Drive 72  miles • 1 hour, 36 minutes

Chase the legendary Rio Grande through the subtropical tip of southern Texas. Migratory birds and butterflies take wing along this travel corridor, while cultural festivals help visitors get a taste of a vibrant borderlands culture.

George Sherman

1. Mission

Starting Point • Nature, Outdoor Recreation

Winged creatures thrive in the town of Mission. Known as the “butterfly capitol of the USA,” the 100-acre wildlife preserve at the National Butterfly Center attracts hundreds of species of the winged insect. For a different variety of fliers, visit the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. This area has been designated as a World Birding Center site and offers the chance to view tropical birds not found anywhere else in the U.S. Take your camera and binoculars.

2. Weslaco

23.8 miles, 32 minutes • Nature, Outdoor Recreation

Continue your tour of the wildlife of Texas with a stop in Weslaco, where you’ll find the Valley Nature Center. This six-acre park fosters plants native to the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Walk the trail and see if you can spot butterflies and birds among the plants and flowers.

3. Harlingen

20.3 miles, 29 minutes • Food, Nature, Outdoor Recreation

With warm, sunny weather most of the year, the town of Harlingen is a perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors. You can continue your wildlife spotting at the preserves and natural areas that surround this town. Hunting and fishing are popular pastimes in the area. Explore the many local restaurants that serve an eclectic mix of Tex-Mex cuisine and seafood caught from the Gulf Coast. Drive 45 miles to South Padre Island to catch your own dinner.

4. Brownsville

27.9 miles, 35 minutes • Entertainment, Food, History

Brownsville claims it is “always a fiesta,” and a look at the events schedule adds credence to that claim. Make plans to visit in mid-February when the weeklong Charro Days event is held. The town’s largest festival honors the historic and cultural traditions shared with neighboring Mexico. Parades, music and dancing fill the streets. At other times of the year, you may find the Air Fiesta, Latin Jazz Festival or the Memorial Illumination.