Our Neighbors

Our neighboring communities have plenty of sights and events to fit your every mood.

Brownsville

Brownsville is the southern most City on the mainland United States. Located 23 miles from South Padre Island and directly across from Matamoros, Mexico, Brownsville dates from colonial days of Imperial Spain, covering periods of exploration, wars, revolutions, and colorful, though infamous banditry. To learn more about the fascinating history of Brownsville visit the Historic Brownsville Museum located at 641 E. Madison St. or call 956.548.1313.

Brownsville’s history has developed a proud heritage of two cultures, which is celebrated every year at the end of February with Charro Days. Charro Days features carnivals, parades, dances and cultural events. Sombrero Festival throws a party for Brownsville the last weekend in February each year and features well-known Hispanic Artists, local music, unique food booths, and popular events such as the Jalapeño Eating Contest, Waiters Race, Grito Contest, Charro Days Classic Marathon, Tortilla Frisbee Toss, Hat-Stack Relay, and a Charro Bean Cook-off.

Brownsville also provides numerous birding opportunities and is home to the one of the top 10 zoos in the United States, , which is a 31-acre zoological preserve build on an old Rio Grande River channel. The zoo features more than 1,600 animals representing over 460 species, 47 of which are endangered. For more information call 956.546.7187.

While visiting the zoo do not miss the opportunity to visit the other 11 cultural entities that make up the fabulous Mitte Cultural District - Dean Porter Park, Children’s Museum of Brownsville, Costumes of the Americas Museum, Ringgold Civic Pavilion, Camille Playhouse, Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, Linear Park, Historic Brownsville Museum, Old City Cemetery, Old City Cemetery Center and Washington Park. All are within walking distance of each other, and provide insight into the culture and great diversity Brownsville has to offer. For more information go to www.MitteCulturalDistrict.org, or stop by the Visitors Center located in the district on the corner of 6th and Ringgold.

For more information about Brownsville call the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce at 956.542.4341 or go to www.brownsvillechamber.com, or call the Brownsville CVB at 800.626.2639 or go to www.brownsville.org

Harlingen

Located just 40 miles from South Padre Island, Harlingen is a great place for a break from the sun during your vacation. Rich in history, there are numerous buildings on Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison, and “Silk Stocking” homes along East Taylor that stand as a testament to the city’s prosperity in the 1920’s and 30’s. The Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum is where South Texas history comes alive. The museum is located two blocks from the Valley International Airport. For more information call 956.216.4901 or go to www.harlingenmuseum.com

You will not find a “Main” Street in Harlingen, but Jackson Street has been the focus of community life for over 100 years. Stroll through antique malls, home furnishing and collectible stores, jewelry, arts and one-of-a-kind gifts; just to name a few. Free parking and an ample number of restaurants and coffee shops make this a great afternoon adventure. Downtown also boasts several larger-than-life-size murals depicting aspects of the community’s history. For more information and a map of the murals contact the Harlingen CVB at 956.423.5440 or 800.531.7346.

The Marine Military Academy is home to the original working model of the famous bronze statue at Arlington National Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial. A museum features Marine Corps memorabilia, a 30-minute film describing the The Battle of Iwo Jima, and a veteran’s Hall of Fame. The monument and museum are located next to Valley International Airport. For more information call 956.412.2207 or go to www.mma-tx.org/museum.htm

As is most of the Rio Grande Valley, Harlingen is a paradise for birders, and home of two World Birding sites; Ramsey Nature Park on Loop 499 and Harlingen Thicket Bird Sanctuary, a 40-acre tract of native brush in the center of town. Make plans to attend the annual Rio Grand Valley Birding Festival in November, and rub elbows with and learn from top bird guides and birders from around the world.

For more information about Harlingen, birding, and their many attractions contact the Harlingen CVB at 311 E. Tyler. They are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.. Call 956.622.5053, 800.531.7345 or go to www. visitharlingentexas.com

At the southern tip of Texas, just 20 minutes inland from South Padre Island, lies the pleasantly unique town of Laguna Vista. Location and climate pave the way to a more laid-back atmosphere, with accommodations to meet a variety of lifestyles for residents and visitors alike. Dubbed the “Gateway to the Bay,” it is gently nestled along the Laguna Madre Bay, allowing gentle breezes to give the town an average yearly temperature of about 72 degrees. This temperate climate is not only appealing to valley locals, but is also a main attraction for many northerners, or “snowbirds,” looking to find relief from their harsher winter conditions.

It is this mild weather that promotes a host of outdoor activities for all ages. The bay front location affords water enthusiasts of all kinds convenient launch sites, with the natural breezes making it one of the top US places for kite boarding and windsurfing during certain times of the year. However, all excitement is not limited to the bay. The town is also host to the South Padre Island Golf Community, a gated residential community, which includes a public 18-hole championship course and driving range. Encouraging fitness and town beautification, Laguna Vista’s Roloff Park provides a playground, exercise stations, covered basketball court, pavilion and more. Additional sites include a Sports Complex, Veteran’s Memorial Park and nature trails which provide greater opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, observe the native wildlife, and promote quality of life for the individual and family. Whether staying active in sports or in the many planned community events is your forte, or if simply basking in the tropical surroundings is more your style, Laguna Vista has it all in a friendly, secure neighborhood. Come, explore the possibilities! By H. Therése Eaton Los Fresnos

Located just 23 miles west of South Padre Island on Texas State Highway 100 and 10 minutes east of Interstate Expressway 69E, the City of Los Fresnos is the fastest growing small city along the Lower Texas Coast and attracts travelers and visitors to its beautiful country-living, friendliness, and nature rich country-side. Los Fresnos features great Texas cuisine offering a tasty variety ranging from tamales and tacos to BBQ to seafood in Coastal Texican restaurants and drive-thru eateries. Los Fresnos guarantees to captivate you with its 4 miles of city limits lined with plazas, restaurants, Los Fresnos Inn, RV parks and businesses to meet all your travel needs. Family attractions include renowned events such as the Los Fresnos Rodeo and Cameron County Fair & Livestock Show, South Texas Conjunto Festival, Commemorative Air Force Airshow & Museum, and Bobz World, open year-round.

Los Fresnos is a magnet for nature lovers, birders and butterfly enthusiasts. The City, being the “Gateway to Ocelot Country,” is centrally located between Laguna Atascosa Nature Wildlife Refuge, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park, Resaca de Los Cuates Waterway, and South Padre Island. These sites represent thousands of acres of protected land, water sources, and road protective barriers for fish and wildlife migratory mammals, birds, and butterflies so that they can flourish and continue to enrich our Texas Coast. The center point of this magnet is the 23-acre Los Fresnos Nature Park which offers a children’s nature play area, walking trails, birding and butterfly blinds, and gardens located on the Resaca de Los Cuates Waterway. The Nature Park also includes Hike and Bike Trails that are an inner-city initiative designed to connect with the Palo Alto Battlefield and the City of Brownsville. Los Fresnos offers many birding sites which include multiple Resaca sites along highways and byways, Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge, Los Fresnos Nature Park and Casa Los Ebanos.

Los Fresnos is also rich in history. The area played a significant role in both the US-Mexican War and the American Civil War in 1846. Years later, the Palmito Ranch located just southeast of town, was the site of the last battle of the Civil War, which occurred here after most Confederate armies had already surrendered in 1865. With this area having served primarily as ranch land for centuries, it is said that as early as 1770 a small ranch called Los Fresnos (ash trees) occupied a site near where Los Fresnos exists today. In 1907, Lon C. Hill, Jr. purchased 14,232 acres and parceled them into lots. This eventually evolved into the layout of the original town site of “modern” Los Fresnos. Settlers, mostly farmers from mid-western states, were attracted to the area. This new influx of people led to a diversification of land use in what had been almost exclusively ranch land. The Los Fresnos Whipple Memorial Library provides hundreds of historic and literary materials of this area for your enrichment. Overall, Los Fresnos - part cow town, part farm community, very Texan, is always a vibrant active city!

Los Fresnos offers many living and economic opportunities that attract families, tourists, travelers, businesses and retirees. Los Fresnos is proud of our top-rated state recognized school district, known for its high standards of education and training. Our community offers easy access to jobs and affordable distribution and service centers strategically located to South Padre Island, the Port of Brownsville, the City of Brownsville, and many government centers. Los Fresnos is equidistant to the Brownsville and Harlingen International Airports, and 10 minutes to Interstate Expressway 69E. Affordable cost of living and the availability of quality of life assets such as parks, resacas and nature trails are the final pieces that make Los Fresnos a wonderful place to visit, live and do business.

Whether you live in Los Fresnos or are visiting South Padre Island, mark your calendar for the numerous wonderful events held each year. There is a local saying in Los Fresnos, “when you stop at an intersection in town be sure to look both ways because a parade might be coming!” Yes, Los Fresnos loves a good parade, and hosting great events you will not want to miss, such as the Los Fresnos PRCA Rodeo and Parade along with the Cameron County Fair & Livestock Show (February), Easter Festival & Egg Hunt (April), Independence Day Celebration (July), Homecoming Parade (September), Commemorative Air Force Airshow (October), Conjunto Festival (October), Halloween Festival (October), and the Christmas in the Park Celebration and Parade (December).

Casa Los Ebanos, located on the northeast corner of Texas State Highway 100 and Interstate 69E, is a well-known wedding and entertaining venue offering a colonial home, resaca lake, and beautiful gardens.

For the more adventurous, “Bobz World,” just east of Los Fresnos on Texas State Highway 100 on the way to South Padre Island, can offer an adrenaline rushing, heart pounding experience like no other attraction sopadre.com

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in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Filled with the latest robotic technology, Bobz World provides its guests with a voyage through time and space featuring alien beings, dinosaurs, marine animals and mummies from the ancient world. The arcade contains more than 40 games, 9 holes of Black Light Mini Golf and a Black Light Mini Bowling Alley. Bobz Jungle is filled with dinosaurs and other sculpted animals, plants, and waterfalls. The outdoor laser Tag Center is the largest in Texas. The Shopping Mall is stocked with an incredible variety of merchandise, and the Café offers Blue Bell Ice Cream, food, and drinks.

For more informtion about Los Fresnos, come by our “1-stop service center” located in the Los Fresnos City Hall, 520 East Ocean Boulevard, Los Fresnos, Texas 78566. For tours and event information contact the Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce at 956.233.4488, office@losfresnoschamber.com, or visit the Chamber’s website at www.losfresnoschamber.com. For business and economic opportunities contact the Los Fresnos Community Development Corporation at 956-233-6182 or visit our website at www.cdclf.us.

Port Isabel

Historic Port Isabel, the “Point of the Laguna Madre Bay”; land of history, legend and lore was originally inhabited by the Coahilitecan Indians prior to European settlements. This quaint fishing village’s strategic location, once having a 25-foot bluff in the area where the Point Isabel Lighthouse now stands, was a natural lookout for viewing both the Laguna Madre Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. This natural formation was instrumental in the settlement and development of this area.

Today, Port Isabel is a thriving community with many unique shops, restaurants, historic hotels, museums, and a new event center that make up this historic and colorful area. Spend a day discovering Port Isabel, and take advantage of the many places that are within walking distance of each other.

If your vacation plans bring you to the Laguna Madre area during the winter months, check out the World Championship Shrimp CookOff in November and the Longest Causeway Run held in January. The Shrimp Cook-Off features dozens of amateur and professional chef teams competing for the title of “World Champion”. Thousands of spectators’ line up to taste competing recipes of delicious Texas gulf shrimp. The Longest Causeway Run is a 6.2 miles race that starts in Port Isabel and takes participants across the Queen Isabella Causeway and ends on South Padre Island. There is also a 3 mile wellness walk which provides a casual stroll across the Causeway. Not here during the Winter months? Not to worry. Enjoy the Summer Longest Causewy Run and Walk held in June. This event is patterned after the January event except this one starts on the Island and ends in Port Isabel. For more information about Port Isabel go to www.portisabelchamber. com call 956.943.2262, 800.527.6102 or email director@portisabel.org We hope you enjoy your visit to Port Isabel. `