EL MAGICO VALLE DE RIO GRANDE

A blend of two cultures is evident everywhere you look in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

The Bridge from Port Isabel to South Padre Island

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) offers a unique cultural mix between the United States and Mexico. In fact, it is a little of both and not completely either one. Many of the locals consider themselves as residents of the Valley and not any specific city or town. Crossing the River to visit one of the border towns such as Nuevo Progresso is a great way to experience the charm of Old Mexico.

If you thought this sign was in Nuevo Progresso you would be mistaken.
It is along side Route 83 in McAllen, Texas. 
The Rio Grande Valley is not actually a valley, but a delta or floodplain of the Rio Grande. Over many hundreds of years, the River's periodic flooding has made the Valley a very fertile area and combined with the warm subtropical climate, it has created an ideal place to grow citrus and vegetables.  This combination of fertile land and warm climate have also created some unique ecosystems which have led to the rapid growth of nature tourism. The Rio Grande Valley is one of the top birding areas in all of North America, and only three states, including the entire state of Texas have more species of butterflies than can be found in the Valley.

The Valley is also a popular getaway for people looking to escape the harsh winters up north. These Snowbirds or "Winter Texans" cause the Valley's population to swell from October to March each year.   Many of them also take advantage of the much lower costs for health care and cross the border for minor health issues, prescriptions and dental care.

Many Winter Texans own RVs....there are hundreds of RV Parks in the RGV....and some of these Texas "snowbirds" stay here a bit beyond winter and purchase RV homes like the one above.   

So whether you want to play golf in January, get in touch with nature or cross the border for a little cultural exchange, the Valley has much to offer.   Spending a winter in the Valley would be a great place to immerse yourself in the culture and add to one's Spanish speaking abilities, for sure!

There are some beautiful parks in the Rio Grande Valley...and they offer walking and birding opportunities....not to mention picnics and good places for the dog.   And everywhere you go you see signs like this one in two languages.   Sometimes it makes you wonder what country you are indeed in!!

Some beautiful plants can be seen in and around the Rio Grande Valley that you won't see in too many other places, like this banana yucca tree above....a cousin to the cactus family.

It wouldn't surprise us if we were to find ourselves parked somewhere like the little town of Zapata (Spanish for shoe) along the northwestern reaches of the Valley.