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DPChallenge Forums >> Out and About >> Moving to South Texas- help!
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 04/21/2005 01:53:23 PM · #1
Anyone familiar with the McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville parts of Texas, way down there near Mexico? We're flying out there next week to look for an apartment, get the lay of the land, figure out where the best place is to live- any input would be most helpful. We need to be relatively close to or in Harlingen.

And while you're at it, if there's good places for photography, lemme know about them too. Thanks! :D
 04/21/2005 05:10:51 PM · #2
nobody?
 04/21/2005 05:16:01 PM · #3
Moving to South Texas - help!

Sorry...you will be beyond all help. My deepest sympathies.


04/21/2005 05:20:55 PM · #4
I've been in the area several times, McAllen/Pharr are nice areas. Lots of winter snowbirds (seniors) there. Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge and Benson State Park are fantastic for bird photography. Both are near. Lots of ticks in the woods.
04/21/2005 05:30:22 PM · #5
I've lived in Texas all my life, but have only been in the "Valley" once. There are excellent birding opportunities all the way from Santa Anna NWR and the World Birding Center (Benson State Park is part of this newly formed area) to Del Rio. If you want coastal you have Lower Padre Island. Wish I could help you more, but I know it more as a tourist than as place to live.
 04/21/2005 05:42:03 PM · #6
Thank you for that- I'll do some more research.
 04/21/2005 05:58:08 PM · #7
Hope you speak spanish.... I know it is really HOT.
 04/21/2005 06:05:16 PM · #8
OMG I live in Austin (the BEST place in Tejas to live by the way) and I just want to say that when I read your request I said a little prayer..it's hotter than hot and not much down there sorry to say. good luck!!
 04/21/2005 06:08:25 PM · #9
Originally posted by fotoshootme:
OMG I live in Austin (the BEST place in Tejas to live by the way) and I just want to say that when I read your request I said a little prayer..it's hotter than hot and not much down there sorry to say. good luck!!


Are the Blue Bonnets in Bloom? I am off to Dallas this weekend.
 04/21/2005 06:11:38 PM · #10
Originally posted by fotoshootme:
OMG I live in Austin (the BEST place in Tejas to live by the way) and I just want to say that when I read your request I said a little prayer..it's hotter than hot and not much down there sorry to say. good luck!!


Yeah, two things we already know are MUST haves for our apartment: air conditioning and a pool!!
 04/22/2005 08:46:07 AM · #11
Just thought I'd bump this in case anyone else has any thoughts...

thanks!
 04/22/2005 09:21:36 AM · #12
Andi - I think you will like the Valley. I visit every fall when I drive my mom to Mercedes, TX, (20 minutes from Harlengen) She spends her winter there and summers back in Wisconsin. It is hot tropical but a beautiful place. There are many things to do.
 04/22/2005 10:40:09 AM · #13
Originally posted by undieyatch:
Andi - I think you will like the Valley. I visit every fall when I drive my mom to Mercedes, TX, (20 minutes from Harlengen) She spends her winter there and summers back in Wisconsin. It is hot tropical but a beautiful place. There are many things to do.


Thank you! Exactly what I wanted to hear. Reading the crime reports for the valley has scared me ;)
 05/06/2005 11:14:22 PM · #14
Well, we spent 4 days in the Valley, and had an absolutely wonderful time. We must have gotten lucky- we met several incredibly kind and welcoming people, saw lots of great architecture and beautiful natural areas, and ate lots of great food. I think I'm really going to enjoy living in the Rio Grande Valley.

Photos here.
 05/06/2005 11:29:19 PM · #15
You lucky duck! I love going down to south TX to take pictures. It takes me about 5 hours to drive there. I donĂ¢€™t know what places to live are good or bad but I can say that I really love the area.

I suggest checking out Santa Anna NWR. If you look at the visitors center they have information about tons of places in S. TX.

Tom
05/06/2005 11:35:25 PM · #16
Yep, I love it now too- hadn't ever been there before last weekend. I can't wait to get back, and I'll be spending LOTS of time at the World Birding Center while we're there.
 05/06/2005 11:41:32 PM · #17
The wold birding center is absolutely awesome. Also very worth checking out is Allen William's house in Pharr. They can tell you how to get there at the WBC. The last time I was there I was able to see and photograph a blue mockingbird, crimson collard grosbeak and a lot of other really neat birds. Allen Williams is a super nice guy and his yard made me VERY envious.

Tom
 05/06/2005 11:46:20 PM · #18
Andi,

I just want to put things in perspective (I live up north from you - in Austin) and you need to be aware of the seasons in the Valley. There are only two: Summer and the other one. The summertime is about to end in a couple of days, and the other season starts when the temperatures crank up and stay over 90 most of the time - day AND night. I don't have the name for that other one yet...
You are coming from Atlanta so you must understand the humidity and how it affects the temperature, so I won't go into that. But bear one thing in mind - if your A/C dies, you will want to fix it first before you buy bread and milk. I sometimes wonder how did the natives live here before the A/C times...

And to finish, I'll try to alleviate the situation - Valley is very picturesque - I've driven down there once or twice, and I liked it - as a visitor.

Good luck!
 05/07/2005 12:11:54 AM · #19
Originally posted by ahaze:
Anyone familiar with the McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville parts of Texas, way down there near Mexico? We're flying out there next week to look for an apartment, get the lay of the land, figure out where the best place is to live- any input would be most helpful. We need to be relatively close to or in Harlingen.

And while you're at it, if there's good places for photography, lemme know about them too. Thanks! :D


I'm from South Texas originally, born and raised. All of my family lives down in the area you're talking about. I don't know if I can be of help, but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have. You can PM me if you like.
 05/07/2005 12:14:41 AM · #20
Stay away from ElDorado, the place is being taken over by Polygamists. You'll get kidnapped and wind up married to some old geezer who already has 30 wives.
 05/07/2005 12:35:41 AM · #21
A?

Originally posted by Spazmo99:
Stay away from ElDorado, the place is being taken over by Polygamists. You'll get kidnapped and wind up married to some old geezer who already has 30 wives.

05/07/2005 12:47:26 AM · #22
Are you moving there before you move to Australia?
 05/07/2005 08:39:54 AM · #23
Originally posted by heatherd:
Are you moving there before you move to Australia?


Yep, we have some immigration paperwork to finish up in the states, and as it turns out they process much faster in this tiny town in Texas than in Atlanta. Go figure. The timing worked well for us, so we decided to go for it.

Thanks all for your suggestions- we found a nice apartment complex in Harlingen, not to mention lots of locals to help us out, so we're ready to go. Oh, and Spazmo, thanks for the tip on El Dorado :P
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