The Rio Grande Valley's Nature Site

Rio Grande Valley Dining, Attractions, Resources, Information and Things To Do:

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Many visitors to the Lower Rio Grande Valley of South Texas often ask five questions:
 
(1)  Where's a good place to eat?  We have put together some links that should help you out.  Most visitors seem to ask where they can find the best Mexican food.  If you ask a Rio Grande Valley resident that question, you will likely be told, "at my Mother's house" or "at my Grandmother's house".   The Rio Grande Valley has some very good restaurants, and like where YOU live, it is hard to recommend just one.   Taquerias are everywhere, and provide some of the most economical breakfasts and lunches you can find, anywhere in this country.  Also, don't be afraid to go to Nuevo Progreso or Matamoras.  Take your passports, park on the US side, and walk across the bridge a short distance to some great...and of course...authentic Mexican restaurants.  No, you do not need  Pesos to shop or eat in the Mexican border cities..they will be happy to take your dollars.  Be sure to visit our Republic of Mexico Links, above.
 
(2)  Where can we camp out?  Unfortunately, there are not many tent camping locations in the LRGV.  Keep in mind, that except for a couple of months out of the year, it is usually way to hot to sleep in a tent; hence, not very economical for the Lower Rio Grande Valley to be providing a lot of tent camping sites.   All of the few available tent camping sites are listed, below.  The Rio Grande Valley has lots of motels and hotels and fantastic Bed and Breakfasts (all of the ones listed below are great wildlife watching sites, themselves).
 
 (3)  Is there anything else to do in the Rio Grande Valley, besides studying the flora and fauna?  The many links below provide a lot of choices for you.  Remember, the LRGV is the fourth largest population area in Texas, and, therefore,  has lots of attractions for you to choose from.  All RGV musems, RGV libraries, and RGV art galleries are wonderful.  With the Lower Rio Grande Valley's proximity to the Republic of Mexico, you should get to appreciate the unique culture the LRGV has to offer.
 
(4)  Where can I find out more about the Rio Grande Valley?  Just as it would be where you are from, you need to check out the RGV county governments and RGV city governments; the RGV radio, RGV telivision, and RGV print media; and LRGV Chambers of Commerce, RGV Convention and Visitor Bureaus, and the RGV Econonmic and Development Corporations.
 
(5)  Do I have to know how to speak or understand Spanish?  Of course not!   You can enjoy a visit to the Rio Grande Valley and the Mexican border cities without ANY knowledge of Spanish.  However, part of the fun in coming to the LRGV is taking a little Spanish back home with you.  Always remember, the LRGV is only a river's width from people that speak little, if any, English.  More than 40% of the retail sales in the Rio Grande Valley come from Mexican vistiors!   Bilingual speaking residents make up +70% of the Rio Grande Valley's population.  Don't worry about a language problem!
 
RGV dining, RGV attractions, RGV resources, RGV information, things to do in the RGV...all kinds of RGV info are listed below and throughout this webpage.  Surely you can find some form of RGV entertainment on this webpage.
 
Esperamos que usted pueda venir al Valle y gozar toda la cultura rica nosotros tenemos que ofrecer.

Rio Grande Valley Activities Calendars:

Valley Events Calendar (excellent)

Valley Entertainment (arts, music, clubs, etc.)

La Villa Valle (Arts, Restaurants and More)

Rio Grande Valley Dining Information:
(call to be sure they are open)

More Brownsville Area Dining

More Edinburg Area Dining

More Harlingen Area Dining

More McAllen Area Dining

More Mission Area Dining

More Weslaco Area Dining

More South Padre Island Dining

Rio Grande Valley Nature Attractions Information:

River Tours

Dolphin Research & Sealife Nature Center

South Padre Dolphin Watching (Colley's Fins to Feathers)

South Padre Island Diving

Texas Nature and Environmental Photographers (TexNEP)

Laguna Seca Ranch

South Texas Outdoors Magazine

Rio Grande Valley Museums and Art Galleries:

ArtsRGV (Arts Events Calendar)

McAllen Arts Council

Brownsville Museum of Fine Art

Gallery at UTB's Gallery at Rusteberg Hall

The Children's Museum of Brownsville

Costumes of the Americas Museum

Museums of Port Isabel

McAllen's International Museum of Arts and Sciences (IMAS)

McAllen Heritage Center

Museum of South Texas History

Harlingen Art Forum

Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum

Mission Historical Museum

Willacy Co. Historical Museum

South Texas College Library Art Gallery

Weslaco Museum

Commemorative Air Force Museum

Brownsville Historical Association

Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park Museum

Rio Grande Valley Theatres:

All Valley Movie Theaters (locations and show times)

Brownsville's Camille Playhouse

Harlingen Performing Arts Theatre

Weslaco's Tower Theater

International Theatre of Texas

UTPA University Theatre

Rio Grande Valley Performing Arts:

ArtsRGV (Arts Events Calendar)

Brownsville Society for the Performing Arts

State Farm Arena Events

Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale

South Texas/Pro Canthus Lyric Opera (excellent)

McAllen Symphonic Band

Cantaré Community Youth Choir/Treatre Troupe

Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival

Harlingen Performing Arts Theatre

Harlingen Community Band

Brownsville's Camille Playhouse

Weslaco's Tower Theater

International Theatre of Texas

RGV Film Commission

UTPA University Theatre

Rio Grande Valley Professional Sports:

Valley Race Park (Greyhound Racing)

RGV Sol Arena Football (X- League)

RGV Ocelots (Southern Premier Soccer League)

Rio Grande Valley Vipers (NBA D-League)

Other Rio Grande Valley Attractions and Resources:

Winter Texan Connection (info for RV/MH/Retirement Communities in the LRGV)

Valley Golf Courses

Gladys Porter Zoo

Valley Fishing Charters

Valley Hunting Charters

THC's Texas Tropical Trail Region Attractions

Valley Counties Historical Sites Atlas

Rio Grande Valley Bed and Breakfasts:
(ALL the LRGV B&B's listed are excellent wildlife watching sites)

Alamo Inn B&B

Bentsen Palm Village RV Park

Casa Rama B&B

Casa Santa Ana B&B

El Rocio Retreat

Indian Ridge B&B

Inn at Chachalaca Bend

Inn at El Canelo

La Casa Laguna B&B

Los Ebanos Preserve

Rancho Lomitas

Redfish Inn B&B

Seedeater Inn B&B

Vieh's B&B

Birding Mecca B&B

Rio Grande Valley RV Parks:

Valley RV Parks

Rio Grande Valley Tent Camping Information:

Port Isabel/SPI Area Tent Camping

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley SP-WBC Tent Camping

Americana RV Park in Mission Tent Camping

South Padre Island's Isla Blanca Pak

Rio Grande Valley Hotels and Motels:
 
(NOTE: Not all Rio Grande Valley inns are included below; be sure to check the Valley Chambers of Commerce links, below, for more listings...such as Holiday Inns, etc.)

Brownsville Area Hotels and Motels

Edinburg Area Hotels and Motels

Harlingen Area Hotels and Motels

McAllen Area Hotels and Motels

Mission Area Hotels and Motels

South Padre Island Hotels and Motels

Weslaco Area Hotels and Motels

Rio Grande Valley Chambers of Commerce:

Rio Grande Valley Partnership

Brownsville Chamber of Commerce

Brownsville Convention and Vistors Bureau

Edinburg Chamber of Commerce

Harlingen Chamber of Commerce

Harlingen Convention and Visitors Bureau

McAllen Chamber of Commerce

McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

McAllen Convention Center

Mission Chamber of Commerce

Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce

Raymondville Chamber of Commerce

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce

South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau

Weslaco Chamber of Commerce

Rio Grande Valley Colleges and Universities:

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)

South Texas College (STC)

South Texas College Library (STC)

Texas State Technical College

Rio Grande Valley Airports:

Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport

McAllen Miller International Airport

Valley International Airport-Harlingen

Weslaco Mid-Valley Airport (small planes)

Edinburg International Airport (small planes)

Rio Grande Valley Churches and Temples:

Brownsville Area Churches

Harlingen Area Churches

McAllen Area Churches

Mission Area Churches

Weslaco Area Churches

First United Methodist Church-Mission

First Baptist Church-McAllen

First United Methodist Church-McAllen

St. Paul Lutheran Church-McAllen

First Presbyterian Church-McAllen

St. John's Episcopal Church-McAllen

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church-McAllen

TEMPLE: Temple Emanuel

Rio Grande Valley Area Hospitals:

Solara Hospital - Brownsville

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital - Brownsville

Valley Baptist Medical Center - Brownsville

Valley Regional Medical Center - Brownsville

Doctors Hospital at Renaissance - Edinburg

STHS-Cornerstone Regional Hospital - Edinburg

Edinburg Children's Hospital - Edinburg

Edinburg Regional Medical Center-Edinburg

Solara Hospital - Harlingen

Valley Baptist Medical Center - Harlingen

Solara Hospital - McAllen

Mcallen Heart Hospital - McAllen

McAllen Medical Center - McAllen

STHS-South Texas Behavioral Health Center - McAllen

Rio Grande Regional Hospital - McAllen

Mission Regional Medical Center - Mission

Driscoll Children's Hospital - Weslaco

Knapp Medical Center - Weslaco

Rio Grande Valley News Media:

Cameron Co. Area News

Hidalgo Co. Area News

Starr Co. Area News

Willacy Co. Area News

Brownsville Herald (Daily)

Edinburg Review (Online)

Harlingen Valley Morning Star (Daily)

McAllen Monitor (Daily)

Mission Progress Times (weekly)

Raymondville Chronicle (weekly)

SPI Island Breeze (weekly)

Starr County Town Crier (weekly)

Weslaco Mid-Valley Town Crier (weekly)

Texas Southern Border News (Border News)

Rio Grande Guardian (Border political news blog)

Edinburg Politics (Hidalgo Co. political news blog)

El Nuevo Heraldo (Daily, Valley-wide Spanish)

KGBT-TV-ch:4 (news/weather-CBS)

KRGV-TV-ch:5 (news/weather-ABC)

KVEO-TV-ch:23 (news/weather-NBC)

XRIO-TV-ch:2 (news/weather-FOX)

KMBH-TV-ch:60 (PBS)

WinterTexan Online Magazine

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