One of the cities with least expensive cost of living in the United States, Harlingen is situated in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas. This year-round hotspot of outdoor recreational activities in Cameron County is located about 30 miles from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. If you’re looking for trails, parks, bird watching, surfing, horseback riding, dolphin watching, kayaking, fishing, hunting, golf, beach, geocaching and few visits to museums and art galleries, you should consider visiting this city. Some of the stellar highlights here are Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, Pendleton Park, Harlingen Arts and Heritage and Museum and Victor Park.
Harlingen Arts & Heritage MuseumThe Harlingen Arts & Heritage Museum in Harlingen has three historical buildings in its premises- the home of Lon C. Hill (Harlingen's founder), the Paso Real Stagecoach Inn and Harlingen's first hospital. This historic trio is flanked by the Historical Museum that has a superb collection of numerous artifacts related to the city’s history in addition to several rotating arts and cultural exhibits.
Lwo Jima MonumentOne of Second World War’s most iconic images is that of a bronze rendering of six American soldiers raising the American flag over Iwo Jima. This official casting (that now resides in Washington DC) was based on one of Harlingen’s star attractions, the Iwo Jima Monument by sculptor Dr. Felix de Weldon. The Iwo Jima Monument is flanked by a museum that has some awe-inspiring exhibits and displays related to the US Marine Corps.
World Birding CenterThe World Birding Center comprises of nine distinct sites in Texas that run along a 120-mile corridor in Rio Grande Valley. Home more than 500 bird species, the birding center is set across a scenic backdrop of forests, river, wilderness and wetlands. Some of the most famous birds found here are red-billed pigeon, white-tipped dove, green parakeet, red-crowned parrot, buff-bellied hummingbird, clay-colored robin, olive sparrow and botteri’s sparrow.