Category Archives: Recreation & Tourism

Center Seeks To Boost Tourism & Educate Students

A 30-foot high ramp juts out from the Ecotourism Center and offers an expansive view of the Bahia Grande.

A 30-foot ramp angles upward toward a setting sun and a sweeping view of the Bahia Grande plains of coastal South Texas. It’s the high point of the South Texas Ecotourism Center in Laguna Vista. From there, the view stretches eastward toward the Port of Brownsville. SpaceX is off in that direction as well at Boca Chica Beach. The rectangular-shaped ecotourism center lays behind the soaring ramp. In all, there’s…

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Museum Tells Story Of City In Heart Of RGV

Sheila Shidler serves as the executive director of The Weslaco Museum.

The origins of Weslaco read much like the beginnings of the Rio Grande Valley’s narrative of the early 20th century.  It includes railroads, canals, irrigation and agriculture, with U.S. troops at the border to chase and capture Pancho Villa should he cross the river. The latter did not happen. There are no indications Villa and his riders ever ventured close to the South Texas border with Mexico. About 12,000 troops…

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Causeway Run Rescheduled

Causeway Run (photo Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce)

The Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce’s is rescheduling its Jan. 8 Longest Causeway Run and Fitness Walk to April 9, 2022. “Unfortunately, an ongoing five month maintenance project on the causeway has forced us to change our dates,” said Chamber President Betty Wells. “We apologize for any inconvenience this might cause for our participants and hope to return to our normal schedule in 2023.” Online registration is still available on…

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New Cinema Gives SPI Added Fun

Robert Gallagher's 7D Cinema is giving South Padre Island tourists and local residents a new entertainment source.

South Padre Island’s last movie house closed recently, leaving an entertainment void for tourists and local residents alike. Robert Gallagher’s Nana’s 7D Cinema isn’t a movie theater, but it does aim to provide visual entertainment along those lines. It opened earlier this year – with its official ribbon cutting and grand opening celebrated late last week – and the 3D cinema experience it provides is proving to be a hit. …

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Free Entrance to Texas State Parks Nov. 14

A Kingfisher perches on a branch at Estero Llano Grande State Park.

In honor of both active and retired military, Texas State Parks will wave daily entrance fees for all day-use visitors Nov. 14. “The dedication, sacrifice and service displayed by the women and men that serve in our country’s military is unparalleled and is a source of pride throughout the country,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “Their commitment to service undoubtedly inspires us at the Texas Parks and…

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Connecting Community To Nature

There are many scenic views and walking trails at the Edinburg birding center.

Marisa Oliva recalls walking a group of local high school students through the Edinburg World Birding Center when they came across a visiting birder. He told the students about the wide array of migratory and native birds they have to enjoy in their native Rio Grande Valley. The group moved on, leaving the birder to his pastime. Oliva said a girl in the group then remarked, “How does a guy…

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County Beach Parks See Visitor Surge

The view from Isla Blanca Park across a ship channel presents a long lens picture similar to that of Cape Canaveral in Florida. In South Texas, it’s SpaceX off in the distance at Boca Chica Beach. It’s still close enough that with a smartphone camera you can zoom in and get a clear view of a silver rocket being built for liftoff in the months ahead.  “I tell people that…

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Quinta Mazatlán Opens Sticks and Bones Trail

Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center's Sticks and Bones Trail

Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center‘s Sticks and Bones Trail opens Oct. 23 and a Halloween party will follow one week later on Oct. 30. The trail will be up through mid-November. Guests can stop by Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 7 p.m. on Thursdays. The trail is free with park admission. The Halloween Party in the Park takes place from 9 a.m. to 1…

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Ladies Kingfish Tournament Names Champions

LKT Legacy Award winner Sylvia Wernecke, center.

The South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce welcomed anglers, captains and their families to the 40th Annual Ladies Kingfish Tournament the weekend of Aug. 6. Early Saturday morning, anglers hit the waterways returning to the docks before 7 p.m. to weigh in their catch.   The Awards Ceremony on Sunday brought anglers and their families back together to recognize those who took top prizes. Winning anglers received canvas prints featuring the…

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Federal Red Snapper Season Closes Aug. 5

The private recreational angler red snapper season in federal waters will close at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 5. State waters out to nine nautical miles will remain open with a four-fish daily bag limit and a 15-inch minimum. Under an agreement between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the National Marine Fisheries Service, TPWD can establish the opening and closing of the red snapper fishery in federal waters off Texas.…

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