, Find on Google+ or call 956-383-6911.
National Butterfly Center
(NABA) See Nature Sites, p. 39.
Old City Cemetery Center and Historic Cemetery
In 2007, the Brownsville Historical Association was entrusted with the National Historical Old City Cemetery with the purpose of restoring the badly damaged landmark. In order to educate the public on this important location, the Old City Cemetery center was created. The center exhibits permanent displays regarding the cemetery traditions and burial customs along with temporary art exhibits related to the cemetery culture. The Old City Cemetery Center is free and open by appointment only by calling 956-5481313 and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guests can request special interest tours of the cemetery by calling in advance.
Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum
The Magic Valley’s early 20th Century transition into an agricultural powerhouse is retold at the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse, which also Page 28
embraces nature conservation as a wing of the World Birding Center. The Old Hidalgo Pumphouse began pumping water to create an agricultural empire north of the Rio Grande in 1909 when the Louisiana-Rio Grande Canal Company installed steam-driven pumps, fueled by mesquite wood to pump the water to irrigate farms. The Pumphouse is on the National Register of Historic Landmarks. The museum exhibits the steam engines and pumps and tells the story of how agriculture was developed in the Rio Grande Valley. The Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center is a hidden treasure, with beautiful sceneries of its gardens where you can enjoy nature with native trees, native shrubs, and native plants; which attract birds and butterflies. The Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center is open 7 days a week. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. There’s a charge on scheduled museum and historical tours. The museum tour fees are $3 for adults and $1 for students. The historical trolley tour fee is $3 per person. Every third Tuesday of the month, there are trolley tours that run at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The Museum offers photography sessions, venue rentals, and bicycle rentals for the more adventurous visitors. There is an asphalt bike trail behind the Pumphouse, on the levee, that runs just a bit over 4 miles as a roundtrip. This trails starts by going east from Pumphouse grounds along the border wall, passing the wetlands to Military Road to a total of 2 ¼ miles. While on this bike trail you may encounter several of our brown and white pelicans; cormorant ducks, grey hawks, turkey vultures and American coots. These are just a few of many waterfowls that can be seen while visiting the bike trail. We are located at 902 S. 2nd St. in Hidalgo. For more information call (956) 843-8686, visit www.cityofhidalgo.net. , or at www.facebook. com/HidalgoPumphouseMuseumandWorldBirdingCenter/
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church
Established in 1899 as the first mission of the historic La Lomita Church by circuit-riding Oblate priests, the church was first known as Our Lady of Mission. The church was nearly destroyed in a fire in 1925. The statue of the Blessed Virgin was the only thing rescued from the incident. When the current building was constructed in 1927, the name was changed to Our Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. In 2012-13 the church worship hall was renovated and expanded to accommodate the growing congregation. The new hall can seat up to 1,000. The church’s dome was also replaced with a new fiberglass dome replicating the original. The church is currently listed by the Institute of Texas Cultures as having one of the Rio Grande Valley’s most outstanding architectural designs. The church was constructed in a revival architecture style featuring a four-story bell tower, capped by a domed belfry, mission parapets, arched windows and decorative limestone detailing. Located at 6th Street and Dunlap in Mission, the church’s melodious bells can be heard throughout downtown during services. For more information call 956-585-2623.
Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
In the early days of the 20th century, life was especially hard in the Rio Grande City area. Like many frontier towns, crime was rampant and diseases like leprosy and tuberculosis were rampant. The French Oblate Cavalry of Christ circuit-riding priests rode into the area to establish churches and give people hope for a better life.
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
One of these priests was Father Gustave Gollenbach, who felt the creation of a grotto like Our Lady of Lourdes grotto in France would provide inspiration to the people. The grotto is a replica of the original shrine in France where the peasant girl had a vision of Our Lady of Lourdes. Construction was a community effort with help coming from a local Baptist minister. The shrine is located at 305 N. Britton near the courthouse. It is open daily for public view.
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
Palo Alto National Historical Park occupies the site of the first major battle of the US – Mexican War. On May 8, 1846 General Zachary Taylor and his 2,300 men engaged 3,200 Mexican troops under the command of General Mariano Arista in a fierce cannon battle on the coastal prairie. Today, the park preserves the battlefield and provides a visitor center, museum exhibits, video presentations and interpretive trails that explain the causes of war, fighting along the Rio Grande and the importance of the battle to the war that followed. The park also offers a variety of tours and programs throughout the year. In addition to its importance as a historical
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site, Palo Alto Battlefield is a significant natural area. The 3,400-acre site is home to a variety of plant and animal life unique to the Rio Grande delta. Birding is also popular on the field, and visitors often come to view curlew, roseate spoonbills and numerous species of raptors. Palo Alto Battlefield National Park is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is free. For information call 956-541-2785. It is located just nine miles from downtown Brownsville, at 7200 Paredes Line Road, (FM 1847, just north of the intersection of FM 511). For upcoming events visit the website www.nps.gov/paal.
Pharr Aquatic Center
Located at 1000 S. Fir Street, the Pharr Aquatic Center serves the Pharr community with family fun. Designed and managed by the Pharr Parks & Recreation Department, the Pharr Aquatic Center consists of a fan shaped 6,800 sq. ft. leisure pool, which enters from a zero depth beach area that wades into 3-1/2 feet. On the shallow end stands a water play structure that features three children’s slides, geysers, water sprayers, misters, spray fans, two giant splash buckets, and ornamental palm tree sprayers. The pool has a 150’ body slide next to a 150 foot tube slide that splash into the deep end of the pool. Available to the public is a lazy river that consists of a 200 foot raft slide that spills into a 360 linear ft. 8 foot wide meandering river. Children and adults slide down in water tubes that float along the river or line up to slide down again. Other park amenities include a children’s pool that is 10 feet in diameter and features geysers and a baby slide. For the children’s safety, this pool is covered with a shade structure to provide cover from the sun’s rays. Also, the center features a Natatorium that encloses a 25yard x 25- meter, 10-lane competition pool. Admission fee. For more information call 956-402-4550 or visit the website www.pharr-tx. gov.
pier is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, weather permitting. Krispy Krunchy Chicken is located next door and the Cannon Bar so you can have a meal, or kick back and enjoy a drink. For more information call 956-943-7437 or visit www.piratespier. com. Bay Charter captains are available at Pirate’s Fishing Pier. Visit website for details.
Port Isabel Historic Museum
Located in the historic Champion Building on Railroad Street, Port Isabel, in 1899 the building was once a dry goods store and residence and later served as a post office and railroad depot. The facade features a fish mural painted in 1906 by a local fisherman. The museum features information about the Mexican War for Independence, the Civil War and houses one of the largest collections of relics from the U.S. War with Mexico to be found in any museum. The museum also tells the story of Port Isabel’s development into a major fishing port. The newest addition is an exhibit on the history of the Masons. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Admission to each museum is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (over 55) and $2 for children five and older. Students (w/ID), Children up to 5 yrs., and Veterans are free admission.
Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery
The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission is a special place to those in our community who have served their country. The 75-acre Veteran’s Cemetery includes a visitor’s center, a computer system for locating specific graves and an assembly area for special occasions. 2520 S Inspiration Rd. (956) 583-7227. Cemetery is open every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Office is only open Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Pirate’s Fishing Pier
No fisherman should miss a visit to Port Isabel, a tiny town that serves as the gateway to South Padre Island. Billing itself as the “Boating and Fishing Capital of Tropical Texas,” a long fishing pier located adjacent to the Queen Isabella Causeway is just the place for anglers to try their hand at catching speckled trout, black drum, whiting and sheepshea. General admission is $9 per pole, $8.50 for seniors, and $2 spectators, plus tax on all admission prices. The Page 30
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Basketball fans will love attending the games of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers held at the new Bert Ogden Arena November through April. Now in the franchise’s 11th season the Vipers are the developmental team for the NBA’s Houston Rockets. Tickets cost $16 to $75. Season passes are available. For information on the team, or for tickets, call 956-972-1144 or go online to www.rgvipers.com.
is named in his honor. A third display honors the Buffalo soldier who served at the fort. Visitors are welcome to drive by and look at the house but the museum is open by appointment only. Call the Rio Grande City ISD at 956-488-6000 to make arrangements or call the Main Street office in downtown Rio Grande City at 956-956-716-6700. Visiting is free but donations are encouraged.
Riverside Dreamer River Cruises
Roma National Historic Landmark District
Come get a close up view of the Rio Grande River and the habitat along its shores. Take a Riverside Dreamer River Cruise and view the sights and birds that live along the river in Mexico and the U.S. The Riverside Dreamer is a 55foot U.S. Coast Guard-certified sightseeing pontoon boat with covered, cushioned seating for 49 people. It offers one-hour or two-hour cruises departing from the Riverside Club, located at 214 E. Chimney Road in Mission. Call 956-5814477 for reservations. Reservations suggested but not required. Minimum requirements for departure: 1 hour 15 passengers, 2 hour 25 passengers. Dinner or group cruises for 25 or more are available upon request. For more information visit the website: www.ontheriver.net.
Robert E. Lee Museum
Located on the grounds of the old Fort Ringgold, now the headquarters for the Rio Grande City Independent School District, the Robert E. Lee Museum is in an old house on the right side of the complex. Lee stayed there while assigned to the fort, sent there to preside over a court martial in 1856. He returned in 1860 when the Mexican bandit, Juan Cortina, was creating havoc along the border. One exhibit describes the activities of Colonel Robert E. Lee during the time he served at Fort Ringgold. Another display honors Major Samuel Ringgold, the first American officer to die in the U.S. war with Mexico in 1846. The fort
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Back in the days when steamboat travel was the way to go and before the dams were placed on the Rio Grande River, Roma was the head of navigation for the Rio Grande River. Located 150 river miles from Brownsville, steamboats like the Bessie regularly made the trip. Roma was a bustling town with roots dating back to the 1760s and the Spanish Colonial Era. In 1993, a nine-block area around the Roma Plaza was designated a National Historic Landmark District. Over 30 buildings in the area were built before 1900. Many were designed by Enrique Portscheller, a German brick mason who gave his buildings a distinctive European look. Our Lady of Refuge Church was designed by Father Pierre Keralum, one of the original “Cavalry of Christ,” the circuit-riding Oblate priests who brought Christianity to the ranches along the river from Brownsville to Roma. The Francisco Margo House has been restored and is used for the headquarters of the Roma World Birding Center. For information call the Roma Chamber of Commerce at 956-8491411.
Santa Maria Bullring
One of the most unusual forms of entertainment to be found anywhere in the U.S. is the bloodless bullfighting found at the Santa Maria Bullring in La Gloria, Texas. The season starts in January and runs through early March. Call
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131 Rueckle Rd New Braunfels, TX 78130
888.522.7103
www.resortnb.com
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Fred Renk at 956-481-3300 for information on times and tickets for the bullfights.
Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan Del Valle – National Shrine
Devout Catholics often make pilgrimages to see the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan de Valle in San Juan. The Shrine got its start in 1949 when Father Jose Maria Azpiazu, OMI, placed a replica of the image of the Immaculate Conception of San Juan de los Lagos in the parish Church at San Juan. Such was the number of pilgrims that in 1954 a new Shrine was dedicated to house the image. Disaster struck the first Shrine in 1970, when a pilot deliberately crashed his plane into the building after giving notice to the air control tower to warn the public because he was going to crash his plane into a church or school somewhere in the Valley. The faithful continued to make pilgrimages to the shrine, and the church grew in strength from the ashes of the old one. On April 19, 1980 the present Shrine was dedicated. On June 12, 1999, the shrine was designated a “Minor Basilica” through official notification from the Vatican. The Basilica is located in San Juan west of N. Virgin de San Juan Blvd. on the south frontage road at Interstate 2. It is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday thru Saturday, and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Gift shop hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. There is a hotel and café on the Basilica grounds. The café is open Wednesday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information or tours call 956-787-0033.
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
See Nature Sites, p. 40.
Schlitterbahn Water Park
Texas’ most innovative water park is nestled Page 32
between the dunes and wetlands on beautiful South Padre Island. Splash into more than 2 dozen water attractions, including slides, tube chutes, uphill water coasters, the Sand Castle water fun house and the Boogie-Bahn2 surfing ride. An award winning river links the tube chutes and water coaster with the park’s beaches so guests float between rides on water. There’s also the Shrimp Haus, a year-round, full-service restaurant. During the summer, diners can enjoy free evening entertainment Tuesdays - Saturdays. The park is located at 33261 State Park Rd, Hwy 100, South Padre Island and is open daily May 18, 2017 - late August. Open weekends late August - mid September. Water Park Passes are $51.99 for adults 12 and older, $41.99 children ages 3-11 and Seniors 55 and over; children under 3 are free. Call 956-772-SURF or visit www.schlitterbahn.com for more information and full hours.
Sea Turtle Inc.
Sea Turtle, Inc. was founded in 1977 by Ila Loetscher, affectionately known as the Turtle Lady of South Padre Island. STI is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered sea turtles living in the Gulf of Mexico. They also rehabilitate injured sea turtles for release to the wild, and aid in conservation efforts for all marine turtle species. Visitors can see injured turtles being treated for return to the wild, as well as non-releasable turtles that serve as ambassadors for their species. The center is located at 6617 Padre BouRio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
levard, across from the Tiki condominiums. It opens daily (except Mondays) at 10 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. “Turtle Talk” presentations are provided at 10:15 a.m., 11:00 or noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. unless a group has made a reservation for a different time. The suggested donation is $4 for adults, $3 for Seniors and $2 for children. Group tours are available by appointment only. Call 956-7614511 for more information or visit the website www.seaturtleinc.org.
SPI Dolphin Research & Sea Life Nature Center
Devoted to the study of the dolphins and creatures of the Laguna Madre, the Sea Life Center is located at 110 N. Garcia Street in Port Isabel next to Pirate’s Landing. Many examples of marine animals found in the Laguna Madre can be found in the aquarium exhibits located around the center. A children’s exhibit featuring a touch tank is a real hit with everyone. The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dolphin tours by boat are given by George and Scarlet Colley, dolphin whisperer on facebook. She only takes six or less per visit to meet her amazing dolphin tribe. The fee for the center is $3 per person and the fee for the boat trip which includes a visit to the center is $25 per person. Call 956-299-1957 for more information.
South Padre Island Convention Centre
Boasting 45,000 square feet of space for presentations and performances, the South Padre Island Convention Centre has hosted many special events, including three Miss USA and three Miss Teen USA Pageants. During the year it is host to many different cultural and sporting events, conferences, conventions and trade shows. Call 956-761-3000 for upcoming events or visit www.sopadre.com. The convention center is located at 7355 Padre Boulevard, about
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
four miles north of the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge.
State Farm Arena
The State Farm Arena is a multi-purpose complex that features a 6,800-seat arena that will configure up to 5,500 seats for basketball, ice hockey, football and soccer and a center stage concert capacity of 6,800 seats. The arena features 25 suites and 500 club seats. The property also includes 2,200 parking spaces, a lounge with access from outside of the arena, as well as a bar and pro shop. The State Farm Arena has featured family and children shows, concerts, sporting events and other entertaining events. The arena is home to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers basketball team. The State Farm Arena is located at 2600 North 10th Street (Hwy. 336) in Hidalgo. The box office at the State Farm Arena is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and 12 p.m. on event days and 10 a.m. the first day an event is on sale. Tickets can be purchased from the box office, Ticketmaster, or other outlets. Visit www. statefarmarena.com or call 956-843-6688 for a schedule of events or more information.
Statue of Father Hidalgo
Located on the grounds of the Hidalgo Municipal Park, the statue of Father Miguel Hidalgo, for whom the city and county are named, pays tribute to the Catholic Father, known as a champion for human rights. He was influential in starting the Mexican Revolution against Spain while Texas was still part of Mexico. Father Hidalgo issued his famous Grito de Dolores, calling for Mexican Revolution Sept. 16, 1810. The statue is located at the entrance to the park at the north end of Esperanza Avenue.
The Treasures of the Gulf Museum
The Treasures of the Gulf Museum, adjacent
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to the Port Isabel Historic Museum, tells the story of three major shipwrecks that happened off the coast of South Padre Island in 1554, about 30 miles north of the city. Relics from these three shipwrecks are on display. It features a ship-theater and several hands-on displays to teach children. One exhibit features a large armillary sphere, which was used to teach sailors to navigate by stars. There is also a room for traveling exhibits and a nautically-inspired gift shop. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to each museum is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors (over 55) and $2 for children five and older. Seniors (55+), Students (w/ID), Children up to 5 yrs., and Veterans are free admission. Call 956-943-7602 for information or go online to www.portisabelmueums.com.
Tom Landry Mural
This mural honors Mission native and legendary coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry. Born and raised in Mission, Tom Landry led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles. The mural depicts and spans his life and career. His handprints and footprints are also preserved in the sidewalk below. To honor Tom Landry’s legacy in 1993, Mission residents Bill and Gen Long commissioned Manuel Hinojosa to create the Tom Landry Mural. The mural measures 95x18 feet and was dedicated on September 18, 1995 by legendary Coach Tom Landry himself. The Mural is located on the corner of N. Conway and Tom Landry Ave. (Business 83) in downtown Mission.
The University of Texas RGV Fine Arts Auditorium
All types of cultural entertainment can be found as close as the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. Symphonic presentations, live theater productions and folkloric dance presentations are all part of the repertoire offered by students in the Fine Arts Department of UTRGV. The theater is located at 1201 West University Drive in Edinburg. Phone 956-381-3471 for event and ticket information. A calendar of events can be found on the website at www. utrgv.edu/theatre.
Valley Nature Center
See Nature Sites, p. 41.
Valley Race Park
Enjoy simulcast racing year round from the nation’s top greyhound and horse tracks. Food, beverages and private party rooms are available. Open daily 11 a.m.-1 a.m. except Tuesdays. Admission is $2 on Fridays and Saturdays. Children (12 and under), Free. There is free admission other days. Races are held throughout the day. Located at 2601 S Ed Carey Drive in Harlingen. For information, call 956-412-RACE or visit www.valleyracepark.com.
Veterans War Memorial of Texas
Tower Theatre
One of the most unique renovations to be found in the Rio Grande Valley is the Tower Theatre that was built in an old water storage tank under the old Weslaco water tower. Now used as a theater-in-the-round, the complex is used year-round for a variety of activities. Several productions run in December and January only. For ticket information, call 956-969-2368. The theatre is located at 120 South Kansas Avenue in Weslaco.
The University of Texas-RGV Sports
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has some of the best entertainment in the Rio Grande Valley. The Broncs compete in baseball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, golf, cross-country and track. For information on upcoming sports events call 956-665-2221 or go online to goutrgv.com. Page 34
The Veterans War Memorial of Texas, located at the intersection of Galveston and 29th Streets in McAllen (near the new McAllen Convention Center), is a memorial for Americans who gave their lives defending freedom. The memorial includes all wars, from the American Revolution to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Col. Frank Plummer (Ret.) has led the charge to have this memorial erected wall-by-wall and section-by-section. Numerous large granite walls have been erected in arcs forming a circle with separate sections for each war era. Engravings on the granite walls give a brief history of the war with the names of local servicemen and women who gave their lives to preserve liberty in the U.S. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
and throughout the world. The Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts are all represented at the memorial. The centerpiece of the memorial is the 105foot American Spire of Honor, a symbol of the love and honor bestowed by this nation for the men and women killed in all wars. Brief summaries of wars are engraved on the 17-foot high granite base. Numerous bronze sculptures stand as sentinels at the memorial, created by McAllen sculptor Douglas Clark. His sculpture of the Medal of Honor winner throwing a grenade won an award. Other sculptures include the Women of the Armed Forces, General James Hollingsworth who figured prominently in World War II, and Patrick Henry. The memorial is open to the public with no admission fee. Public ceremonies are planned each year for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other significant dates to honor veterans. For more information see the website at http://www.mcallen.net/veterans/ or call 956631-2511.
Villa de Cortez
Those who love to visit old buildings and get a feel for the past should be sure and stop by the renovated Villa de Cortez. The facility is now open with the old hotel lobby, a gift shop, barbershop, and children’s bookstore. There is also Jose’s Cafecito Mexican Restaurant and the D’ Gabriela’s Gift Shop. Built in 1928, the building now includes a restored ballroom, which can be rented for group events. Tours are also available. The hotel is located on the corner of Business 83 and Texas Boulevard in Weslaco. For information on the building or to book an event, call 956-969-3100.
Weslaco Business Visitor Center
Take a break at the Weslaco Business Visitor
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Center and watch a film on the sugar cane industry in the RGV or Historic Ranches. Located at 275 S. Kansas, right next to City Hall.
Weslaco Museum
Located at 500 S. Texas Blvd., the Weslaco Museum features monthly art exhibits by local talent in their art gallery, as well as a permanent collection of historical artifacts from the early years in Weslaco and surrounding Rio Grande Valley areas. The Weslaco Museum’s historical exhibits feature information about the history of the families who settled in Weslaco and the Rio Grande Valley. It has an extensive collection of artifacts from early businesses and tools used by homesteaders in the area. Special items include a 1904 Cannon safe used in Weslaco’s first bank, and an oxen cart used to haul salt from El Sal del Rey. The museum pays tribute to local veterans and to Harlon Block, a hometown boy who was immortalized in a Pulitzer Prize-winning picture taken of the Pacific Island of Iwo Jima, when Block and four others raised an American flag. Block is one of the men depicted in the Iwo Jima statue in Harlingen. Other areas of the museum include a small theater where visitors can enjoy a historical movie about Weslaco and other relevant films. The Weslaco Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Located at 500 S. Texas Blvd. For more information and a list of upcoming events contact the museum at 956-968-9142, visit http://www.weslacomuseum.org/ or follow us on Facebook.
World’s Largest Killer Bee
Fear of bees raged across the United States when aggressive African Killer Bees first entered the United States in 1970 in Hidalgo, Texas. Today a giant killer bee statue next to the Hidalgo City Hall marks the city as the place the feared bees first entered the U.S.
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Top Valley Birding Sites World Birding Center
Not just one, but nine unique locations in the Rio Grande Valley. Each site of the World Birding Center has its own attractions for both the first time visitor and expert birder. Not one season, but all seasons - as more than 500 bird species make the Birding Centers not-to-be-missed nature destinations. Desert terrain, riverside woodlands, palm-fringed resacas, barrier islands and crashing surf. Together, the nine different sites that make up the World Birding Center paint a colorful backdrop for birdwatching in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. From scenic bluffs high above the Rio Grande to teeming wetlands and coastal prairie, the World Birding Center network offers visitors a dazzling array of birding adventures. Visitors will be treated to nature tours, environmental education programs and state-of-the-art exhibits, all under the umbrella of a world class birding experience: The World Birding Center, where you will truly find “A Whole New Nature Adventure!”
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is a world-recognized birding hotspot and a celebrat-
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ed location for nature lovers and avid naturalists to explore. This 797-acre State Park and World Birding Center has documented more than 350 species of birds and over 200 species of butterflies. The Visitor’s Center has a bilingual (English/ Spanish) exhibit hall, park store and meeting room surrounded by butterfly gardens. Visitors can take our transportation shuttle, ride bikes, hike through the park or experience tent camping and fishing. A two-story observation tower gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the canopy as well as a peek into Mexico. Two enclosed bird blinds allow visitors to see birds up close. Over seven miles of trails with bird feeding stations (Nov-Mar) and water features offer a variety of opportunities to encounter wildlife. Join state park naturalists or park volunteers as they lead enjoyable and informative weekly programs. From bird walks to natural history tours and night hikes, there is something for everyone. Park hours are from 7 am to 10 p.m. seven days a week, year-round. Admission is $5 for those 13 and older; $3 for Texas resident seniors over 65, and children ages 12 and under are free. The park’s gift shop and tram service is in operation Thursday-Sunday from June to October and Monday-Sunday from November to May. Address: 2800 S. Bentsen Palm Drive - Mission, Texas 78572. 956-584-9156 http://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/bentsen-riogrande-valley
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
This 40-acre oasis in the midst of an urban area offers observable wildlife year-round. The butterfly gardens between the parking lot and
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
p.m., seven days a week from November-May and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday from June-October. Admission is $5 for adults. Children 12 and under are free. Many special programs and events are planned throughout the year. Check the park’s website, www.worldbirdingcenter.org, or www.tpwd.state.tx.us or join us on Facebook or call 956-565-3919 for more information.
Harlingen’s Arroyo Colorado
visitors’ center attract millions of butterflies during their migrations. Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, located at 714 Raul Longoria Road in the Edinburg Municipal Park, is known for water birds such as the kingfisher and a variety of ducks. The grounds are open Mondays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday, 7a.m. to 6 p.m., and the Interpretive Center is open from Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Sundays. Admission is $3 for adults and children 5 and older are $2. Seniors 55 and over are $2. Call 956-381-9922 or visit www.edinburgwbc. org for information.
Estero Llano Grande State Park
Water is the magic ingredient for attracting wildlife, and Estero Llano Grande State Park, located at 3301 S. International Blvd (FM 1015) in Weslaco, has the largest wetland environment of the 9 World Birding Center network in The Rio Grande Valley. This 235-acre refuge attracts an array of South Texas specialty birds and butterflies. 345 species of birds and 182 species of butterflies and 61 of the 110 Valley species of dragonflies have been recorded at Estero Llano Grande since its opening in June 2006. This park is a great place to find Least Grebes, roosting Common Pauraque, and three species of kingfishers as well as the Mexican Bluewing butterfly. Other notable rare bird highlights of the park have been the Northern Jacana, Rose-throated Becard, Grey-crowned Yellowthroat, and most recently the first U.S. record for the Red-legged Honeycreeper, and the first U.S. records for White-spotted Satyr , Bromeliad Scrub-Hairstreak and Perching Saliana for butterfly watchers. Exploring the park’s many trails, boardwalks, pavilions, and observation decks you might also find Coyotes, Bobcats, and the American Alligator. Be sure to bring your camera and binoculars. The park also offers Camp Thicket, a camp and conference facility for group rental. The park’s visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 5 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
The Harlingen Arroyo Colorado World Birding Center site at Hugh Ramsey Nature Park is located near the Valley International Airport on Loop 499, 3/10s mile south of Hwy. 106. The 55acre park is a welcome center for birders who fly into Harlingen. A former landfill, the park has been reforested with native trees, plants, grasses and cactus and returned to Texas Ebony Woodland. It is a home for Valley specialty birds such as Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Chachalaca, Olive Sparrow, Altamira Oriole and both Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers. The ponds on the north end of the Park are host to Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Least Grebes and various herons. If you wish a guided tour of this park please call 361-676-6416 or email acaskiskadee@yahoo.com. A guide will be happy to meet you and your group to identify native plants along with birds and wildlife on the tour.
Old Hidalgo Pumphouse
The Magic Valley’s early 20th Century transition into an agricultural powerhouse is retold at the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse, which also embraces nature conservation as a wing of the World Birding Center and hike and bike trails. Visitors to the museum on the Rio Grande can learn about the steam driven irrigation pumps that transformed the Valley into a year-round Page 37
farming phenomenon. Visitors can wander the museum’s grounds for free, where hummingbird and butterfly gardens are filled with native plants, and where many of the Valley’s amazing bird, butterfly, and dragonfly species are regular visitors as well. The Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center can be found at 902 S. 2nd St. in Hidalgo, Texas. It is open from Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission for the museum tour is $3 for adults, $2 for senior citizens, and $1 for students. You can also schedule a historical trolley tour at any time, trolley fee is $3 per person. Schedule your trolley tour Monday thru Friday with 10 people or more. Call for reservations or information; 956843-8686 or visit our website www.cityofhidalgo. net.
Quinta Mazatlan
Quinta Mazatlan is the McAllen wing of the World Birding Center located just one block South of La Plaza Mall off 10th Street. A historic adobe home built in the 1930’s is the centerpiece of this 20 acre urban sanctuary. Both tropical landscaping and native thornscrub forest attract birds and visitors alike. Enjoy the birding trails, Spanish-style hacienda, Forest Sculpture Trail, Art Gallery, Nature Exhibits and Gift Store. The natural wonder is open Tuesday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays until dark. It is closed on Sundays, Mondays and holidays. Visit the website www.quintamazatlan.com for the extensive list of tours and programs year around or call 956-681-3370.
and Mottled Duck. During migration many warbler, oriole, flycatcher and hawk species pass through this area. In summer, Groove-billed Ani and Yellow-billed Cuckoo join our resident species nesting throughout the park. Winter brings many northern species. For the butterfly enthusiast, the park is one of the best places in the Rio Grande Valley to find Blue and Walker’s Metalmark. Bright, showy Mexican Bluewing and Band-celled Sister butterflies may be spotted along the tram road and trails. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for senior Texans. Park admission is free for Parklands Pass, Texas State Parks Pass holders and children 12 years and under. The Visitor Center and entrance gate are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. The park grounds are open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and can be accessed by using the self-pay station when the Visitor Center is closed. The park is located four miles west of Brownville off FM 1732 (Olmito) at 1000 New Carmen Ave. For more information, please call 956-3502920.
Roma Bluffs
Resaca de la Palma State Park
Brownville’s Resaca de la Palma State Park has the largest tract of land in the World Birding Center network. With 1,200 semi-tropical acres of land along an ancient resaca of the Rio Grande River, the park provides a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city of Brownsville just a few miles away. The park features nine miles of trails, and four observation decks overlooking the resaca (Oxbow Lake). Private vehicles are not allowed on the park’s trail system, but the trails may be accessed by hiking, biking, or the park’s nature tram. Our nature tram provides a guided tour of a 3-mile paved loop through the park during our Visitor Center hours. Bird watchers may spot colorful south Texas specialty species, like the Altamira Oriole, Green Jay, and Great Kiskadee. Freshwater habitat throughout the park provides the perfect environment for a variety of waterbirds, including species like the Green Kingfisher, Least Grebe, Page 38
History and nature meet on the scenic bluffs above the Rio Grande where the World Birding Center in Roma can be found on the old plaza of a once-thriving steamboat port. The World Birding Center in Roma is located in the renovated historic Francisco Margo home, located at 610 N. Portscheller, in Roma’s National Historic District. The home features a traditional Spanish Courtyard with many bird feeders. During winter months many birds come in to feed, making it possible to view them up close. An observation deck located in the old Customs House on the river overlooks the river for viewing of birds. It offers scenic views of the City of Miguel Aleman, in Mexico. Call 956-849-4930 for information. Center hours: Facility open from October – March, 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m - 4 p.m. Please call ahead for days opened and hours. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
South Padre Island Birding Center and Nature Center
The newest of the birding centers opened in 2009 on South Padre Island, the South Padre Island World Birding Center, located at 6801 Padre Blvd. ½ mile of board walks with five bird blinds along the Laguna Madre. Nearly 400 species of birds have been seen on South Padre Island and many of them, including the colorful roseate spoonbills, reddish egrets and clapper rails, make their homes in the marshes amongst the boardwalk, sharing space with alligators and freshwater turtles. The center features a five-story tower that overlooks the Laguna Madre, a museum style exhibit hall and documentary about the nature of the island. The center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. You can access the boardwalks on the side of the center before sunrise and sunset with your annual pass or admission ticket. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors 55 and over, and children 4 to 12 are $3. Call 956-761-6801 or visit www.spibirding.com for more information.
Other Nature Sites Anzalduas Park
Anzalduas Park, located on 96 acres of land fronting the Rio Grande River, is a favorite spot for picnickers. A boat-loading ramp makes water sports easily accessible. The new boat ramp is now open with a new pier, which makes fishing easy. This is a good place for bird watchers. There is a gray hawk that nests there all year round and lots of other species of birds. The park is located on the Anzalduas Dam four miles south of Expressway 83 on FM 1016 and one-mile east on FM 494, 6400 Anzalduas Dam Drive. The park is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. There is no charge for admission to the park on weekdays, and $4 per vehicle on Saturdays and Sundays. We also have a huge pavilion for special events and playgrounds for kids, slides, swings, etc.
Brownsville Landfill
One of the most exclusive locations in the United States to observe the Tamaulipas Crow is the Brownsville Sanitary Landfill, located at 9000 FM 802. Drive in and let the scale attendant know you are looking for the crow. The best chance of seeing Tamaulipas Crow is during the Winter Season. Also look for the Ring-billed, Herring and Laughing Gulls. The landfill is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Chihuahua Woods Preserve
Birders looking for the clay-colored robin or hook-billed kite may find them in the “walk-in only” Chihuahua Preserve, located three miles west of the intersection of Expressway 83 and Business 83. Take Business 83 to the west to a point where it curves to the northwest. Go straight on the road that continues west along the railroad. The preserve will be located on the right side of the road.
Falcon Lake
A fisherman’s delight, the reservoir is known as an excellent fishing spot for catfish, and black bass and alligator gar. The water level can fluctuate during drought conditions. Falcon Lake is one of the state’s top bass fishing lakes. Falcon Lake State Park offers a butterfly garden; rented cabins, undisturbed habitat for wildlife viewing, overnight camping and a three-mile nature hike trail. The lake is accessible from FM 2098 northwest of Roma at Falcon State Park, at the public boat ramp in Zapata, or from a variety of spots along the lake’s edge from the dam to Zapata.
Falcon State Park
Located on the shores of Falcon Reservoir, this is a favorite destination of Valley fishermen, birdwatchers and butterfliers. The park is blanketed with native plants including mesquite, huisache, ebony, wild olive, cactus and native grasses. The park has A/C cabins, shelters, and RV hook-ups for those wishing to camp. The day use area has three miles of walking/nature trails that encircle the park, as well as tables for picnics and a six-lane boat ramp all within the scenic view of Falcon Lake and Falcon Dam. The butterfly garden stays in bloom during the spring and fall and is host to a variety of butterflies and birds. Park entrance is $3 per person for ages 13 and over, free for 12 and under. All day area/overnight facilities have barbeque grills or fire rings. Water only campsites $8, water and electric $16, full hook-up water, electric, sewer $18; screen shelters $25, and A/C cabins $40. The park is located near Falcon Dam on Park Road 46, and FM 2098 off of Hwy 83. Open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 365 days a year. For more information call 956-848-5327.
Frontera Audubon Society
Frontera Audubon Society (FAS) is an urban nature preserve on 15 acres in Weslaco that features bio-diverse thicket trails, wetlands, butterfly gardens, and a visitors’ center and gift shop. We also feature the Texas Historic Landmark, the Skaggs House, a multi-purpose facility for Page 39
cultural events and exhibitions. Over 170 kinds of butterflies and over 250 species of birds have been spotted here. FAS is home to species such as the Altamira Oriole, Great Kiskadee, Plain Chachalaca, Green Kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck, Green Jay, and more. We are open year round. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sunday, 12 noon - 4 p.m. Closed Mondays. Regular admission is $5, Seniors are $4, children 12 and under are free, and students 13 and up are $3. For more information, call 956-968-3275 or visit our website at www.fronteraaudubon.org.
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
With the refuge’s primary mission of providing habitat for wildlife, this nearly 100,000 acres provides for a wide diversity of species. Visitors can enjoy many birds including green jays, plain chachalacas, Harris’ hawks, white-tailed hawks, olive sparrows, Altamira orioles, and aplomado falcons. Fall and spring bring migratory songbirds and peregrine falcons, and winter is the time to see sandhill cranes, white-fronted geese, redhead ducks and many other waterfowl. Visitors can connect with nature through a variety of activities including fishing, hunting, wildlife observation and photography, bicycling, hiking and interpretive tours and programs. A Visitor Center with exhibits, restrooms, and a nature store is available. For more information, including hours of operation and tour schedules, please visit our website www.fws.gov/refuge/laguna_atascosa or call the visitor center 956-748-3607 ext. 111, or 956-244-2019.
National Butterfly Center (NABA)
The National Butterfly Center is open to visitors 7 days/week. The premier location in the United States to experience the beauty of wild butterflies, the center is the reason USA Today calls Mission, Texas, “the butterfly capitol of the USA.” Hundreds of species have been documented here, where cultivated gardens and trails showcase the nation’s largest botanical collection of native plants that provide breeding and feeding habitat for butterflies, caterpillars and birds. A perennial favorite among nature photographers, the NBC is the easiest place to get great shots of many South Texas specialties, including year ‘round residents like the Clay-colored Thrush, Olive Sparrow and Altamira Oriole. The National Butterfly Center is located in the NABA Section of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Wildlife Conservation Corridor, just down Page 40
the road from Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, located on Military Rd., between Inspiration Rd. and Bentsen Palm Rd. GPS coordinates 26.180243, -98.364973. For hours, rates, and special events, visit: www.nationalbutterfly. center.org. For updates on recent bird, butterfly and wildlife sightings, like the National Butterfly Center on Facebook. For additional information or to schedule group tours and activities, call 956-583-5400.
Sabal Palm Sanctuary & Historic Rabb Plantation House
It is estimated that there was once over 60,000 acres of Sabal Palm forest lining the banks of the Rio Grande. Today, fewer than 100 acres remain. The largest example of this remnant forest is protected within the Sabal Palm Sanctuary. This 557-acre preserve is considered to be one of the most biologically diverse regions in the country with many species of plants and animals reaching their northernmost limit in the Americas. Visitors from across the globe flock to the sanctuary in anticipation of seeing tropical birds such as the Green Jay, Plain Chachalaca, Altamira Oriole, Green Kingfisher, Least Grebe, and Buff-bellied Hummingbird. Sabal Palm Sanctuary offers over four miles of trails leading through the old-growth palm grove, along large wetlands with elevated boardwalks and bird blinds, and down to an observation deck overlooking the Rio Grande. Also on-site is the Historical Rabb Plantation House which serves as the headquarters and visitor center for the sanctuary. Built in 1892, the Rabb House is one of the few remaining examples of the Rio Grande’s plantation legacy. The Sanctuary is open daily 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays). Daily admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children (12 and under). Seasonal guided tours are offered; please call for details. From U.S. 77/83 turn left on International Boulevard. Drive three-fourths mile, turn right onto Southmost Road (FM 1419). Continue for six miles and look for Sabal Palm Rd on right, the Sanctuary is located at the very end of the paved road; 8435 Sabal Palm Rd, Brownsville, TX 78521. For information call 956-541-8034 or go online to www.sabalpalmsanctuary.org.
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
The Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, located south of Alamo, has over 2,000 acres of land dedicated to the preservation of native plants and animals of the Rio Grande Valley. Known worldwide as a “birder’s paradise,” many Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
rare birds have been spotted at the refuge including some tropical species that come no farther north in the U.S. Bird watchers have documented over 400 species of birds - the second highest total of any National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge has over 12 miles of walking trails with observation decks and photo blinds for wildlife watchers and nature enthusiasts alike. The refuge hosts lush subtropical vegetation that provides habitat for 300 American butterfly species, an equally exciting number of species of dragonflies, and such rarities as the threatened Texas tortoise and Texas indigo snake. The resacas and wetland of the refuge attract a variety of water birds and other wildlife. A visitor center is staffed daily from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Stop by and inquire about the many programs that are offered at the center. A nature tram takes visitors on 1 ½ -hour tour through the refuge while trained guides give information about the animals, plants, and history of the area. The tram operates seasonally from November through the end of April. Call the refuge for availability. Walking trails are open from dawn until dusk. Be sure and check out rope bridge that takes visitors through the canopy. The refuge is located seven miles south of Alamo and one-fourth mile east of the junction of
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Highway 281 and FM 907. For information call 956-784-7500. Admission is $5 per vehicle.
Valley Nature Center
Our Secret Garden, set in the midst of an urban community, the VNC has an exciting visitor’s center leading into an impressive six-acre nature park. The park has a mile of interpretive trails through a recreated Tamaulipan thorn scrub forest, with an extensive collection of South Texas native plants. Our Mission is to provide educational opportunities, and foster understanding and appreciation of the Lower Rio Grande Valley’s unique natural flora and fauna. The Valley Nature Center offers a variety of fun and educational programs throughout the year for adults and children. The Valley Nature Center is located at 301 S. Border Ave. behind Gibson City Park in Weslaco. Open Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Closed for major holidays. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for Seniors (55 and older), $2 for children (12 and under), and free for all VNC members. For additional details call 956-969-2475 or visit www.valleynaturecenter.org, Email: info@ valleynaturecenter.org.
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RGV Chamber of Commerce Offices Alamo Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center
Raymondville Chamber of Commerce
Greater Alton Chamber of Commerce
Rio Grande Valley Partnership
803 Main St. • Alamo 78516 956-787-2117 www.alamochamber.com
509 S. Alton Blvd. • Alton, TX 78573 956-432-0760 www.alton-tx.gov
Brownsville Chamber of Commerce
1600 University Blvd. • Brownsville 78520 956-542-4341 www.brownsvillechamber.com
Brownsville Convention & Visitors Bureau
650 Ruben M. Torres, Sr. Blvd. • Brownsville 78520 800-626-2639 • 956-546-3721 brownsvilleinfo@brownsville.org www.brownsville.org
Edinburg Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 85 • 602 W. University Drive • Edinburg 78540 956-383-4974 • 800-800-7214 www.edinburg.com
Harlingen Area Chamber of Commerce 311 E. Tyler • Harlingen 78550 956-423-5440 www.harlingen.com
Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau 311 E. Tyler • Harlingen 78550 956-622-5053 • 800-531-7346 www.visitharlingentexas.com
Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce 203 N. Arroyo Blvd. • Los Fresnos 78566 956-233-4488 www.losfresnoschamber.com office@losfresnoschamber.com
McAllen Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 790 • 1200 Ash Ave. • McAllen 78501 956-682-2871 www.mcallenchamber.com/visitors
McAllen Convention & Visitors Bureau
1200 Ash Ave. • P.O Box 790 • McAllen 78501 956-682-2871 www.visitmcallen.com
Mercedes Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 37 • 320 S. Ohio • Mercedes 78570 956-565-2221 www.mercedeschamber.com
Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce 202 W. Tom Landry • Mission 78572 956-585-2727 www.missionchamber.com
P.O. Box 746 • 700 FM 3168 • Raymondville 78580 956-689-1864 www.raymondvillechamber.com Regional Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 1499 • Weslaco 78599 • 322 S. Missouri • Weslaco 78596 956-968-3141 www.rgvpartnership.com
Roma Chamber of Commerce
301 W. Lincoln Ave. • P.O. Box 947 • Roma 78584 956-849-4296 www.romachamber.com
San Benito Chamber of Commerce
223 S. Sam Houston Blvd • San Benito 78586 956-361-9111 www.chamberofsanbenito.com
San Juan Economic Development Corporation 4810 N. Raul Longoria Ste 5 • San Juan 78589 956-783-3448 www.sanjuanedc.com
South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce 610-B Padre Blvd. • South Padre Island 78597 956-761-4412 www.spichamber.com info@spichamber.com
South Padre Island Convention & Visitors Bureau 7355 Padre Blvd. • South Padre Island 78597 Toll free: 800-SOPADRE (1-800-767-2373) Local: 956-761-3000 Mexico: 001-800-767-2373 www.sopadre.com
Texas Travel Information Center
2021 W. Harrison St. • Harlingen 78552 956-428-4477 www.txdot.gov
Weslaco Business, Visitor & Event Center 275 S. Kansas • Weslaco 78599 956-968-2102 www.weslaco.com
Weslaco Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 8398 • 275 S. Kansas, Ste. B • Weslaco 78599 956-968-2102 www.weslaco.com
Zapata Co. Chamber of Commerce 601 N. Hwy. 83 • Zapata 78076 956-765-4871 • 800-292-LAKE (5253) www.zapatachamber.com
Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce
421 Queen Isabella Blvd • Port Isabel 78578 956-943-2262 • 800-527-6102 www.portisabelchamber.com Page 42
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
www.discovermission.com
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
www.missionchamber.com
www.gomissioncard.com
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Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018
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Unhappy with your park?
Are activities lacking at your park? Check Out the Wilder Resorts! NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR 2017-2018!!! Whether you have a Mobile Home, a Park Model, or an RV, You will find yourself having fun and enjoying yourself at one of our Resorts!
If you have never been a Resident at a Wilder Resort, we have some specials for each category of Resident. Do you have a Mobile Home or Park Model and you are being told that you have to pay a 30 day move out notice? As a First Time Resident at one of our Wilder Resorts you will get your first year lot rent Free. That should more than offset that 30 day move out fee.
Don’t waste another day
where you are unhappy. Give us a call or drop by one of our Wilder Resorts.
Alamo Rose – 956-783-2600 Park Place – 956-428-4414 Tip O’ Texas – 956-787-9959 Tropic Star – 956-787-5957 Page 48
RVer’s – Bring a receipt from a nonWilder Park you are at now and get a
50% discount
on your first month at one of our Wilder Resorts!
Blue Bonnet – 956-585-7630 Texas Trails – 956-787-6538 Trophy Gardens – 956-787-7717 Winter Ranch – 956-781-1358 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2017-2018