Tacos, Birds and Nature in the RGV

The Rio Grande Valley is well known for its birdwatching opportunities. We are among the most desired birding destinations in the world!

No one has to be an expert to enjoy the outdoors and watch birds. An outdoor hike will allow viewing many of our native species like the Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Chachalacas and so many more. Spring, Winter, and fall are ideal times for the outdoors in the Valley.

Birders and Winter visitors also enjoy the Valley’s Tex-Mex food. Sometimes the best of the outdoors and food are found close together like the case of Estero Llano Grande State Park and Nana’s Taqueria in Weslaco.

An ideal day hiking outdoors begins at Estero Llano Grande, one of the most popular spots among visiting birders because of its spacious deck and free WiFi not to mention the 300+ species of birds recorded here. Estero, as it is commonly referred to, features wetlands, ponds, woodlands and thorn scrub on more than 5 miles of trails. About two miles of trail are wheelchair accessible.

The park’s store sells guides and souvenirs and rents binoculars for $3 a day. If you have not visited, I highly recommend you do before the heat takes over and keeps up refrigerated at home.

After a morning enjoying the outdoors, I recommend stopping for tacos at Nana’s not far from Estero on FM 1015. Nana’s was featured in the Texas Bucket List show. A cold beer awaits visitors as well as traditional Margaritas, Mexican sodas and aguas frescas. My experiences at Nana’s have always been positive. Nana’s great patio is the scene of live Mariachi music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

The combination of birding, nature, and tacos has become a Valley favorite for visitors and locals.

But there is another “pairing” I recently discovered in Brownsville, Texas.

Drive beyond the border wall – another tourism photo favorite – to Sabal Palm Sanctuary and the Historic Rabb Plantation House. The location is off of Southmost Road on 8435 Sabal Palm Road. It is a dream of a place.

The restored plantation is a treat, and the nearby trails are well designed and maintained. Adjacent to the Rio Grande River, the 557 – acre preserve is home to one of the last stands of old-growth Sabal Palm Forest in the country as well as one of the few remaining historic river plantations in the region.

My favorite trail is a short walk down to the river where a covered observation deck allows for a quiet time waiting for birds to come out or simply relax and take in the beauty of the Tamaulipan thronbrush. many species of birds are found here coexisting with armadillos, bobcats, coyotes and racoons. Ocelot and Jaguarandi were once spotted here.

The Queen Anne style house served as the working headquarters of the plantation. It represented the living style and upward mobility of the entrepreneurs and political elite of South Texas at the end of the 19th century. Its Victorian architecture signified a shift from the sprawling southwest ranches and “border brick” tradition and is the only example of its type in Cameron County.

So where to go for tacos after a morning in nature at Sabal Palm? Nothing better than the highly accolated Vera’s Backyard BBQ. Vera’s is a staple winner of Texas Monthly’s top BBQ joints in the state. Vera’s specialty is not the brisket with barbecue sauce but Mexican style barbecue- better known as Barbacoa.

Owner Mando Vera, like his father before him, wraps whole cow heads in aluminum foil and cooks them for eight hours over mesquite in a brick-lined underground pit. Few other places still cook barbacoa in the traditional Mexican style. Vera’s old method has been grandfathered in by the Health Department to preserve this tradition. Vera’s is located at 2494 Southmost Road in Brownsville approximately six miles from Sabal Palm Sanctuary. Our friends visiting from Houston loved this entire experience. We ordered the cachete- cheek – meat tacos with green and red salsa and sprinkled with fresh onion and cilantro. Mando told me he prepares an average of 60 pounds per day and stays open until he runs out of meat – usually around two in the afternoon. Vera’s is open on weekends only. Friday to Sunday.

Vera’s Backyard BBQ was also featured in the Texas Bucket List and is a famous stop for visitors from all over the country. Every time we eat there, we hear people conversing with Mando about where they’re visiting from or how they heard about Vera’s BBQ. This past weekend a family from New York stopped by and said they loved the tacos more than they expected.

Vera’s was named one of six recipients of an America’s Classics award by the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

If you still have energy and time left, why not walk off the tasty meal with a visit to Boca Chica Beach where SpaceX is located. SpaceX is another popular picture taking spot in the Valley.

Next time you are in the mood for birds, nature, and Barbacoa – Sabal Palm and Vera’s is the place to go. Best time is when temperatures are still cool and dry and the mosquito population nowhere to be found.

Happy travels!

Admission costs for Sabal Palm Sanctuary: Adults $5, Children $3. Group rates and annual memberships also available. Open Daily 7 am to 5 pm. Closed on Wednesdays.

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