Southeast of Rio Grande City, the river and US-83 curve eastward toward the Gulf of Mexico through a broad delta region known as the Rio Grande Valley, despite the fact there are no nearby mountains to make it a true valley. Citrus orchards, interspersed with date palms planted as windbreaks, line the highway, while lush plantings of bougainvillea and poinsettias drape many of the houses in the string of towns that appear every few miles all the way to the Gulf. The population of the valley, which sits at the same latitude as the Florida Keys, swells with the arrival each winter of over 100,000 “Winter Texans” fleeing the colder midwestern states. This “snowbird” presence is highlighted by weekly square dance festivals and perhaps the nation’s highest concentration of RV and mobile home parks. In McAllen, the westernmost, oldest, and largest of the valley towns, the visitors bureau (956/682-2871), at 1200 Ash Street, has information on the entire Rio Grande Valley region.
The McAllen area’s unique attraction is Los Ebanos ferry, the last hand-pulled ferry across the Rio Grande. To get there, drive west from McAllen on US-83 to Hwy-886 (between Havana and Sullivan City), then turn left (south) and follow the mazelike road until you hit the river. In service daily 7 am–3 pm, the ferry can carry three cars and a small number of pedestrians on each crossing.
About eight miles southwest of McAllen via Hwy-374 (west) and Hwy-2062 (south), Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park (956/585-1107) preserves 588 acres of Rio Grande riparian ash and elm woodlands and matorral (thorn scrub), adjacent to 1,700 acres of the riverside Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. The park is also home to the World Birding Center, which helps bird-watchers find their way around the dozen different wildlife refuges along the lower Rio Grande, where some 500 different species are regularly seen and heard.
