Escape on Highway 281 South thru Texas.

When one gets weary of the Cold Weather you can escape on US Highway 281 down to the South Texas area. (Some sections of Highway 281 is also referred to as "the Military Highway"). We are going to look at five towns on Hwy 281 South that has lots of things to see and do year round. Snowbirds like to nest here during the cold winter months of the North. Historical areas with artifacts, International flavor, the Gulf of Mexico. The whole family can have fun on Highway 281, explore mile after mile of beach, sun, surf, swimming, sand castles, boating, fishing, birding, hiking.

Edinburg, with a population of 72,000. The town square of located at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 281 and State Highway 107. home of the The University of Texas–Pan American Broncs. The Museum of South Texas History, houses the history of the Rio Grande Valley, as well as the rest of South Texas. The museum located on the square is more than a city block large. Visitors can explore the regional history from prehistoric times to the 20th century.

Museum of South Texas History Website:

Universities are a great source for entertainment, from the arts to sporting events. I have included a link to the Universities arts calendar. The University of Texas–Pan American, founded in 1927,  growing from 200 students to over 17,000, making UTPA the tenth-largest University in the state of Texas.

UT–Pan Am Website:

Edinburg Chamber of Commerce:  City of Edinburg Website:

McAllen, with a population around 130,000. Located about five miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, the Rio Grande River and about 70 miles west of South Padre Island. This unique location is a meeting of several different climates (sub-tropical, Chihuahuan desert, gulf coast, and great plains) has garnered a well deserved reputation as a Birding delight. McAllen-Miller International Airport is the second busiest airport in the Valley. McAllen Chamber of Commerce:

 Pharr, 65,000 is located at the intersection of US 83 and US 281 in the Rio Grande Valley, only minutes from the Mexico border. A community rich with bi-cultural diversity, beauty and history. Connected by bridge to the Mexican City of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Pharr Chamber Website:

Progreso Texas, 6,000, at the intersection of U.S. Highway 281 (the Military Highway) and Farm Road 1015. Mexico and Texas are joined by a new bridge in Progreso. The tourist section of Nuevo Progreso is directly across the Rio Grande River from the U.S.A.  For those traveling the other direction, Progreso is the gateway to The Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

Have you heard the Bob Dylan song, "Brownsville Girl"? I've wondered how that song came to be. Brownsville, the 15th largest city in the state of Texas, is the southern most city of our US Highway 281 communities. East of the Rio Grande River, our neighbors to the west in Mexico. The Texas boot toe touches the Gulf of Mexico with South Padre Island over that way. Just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville is Matamoros, Mexico, our friendly neighbors invite visitors to add an international flavor to their area visit and enjoy all Mexico has to offer. Brownsville Visitors Bureau:

 A fort on the Mexican border was commissioned in 1845, due to increased instability in the region. Before completion, the Mexican Army began the Siege of Fort Texas, during the first active campaign in the Mexican-American War. Fort Texas was renamed Fort Brown in honor Major Jacob Brown, who was killed during the battle.

During the Civil War Brownsville was used as a smuggling point for Confederate goods into Mexico, most importantly cotton smuggled to European ships waiting at the Mexican port of Bagdad. Fort Brown was controlled by the Confederates. In November 1863, Union troops landed at Port Isabel and marched for Brownsville to stop the smuggling.

Boca Chica is a place few people go to enjoy. Located just east of Brownsville, Boca Chica is a sandy peninsula separated from Mexico by the Rio Grande River and detached from South Padre Island. Although Boca Chica has little in the way of modern amenities, it does offer a variety of outdoor recreational activities, including fishing, swimming, surfing, snorkeling, kiteboarding and birdwatching. It is also the ideal place to get away from everything. The State of Texas does own land but, there are no park facilities.

Directions: From Brownsville, take Highway 4 east until it runs out. Once you hit the beach, you can either go right to the mouth of the Rio Grande or hang a left and cruise up to the north end, which is directly across from South Padre Island.

Lower Texas Coast Wildlife Trail Website:

The whole family can have fun on Highway 281, explore mile after mile of beach, sun, surf, swimming, sand castles, boating, fishing, birding, hiking.

Happy motoring, drive safely and Ya'll come back...