Weslaco is a city in southeast Texas next to the American-Mexican border.
Your first impression of visiting this Texan city is admiring its diversity of culture, food, heritage, and attractions.
That’s because Weslaco is a charming city that perfectly combines Mexican and American culture.
Likewise, Weslaco sits the closest to the nation’s southern neighbor, Mexico.
It’s an exciting destination you should consider visiting soon.
This small city also features incredible natural areas, perfect for various outdoor activities.
It brims with pristine wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves, boasting some of the most famous birdwatching sites in the region.
You’ll often see its diversity in museums, restaurants, parks, historical sites, and even its farmer’s market.
Check out this list of the best things to do in Weslaco, Texas, to give you a broader idea of what awaits you.
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Estero Llano Grande State Park is a geographic center at the World Birding Center.
This area in South Texas attracts a magnificent array of wildlife, particularly birds.
It has a vast landscape of woodlands, a shallow lake, and a thorn forest, perfect for various bird species to thrive.
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This natural area, over 230 acres, has become the best place in South Texas for birdwatchers and nature lovers.
You’ll likely spot birds like the Roseate spoonbill, wood stork, ibis, groove-billed ani, red-crowned parrots, Altamira oriole, and green parakeets.
In addition, more species of shorebirds and waders regularly flock there.
This gorgeous natural attraction also features over five miles of hiking trails, taking you to the best vantage points to see these magnificent birds.
See the birds at Estero Llano Grande State Park!
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The Weslaco Museum is the city’s official local museum.
Since the 1960s, the museum has welcomed guests, setting foot inside a charming but small stone building.
However, don’t let the museum’s size fool you.
Inside are thousands of historical artifacts that detail Weslaco’s rich history and natural beauty.
This local museum is a great addition to your itinerary while visiting the city.
It provides visitors a broader understanding of Weslaco’s diverse culture and heritage of Americans and Mexicans living side-by-side.
At the same time, check out its exhibits that display various artworks from local artists, which you can buy as unique souvenirs.
Visiting the Weslaco Museum is a worthwhile experience, especially if you’re searching for more information about the city’s history.
Gibson Park is a stone’s throw away from the Valley Nature Center.
After visiting the Valley Nature Center, you should visit Gibson Park for more outdoor activities.
This park is an excellent place to bring your kids and let them enjoy its top-notch playground.
It features swings, slides, a jungle gym, a rope course, and sports facilities, making it an excellent place for children.
In addition, you can also have a lovely picnic in the park or pose in front of the massive painted mural for photos.
During summer, Gibson Park turns into a famous destination for locals who flock to its public swimming pool.
For a budget-friendly outdoor activity in Weslaco, head to this park and enjoy the outdoors.
Stars Drive-In has served customers delicious food for over 35 years.
This local favorite in Weslaco serves a wide array of burgers, burritos, hotdogs, chicken strips, salads, and desserts.
Besides delicious food, the restaurant serves shakes and floats to match its meals.
Before continuing your travel adventure across Weslaco, drop by Stars Drive-In to grab a hearty meal you won’t forget.
Judge Gilbert Garza Park is one of the several community parks in Weslaco that is worth visiting.
However, this park offers a unique experience to park-goers.
This park in Weslaco features impressive amenities such as a splash pad for kids.
Meanwhile, grownups will enjoy working up a sweat at their exercise station.
In addition, this park also has numerous sports facilities such as basketball courts, tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, and more.
Also, it has over 1.5-miles of trails for hiking and biking.
If you want to sweat it out while visiting Weslaco, head to Justice Gilbert Garza Park.
Valley Nature Center, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Valley Nature Center is a six-acre park home to hundreds of animals and plants.
This nature center in Weslaco is a fantastic place to visit, especially if you’re a wildlife enthusiast or even an average tourist.
Many who have visited this place in Weslaco consider it the ultimate nature center.
They don’t visit solely for its animals but also its facilities offering top-notch outdoor activities.
Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
While visiting this nature center, you’ll see various animals such as tortoises, lizards, small mammals, birds, and exotic plant species endemic to the region.
Don’t forget to check out its cactus gardens, butterfly gardens, bird feeding stations, wetlands, trails, and native plant nurseries.
Also, the Valley Nature Center hosts live animal presentations and history classes for visitors who want to join educational tours.
The Texas Onion Fest is an annual community festival in Weslaco that celebrates the region’s abundance of onions.
It is a unique festival in Texas because it celebrates a particular type of onion, the 1015 onion, which is sweeter than others.
Locals gather in the streets to enjoy various festivities during the Onion Fest.
Enjoy activities like onion eating contest, car shows, onion cooking contests, cooking demos, and dancing horse contests.
Also, dozens of food vendors serve onion products during the festival.
The festival’s main event is the Texas Onion Fest Royal Court, a beauty pageant featuring local beauties vying for the crown.
However, the Texas Onion Fest doesn’t have a fixed date.
Sometimes, Weslaco holds the festival in March or October.
Harlon Block Sports Complex is one of the several community parks in Weslaco that locals love to visit.
This one, in particular, is most famous throughout the city for its top-notch sports facilities.
It has basketball, baseball, volleyball, and football courts or fields.
In addition, it has a looped paved trail which is perfect for hiking, rollerblading, and biking.
Also, it has a dog park where you can unleash your pup to run free safely.
The Harlon Block Sports Complex is an excellent place to play sports, meet locals, or hang out and appreciate the outdoors.
La Cebollita Mid-Valley Farmer’s Market in downtown Weslaco serves as the local farmer’s market.
The market opens every last Saturday of the month, offering you all sorts of excellent local produce.
You’ll find everything you need from fresh vegetables, fruits, preserves, meats, dairy, artisanal items, and pastries.
Plus, you won’t get bored shopping at this farmer’s market since it features live musical entertainment while you wander the stalls.
The Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce organizes the farmers market, gathering most local vendors, artisans, and farmers to display their best products.
La Cebollita Mid-Valley Farmers Market is one of the best places in Weslaco to grab authentic Mexican food and Texan cuisines while listening to country music.
Mayor Pablo Peña Park is probably the top-ranked park in the whole of Weslaco.
It’s where you’ll find dozens of amenities from sports fields, trails, playgrounds, barbeque pits, exercise areas, and more.
This park gives locals an avenue to sweat out and enjoy the outdoors at the same time.
It has numerous basketball courts, a soccer field, tennis courts, and other sports facilities that you can use alone or with other players.
At the same time, it has a wall climbing station for hardcore sports enthusiasts and a workout station for fitness buffs.
Visit Mayor Pablo Peña Park to burn off your extra energy in outdoor activities.
El Pato Fresh Mexican Food has served Weslaco authentic and mouthwatering Mexican food since 1974.
This restaurant has gained fame throughout the city for its fresh tortillas made from scratch and using fresh ingredients.
You don’t need to cross to Mexico to treat yourself or your companions a top-notch Mexican food.
This restaurant in Weslaco serves all of it.
In addition, El Pato Fresh Mexican Food also serves savory chicharron, fajitas, and enchiladas to give you more dining options.
The Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area – Chapote Unit is another hidden gem in Weslaco.
It contains the vibrant flora and fauna of the Rio Grande Valley.
Found mainly in the lower area of the Rio Grande Valley, this natural attraction is a famous wildlife viewing destination in Weslaco.
Currently, the Wildlife Management Areas of Texas manage the area.
This place supports many local and migratory birds, making it a haven for birdwatchers.
At the same time, it’s also home to various animal and plant species thriving in the area.
Some of the best activities you’ll experience in this place are wildlife viewing and hiking.
Make one last stop at the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area – Chapote Unit before returning home from your visit to Weslaco.
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The Frontera Audubon Society is a 15-acre nature preserve near the Rio Grande Valley in Weslaco.
It is a haven for local wildlife, thriving among the local habitats of the Tamaulipan thorn scrub forest.
If you’re a nature lover or wildlife enthusiast, add this natural attraction in Weslaco to your itinerary.
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It is home to dozens of animal and plant species that only thrives in the Rio Grande Valley and Southeast Texas.
In addition, it’s also home to Skagg’s House, a Texas historical landmark where the first settlers of Weslaco lived.
You can hike or join birdwatching activities with locals and experts in the area to complete your experience there.
Bring your companions to the Frontera Audubon Society!
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Progreso International Bridge, or the Weslaco-Progreso International Bridge, connects the United States and Mexico.
It mainly connects Progreso City in Texas to the town of Nuevo Progreso in Tamaulipas, Mexico.
You need to drive for 20 minutes to reach this bridge from Weslaco.
This bridge has welcomed Mexicans on the Texas side and Americans on Mexico’s side since 1952.
Today, the bridge isn’t just a significant thoroughfare that links the two nations.
It also reflects the region’s heritage, which celebrates diversity and connectivity.
If you want to explore Nuevo Progreso in Mexico, just cross the Progreso International Bridge.
Explore Mexico’s authentic sights and food on the other side of the border.
Texas Border Tours offers a unique exploration through the fenced United States Border dividing Mexico.
You can find this place in Progreso Lakes, Texas, 13 minutes from Weslaco.
This touring company features guided ATV tours along the border.
You can join one of its tours filled with fun and adventure through the 1,951-mile border fence.
In addition, you can also tour various scenic trails in the area to see the vast landscape of Southeast Texas.
It’s a highly-recommended outdoor activity that you can add to your itinerary.
Get an action-packed experience with Texas Border Tours!
Weslaco is a charming Texan city for nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, and outdoor adventurers.
You can find this city on the southern tip of Texas, right next to the Mexican border.
This post featuring the 15 best things to do in Weslaco should give you excellent ideas of what you need to do on your trip.
Bookmark this travel post as your handy itinerary.
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