Museum, San Augustin Plaza and Casa Ortiz. Consider visiting the city during one if its
annual events. Washington’s Birthday Cele- bration is a monthlong event that includes the International Bridge Ceremony, parade, jala- peño festival, air show and more. T e Laredo International Sister Cities Festival is a three- day event in July with more than 180 exhibi- tors from Mexico and Central America. And bird lovers won’t want to miss the birding clas- sics and fi eld trips of the Laredo Birding Fes- tival in February Travelers who continue further north
Find Smitty’s Juke Box Museum in Pharr.
the special creatures—both birds and other animals—that call South Texas home. Heading further west leads to Mission,
home to Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. T is world-class birding destination in- cludes a visitor center surrounded by butter- fl y gardens and hummingbird feeders. Other highlights include the 210-foot-long, two- story high, wheelchair-accessible ramp that provides views of the canopy, plus two en- closed bird blinds and a birding wall that give visitors an up-close spot for watching bird be- haviors. With additional bird feeding stations and water along the trails, there are plenty of opportunities to experience nature in action. T e other three WBC birding sites in Edin-
burg, Hidalgo and Roma off er diff erent expe- riences, including waterside observation plat- forms in Edinburg, hummingbird gardens in Hidalgo and a river overlook in Roma. Other popular spots include the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Anzalduas Park in Mission, Coleto Creek Park near Goliad, Choke Canyon State Park near T ree Rivers, as well as the Valley Nature Center and Fron- tera Audubon in Weslaco. While birding is very popular in the Valley,
there are numerous other attractions for visi- tors. Further cultural and natural experiences can be found at the Museum of South Texas, Lake El Sal Del Ray and the Tejano Walk of Fame in Edinburg; Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum attached to the birding center in
Hidalgo; International Museum of Art & Science and the arts and entertainment districts in McAllen; Mission Historical Museum, National Butterfl y Center and La Lomita Chapel in Mission; Roma Historic District in Roma; and the Weslaco Museum in Weslaco.
★ BORDER BLISS If a traveler is taking a circular tour of
the region, the next destinations would be Laredo, which off ers a unique border expe- rience. An easy drive from San Antonio or the Valley, Laredo blends the cultures, lan- guages, culinary infl uence and ambiance of both sides of the border. Learn more about Laredo with a visit to
the Border Heritage Museum. T e two-story, brick building formerly housed two early Lar- edo merchant families. Now visitors can ex- plore changing exhibits on the region’s his- tory, culture, industry and populations. From there, travelers can walk to the Re-
public of the Rio Grande Museum. Legend has it that the building was the capitol of the unsuccessful republic. T e building is a Re- corded Texas Historic Landmark and is a house museum refl ecting the 1830s. Both self-guided audio tours and guided
tours are available to learn more about the city’s heritage. T e tours include the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum, Border Heritage
For more infor ma tion about South Texas Plains, visit
TravelTexas.com.
INF ORMATION Travel
GETTING THERE
SAN ANTONIO INTL. AIRPORT
www.sanantonio.gov/airport
CORPUS CHRISTI INTL. AIRPORT
www.corpuschristiairport.com
VALLEY INTL. AIRPORT (HARLINGEN) www.fl
ythevalley.com
TRAVEL INFORMATION CENTER S
LAREDO: 15551 I-35 North. At U.S. 83 in South Texas at mile marker 18. 956/417-4728.
HARLINGEN: 2021 W.
Harrison.In the Rio Grande Valley near the Texas-Mexico border at the intersection of U.S. 77 and U.S. 83. 956/428-4477.
Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, and 8 a.m.– 6 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. To speak to a professional travel
counselor for travel information and trip planning assistance call 800/452-9292 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Central time daily.
www.txdot.gov. For 24-hour highway condition
information call 800/452-9292 or visit
www.drivetexas.org.
PHOTO: RANDALL MAXWELL/TXDOT 233
along the border will arrive in Eagle Pass. Established as Camp Eagle Pass, later named Fort Duncan, the area has seen a lot of his- tory. Travelers explore the history of the city and area from the colonial period to the early 1900s at the Fort Duncan Museum. T e city hosts a number of festivals throughout the year and also has the state’s only casino— Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino, which is owned and operated by the Kickapoo Tradi- tional Tribe of Texas. There is so much more to experience
throughout the South Texas Plains. No mat- ter where travelers choose to start, they will fi nd much to enjoy. ★
SOUTH TEXAS PLAINS
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