Anything I should plan to do in McAllen

Being sent there for work next week and wondering what to do in my off time.
Thanks

 

Ummm.....nope. Nothing comes to mind.

Of all the places to send you....

 

Just trying to avoid kid napping

 

Im sure you'll be okay, I probably wouldn't wander too close to the border though.

The closest I've been to the border (and crossed was in Brownsville in 2004 for a bachelor party. So things were drastically different then. Surprisingly the strip club in Brownsville had better looking girls than some of the places in houston.

 

Drive an hour and go to the beach at Padre Island?

 

Dodge gunfire?

 

Take plenty of reading material.

 

chupacabra hunting?

 

Have you been wanting to try out your conversational Spanish? Great place to practice.

Other than that, consider it an adventure experiencing the closest thing the USA has to a DMZ -- Texas border towns. Don't worry, it's safe, and there are enough retail/restaurant chains to remind you that you are still in the USA. Eat some good Tex Mex. Take a day trip to South Padre Island if you have the time.

 

Not a lot of love for the RGV from Texas F-chatters? Assuming the MN in your user name implies Minnesota, enjoy the warmth. South Padre is nice. There is good BBQ down there - probably not good enough for Central TX snobs - but good in my opinion, Longhorn Cattle Co. in San Benito (AKA Freddy Fender'shometown!). The Iwo Jima monument in Harlingen (flag raiser Harlon Block grew up in nearby Weslaco) is cool to see. Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville is quite nice. Get Yelp on your smart phone, type in Mexican restaurant & you'll find good local joints. Might you be the only English speaker in there? Perhaps, but who cares, you'll know it's good & folks are friendly down there...T

 

Maybe it's because I haven't been up for very long, but RGV?

 

Rio Grande Valley, Jason...T

 

Hockey.
Rio Grand Valley Killer Bees of the NAHL.
Great league, nice arena.
The franchise was relocated from Wenatchee , Washington two years ago.

RGV Killer Bees Hockey

 

+1. Minor league hockey is awesome fun, & a great bargain...T

 

Ah!. I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years.

 

That will be worth looking into. We take our hockey serious up here

 

If it's anything like the minor league hockey we had in Memphis, the quality is not world class, but a lot of scrappy play, fisticuffs, cheap eats, and fan giveaways!...T

 

Wear a bullet proof vest.

 

If you like dive bars, you'll love Sophie's Saloon just south of McAllen

 

1st day I spent in San Antonio and learned that Bill Millers bbq is awful. went to McAllen the next day and worked had some really good tacos at a place I cannot pronounce. went to Corpus Christie today checked out the Lexington and then went for swim in the Gulf. I was the only one in the water but being from Minnesota it felt fine. Others didn't seem to think so.

 

Righteous. Yeah, Bill Miller BBQ is local chain IIRC. Corpus, if you're still there, has couple of decent hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese joints. PM me for details...T

 

Lexington is Awesome. FChatter Speed Racerette's father is prominently featured in one of the exhibits about Japanese Americans in the war, I believe. I'll be in Corpus in a couple of weeks and going to go take the Lexington tour again.

 

Thanks for the offer. I had to return to McAllen for a meeting in the morning. I ate at a place called Ponchos and it was very good. I don't think my waitress spoke a word of English but she was good looking with a kind, sweet and gentle smile while working hard. The food had a wonderful spicy kick without being overbearing. I would recommend the place.

 

That has been my same experience every time we've been down there. In most places we ate, my wife & I were the only Anglos, and the people were friendly & the food was great. Safe travels in Texas!...T

 

Bill Miller is to BBQ like Taco Bell is to TexMex, just say NO! If you want to see some good BBQ places, do a search on "Best BBQ Texas Monthy Magazine".