Across the Border    |    Golf   |   Shopping   |   Nature Sites   |   World Birding Centers Recreation/Sports  |   Sporting Events   |   Hunting and Fishing   |   Family Fun
Historical Sites   |   Museums

Long before the city of McAllen was even a gleam in anyone’s eye, almost 150 years ago, busy Spanish colonizers were establishing the pioneer community of Reynosa on the south bank of the Rio Grande. Now grown to a modern metropolis of 750,000, Reynosa is McAllen’s sister city on the Mexican side of the border, and a great place to spend a few hours bargain hunting, enjoying lunch or dinner at one of many fine restaurants, or simply relaxing with a tropical beverage at a simpatico watering hole. Most of the amigos you’ll find in Reynosa speak English. Shops and restaurants are within a block or two of the bridge, the main plaza is just a few blocks away, and pedestrian Hidalgo Street and the Zaragoza market are just beyond the plaza. HOT SPOTS: Trevino’s and the Imperial, both longtime curio shops and bars; Sam’s, La Fogata and La Cucaracha casual restaurants, and La Mansion for fine dining. Approximately eight miles from McAllen.

NUEVO PROGRESO

Just a few miles south of Weslaco, the Mexican border town of Nuevo Progreso has several excellent restaurants sandwiched between rows of shops offering arts and crafts of all kinds, from all parts of the republic. All of the stores and restaurants are within blocks of the bridge. This is a great place to take groups to experience the Mexican hospitality and ambience. HOT SPOTS: Garcia’s, Arturo’s and La Fogata Restaurants, El Disco and Canada’s are both gigantic stores full of all kinds of Mexican arts and crafts. Along with the many small stores and stands that line the streets with pharmacies, liquor stores, bakeries, candy stores, and family-owned businesses. Approximately 30 miles from McAllen.

MONTERREY

While on the border is a tasty slice of Mexican life, Mexico’s interior can be a banquet! Monterrey is McAllen’s closest metropolitan city – on either side of the border – and Mexico’s third largest city. Just 150 miles distant, and a quick drive on the new autopista (toll road), Monterrey offers all of the attractions of a large bustling commercial city. Superb restaurants, four-star hotels, excellent shopping, exciting historical sites, one of the largest public plazas in the world, breathtaking mountain scenery, world-class museums, all combine to make the city a memorable side trip while you are in the Valley. HOT SPOTS: Governor’s Palace, Bishop’s Palace, Dulces Nombres Chapel, tour blown-glass factory, silver workshop, hike around Horsetail Falls, explore Museum of Modern Art and Museum of Monterrey. Play at Parque Plaza Sesamo, La Pastora Zoo and Gran Plaza, a 97-acre square surrounded by traditional markets as well as modern shopping centers. Approximately 150 miles from McAllen.

DISTANCES FROM McALLEN TO MEXICO CITIES (in miles)

Monterrey - 150

Mexico City - 641

Guadalajara - 630

San Miguel de Allende - 548

Tampico - 305

Acapulco - 893

Veracruz - 762

Irapuato - 600

MEXICO TRAVELING TIPS

• The McAllen Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), has access and connections with most of the tourism offices in Mexico and is glad to offer our expertise in tour planning and accessing resources in those areas. We can obtain brochures and materials about most cities in Mexico. The CVB is a division of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and McAllen area hotels and located at 1200 Ash Ave., McAllen, TX 78501. Phone: 956/682-2871; Fax 956/631-8571. Toll Free: 1-877-MCALLEN; Web Site: www.mcallencvb.com

 • If you drive across, be sure to have Mexican insurance – easy to obtain and inexpensive on the U.S. side.

• You won’t need a visa if you’re a U.S. or Canadian citizen, but bring along proof of citizenship just in case (voter’s registration or birth certificate).

• When visiting towns on the border, it is not necessary to exchange U.S. dollars for pesos; however, if you plan on venturing further into the interior it is recommended. Exchange houses can be found in McAllen.

• Several of our local tour operators offer motor coach tours into the interior, form an overnight in Monterrey to two weeks in the Yucatán, and everything in between. They can be a valuable resource for you.

• Continental Airlines has a direct flight to Mexico City from McAllen, and from Mexico City anything is possible.

• Bus service to all points in the republic leave from McAllen’s bus station on a regular basis.

TEMPORARY TOURIST VISA: When traveling beyond the checking point, which is about 18 miles south of the border, you need to obtain a tourist visa. The tourist visa can be obtained across the bridge at the Mexico Customs and Immigration office by presenting your birth certificate, Tourist visas are issued for three days free of charge and for seven days to six months at a cost of about $22 dollars. You pay this at a local bank. To avoid a fine, each of these visas must be returned by their expiration date.

AUTOMOBILE PERMIT: When traveling to Mexico driving your own automobile beyond the checking point, you go to the Temporary Vehicle Permit Building to get an automobile permit, and your tourist visa can also be issued here. For your automobile permit you need the title of ownership or the automobile registration card and you need to pay with a major credit card, such as Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. This permit is good for six months and you must return it by the expiration date.

TEMPORARY VEHICLE PERMIT BUILDING: When you cross the bridge and go by the vehicles line proceed until you come to the first street ( Aleman Street runs west to east). Take a left and go three streets and turn left, then go straight until you see the large parking lot and the building. Here you can obtain your automobile and tourist visa permits.

MEXICO ROADS: In Mexico just like in the United States, there are toll roads and non-toll roads. In Mexico, if you choose to travel through the toll road, it is called autopista or "quota." The price you pay can be high, any where from $2.95 to $30 depending on how far you travel. The Reynosa/Monterrey one-way trip is approximately $23. If you travel through non-toll roads called "libre," there is no charge, but beware these roads are not in a good condition.

BUS TRAVEL: (Address 1501 Business 83, Entrance on 15th Street) Bus service to all points in the republic leaves from McAllen's bus terminal every 25 minutes. The bus makes a stop at Reynosa's Customs office to allow passengers to get tourist visas.

HELPFUL CONTACTS

Mexican Consulate - 600 S. Broadway, McAllen, TX 78501, Phone: 956/686-0243
Monterrey CVB Avenue Fundidora 501
Cintermex Local 82, Ground Floor Monterrey, Nuevo Leon 64010, Phone: 011-52-818-354-1171
Casa McAllen Avenue Fundidora 501
Cintermex Local 104, First Floor Monterrey, Nuevo Leon 64010, Phone: 011-52-818-369-6452

GOLF

Choose from one of the 31 fine golf courses peppering the Valley. Many have championship status. Seventeen are public greens with fees from $10-$60. Golf can be played year-round in the Texas Tropics with a mean temperature of 74 degrees!

PUBLIC COURSES:

Palm View Golf Course, 2701 S. Ware Rd., McAllen, Phone: 956/688-3444
Ebony Hills Golf Course, 300 W. Palm Drive, Edinburg, Phone: 956/292-2144
Los Lagos Golf Club, 1720 S. Raul Longoria Rd., Edinburg, Phone: 956/316-0444
Martin Valley Ranch Golf Course, 7400 W. Expressway 83, Mission, Phone: 956/585-6330
Shary Municipal Golf Course, 2201 Mayberry, Mission, Phone: 956/580-8770
Tierra del Sol Golf Club, 700 E. Hall Acres Rd., Pharr, Phone: 956/702-2320
Valley Golf Center, 2/10 Miles W. Highway 495, Pharr, Phone: 956/787-9272

PRIVATE COURSES:

Adobe Wells Country Club, 4901 Daffodil, McAllen, Phone: 956/686-8801
McAllen Country Club, 615 Wichita McAllen,, Phone: 956/686-0923
The Club at Cimarron, 1200 S. Shary Rd., Mission, Phone: 956/581-7408
Seven Oaks Resort and Country Club, 1300 Circle Drive, Mission, Phone: 956/581-6267
Monte Cristo Golf and Country Club, Monte Cristo Rd., Edinburg, Phone: 956/381-0964
Alamo County Club, North Tower Rd., Alamo, Phone: 956/787-2582 

Contact us for a total listing of all 31 Golf Courses located in the Rio Grande Valley.

SHOPPING

Shopping opportunities have never been greater in McAllen. That with the four major shopping areas - Las Tiendas, La Plaza Mall, Downtown McAllen and North 10th Street. Within McAllen there are more than 40 retail centers with more on the horizon. Don’t miss any of these locations when visiting McAllen.

MALLS AND SHOPPING CENTERS:

LA PLAZA MALL: 2200 S. 10th St. includes major retailers such as Dillard’s, Foley’s, Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and much more.

LAS TIENDAS SHOPPING CENTER: 708 E Expressway 83. Includes Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Pier One, Michael’s, and many restaurants.

DOWNTOWN MCALLEN: Including Main, Broadway, 15th, 16th and 17th Streets from Business 83 to Houston Ave.

NOLANA TOWERS: 400 Nolana. Retailers and restaurants

UPTOWN PLAZA: 4500 N. 10th. Retailers and restaurants

NORTHCROSS SHOPPING CENTER: Corner of North 10th and Nolana. Retailers and restaurants

TOWN AND COUNTRY: Corner of North 10th and Wisteria. Retailers and restaurants

BROADWAY PLAZA NORTH: 801 Dove Ave. Retailers and restaurants

TRENTON VIEW: Corner of North 10th and Trenton. Retailers and restaurants

TRENTON CROSSINGS: Corner of North 10th and Trenton. Retail and restaurants.
Contact us for more information on shopping destinations or stores in the McAllen area.

NATURE  SITES

SANTA ANA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is home to many birds/waterfowl, and animals native to the Valley. Established in 1943 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge recalls life as it was in the early 1900s before civilization took over. Santa Ana lies on the banks of the Rio Grande and contains inland lakes for waterfowl, wading birds, perching birds and other wildlife. With 2,080 acres, the preserve is famous for the number of species which seasonally call it home, including endangered species such as the ocelot, jaguarundi and several others. Being a transitional zone, birders may view many Mexican birds that venture only as far north as Santa Ana. Visitor center and tram rides available. 787-7861. U.S. Hwy 281 (Military Hwy) & FM 907 • 956-787-3079; Hours: Mon.-Sun. dawn to dusk, Visitor’s Center: open year round except major holidays 8am-4pm; $1.00 per car. Seven and one half miles south of Alamo on U.S. 281, Approx. 12 miles from McAllen.

BENTSEN-RIO GRANDE STATE PARK

This 587.7-acre park is one of the few public natural preserves in the far southern portion of Texas along the banks of the Rio Grande . Many nature and hiking trails, camping sites, trailer hookups, picnic tables, barbecue pits, and shower facilities, bring visitors close to the Valley as it once was, with native wetlands, dry chaparral and a great variety of birds. The state park is the headquarter site for the World Birding Centers. Five miles southwest of Mission, Approx. 9 miles from McAllen. For more information, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/bentsen.
Take U.S. 83 to Mission, exit Inspiration Rd., south on FM 2062 to park 956-585-1107; Hours: Mon-Sun. 8am-10pm $3 (13 yrs & up) Ages 12 & under FREE

LAGUNA ATASCOSA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

The 50,000-acre refuge runs along the Laguna Madre and is a stop over for many migratory birds during the fall and spring. Several scientific studies and projects are being conducted at the refuge. Tow tour roads (3 miles & 15 miles) and many hiking/biking trails offer easy access. Over400 species of birds make the refuge their home; not to mention bobcats, alligators and coyotes. Approx. 70 miles from McAllen.
18 miles east on FM 106, then left for 3 miles • 956-748-3607 Tour roads: Daily-dawn to dusk, Visitor’s Center: Oct.-April from 10am-4pm; Admission: $3 per vehicle.

ANZALDUAS COUNTY PARK

Anzalduas Park and Dam-A diversion dam used to divert water from the Rio Grande to a large irrigation canal on the Mexican side. The national boundary line runs through the center of the dam. The 96-acre park has many shade trees, picnic tables, boating/camping facilities and a pavilion overlooking the Rio Grande. Good birding site. 956-585-5311; Hours: Daily-8am -7pm, Saturday & Sunday $4/during the week-FREE.  On FM 1016, one mile west of Hwy 494. Approx. 7 miles from McAllen.

McALLEN NATURE CENTER

4101 W. Bus. 83 (1 block west of Ware Rd) • 956-688-3333; Hours: Daily 8am-dusk. 25 acres of native trees, plants and flowers. There are two nature trails, offering a great place to watch birds or just enjoy a nice walk.

VALLEY NATURE CENTER

301 S. Border, Weslaco • 956-969-2475; Hours: Tue.-Fri. 9am-5pm, Sat. 8am-5pm, Sun. 1pm-5pm. Fee: $1(adult) $.50 (ages 12 & under) Sun. 1pm-5pm Stop by the Nature Center and enjoy displays of the Valley’s native flora, completely different from what you are used to seeing back home. The 6 acre park displays and boosts a wide variety of birds, insects, terrain and flora. Come take a walk in 1 mile self guided tour. Programs, workshops, and activities. Conservation resource library and gift shop. Approx. 17 miles from McAllen. For more information, visit www.valleynaturecenter.org

FALCON LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA

East on US Highway 83 to FM 2098 to Park Rd. 46 956-848-5327 The lake is jointly owned by the US and Mexico and Covers over 115,000 acres. The State Park is a great place for freshwater fishing and water sports. Facilities available are RV hookups, bath houses, tent sites, screened cabins, boat ramps and picnic areas. Approx. 65 miles from McAllen.

Adams Unit (LPWMA) The Future Weslaco satellite to the World Birding Center is covered in native habitat. Facilities are available. Located 3 miles southeast of Weslaco. For details call 956-519-6448.

Bill Schupp Park Park offers walking trails, picnic area, playground, paved parking and restrooms (handicap accessible). Located on West Zinnia Avenue in McAllen.

Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Alamo Wood-mulched trail through thicket with benches. Located on the northwest corner of 13 th Street and Durante Avenue in Alamo.

Chihuahua Woods Preserve The Chihuahua Woods Preserve is a 243 acre wildlife preserve with a 1-mile marked trail. Daylight hours only. Visiting parties are limited to 6 adults; not suitable for children or pets. Area is covered in cactus and thorns; paths are not regularly maintained; no facilities available. Located off Business Highway 83 in Mission. For details call 956-580-4241.

Delta Lake County Park Man-made, freshwater lake with minimal native habitat. Facilities include restrooms, pavilion, BBQ facilities and picnic tables. No swimming allowed. Hours are 8:00 am to sunset daily. Located on FM 88, 16 miles north of Weslaco.

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands Trail 40 acres of scenic wetland trails. Area features nature trails, observation platforms, ponds, restrooms and parking area. Open daily during daylight hours. Located at Edinburg Municipal Park on Doolittle Road in Edinburg.

Estero Llano Grande Lake Headwaters of the Arroyo Colorado. Floodway is surrounded by native habitat. This is one of the better spots to see a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl. Located just past 5 Mile Road North in Weslaco.

Frontera Audubon Society Weslaco Thicket This area has recently been refurbished. Permission required to visit. Headquarters and gift shop located at 1101 South Texas Boulevard in Weslaco. For details call 956-968-3275.

La Lomita Chapel Area is covered in mesquite and ebony trees. Facilities include picnic tables, restrooms and parking area. Hours are 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Located south of Junction 494 in Mission.

McAllen Convention Center Canopy of trees on east side of building; parking available on west side. Restrooms available when the convention center is open. Located at the corner of 10 th Street and US 83 in McAllen.

McAllen Nature Center Handicap-accessible nature trails, picnic tables, restrooms, parking area. Hours are 8:00 am to dusk. Located on Business Highway 83 in McAllen.

McAllen Sewer Ponds Water level and seasons are critical to abundance and diversity of birds. Avoid levee after heavy rains. Hours are Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Saturday 8:00 am to noon. Located on Idela Drive in McAllen.

Martin Refuges Private wildlife refuge offering wildlife and nature photography opportunities. Two locations and professionally-designed photo blinds on water features. Visitors can view and photograph birds, mammals and reptiles. By appointment only. Contact John & Audrey Martin. Email: MartinRefuge@aol.com Phone: 956-381-1264

Methodist Camp Thicket Area covered with ash, mesquite, cedar, Black Willow and hackberry. No facilities available. Request permission at the office. Located 1 mile south of Weslaco. For details call 956-565-6006

Mission Chamber of Commerce Butterfly garden on the front lawn of the Chamber of Commerce. Located on 9 th Street in Mission.

Mission Nature Park 2 miles of walking trails through brush. No facilities available. Located south on Conway Avenue in Mission.

The Mockingbird 2 acre birding oasis covered with live oaks and native brush. Professional photography blinds and elevated viewing stands. Appointment required. For details call Allen Williams, 956-460-9864 or visit www.themockingbird.com.

Monte Cristo Tract (LRGVNWR) Area is only accessible on foot. Enter only at designated points and stay on the trails. Hours are sunrise to sunset daily. Located on Wallace Road, northwest of Edinburg.

Quinta Mazatlan Mansion set on 8 acres that will be the McAllen satellite to the World Birding Center. Birding is available by appointment only. Located on Sunset Drive in McAllen. For details call 956-682-1517.

Rancho San Francisco Rancho San Francisco is a 2000 acre working ranch. Owners offer guided bird and butterfly tours of the ranch. Photography blinds available. Located north of La Joya. To schedule a tour, call 956-519-0459.

Valley Nature Center 6 acre park with a half-mile of trails through native scrub forest. Center is open year-round. Hours are Tuesday – Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Located at 301 South Border Street in Weslaco. For details call 956-969-2475 or visit www.valleynaturecenter.org.

Weslaco Water Treatment Ponds Amount of water in ponds affects abundance and diversity of birds. No facilities available. Located on Airport Drive in Weslaco.

Yturria Tract (LRGVNWR) Enter only at designated points and stay on trails. Hours are sunrise to sunset daily. Area is only accessible on foot. No facilities available. Located on US 83 in La Joya. For details call 956-784-7500.

WORLD BIRDING CENTERS

956-585-1107 • Nine Valley communities along 120 miles of road from South Padre Island to Roma will be the homes of these centers. The main headquarters is based from Bentsen – Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission. This dream was made a reality through Texas Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife services. Everyone is invited to join in taking part in visiting these sites located throughout the Rio Grande Valley which include viewing stations, watch towers, trails and much more. Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen is the future home of one of the World Birding Center sites. For more information visit www.worldbirdingcenter.com

RECREATION/SPORTS

The Rio Grande Valley is a birder's paradise, with six wildlife refuges less than an hour's drive from the city. McAllen is home each April to the Texas Tropics Nature Festival, while nearby Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is recognized as one of the top ten birding sites in the nation -boasting a record count of bird species. Other refuges along the river provide great opportunities to add to your life list, or simply to enjoy a pleasant walk among the native flora, which once graced the entire Valley. Hunting and fishing are important ingredients in the McAllen experience. Freshwater and deep-sea fishing? Hunting for deer or birds? McAllen, the Valley and nearby Mexico provide the waters, the woods and the fields to satisfy every outdoor sportsman.

SPORTING EVENTS

RIO GRANDE VALLEY DORADOS ARENA FOOTBALL, Arena Football League, 956-843-7825, Season runs April through July. Home games are held at Dodge Arena,For more information visit www.doradosfootball.com

HUNTING & FISHING

South Texas teams with sportsmen’s quarry. Whitewing dove season in early September brings hunters from all over the nation. Seasonal hunters also bag quail, duck, and geese. The surrounding brush areas hold deer, wild turkey and the mean-tempered javelina hog. Choose fresh-water or salt-water fishing in the Valley; then head out with your gear. You’re within minutes of water from anywhere. There are launching ramps and professional guided tours whether you seek salt-water species like red snapper, marlin, redfish and flounder or fresh-water bass, crappie and catfish. From the Laguna Madre to the open sea and Falcon Lake, the Arroyo Colorado or the Rio Grande, you’ll have plenty of spots to choose from.

FAMILY FUN

DODGE ARENA – 2600 10th Street ( Hwy 336) Hidalgo 956-843- 6688 The $20-million multi-purpose complex features a 6,800-seat arena that will configure up to 5,500-seats for ice hockey, football and soccer and a center stage concert capacity of 6,800-seats. Dodge Arena is the home of the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees Ice Hockey Team and Dorados Arena Football team. It also hosts shows and concert events year round including events such as Disney on Ice, Harlem Globetrotters, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and much more. For more information visit www.dodgearena.com

THE ZONE ACTION PARK – 2600 East Expressway 83, McAllen 956-664-ZONE This park offers something for everyone: Miniature golf, Batting cages, Go-karts, Bumper boats , large arcade and more! For more information visit www.thezoneactionpark.com

VALLEY BOWL – 2140 E. Business 83, Mission 956-585-2041 956-585-2041; Hours: Mon.-Sun. 10am-12mid.; 24 lanes, pool tables, putting course and a restaurant.

SCHLITTERBAHN BEACH WATERPARK - 90 Park Road Hwy. 100, South Padre Island, TX 78597 • 956-772-SURF; Let the half-mile long Rio Aventura transport you from one great attraction to another without ever getting out of your inner tube! Blast uphill on four water coasters! Take on the whitewater of two tube chutes! Splash through a giant wave lagoon! Kids will love Sand Castle Cove, a five-story-tall water fun house! And surfers - first-timers or pros- will love the Boogie Bahn the world’s largest surf machine! For more information visit www.schlitterbahn.com
 

GLADYS PORTER ZOO - 500 Ringgold St., Brownsville • 956-546-7187; Hours: 9am-5pm $8.50 (Adults), $5.25 (Children 2-13), $7.00 (Seniors over 65). The Zoo offers over 31 acres of easy access to some of the rarest animals in the world. This spectacular zoo has won awards for the realistic designs in architecture, which features natural waterways flowing throughout the area. The animal exhibits are designed to simulate the animals’ natural habitats. Housing 1500 specimens, it is considered one of the finest zoos in the country. Approx. 63 miles from McAllen. For more information visit

www.gpz.com

VERIZON WIRELESS SPORTS PARK - 3930 Plantation Grove Blvd. Mission 956-581-4466 Verizon Wireless Sports Park is an exciting new concept in sports and recreation. A six-field softball/baseball complex with sate-of-the-art equipment, six beach volleyball courts designed for league play, and eight half-court basketball courts with facilities for baseball and softball, plus additional facilities for volleyball and soccer practice will be available for everyone. The Center also includes a swimming complex with training-sized pool, and Spray Park.

HISTORICAL SITES

VETERAN’S WAR MEMORIAL – Located near the corner of Ware Road and Highway 83, this magnificent series of granite walls depicts the history of wars fought by our country since before the American Revolution. The memorial commemorates the many local figures who participated in the defense of their country and will include a section dedicated to the Mexican squadron 201, whose pilots fought side by side with their Unites States allies during the Second World War.

VIRGEN THE SAN JUAN DEL VALLE SHRINE -The original shrine was dedicated in 1954 in honor of La Virgen de San Juan de los Lagos in Mexico, and rededicated in 1980 after an apparently intentional plane crash in 1970 reduced the building to ashes. The image of La Virgin was rescued unharmed. Full-scale outdoor Stations of the Cross and one of the world's largest mosaics. On Expressway 83 east of McAllen in San Juan, 787-0033.

LA LOMITA MISSION - FM 1016 (Conway) 3 miles south of Expressway 83, Mission 956-580-8760. Located just south of Mission, the city which took its name from La Lomita, the small chapel is set in an area of natural growth, not far from the Rio Grande. First built in 1865 by the Oblate Fathers, it was rebuilt in 1899. Picnic grounds. Approx. 9 miles from McAllen.

SHARY ESTATE-Original home of Mr. & Mrs. John H. Shary who are buried in the chapel across at a road. Mr. Shary, renowned as the "Father of Valley Citrus," was the first person to grow it commercially in the Valley. Now owned by the University of Texas at Pan American. The Valley's citrus belt, the farm roads in this area are lined with palm trees and orchards of Ruby Sweet and Rio Star fruit. Take Shary Road (FM 494) off FM or Hwy 107, 4 miles south of Hwy 107.

LOS EBANOS FERRY - 14 miles west US 83 exit FM 886, 3 miles south, Los Ebanos; Hours: Mon.-Sun. 9am-4pm Minimal fee for the ferry ride. Verture back into another age, when all transportation across the Rio Grande was by ferry boat. Still propelled by pulling a rope by hand, the ferry can accommodate three cars and a number of pedestrians each trip. You can ride for a few cents, set foot on Mexican soil, then come back for a few more cents, helping pull the ferry across in the bargain.

Approximately 24 miles from McAllen.

IWO-JIMA MEMORIAL - 320 Iwo Jima Blvd., Harlingen • 956-412-2207; Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10am-4pm, Sun. Noon - 4pm. This is the original sculpture used in casting the famous bronzed Marine Corps Memorial in Arlington, VA. It is over 100 feet high and weighs 130 tons. A WWII museum is located across the street and displays many artifacts from the era through Desert Storm. There is also a military & Texas gift shop. Approx. 37 miles from McAllen.

MUSEUMS

IMAS

Explore the area’s history and culture by visiting one of the many fine museums located in the McAllen and Rio Grande Valley area. The International Museum of Art and science located in McAllen boasts an outstanding permanent collection of Mexican

folk art and masks, plus top quality traveling exhibits which includes some from the Smithsonian Institute, NASA and much more. The Museum of South Texas History located in Edinburg, presents much of the history and heritage from the Rio Grande Valley and presents visitors with exhibits of geological, ancient, and Spanish culture. There are over 10 museums located throughout the Rio Grande Valley and many more galleries, as well.

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF ART AND SCIENCE – 1900 Nolana (at bicentennial), McAllen • 956-682-1564 Hours: Tue., Wed., Fri. and Sat. 9am-5pm, Thurs. 9am-8pm, Sun. 1pm-5pm $5 (A), $4 (S), $3 (C 3-12) The city’s showplace for traveling art exhibit showings from the museum’s own considerable collections, fascinating arts and crafts from the Mexican interior, and newly emerging “hands-on” exhibits on science and natural history. Periodic lectures, seminars and special events round out an extensive program at the museum. For more information visit www.imasonline.org

MUSEUM OF SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY - 121 E. McIntyre, located 1 block north of Hidalgo County Courthouse parking lot, on Kuhn St. between Closner (U.S. 281 Bus.) and 12th St. in Edinburg • 956-383-6911 Hours: Tue. - Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 1pm-5pm $4 (A), $3 (Sr), $2.50 (C 4-12), $1.50 (C under 3) From the early Indian tribes, through the Spanish conquistadors and up to the Texas Rangers, one of the best-crafted small museum collections in the country portrays the varied history of the Rio Grande Valley in a series of displays, photos, artifacts, maps and text. You will want to browse in the excellent “Country Store” with one of the best stocks of books in the area, all housed in the 1910 county jail.
Approximately 11 miles from McAllen. For more information visit www.mosthistory.com

Contact us for more information on other museums located throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

THEATER AND PERFORMING ART

Cine El Rey Theater: 311 S. 17th St., McAllen, Phone: 956/661-8844
Cine Sol: McAllen, Phone: 956/412-7273
Danzar by Rey Duran: McAllen, Phone: 956/661-1288
Dodge Arena: 2600 S 10th St., Hidalgo, Phone: 956/843-6688
Magic Valley Chorus & Sweet Adelines, Phone: 956/782-7357
McAllen Ballet Studio: 4320 N Bicentennial Blvd., Phone: 956/630-3287
McAllen Civic Center and Auditorium: 1300 S 10th St., McAllen,
Phone: 956/688-3400 
Melba’s School of Dancing and Gymnastics: 2100 N 10th St., McAllen, Phone: 956/686-1411 
Rio Grande Valley Ballet: 205 Pecan, McAllen, Phone: 956/682-2721
South Texas Youth Symphony: 1201 W University Dr., Edinburg,
Phone: 956/393-2293
Valley Symphony Orchestra and Chorale: 1201 W University Dr., Edinburg, Phone: 956/393-2293
UTPA University Theater: 1201 W University Dr., Edinburg, Phone: 956/381-3581

Contact us for more information on the Arts in the McAllen area.