Hidalgo, Texas

Hidalgo is on the Rio Grande south of McAllen in southern Hidalgo County at the junction of Texas 336 and U.S. 281. Members of Josi de Escandsn's colony settled in the area as early as 1749. Over the years the course of the Rio Grande forced residents to move the town's buildings inland. For half a century between 1852 and 1902, the city served as the county seat before the county government was moved to Edinburg.

The first international toll suspension bridge was constructed in 1926 to Mexico's border city Reynosa. Today, the Hidalgo-McAllen-Reynosa International Bridge is one of the major ports of entry in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, serving 11 million people within a 250-miles radius.

The Valley's subtropical climate attracts outdoor enthusiasts year round. Golfers can choose from the area's numerous courses. Nearby wildlife refuges host birders from throughout the world.