When in the RGV

When in the RGV Welcome to When in the RGV! 🌴

Explore the Rio Grande Valley’s best in Willacy, Hidalgo, Cameron & Starr Counties! Your guide to RGV adventures, food & drinks!

Hike and bike trails, historic sites, local dining and vibrant nightlife.

06/13/2026

It’s that time of year again!

As I was driving down FM 490, I spotted these sunflower fields near the 4-way stop in McCook, TX.

Perfect for a photo op! If you want to check them out, I’d go within the next week or two — they won’t last long!

We were a bit short on time, but stopped by Cine El Rey in McAllen today for a bit. It was our first visit, and we reall...
06/12/2026

We were a bit short on time, but stopped by Cine El Rey in McAllen today for a bit. It was our first visit, and we really enjoyed it!

They were hosting a movie night with free admission, popcorn, and even pizza — and they’re very outside-food friendly too. Super cool vibe.

This historic theater has been around since 1947 and now hosts all kinds of great events — concerts, comedy shows, local film screenings, and more.

If you’re not already following them, I highly recommend doing so to catch their upcoming events. Definitely worth checking out!

Quick lunch stop at Wing Barn today.They’ve got a great June special going on:Chicken Burger + Fries + Drink for just $5...
06/09/2026

Quick lunch stop at Wing Barn today.

They’ve got a great June special going on:
Chicken Burger + Fries + Drink for just $5.50 + tax.

Solid deal!

06/07/2026

Quick stop at SPI. Can hopefully go by later with more time.

Today I went for another tasting. This time at Ancestral Craft Spirits Distillery in Roma, TX. It had been a couple of ...
05/30/2026

Today I went for another tasting. This time at Ancestral Craft Spirits Distillery in Roma, TX. It had been a couple of years since my last visit, and I was impressed by how much they’ve expanded!

What started as mainly agave spirits with a nice outdoor area now also includes their own gins and a beautiful indoor tasting space. The building itself is fascinating — built in the 1880s, with much of the original construction still intact, including the historic bricks and even the original door. Leonardo gave a great overview of the building’s history and the man behind it (Heinrich Portscheller)

As for the spirits, they were phenomenal.

I tried their Blasfemus line:
7 – Espadín agave
11 – Tobalá agave
17 – Americana agave
(The numbers represent how many years each agave takes to mature.)

This was my first time trying their gins, infused with marigold, lavender, and bougainvillea, each one had a very unique and distinctive flavor — the infusions really make them stand out.

If you’re in the Roma area, this is a great stop. Beautiful setting, rich history, and excellent spirits.

We had the day off today, so we went out for lunch and tried Yummy Pho in Harlingen for the first time.We both ordered t...
05/25/2026

We had the day off today, so we went out for lunch and tried Yummy Pho in Harlingen for the first time.

We both ordered the spicy Vietnamese soup with brisket and eye of round beef. My wife swapped the ham for shrimp. Even though she has a pretty low spice tolerance, she said it was perfectly balanced — not too hot for her. The portions were pretty generous. My wife only made it through half a bowl.

Deren (hope I spelled that right) provided excellent service — he even brought out samples of both the regular and spicy broth so my wife could choose which one she preferred.

Overall, if you’re looking for a good spicy Vietnamese soup in Harlingen, Yummy Pho is a solid choice.

Today, we remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.We are gr...
05/25/2026

Today, we remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.

We are grateful for their courage and the freedoms we enjoy because of them.

A while back I shared a Texas Highways article about how an ancient volcano helped shape the geography of South Texas. T...
05/18/2026

A while back I shared a Texas Highways article about how an ancient volcano helped shape the geography of South Texas.

Tonight, on our way home, we made a quick stop at the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Rio Grande City, which was featured in that same article.

This beautiful replica of the famous grotto in Lourdes, France, was built in 1928 by Rev. Gustav Gollbach. Parts of it were constructed using petrified wood sourced locally from the Rio Grande City and Roma areas.

It’s not a place where you’ll spend hours, but it’s a peaceful and interesting quick stop with nice lighting at night. Definitely worth pulling over if you’re in the area.

Today I took the fam to Cordon's Taste of Chicago - Restaurant in Edinburg for the first time, and it was a hit!Since no...
05/17/2026

Today I took the fam to Cordon's Taste of Chicago - Restaurant in Edinburg for the first time, and it was a hit!

Since none of us had tried Chicago deep dish pizza before, we ordered the pepperoni and Italian sausage deep dish. The crust was nicely crispy and it was loaded with toppings — one slice was almost a full meal! We also got a 19-inch thin crust pizza. Between half of that and the whole deep dish, it was more than enough for all five of us… we still had to take a to-go box home.

The place has pretty cool Chicago vibes — Michael Jordan posters and decor by our booth and a Chicago Bears statue at the entrance.

We finished with a warm chocolate lava cake with ice cream that was the perfect ending.

Solid spot if you’re craving Chicago-style pizza in the Valley!

(Quick apology — I completely forgot to take any menu pics this time 😅)

Before the cold front hits, my wife and I stopped by Blues Chill and Grill in Port Mansfield, TX for lunch — very nice s...
01/23/2026

Before the cold front hits, my wife and I stopped by Blues Chill and Grill in Port Mansfield, TX for lunch — very nice spot!

We started with fried mushrooms — crispy outside, nice firm texture inside, perfect appetizer.

She had the fish and shrimp platter, and I got the black drum platter with jalapeño coleslaw — that slaw had a nice kick. Even if you are not into spicy, it had just the right heat— everything fried up beautifully, golden and crunchy.

Sides were on point (fries, hushpuppies, slaw), and the view was a great bonus: pelicans chilling on the dock, boats bobbing in the bay, and colorful waterfront houses.

Casual, tasty seafood with that classic coastal RGV feel. If you're near Port Mansfield, definitely add this to your list!

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402 W. Robertson Street
San Benito, TX
78586

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