Category Archives: Recreation & Tourism

Mission Attracts New Sports Complex

A fast-growing sport is expanding in the Rio Grande Valley with plans to construct a 21,500-square-foot venue for padel ball and pickleball players. The RGV Padel Club is making a $2.7 million investment to construct the new facility at 2513 Victoria Drive in Mission. Construction is projected to start within three months and be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024. Estimates are the RGV Padel Club will support 52…

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Harlingen Trail Features Nature & Fitness

Two cyclists enjoy vehicular-free rides down the new stretch of Harlingen's arroyo hike and bike trail.

A freshly surfaced pocket parking lot by Boggus Ford in Harlingen offers a clue of something new afoot by the Arroyo Colorado.  Take a left from an existing trail of two decades into a new section of the Arroyo Colorado Hike and Bike Trail. It descends to the arroyo and then back toward Expressway 77. The new extension runs 1.6 miles, going under an expressway bridge on a trail lined…

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Texas Hunting, Fishing Licenses on Sale Aug. 15

Texas fishing

Current-year Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except the Year-from-Purchase All-Water Fishing Package) expire at the end of August. Licenses for the 2023-24 season go on sale Aug. 15. Texans purchase more than 2.7 million hunting and fishing licenses annually, directly funding a multitude of conservation efforts and recreational opportunities. Some of the many projects made possible by license sales include fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration, public hunting leases, river…

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Texas State Parks Among the Nation’s Best

Texas State Parks is competing against three other state park systems to receive 2023 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Presenters for the award are the National Recreation and Park Association along with the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration. “I’m proud to have the hard work of our Texas State Park staff recognized for building one of the best state park systems in…

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Tips to Stay Safe During the Summer Heat

summer safety

With the soaring summer temperatures Texas State Parks is sharing seven tips to help Texans enjoy time outdoors safely. Last year, 47 state parks reported 141 heat-related illnesses in humans and pets. Since Jan. 1, 77 heat-related incidents have already been reported, compared to 64 reported by this time last year. Here are the top seven heat hacks recommended for park visitors: Hydrate – It’s important to drink at least…

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South Texas Chess Federation Selects McAllen For Championship

chess

The McAllen Chamber of Commerce recently announced the South Texas Chess Federation has selected McAllen as its host city for the 2024 Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship. Organizers expect the January 2024 tournament to draw more than 400 visitors to the McAllen Convention Center, potentially generating an economic impact of over $315,000. Throughout the year, the McAllen Chamber’s Tourism Department ‘Convention & Visitors Bureau’ diligently facilitates conferences that attract…

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McAllen Asks Citizen Ideas For Future Parks

McAllen Nature Center

The City of McAllen will be updating the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan and would like community input as to how to develop McAllen’s parks and recreation areas. The original Parks & Recreation Master Plan was created in 2018 and since, the City of McAllen has accomplished many of the the goals outlined in that document. The city says it is now time to move forward with the…

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Launch Lifts SPI To New Possibilities

Visitors to South Padre Island watched in awe as Starship lifted off in spectacular fashion from Boca Chica Beach on April 20. (Courtesy)

The first launch of SpaceX’s Starship off Boca Chica Beach was spectacular even as it fell short of its goals and ultimately blew to pieces over the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the debris from the sky and launch pad would fall and settle over Port Isabel, causing consternation there to go with stern words from the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency said it would review safety and public health…

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TPWD Urges Boaters to “Clean, Drain and Dry”

Zebra mussels

Memorial Day weekend is here, meaning Texans will be heading out to the water for holiday celebrations. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department urges boaters and paddlers who enjoy water recreation to do their part to protect Texas lakes from aquatic invasive species. “Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kick-off to boating season in Texas, and while we want everyone to have a great time, we also want them to…

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Federal Red Snapper Season Opens June 1

red snapper

The private recreational angler red snapper season in federal water opens on June 1. Red snapper fishing is open year-round in state waters. Bag and size limits will remain unchanged. The regulations for red snapper are two fish per person daily with a 16-inch minimum size limit in federal waters, and four fish per person daily with a 15-inch minimum in state waters. Red snapper caught in federal waters count…

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