Zoo · 58 min southeast
Gladys Porter Zoo
A 31-acre tropical zoo in Brownsville with about 1,600 animals from Africa, Asia, tropical America and Australia.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
Day Trippin' › Texas › From McAllen
Day trips from McAllen
From McAllen, Quinta Mazatlan is minutes away, the National Butterfly Center about 15, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park under 20, Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge about 20, Estero Llano Grande about 25, and South Padre Island under an hour and a half. The best day trips from McAllen, by drive time.
22 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from McAllen
- Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park 53 min east
- Gladys Porter Zoo 58 min southeast
- Resaca de la Palma State Park 59 min east
- Falcon State Park 1 hr 14 min northwest
- Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge 1 hr 19 min east
- South Padre Island 1 hr 20 min east
- Sea Turtle Inc. 1 hr 24 min east
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park 2 hr 19 min north
- Laredo 2 hr 29 min northwest
- USS Lexington Museum 2 hr 37 min northeast
Within an hour from McAllen 4 spots
State park · 59 min east
Resaca de la Palma State Park
A World Birding Center park in Brownsville along an old river channel, with over eight miles of trails and four decks over the water.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; best birds in winter
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Historic site · 53 min east
Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
A US-Mexican War battlefield (check) outside Brownsville, with a visitor center and trails across the battlefield.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free (check)
Wildlife refuge · 25 min east
Estero Llano Grande State Park
A wetland park in Weslaco where about 340 bird species have been seen, with alligators in Alligator Lake.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; best birds in winter
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
1 to 2 hours from McAllen 7 spots
Town · 1 hr 20 min east
South Padre Island
A beach town at the south tip of Texas with Gulf beaches, a sea turtle hospital, birding and summer fireworks.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to visit
Wildlife refuge · 1 hr 19 min east
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
A big coastal refuge in Cameron County with a 14-mile wildlife drive that is great for biking and short paved trails.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round; best wildlife early morning
- Entrance fee per vehicle
Lake · 1 hr 14 min northwest
Falcon State Park
A park on the huge Falcon International Reservoir on the Rio Grande, known for bass and catfish fishing and South Texas birds.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Family fun · 1 hr 24 min east
Sea Turtle Inc.
A sea turtle hospital on South Padre Island where you can see turtles being rescued and cared for and learn about them.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (closed Mondays)
- Admission
Historic site · 1 hr 44 min north
King Ranch
A historic ranch at Kingsville that offers daily ranch tours, nature tours, a museum and a saddle shop.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (tours)
Wildlife refuge · 1 hr 25 min east
South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center
Boardwalks over the Laguna Madre wetlands on South Padre Island, with birds and an alligator sanctuary.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; best in spring and fall migration
- Admission (check)
Historic site · 1 hr 12 min east
Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site
An 1852 lighthouse in Port Isabel, 72 feet tall, that you can climb for views of the Laguna Madre and South Padre Island.
- 1 hr · Moderate
- Year-round
- Admission
2 to 3 hours from McAllen 7 spots
Lake · 2 hr 19 min north
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
A brush-country lake near Mathis for swimming, boating, fishing and birding, with a 1930s CCC refectory.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Town · 2 hr 29 min northwest
Laredo
A border city on the Rio Grande with a historic downtown of Spanish colonial buildings, murals and San Agustin Plaza.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; winter is mildest
- Free to visit
Museum · 2 hr 37 min northeast
USS Lexington Museum
A World War II aircraft carrier docked on Corpus Christi Bay, with planes on the flight deck, a flight simulator and a 3D theater.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission plus parking fee
Zoo · 2 hr 38 min northeast
Texas State Aquarium
A big aquarium on North Beach in Corpus Christi, with dolphins, sharks and a sea turtle rescue center.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
Lake · 2 hr 28 min northwest
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park
A 1,680-acre lake on the east side of Laredo with a swim area, boating, fishing and hike and mountain bike trails.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Beach · 2 hr 48 min northeast
Mustang Island State Park
More than five miles of Gulf beach between Corpus Christi and Port Aransas for swimming, surfing and fishing, plus a 20-mile bay paddling trail.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; busiest spring and summer
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Lake · 2 hr 53 min north
Choke Canyon State Park
A reservoir park between San Antonio and Corpus Christi for bass and catfish fishing, boating and birding.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Get a day trip idea every Friday
Three ideas for the weekend, one each for Washington, Oregon and Arizona, with a link to plan the day. Free. Unsubscribe any time.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 78501 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.