Want to learn about the history of one of the Rio Grande Valley’s best-known enterprises and the geography of the Laguna Madre? If the answer is yes, hop on one of several charter boat companies based in the South Padre Island-Port Isabel area for a tour of the Port of Brownsville and the surrounding Laguna. The deep-water facility can be seen off State Highway 48, but an up close look…
The Rio Grande Valley is one of the nation’s top destinations for those who enjoy watching, learning and photographing flora and fauna. The region is the home of the World Birding Center, a turtle center and a bird festival that attracts hundreds of people from all over the United States. People even come from as far as England and Australia to the festival. The Valley also has several state and…
The Rio Grande Valley is facing the double whammy with the 2020 hurricane season and the continuing pandemic as the region heads into the fall months. Area residents shouldn’t let their guard down to other factors that could impact their lives. Bee swarms are an example of that. These flying insects can appear unexpectedly either ganged up on the limb of one’s favorite backyard tree. They can be crawling up and down,…
People all over the world enjoy having a glass of wine. Some make special trips in search of this spirit that has been produced for decades in countries like France, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. Some go to the Texas Hill Country, now home to dozens of wineries. Others go to California’s Napa Valley, the top producer of wine in the United States. But do you know that sometime this…
Nearly 260 recreational parks are listed in a directory of a Rio Grande Mobile Home & RV publication. The vast majority of these facilities are located in Hidalgo County, followed by Cameron, Zapata and Starr counties. Some parks have been there for decades, catering to the Winter Texans industry, which appears to be booming this year. In Brownsville, one of the newest and largest such facilities opened its doors recently and…
Seafood consumption has been on the rise locally and nationally and even more so this time of year during Lent. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the average American consumes 16 pounds of seafood a year. Consumers in the Rio Grande Valley have excellent options when buying fish and shrimp. Many local businesses sell seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico and take pride in having fresh products.…
The Rio Grande Valley truck stop industry took a leap recently as Love’s Truck Stop recently opened for business away from the Interstate Highway System. Part of the Oklahoma-based company‘s move into the area can be attributed to an increase in business activity at the Port of Brownsville. Love’s Truck Stop, just off FM 511, is just a stone’s throw from the deep-water facility. “Love’s generally has its truck stops along…
Long known as a place for members only, the Rancho Viejo Resort and Country Club has been trying to change its image by adding some events that are open to a more general audience. About a half dozen concerts and comedy shows are some of the activities the club started having for a number of years that are open to the public. Staffers Jenika Gonzales and Jorge Lopez said the goal…
The old house at East Madison and 15th street in Brownsville might look like a building in stages of decay. Some of the letters on the east side of the building are fading away. It reads “Carlotta K. Petrina.” Petrina was an artist from New York who moved to this part of South Texas many years ago. But inside the brick structure that served as her home until she died in 1997…
Many of the country’s beach resorts have a place where the locals and visitors alike like to hang out. South Padre Island has its Entertainment District as well. It’s a place with about a dozen businesses that cater to families and to those who enjoy dancing, dining, fishing or who simply like to watch the many beautiful sunsets over the usually tranquil waters of the Laguna Madre. There are also rides for…