This State park is located on South International Blvd. (S. Farm to Market 1015) in Weslaco and…read morenorth of Progreso, TX. It boasts some hiking trails, small lakes, and wetlands where many water birds come as well as the regular South Texas avian residents and migratory birds. Many bird watching enthusiasts love this park. From the parking lot, follow the signs and make your way to the Visitors Center where you can pay the modest entry fee. The Visitors Center has a small gift shop, and there is a large covered porch overlooking one of the wetland areas where you can watch for birds. There are also restrooms available. The park is well maintained, and looks like it recently went through some improvements with new boardwalks. I did not have time to walk all the trails, so I did not get to see the alligators at Alligator Lake. However, I did see ibis, whistling ducks, red winged blackbird, hummingbirds, and some others I could not identify. Some have reported sightings of cranes, herons, spoonbills, and much more. I'd like to return when I have opportunity to see what else I can see. There were family groups walking, enjoying the park, and quite a few Winter Texans equipped with binoculars. There is usually someone, a more experienced bird watcher willing to share their tips. Besides the fauna, I enjoyed seeing some of the native flora such as the Palo Verde which was in full bloom the day I went. Espero Llano Grande State Park is a great place for family outings, bird watchers, or hiking enthusiasts. I recommend it.

My girl and I attended the First Day Hike to start off our 2019 outdoors and boy did we have a…read moregreat time. Ranger Javier was in charge of our 2hour/2mile hike and he was a super friendly and easy person to like. He had tons of knowledge and allowed our group to enjoy our stops even though we kept a pretty good pace from location to location. The entire park is pretty darn awesome. The land it sits on has been painstakingly converted into the marshlands that originally encompassed this area before irrigation amd development changed how the Rio Grande flowed. Apparently, this area is a bird lovers dream and many hard to find species call this area home. We were lucky to spot some very cool and beautiful birdies as well as one very illusive crocodile that Javier quickly spotted in crocodile pond. The entry fee is only $5 and there is an information area at the ticket office. They are getting very good about having events such as the first day of the year hike and you can even sign up for a Texas Parks newsletter that tells you of upcoming events. You can bring leashed doggies as well as your bike to use on the bike trails! All in all, a great RGV Texas State Park to bring your whole family. Try a guided tour and you will see even more than you expect!

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands & World Birding Center is a separate place than the Edinburg Municipal…read morePark, but they are next to each other and trails lead from in to the other. The World Birding Center portion has it's own parking lot and there is a modest fee to enter. The walking trail around the pond is free. You can park at the municipal park and use the trails around the pond and/or the multiple trails that go through the park. Both places are well developed and beautifully designed. The trail around the pond in the Scenic Wetlands area has some beautiful views. There are many native plants such as mesquite, palo verde, Nepal, and other cacti for which I don't know the names. The morning I went to walk, I was admiring the nopal which was blooming profusely, as well as the ducks, herons, and other birds enjoying the water. The walking trail is pleasant, "paved" with a gravel type material, much is shaded by trees which have branches arching over the trail (that is a big plus if you go in the daytime). I didn't see a sign to indicate the length of the trail that goes around the pond, but it took only about 20 minutes to circle it. It took me longer because I kept stopping to take pictures. Once I circled the pond, I went through a portion of the municipal park where there are also some ponds, trees, playgrounds, picnic areas, ball fields, restrooms, etc. My wife and I used to take our children (when they were small) along with a loaf of bread to feed the ducks in the largest of the ponds at the park. I have not gone into the World Birding Center portion, but intend to do so in the near future.

This is the second time that I have come from out of town and tried to visit and they had a…read more"private event" so the entire place was closed, but it wasn't posted on their website nor did they answer the phone so that you could check.

Absolutely a must see when you're in the RGV. This is one of the most beautiful parks I've ever…read morebeen in! I was initially drawn to check out the cool suspension bridge amongst the trees (costa rica vibes) and there was even more the park offered! We were greeted by two very friendly and knowledgeable workers at the visitors center, they were able to show us some recommended routes and things to look out for. The visitor center itself was so enjoyable to look around since it was like a mini museum with a bunch of history and information about the nature and wildlife. We took the Chachalaca Trail to the Tower Trail as recommended to get to the suspension bridge. Along the way you pass by a beautiful lake with many bird species and find a bunch of Spanish moss trees. When you get to the suspension bridge you take a tall spiral staircase and it's literally the coolest thing walking on the bridge. It was wobbly but very sturdy even when my friends were jumping on it! There was a lookout tower next to the bridge you take a separate staircase for and see a gorgeous overlook above all the trees. We later took the Pintail Lakes Trail to see the Rio Grande River outlook where you see the river and Mexico on the other side! After that we went up towards all the Pintail Lakes and took in all the gorgeous flora, birds, and scenery. The coolest thing we saw was a hawk carrying a snake!! We finished walking through it all in about 2ish hours. Can't recommend this place enough!

Beautiful hike and lots of cool wildlife and nature in the area. We saw a lot of very colorful…read morebirds also. The rope bridge was a fun addition as well

This is a brand spanking new dog park that the city has built inside of Edinburg municipal park…read more(Doolittle Park to most locals). It has two equally separate sections for small and large breeds. Both sections have plenty of shaded benches for the owners and there are even a bunch of agility objects spread throughout. This is a pretty nice addition to the Doolittle park. This park was always nice to come and walk around with your pets, but there was no area for them to run around off leash, and this is perfect! It is still brand new, so I doubt that a lot of people know about it but I am sure it will become a local favorite for people once they discover it. There is a water station out front. There are also poop bag stations both in both sides of the doggy parks.

Not very big too small for an enormous park could not for the life of me find the actual dog park…read morelocation maps gave me is wrong

Overall, it is a nice place and safe to park your car on the American side while you walk across…read moreinto Nuevo Progreso to do your shopping, dental work, or whatever. This is the last place prior to crossing into Mexico, so it's hard to miss. Pay $2 as you enter and stay as long as midnight. The car entrance opens at 7 AM and closes at 5:30 PM. No overnight parking. You can stay in Mexico late if you dare (the only thing open after dark are bars), but the car exit closes at midnight, according to the guy in the booth. There are plenty of parking spaces, though they are not all defined with lines. There is a duty-free shop at the end closest to the border. There are also restrooms, a shaded area to gather your party together, and some places to sit in the shade nearby. Once you park, there is a sidewalk/walkway that leads you across the border into Mexico. Currently, it costs $1 for pedestrians to cross the bridge going into Mexico, and it will cost you 30 cents to return. Pedestrian lines and car lines can vary a lot as to how much traffic and how long it will take. Today, (August 3), the pedestrian line was very short. There were only three people ahead of me. However, the line of cars crossing I to the USA stretched for several blocks into Nuevo Progreso, and I estimate it would have taken at least a couple of hours. The lines vary according to time of day and the season. As you cross into Mexico by foot, you walk through a security area and place any handbags or packages on a conveyor belt to be scanned. As you return into the USA, in the center of the bridge, be prepared to show your documents to officials, then proceed to the crossing. For pedestrians, today there were two lines: left for Ready Lane (those who have legal documents such as passport or passport card) and right for all others. You save money and hassle by parking on the American side. Cars are charged $4 each to cross, then you have to find a place to park in Mexico (good luck with that), and men who "watch" your car will want a tip, others will want to wash it, etc. It's easier to use this parking service and take the short walk across. Within three blocks you will find scores of dentists, pharmacies, eateries, a few veterinarian pharmacies, shoppes, and a multitude of street vendors.

We had a great time shopping and eating street tacos in Nuevo Progreso today. They have many…read morebeautiful items likes clothes, pottery, jewelry and much more. The people are lovely and friendly. I hope to go back really soon.

The Edinburg Municipal Park, located on Raúl Longoria and Sprague, is a huge park and is adjacent…read moreto the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, and a World Birding Center. There is much to see and do. It is family Friendly and is free to enter between 5:30 AM - 10 PM. The park offers walking trails, several ponds, a splash pad and playground, picnic areas, large covered event areas to rent, sports fields and courts (football, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball). There is always security personnel and clean restrooms, and plenty of parking. The park is well maintained and frequented by joggers, walkers, and those who come to just enjoy time outside. Kudos to Edinburg for making this place a great city park.

It's not often that you see a half pipe at a skate park! This is a great little spot, really…read moreversatile skate park for all ages. It's right next to the dog park with plenty of shade, and places sit if you're just here to observe/ watch your kids. Live that they have something like this for kids to spend time outdoors. Only thing I'd have to say is there are red ants on the floor so watch out when you fall and you're on the ground!

A new little dog park built right next to a small skate park and baseball field inside Edinburg's…read moreBicentennial Park. The fenced in doggie park only has one section for all size of dogs. There are a few shaded benches for the dog parents and a water station for both at the entrance. Not a very big dog park, but definitely needed for the area. Your pooch can now run free when they are brought to this area.