People in McAllen, Texas, heart of a bustling metropolitan area of some 700,000, want tourists to visit. Residents and civic boosters stress that the city is hardly touched by H1N1 flu or border-related violence.
McAllen police chief Victor Rodriquez notes that border communities are safer than many areas in major cities. He points out that the city has an average of 2 police officers per 1,000 citizens, about 25 to 30 percent greater than is typical, he adds. Recently, Farmer's Insurance Group ranked the McAllen-Edinburgh-Mission area as the 12th safest in the entire country. This ranking takes into account crime, weather, lack of natural disasters, foreclosures, home prices, air quality, terrorist threats, environmental hazards, life expectancy and job loss numbers
Enjoy Nature in the Rio Grande Valley
During the past decade or so, communities along the Rio Grande have joined forces with land managers, businesses, and governments, pouring millions of dollars into programs to preserve, restore, and enhance the area’s abundant natural assets. Those include Quinta Mazatlan, one of Texas’ largest adobe homes and now a bird sanctuary. The 15-acre estate forms the McAllen wing of the World Birding Center, a collaboration of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and nine Valley communities.
World Birding Center Sites
The Valley is also home to the World Birding Center, about 100,000 acres in nine sites stretching from South Padre Island on the Gulf of Mexico 120 miles inland, taking in McAllen. Many of these sites represent the northern edge of the range of neotropical birds. Occasionally, birds that are generally only found farther south wander across the border, offering visitors the chance at a life-list species.
Buildings at the Center’s headquarters, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, reflect the agricultural and Mexican influences of their surroundings and emphasize sustainable features. Other WBC sites include Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, Estero Llano Grande State Park, Harlingen Arroyo Colorado, the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse, Resaca de la Palma State Park, Roma Bluffs, and South Padre Island Nature and Birding Center.
Dining and Night Life Opportunities
McAllen's 17th Street historic district offers a variety of entertainment venues and restaurants, including those specializing in Mexican food, of course. This area hosts music festivals, and several arts events take place in the city’s growing arts district.
Other Rio Grande Valley Attractions
Other area attractions include nearby Brownsville’s Gladys Porter Zoo, the beaches of South Padre Island, dolphin watch cruises and fishing excursions from the island, riverboat cruises and kayaking on the Rio Grande, working ranches, the McAllen International Museum of Art and Science, and wildlife photography sites.
Melissa Gaskill - An independent journalist for 16 years, Melissa Gaskill holds degrees in biology and journalism and writes about travel, nature, outdoor ...
