Located on the southernmost point of Texas, along the Rio Grande River and within walking distance of Mexico lies the city of Brownsville. The city combines its Mexican and Texas heritages beautifully through museums, and botanical and zoological centers. This semi-tropical city is only 45 minutes away from the Gulf of Mexico coast.
Come explore a botanical garden and zoo all in one where you can visit 377 animals and view 225 plant species during your visit to the Gladys Porter Zoo. It’s a good idea to wear comfortable shoes and dress for the hot and humid Rio Grande Valley weather while you walk around the zoo, which spans 31 acres in Brownsville near Ringgold Park. Various exhibits include the Giraffe Landing Feeding Experience where you can feed the giraffes, the South Texas Botanical Exhibit and Park, and the Winter Texan Walking Tours, a special service offered by the zoo where you can tour around the zoo with an official docent. Educational opportunities for kids are available that include weekend safaris and a Starlight Safari Sleepover; school groups are welcome at discounted rates. The zoo is open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours during the summer months.
Workshops and exhibits geared toward teaching through activities is what the Children’s Museum of Brownsville is all about. Age appropriate imaginative workshops on crafts and art are held daily and with a special “theme of the month” craft. Workshops for special needs kids are offered and hosted by local artists. Special events include Wild About Animals, where kids can meet a park ranger. Kids get to put on their chef’s hats on Sundays when the museum offers Chef’s Korner, a cooking class for kids to learn how to make healthy meals for the whole family. If you want to avoid crowds, plan to visit during weekday afternoons.
If you love hiking, bird watching or the outdoors in general, plan to visit Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary. There are three miles of trails, wildlife presentations and workshops. The Sabal palm once grew in abundance in the area and now only 557 acres of this palm grove are left on protected land in the sanctuary where you can view native plants and birds you can’t see anywhere else in the United States. The native wildlife is protected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and considered a priority in land restoration and conservation. The park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and there is a $5 admission fee.
If history is your passion the Historic Brownsville Museum is the place to visit. Originally built in 1928 the structure that houses the museum is an old Southern Pacific depot with the Spanish colonial influence evident in its architecture. The museum opened in 1986 and contains artifacts about the history of Brownsville and the people who helped shape the city through agriculture and industry.
