Parks & Playgrounds
La Sal del Rey, or “the King’s Salt,” is one of three naturally occurring salt lakes in South Texas. Sitting atop an estimated four million tons of salt, these hypersaline lakes are seven times saltier than the ocean.
On May 8, 1846, United States and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto. The battle was the first in a two-year long war that changed the map of North America. Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park preserves the site of this notable battle and provides an understanding of the causes, events, and consequences of the U.S.-Mexican War.
This cute neighborhood park has lots of shade and lots of room to run! The playground looks so much like a treehouse and is perfect for kids ages 3 and up. There are also bathrooms on-site and a walking path.
Skateboarding! Little League! Basketball! Park also has a concrete walking trail, covered pavilion, for lots of Family fun! Community Park is located in the heart of Los Fresnos on Highway 100. It is the city’s oldest park, but new facilities added in 2012 continue to make this a favorite spot. It includes picnic areas, a playground, and a water‐spraying splash pad. Benches in the shade of a tall tree make a perfect spot to read a good book because the Whipple Memorial Library is just next door.
This lighted facility has picnic seating and barbecue grill, a full court basketball court, and a playground area, zip line, crushed granite walking trail, swimming pool, exercise equipment, covered pavilion. The outdoor facility is open to the public when not rented.
Pedro “Pete” Benavides Park is dedicated in memory of longtime County Commissioner Pedro “Pete” Benavides who was instrumental in the development of this park. The park is located at the corner of Browne Rd. and California, in the Southmost area of Brownsville, Texas. The Park is constructed on 64 acres of land adjacent to Resaca de la Guerra. Amenities at the park include; a lighted adult softball field, lighted little league baseball field, two lighted full-sized soccer fields, lighted basketball court, lighted volleyball court, playground and splash pad area, four small picnic pavilions, one large picnic pavilion, BBQ areas, a one mile Resaca frontage nature trail with two nature observation stations, and a 1.5 mile walking trail with 5 integrated workout stations.
La Paloma Park is located south of San Benito, Texas, in the rural community of La Paloma. The Park offers a number of recreational opportunities for the public to enjoy. Amenities include a walking trail, picnic pavilion, lighted soccer field, lighted baseball field, playground, basketball court, restrooms, concession stand and a splash pad. The Cameron County Health Department also has a satellite WIC office on location.
El Centro Cultural is located at 2100 Gregory Avenue, in the Colonia of Cameron Park, Brownsville, Texas. The Center offers a wide variety of social services and educational programs to the community such as: GED, ESL, home economics, family counseling, assistance with CHIP, Medicaid and Medicare and employment placement assistance. The Center also offers a children’s books library and reading room.
La Esperanza Community Park is located adjacent to El Centro Cultural. The park also offers a walking trail, playground, picnic pavilion, lighted soccer field, basketball court pavilion and an outdoor basketball court.
El Ranchito Park is located near the intersection of Highway 281 and Park Ranch Road, just southeast of San Benito. The newly constructed park offers a number of recreational elements and amenities such as regulation size little league multi-use field, full-sized soccer field, a walking trail, basketball court, playground, butterfly garden, benches, and picnic pavilions.
E.K. Atwood Park (Beach Access 5) is located on the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 1.6 miles north of Andy Bowie Park. E.K. Atwood is open seven days a week and provides vehicular beach access. The park also provides a parking area (with fee), a beachside covered pavilion with picnic tables, restrooms and a boardwalk accessing the beach.
Bejarano McFarland Memorial Park is located in the colonia of Laguna Heights, within the city limits of Port Isabel. The park is approximately 2.0 acres in size and borders the Laguna Madre bay. The amenities offered at the park consist of a Bird Watch Overlook with interpretative signs that extend 110 feet into the Laguna Madre, outdoor basketball court, playground, multi-purpose trail, a large picnic pavilion with bbq pits and a butterfly garden.
Isla Blanca Park is located on the southernmost tip of South Padre Island and is the crown jewel of the Parks system. Entrance is $10/vehicle. Located within the park, there is over a mile of pristine beach along the Gulf of Mexico that offers an abundance of waterfront recreational facilities. Our beachfront facilities make the clear gulf waters accessible to all. Isla Blanca Park offers two large beachfront pavilions with onsite food and beach rental concessions, ample parking, walking trail, jetties and surf fishing, a jetties bait stand, over 600 full hook-up R.V. sites, cabana rentals, tent sites, a boat ramp, numerous restroom/shower facilities and shaded picnic areas.
Andy Bowie Park is located on the north end of South Padre Island, on the Gulf of Mexico, directly across from the South Padre Island Convention Center. Some of the amenities offered at Andy Bowie Park are two large surfside picnic pavilions, BBQ areas, RV sites, food concessions, beach rental concessions, fishing area, swimming area, restrooms and showers, a flagship hotel and access to a pristine beach. The park is open 7 days a week. For R.V. reservations please call the park office at (956) 761-3704.
The multi-use facility includes eight fields and one championship field which meets the needs of various sports including soccer, football, rugby, and ultimate Frisbee as well as numerous community and special events including the annual McAllen Marathon. In addition to the fields, the park’s amenities include practice fields, lighted tennis courts, a basketball court, playground, water feature, concession area, and restroom facilities. A permit is required for use of this facility.
The 100-acre National Butterfly Center is the premier location in the United States to experience the beauty, drama, and emotion of wild butterflies. A project of the nonprofit North American Butterfly Association, the center is designed to attract incredible numbers of beautiful, wild butterflies. Clouds of butterflies may be found at the National Butterfly Center because, by planting thousands of plants that the butterflies need for nectar and for caterpillar growth, we have created an outdoor paradise that sustains large populations and hundreds of species of wild butterflies.
We are the Rio Grande Valley’s premier destination for birdwatching. Our unique location on South Padre Island is the perfect place to observe the birds, butterflies, and natural wildlife in coastal South Texas. Visit us on South Padre Island, walk the bayfront boardwalks, take a birding tour and explore the natural life of the Rio Grande Valley.
History and nature meet on scenic bluffs above the Rio Grande, where the World Birding Center in Roma can be found on the old plaza of a once-thriving steamboat port. Part of a national historic district, the WBC Roma Bluffs includes a riverside nature area of three acres: The gateway to unforgettable birding adventures across Starr County.