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…
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…
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…
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.…
The 40th annual Ladies Kingfish Tournament returns to South Padre Island Aug. 7 with a few changes to this year’s tournament. The tournament kicks off Aug. 6 with check-in and on-site registration from 4-7 p.m. at the SPI Convention Centre. Barbecue, a full-service bar and vendors will be available until 8 p.m. to give attendees time to visit. On Saturday, fishing begins at 6:30 a.m. Sea Ranch Marina II at…
The Palm View Golf Course will once again host the 2021 Frost Bank McAllen Golf Championship June 25-27. Entries close at 7 p.m. June 11. “We always want to bring the most premier, competitive golf tournaments to McAllen and host the best players, in not just our area but the entire state and even the world,” said Carlos Espinosa, director of Palm View Golf Course. “Every year, I really look…
Living in Harlingen these days means having access to as much parkland and hike-and-bike trails as can be found in the Rio Grande Valley. It’s a point that Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell likes to make, as he did recently when the city marked the official opening of the Lon C. Hill Destination Park. The $3.3-million project transformed what was an ordinary green space. It is now over 50 acres of…
The headline atop the easel paper pad was in all caps and featured “SIGNIFICANT SIGHTINGS.” Underneath the big letters there were 23 bird species listed that had been seen across the Rio Grande Valley over the first three weeks of April. Next to that column were another 13 bird species spotted at South Padre Island. “It has been an exceptional year,” said Keith Hackland, who owns and operates the Alamo…
The road back to tourism recovery in McAllen leads through its youth soccer, baseball, softball and football fields in the view of a city official who has spent years cultivating relationships that have brought teams and visitors by the thousands to local parks. Robert Lopez, the vice president of Visit McAllen, is hardly allowing the setbacks of 2020 to temper his ambitions to bring more youth sports events and tournaments…
Texas State Parks have begun a process of expanding capacity statewide, tracking Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest reopening order. The parks encourage masks for visitors, especially when indoors or in areas where it is difficult to socially distance. Also, restrictions affecting group sizes have been lifted. “We’re excited to welcome more visitors to our parks,” said Rodney Franklin, director of Texas State Parks. “We want Texans to know that the safety…