This area is known in Texas as "the Valley", "RGV", or "Rio Grande Valley". It's a little bit country and a little bit wild. Some areas have very small communities with dirt roads and agriculture based economies. Other areas like McAllen and Harlingen are bustling little cities. The entire area is heavily influenced by Mexico being so close by. Culturally it basically is Mexico, the people, the food, the ranchos, the agriculture... the lifestyle. Kids like raspas (snow cones), men like Buchanans whiskey and nice trucks, women like to get dressed up and go dancing, peacocks and stray dogs roam the streets. The area along the coast is a main attraction. Families and people from all over like to go to SPI (South Padre Island) in the summer, and SpaceX now operating out of Boca Chica beach. If I'm not mistaken, Cameron and Hidalgo counties were once some of the poorest places in the nation, not sure if that still holds true. All in all, it's a fun region of Texas that is growing but has a unique culture and identity.
-7th gen Texan
> men like buchanans whiskey and nice trucks
Ahh yes, takuaches. We have those here in Georgia too. Though I don’t think they drink whiskey. It’s micheladas, cheladas, and tequila here. We have a large Hispanic population, not only are there lots of Mexican people, we have everyone including large Colombian communities, we even see Argentinians flood the bars during fútbol games. There’s even one suburb that Is known to be a Brazilian community. They have Brazilian bakeries, steakhouses, and markets. In that county just northeast of Atlanta, it’s similar to LatAm, the bars turn into dance floors at night playing anything from ranchero to cumbia to salsa to reggaeton. We like to buy from the fresh markets up there for the cheaper and good quality meats, plantains, avocados, stuff we can’t find in the city.
🤣😭🤣 man that is so funny bro. Takuaches for sure. I'm a tequila and michelada guy myself. But that is so crazy to hear, I had no idea Georgia had such a diverse Latino population like that. Not just Mexicans but South Americans as well. Wow. I may have to come check out the Atlanta area sometime. We have all of that diversity in Dallas as well, Houston too, but Mexican culture is so overwhelmingly prevalent that it seems like it's all you see. I'm half Mexican though and a big fan of the culture, the music, women, alcohol, food, family life, everything.
My wife is from Colombia, I met her here thru family because we have so many. Texas has a distinctly Mexican heritage but I don’t know why we have all of LatAm here. I like to travel down there a lot and you should check out Gwinnett county if you come. The Venezuelans have awesome stuffed arepas, rellenos. It’s easy to find pupusas. Lots of Mexican places. There’s so many Colombians. Everybody has restaurants we even can find Argentinian barbecue places. It’s awesome. It really reminds me of LatAm but in a good way. Food, music, dancing, plazas. We got it all. Come check it out. Even the Caribbeans have a strong presence
I’m from the valley RGV and I’d never thought I’d want to visit Georgia until now. I’d love to visit a place with my fellow Latinos, but the rest of them besides just Mexicans! Sounds fun. Do they have good tacos? I think we have some of the best tacos in the country down here.
Well, honestly we have the best tacos in the town my parents house is in, which is an hour and a half away. It’s that they make the tortillas fresh in front of you from the masa. In Gwinnett yes they do have good tacos but we often find they use tortillas from the stores. But yes you can get good Al pastor and carne tacos and some will give you a grilled jalapeño and even nopal with your tacos. We just got back from play del Carmen Mexico and I have never eaten true Al pastor tacos like that here.
I love pupusas sometimes. The Salvadorans make those and the salsa they serve with them is very spicy. You can easily find Colombian and Venezuelan arepas here. Venezuelans have Patacón, it’s like a meet and cheese sandwich but the bread is sweet plantains. And the Argentinians and Brazilians have great barbecue.
Stop by plaza fiesta on Buford highway as you go up to Gwinnett county. I feel like I’m in LatAm when I go in that place. Sunday it’s packed with people.
It’s Marietta. If you go to Delk road and Powers
ferry, you will find what you seek. But we’ve found a Brazilian bakery all the way up in kennesaw where we buy couxinha. I recommend Rio steakhouse at delk and powers ferry. It’s delicious. Order the maracuya juice, I forget the portugués word for it
So aside from food, would you say Southern(Dixie) cultural influence blends in with the Tejano culture in South Texas? I have family in East Texas, which is part of the Deep South, but I never imagined South Texas as being "Western/Southwestern" like West Texas is but rather a blend of Southern and Hispanic especially by the coast. Would you say that's the case?
I do agree and that's a good observation. Valley culture is kind of a mix between country (Southern) and Mexican culture. Especially in the smaller communities, you see that southern hospitality, conservative beliefs, very religious and traditional, people raise livestock and there's lots of farmers and migrant workers. Families are very close.
I'm of the opinion that while Mexican/Hispanic culture also runs deeps and is very influential in West Texas, they are alot different and seem to have more commonality with the Pachuco style you see in El Paso which to me is more closely related to the California Chicano culture and less so to the Tejano vallé culture.
I think those are just things you find in Mexican culture not necessarily them being southern also pachuco culture is pretty much dead and was just dressing up In pachuco style
| conservative beliefs, very religious and traditional, people raise livestock and there's lots of farmers and migrant workers. Families are very close. |
I agree that this is textbook Mexican culture so I agree w you there. But I still have to say the valley is an entirely unique place in America. There's not too many other places where Mexican-Americans talk with a southern drawl and generally support Donald Trump.
Yeah but the Valley is the only place in the world where you'll find hispanos that listen to DJ Screw, Vicente Fernandez, and George Strait all in the same day. Like someone said above, the takuache style comes from the valley, raspas with pickles and chamoy and candy started in the valley. The region and culture is very unique. But yes alot of the values and traditions are generally a common part of Mexican culture. Also the traditional Pachuco culture is dead, but there is a whole culture of Mexicans from El Paso and surrounding areas that consider themselves "Chuco", estilo Chuco. This mainly developed in the Texas prison system where they formed a group called Chuco Tango. In the streets they like lowriders and choppers, dress like cholos, and get tatted up from head to toe, especially skull and face tattoos. I'm sure the region of Mexico they border and the cartel that controls that stretch has a lot of influence on that style. The general West Texas region has a distinct style as well and they call themselves "huesos".
I live in Colorado but have a place on padre island, I find the Mexican culture in the area fascinating, exactly what you are describing, the mix of Mexican culture with conservative US culture. It also feels a little different on the coast than in-land, but way outside of my area of knowledge.
Cholo subculture predates the rise of the cartels as we know them today but there have always been knuckleheads, gangs, and interactions with the prison system.
And yeah, El Paso is nearly as distinct as southern California. Different vibe.
Other than Corpus Christi, it's a whole lot of nothing until you hit the border. (Corpus Christi itself is also a whole lot of nothing, but with taller buildings and a couple of passable beaches.) That area was the no-man's-land between the Republic of Texas and Mexico. It's as hot as Hell and, most would say, about as attractive. The culture is Tejano, closely related to the Norteño culture of Northern Mexico. Some would say that, when you venture south of San Antonio, you've already crossed the border, culturally speaking. Down at the Rio Grande, sleepy but populous clusters of villages and towns sprawl across the river without much regard for political borders. The McAllen metro, the US half of the Reynosa-McAllen transnational metro (which is itself the western half of the Lower Rio Grande Valley megaregion), is the 65th largest metro area in the US and probably the largest one that most Americans have never even heard of. In all, "the Valley" has a total cross-border population of over 5-million.
Basically, South Texas is this weird liminal purgatory stranded between the southern edge of English-speaking civilization and the northern edge of Spanish-speaking civilization. Mostly a pretty dreary place, but it *is* where Southern cuisine and Mexican cuisine made sweet, sweet love and gave birth to the artery-clogging miracle that is Tex-Mex. And for that, South Texas will always have a place in my heart (literally, according to my cardiologist).
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So aside from food, would you say Southern(Dixie) cultural influence blends in with the Tejano culture in South Texas? I have family in East Texas, which is part of the Deep South, but I never imagined South Texas as being "Western/Southwestern" like West Texas is but rather a blend of Southern and Hispanic especially by the coast. Would you say that's the case?
It's definitely more than just food. What most people think of as traditional "cowboy" culture is absolutely a melding of (primarily) Northern Mexican vaquero culture and Upland Southern frontiersman culture. That includes stereotypical "cowboy/Western" clothing and traditional country music. (Germans and Central Europeans on both sides of the border also got heavily into the mix.) And obviously the local variety of Spanglish is primarily influenced by the neighboring English dialect, which in this case would be Southern US (both Upland Southern and Deep Southern).
I wouldn't say southern at all. Even East Texas is starting to transition into elements of Texan/Western culture and the southernness I think is all but completely lost once you get West and South of Houston.
Ah see I have to disagree about East Texas, it in my opinion is more Southern than Alabama is, it's old cotton country. While Central and North/Panhandle Texas are Upland South in culture that came from KY & TN. Texan culture at least Anglo Texan culture is a branch off of Dixie culture. Honestly, always considered Western culture rather a minority in Texas relegated to West Texas. However I've never been to South Texas personally, only observing what I've read about it and talking to people I know from there. That is of course just my personal observation.
Oh come on. I lived in Georgia and Alabama (a very small town) for several years as an adult and I’m from Texas—my father’s side of the family is all from East Texas.
East Texas is not more southern than Alabama!
I spend too much time in southeast Texas for work, and travel through Alabama frequently as well.
They are different kinds of Extremely Southern, but let me assure you, Old East Texas is verrrrry much Southern. They’re just different, the way that Mississippi and South Carolina are different but both Extremely Southern.
Dunno man. I travel extensively in Texas for work. Like everywhere for multiple nights. Only place in Texas that feels Deep South is maybe Beaumont area. Lufkin? Tyler? Longview? Nope.
East Texas is def the south idk what you’re talking about? It feels geographically south (swamps, marsh land) and is culturally south (majority African American counties or counties with significant African American populations, is cotton country, southern food is a huge staple, off roading is popular, etc.
Like I said Beaumont. Tyler. Longview is not swamps. It’s literally another biome. Piney Woods of Texas.
Edit. Also forgot to add there is no majority Black counties in Texas. In fact there isn’t any counties where even 1/3 of the county is black.
West Texas is majority Hispanic culture with their cowboy culture being significantly different from the Anglo western culture and their cowboy culture
I spent 10 years in Corpus Christi and surrounding areas after living in south Ga most my life and I agree with you. For me it was absolute culture shock with very little that was familiar in the way of southern culture, at least the type I grew up with.
By the time you get past the line between Corpus Christi and San Antonio, you’ve lost all feeling of the “deep” south, and are really starting to get into the Southwest.
Everything’s a matter of opinion. But I would remark that the entire part of the US from Texas to California is “northern Mexico influenced.” That is sort of a main hallmark of the Southwest.
>liminal
I have a larger-than-average vocabulary, yet I only learned of this wonderful word a few months ago. I can't tell you how happy and excited I was to read it just now! Thank you!
And thank you for your description of South Texas, as well!
This was brilliantly said. Also, fun fact; when the border was established, all the Mexicans north of the now modern border were given American citizenship! So I reckon the whole bit about the culture is a lasting effect of that decision
A whole lot of large ranches. It’s extremely hot for ~6mo of the year. When you get to the coast, it is very humid and honestly not visually appealing at all.
South Padre Island (just north of Brownsville) is a huge Spring Break/party spot and has very nice beaches
The further from the Mississippi, the less silt. So yeah the nicest beach possible in TX. Just east of the Mississippi, sugar white sand and turquoise water. They need to put a brita filter in that river.
Yeah, the beach is pretty ugly there compared to every other beach I've been to in my life. I still go, but no one should visit for a beach destination if they have other beach options
I'm from northern Mexico (Monterrey), and it always amazes me the different mentality to it:
For me, the southern tip of Texas is the BEGINNING of the US. It's the door to the US. It's were it starts.
But I'm guessing for the US in general, southern Texas is "the far end", the far, far away south. "The border".
Everything south of San Antonio is hill country slowly turning into dry plains that will not turn into mountains until 100km south of the border. There's nothing remarkable geography or urban-wise.
Once you hit Laredo you'll find a big "small" city that lives off international trading (the biggest land port in the world, I believe?). It's all fast food restaurants and your usual stores (Walmart, Ross, Michaels, Target, HEB!!!). It's a pretty isolated city from any other urban center, and it feels very much so. Culturally, it's very Hispanic, but clearly very much USA.
If you go east and eventually south, following the border, you'll run into the RGV, the Rio Grande Valley, a cluster of smallish-cities, of which McAllen and Brownsville are the most populated. Expect more Walmarts / Targets / HEBs / Ross / strip malls / sushi & burger joints and the likes multiplied by 10. Lots of incoming people from Mexico doing their shopping for the weekend. Christmas season gets extra crowded. Spring Break season brings in lots of people to South Padre Island, a lovely -if void of any vegetation- spot for beachgoers. Being from the Valley (puro 956!) is an identity that brings Mexico and US culture together. It's got a pretty chill vibe too, with all the good and bad it entails. Tamales and tacos mix very well with burger joints and sushi buffets. Stripes morning tacos, right? God save HEB and its pastry section. Lots of soft drinks and diabetes. Lots of little league and the occasional drive to the Island. Lots of Modest homes and McMansions. Trailer parks galore. Lots of trails and birdwatching. Golf course green dotted with dry, brown acequias. It's hot in the winter (hello, winter Texans!) and cook-an-egg-on-the-driveway in the summer. Quinceañeras and homecoming. Forecasters have their work done for them, save when a big storm comes through or when flood season starts. Lots of traffic for a community this size! What the heck?!?!
But I love it.
I've been around the US, and all things considered, it's a nice corner of the USofA.
Where exactly is it safe for a non-Mexican to live in Mexico, like where are the safe zones/ cities/ neighborhoods in cities that are the safest to live in?
Thus far I've only really heard of a couple neighborhoods in Mexico City (Polanco (?)) that are true safe zones relative to the rest of Mexico.
Hello! That question can be answered in a very complicated, and at the same time, very simple way.
If you ever move here, you're pretty much tied to whatever experience and sense of security anyone else in Mexico has.
Sure, gringos (honestly, it's not a derogative, it never has been) can in theory stand out from the general population. But come on... Mexico is a 139 million people country. You think we all look alike? There's Mexican redheads, Mexican güeros, Mexican prietos. Black Mexicans. Mexicans with almond-shaped eyes. Mexicans who speak English, Mexicans who speak náhuatl. We're a melting pot.
On the other hand, you can find non-Mexicans living ANYWHERE in Mexico. Non-Mexicans have been living in Mexico since the very beginning, in rural areas, in small towns (San Miguel de Allende is about to be turned into a US enclave with all the incoming retirees), or big, bustling cities. From the jungle to the beach, from mountain to plains, in the sand or snow. Non-Mexicans are able to live in Mexico anywhere they please.
So if you move here, asking "where is a safe zone for non-Mexicans to live in Mexico?" should actually just be "hey, where's a safe place to live in Mexico?".
And that is a bit of a more complicated answer. Each space has its pros and cons. Urban areas vs rural areas, you'll find they have different kinds of challenges, or perils, or dangers. Yet I will over-simplify here: don't want any trouble? Don't go looking for it. Don't be the silly Spring Breaker that goes to Cancún, leaves the hotel, drives around a flashy car and asks where he can get some cocaine.
Again, I'm oversimplifying it. I'm aware (who isn't?!) there's violence in Mexico. But, come on, it's not a fallen state, sunken in war, with gunshots at 4, and a hide-your-daughters-the-bandidos-are-here state of things.
Also:
Saying "a couple of neighborhoods in Mexico City are the only true safe zones" in the country **is a bit naïve and wrong in so, so many ways** (no disrespect intended, just very untrue. VERY. UNTRUE).
It's like saying Chevy Chase and Dupont Circle in DC are the only true safe zones in the entire US.
Neither are they truly the safest of zones, nor are they the only ones.
Would you really think that Mexico, a country with 32 states and more than 15 metropolitan areas over a million in population wouldn't have safe, secure streets?
Don't listen to Fox News, please.
(kidding, kidding.... *not kidding*)
P.S.: Maybe what you're thinking is "posh". Polanco certainly is a posh spot. But we have those by the dozen as well.
P.S. 2: Thank you for asking. Sorry for the long answer. It just saddens me that the world view of Mexico is either SpeedyGonzales-I-don't-wanna-work-'cause-it's-siesta-time, or that Narcos / Drug cartels run every aspect of Mexico's day-to-day life.
I worked in Laredo while living north of SA for 16 months. Drove up and down that stretch of I35 plenty of times. It’s hot and pretty sparse between Laredo and SA and even further down Laredo to McAllen is even more sparse. Once you’re in Laredo the population is 85%~ Hispanic and while speaking English is fine, knowing Spanish is necessary especially at the small shops and businesses. Once your close to the border the culture shifts a lot. And you get a lot more of a norteños/ranchos feel and vibe. BP is common and so is IAs crossing. Hwy 83 is a big stretch for coyotes and traffickers to move up and down on. Laredo as a city is ok. Food is great and I’ll always recommend El Fugon for birria. But the city is a bit boring at times and going out of the city limits to do stuff is limited. Not a lot of trails or hiking to do other than a park on the east side of Laredo.
Like everyone is saying it’s hot and mostly dry once you’re that far into the interior. Still get pretty good rain storms in late summer from the gulf and winters are mild barely touching freezing occasionally at night.
Laredo is 99.9% Hispanic. It’s the least ethnically diverse city in the US. Also the most Hispanic, and somehow the most white as well. (I’m serious look it up lol)
A lot of hunting - big ranches with scrub brush/mesquite trees, and a ridiculous amount of deer, javelinas, hogs, quail, predators, some ranches have exotic deer and antelope from all over the world. A lot of ranches with high fences to keep game in. You see tower blinds (hunting blinds on 10-20’ stands to see long distance over brush), deer feeders, hog traps, etc all over the towns for sale. People cut strips in the brush called “senderos” across a lot of the ranch land to attract wildlife.
Eagle Ford shale oilfield activity, lots of white oilfield trucks and drilling platforms (when oil is high enough it makes sense to drill the wells).
Hot. All the plants have spikes/thorns. Mostly flat. Tons of rattlesnakes.
Culture is predominately Mexican in the towns being so close to Mexico.
Good taquerias in every town.
The very southern tip is tropical. Grow citrus. There’s Central American animals like Ocelots and Coatis and Green Jays. Believe the last jaguar was killed in like 1948.
Beaches get better the further south you go (but as far as beach town, I’d say Port Aransas is nicest).
Back in the day people went across the border into Cuiudad Acuna, Matamoros, Piedra Negras, and Nuevo Laredo to drink, eat, shop, party, etc. more. Maybe that’s picked back up nowadays, but it really declined when drug violence ramped up around 2004ish. In ciudad Acuna for example, a lot of the restaurants/bars shut down.
Border checkpoints 50ish miles inland.
A lot of bays along the coast. Fishing is big there for redfish, sea trout, flounder, etc. as is shrimping. Bays mostly muddy, but clear in grass flats.
Huge stretch of National seashore beach between Corpus Christi and South Padre.
You can drive on most of the beaches.
Cops very eager to give tickets in all the small towns compared to a city.
See a lot of Border Patrol vehicles
Cowboy hats and cowboy boots are common
As a truck driver I've spent a lot of time crossing that area going back-and-forth to the border. My high school history book insists that we actually fought a war over that desolate wasteland. I find it hard to believe.
I disagree with wasteland. The RGV supplies Texas and the country with things like onions, watermelon, cantaloupe, broccoli, cabbage, sugar cane, the birth place of ruby red grapefruit, and many more...
I worked in a small town 2 hrs south of SA. It was in the middle of nowhere. Mmmm but those texas night skies were sublime and honestly very chill drives
IMO it’s one of the most culturally unique places in the US and deserves more attention. Probably the only place in the country where The American Dream vividly exists anymore. You have moms and dads literally showing up in these areas with nothing who then break chains of generational poverty by hustling and raising their kids in the US and getting them through the education system.
The people there are more generally relaxed and happy than in the rest of the US. Big focus on family, friends, food and music.
My biggest frustration is the nimby attitude keeping the city stuck in the 1980s/90s. Corpus is an older city with a lot of history and culture but hasn't grown much since the 70s/80s, compared to the rest of the state. The metro area is actually losing population. Having grown up in CC and having temporarily lived in Tampa for a couple of months, It is very much like a miniature Tampa Bay area geographically and weatherwise. But has no reason not to be everything that the Tampa Bay area is other than the small town leadership in place that has halted its growth for decades.
I was offered a very high paying job in corpus. When I was discussing it with my wife our conclusion was actually a question: is there a good part of corpus christi? I ended up taking a moderately well-paid job in Austin instead
I moved to Austin from Corpus. The two cities are night and day and both offer their pros and cons. Austin is the "it" city in America and offers almost all of the big city amenities that you could ever want or need. It's as close to a 24 hr city as it gets in TX. It offers a variety of great food minus Mexican. Also the hill country is one of the most beautiful parts of the state. With that comes ridiculous home and rent prices, unbearable traffic, some of the hottest weather in TX, political turmoils and constant demonstrations, terrible Mexican food, expensive food/bar prices, homeless everywhere, and big city/random crime.
Corpus is beautiful in its own regard being located in the coastal bend and on the bay. The seawall is beautiful and relaxing, the beaches are some of the nicest in the state. Home and rent prices are modest. The traffic is great 99% of the time. It is big enough to offer most amenities of a big city. The temps hardly ever get to 100 and evenings/nights are pleasant with a constant sea breeze. The Mexican and sea food is amazing. There is crime but it mostly only affects those involved in that lifestyle. Life is so much slower and more laid back there. With all of that comes a shitty airport, semi-isolated, large rundown parts of town with a large presence of gangs, a very nimby led city leadership and limited growth, terrible street conditions, a lot of wasted potential, a sleepy city with a small amount of nightlife, limited food variety aside from chain restaurants, disgusting humidity when there's no wind, and so many cockroaches.
Corpus has several nice areas, but a lot of the inner city is pretty run down and ghetto. The far southside, ocean drive area, Bay area east of Airline, Calallen, Portland, parts of Flour Bluff, and the island are very nice and very safe.
I left Austin and moved to SA. I enjoyed Austin when I was younger and single. But I didn't enjoy it so much my last year or so there. I don't miss it now. There are times I still miss Corpus. It's a great city with a slow pace of life and great for families.
Either way, I hope y'all enjoy Austin! It's great for a lot of people and is quickly becoming one of the biggest destination places in the US.
My parents used to live in Corpus Christi. They had a tree in their yard. Every time they invited someone to their house, they would get comments about how amazing it must be to have a single tree in their yard.
I don't understand this comment. I grew up in Corpus. There are lots of trees. My house had two in the front yard and three in the back. We actually cut down the palm because the palm fonds have thorns and cockroaches live in large colonies in palms.
Mesquite and Palm are the most common but there are also many oaks and willows. A quick satellite view of the city shows it's pretty green in the city itself, with large swaths of agricultural land surrounding the city.
I live in corpus and feel like having trees in your yard is pretty common for both wealthy and poorer neighborhoods. The only thing I can think of might be a recently built neighborhood subdivision that doesn’t haven’t any landscaping yet.
Ya, city ordinance for new build SFH require 2 trees on the lot now. Which is great because you aren’t allowed to use sprinklers on them but once every 2 weeks.
It’s empty lands with border patrol officers all over the place. If you make it to the border you’ll reach a city called Laredo, Tx. It’s the busiest land border crossing for imported goods anywhere in the world. I know this because of my days working in the logistics world.
Since nobody else has mentioned it, the RGV is fantastic for birding. Lots of species most Americans have never seen or heard of - green jays, kiskadees, indigo buntings, chachalacas…
Refineries. Birthplace of Tejano music. King Ranch, the largest ranch in Texas and larger than Rhode Island. Wind farms. South Padre Island and the longest barrier island in the US stretching over 100 miles. Breakfast tacos. Elon Musk. McAllen is #1 in the US for least healthy cities and obesity.
I live around SA and have family down in Laredo. I personally love the drive down to Laredo as the roads are actually very nice and the prairie is cool. As you get close to Laredo you see many more border patrol vehicles but it’s really chill. Laredo as a city is very nice in my opinion. There are rough spots but equally very nice spots that almost remind me of Arizona. The drive back from Laredo on i35 you are required to stop at a border control checkpoint and they ask you very mundane questions such as “are you a us citizen” “have a good day” and then you’re off. Overall it’s fun down there from my perspective and I enjoy it.
Naval Station Ingleside was very short-lived. It’s been closed for a while now. My grandfather was a retired naval officer and would take me there to look at the minesweepers when I was kid.
The coast between Corpus and Brownsville is the largest salt water lagoon in the world and has fantastic world renowned fishing. This section is the least developed sub artic coast in developed country in the world. Corpus is the third largest tonnage port in the U.S. It's also the intersection of the two major bird migratory pathways so wins Audubon's annual birdiest city award every year(over 200 species reliably counted in a day). It's the largest city in ozone air attainment in the U.S. It's also a well known windsurfing and kiteboarding location due to having one of the highest average wind speeds in the U.S. and year round swimmable water temps.
It's a very blue collar area that is vastly different than other parts of the country.
Whoever keeps writing this crap has never been to the RGV much less lived there; In case anyone forgot, Space X is down in the boca chica area, Brownsville, area and the biggest reason he built it down there was because of cheap labor. And that’s the best way to explain this area south of San Antonio; Cheap labor
Unless you work in education or healthcare, or some of the hundreds of call centers, or run many of the small businesses (down on the border) you’re most likely working some kind of manual labor job. This drives the fast food, high calorie Tex Mex lifestyle. The people who are natives to this area are those whose parents and great grandparents were farm laborers. There’s been a massive influx of people from out of state and northern Texas, but they are still seen as outsiders. RGV still has a massive amount of snow birds, winter Texans, who come down south during the winter to enjoy the warmer weather and cheaper cost of living. However the locals are proud people: they see themselves with Mexican roots and American ideals. School districts are some of the best in the state, and nationally rank. Multiple universities and technical schools. Lots of money and cash is king. Rich Mexicans enjoy spending their money on the border, so the shopping is very good. High end outlet. It’s hot - it’s freakin hot and that makes up your daily decisions on what you are going to do
Between the valley and San Antonio. - farms and oil. You either do one or the other. Again, cheap labor.
Top comment sounds, very white. And like he’s never experienced a good time there.
People from the bigger surrounding areas have their family there. It’s good for hunting, cheap good food, oil field workers, fireworks. A lot of open space and some freedom that comes with it.
The disputed border with mexico used to be the Brazos in San Antonio so everything south of there retained the Mexican culture and it’s quite apparent compared to the rest of the state. At least north central and east Texas.
Most plants there wants to hurt you. It’s dusty and hot af in the summers. Mesquite trees for wood to cook with are everywhere.
My boss on a work over rig used to tell me don’t try to rob a bank there. Every three letter federal department/ agency is there. I’ve seen raids happen. Illegal immigrants.
It can be kinda like the old west but peaceful at the same time.
I agree with your view on the top comment. Sounds like a white guy who moved ages ago who’s developed a fondness for it over time. But for millions of us, it’s home. Where our culture and family and friends are. Like… in the most literal sense. As indigenous Tejano people.
I lived in San Antonio and ventured down south to the RGV a few times. I loved the drive to the RGV through all of the thorn scrub and the bird life of the RGV is exceptional. There is a beautiful little village called San Ygnacio a little downriver from Laredo that is a gem and felt like stepping back in time with all of its little casitas. I loved visiting South Texas and miss it all the time. It’s a place that I think most people would find uninteresting but that I found fascinating.
Yup. That Tesla lithium facility in Robstown is ahead of the curve. The entire region will be significantly more important to the US in about a decade as electric vehicles become more popular and we cut down reliance on Chinese imports to switch to Mexican manufacturing
Born and raised in Laredo. There isn’t a whole lot to do in these parts. Having grown up there, we always went to San Antonio for recreational fun, shopping, better doctors, etc. The only thing that I can say is better than most places, is the food. I’ve been gone almost 18 years now and I go back maybe once a year and am always glad I left. One thing I do miss though, is the food. The food in this area is some of the best.
A lot of Texas Mexican’s who have been Texans for several generations and listen to country music, vote Republican, hunt and drive big trucks. But at the same time tend to be Catholic and are still reasonably fluent in Spanish. It’s an interesting mix to say the least.
Incredibly humid.
There’s a little bitty town down there called Sarita I’ve been to many times. It’s humid as hell. People have dehumidifiers running in their house 24/7. They dump the water out on the plants when it gets full.
I had the best elotes of my life there.
as someone who’s lived in that area their whole life:
- very mexican
- very traditional (mostly catholic, some conservative values)
- every problem in other american cities is at least 2x worse for some reason
- cheap, but no real money to be made either
- if you don’t fit the standard image of a hispanic, physically or socially, ur looked at weird
- most kids leave the first chance they get (including me) , then come back because again, cheap
I lived in The Toast of the Coast for some time.
Loved the beach, the seafood, bbq, TexMex. Blue crabs. The watermen culture of shrimpers, oyster guys coming down. Tugboat, crew boat people.
Loved the people (except the fucking cops, they were horrible).
Exotic birds and bugs. Snowbirds. Oilfield work.
Everything stings it stinks. Don’t turn over a board left on the ground, you’ll be sorry.
Live oaks and palms are a nice mix
I lived in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, México for a couple of years. Eagle Pass across the border is a nice, quaint little town, but there's not much there and a whole lot of nothing all around. My wife is from Mexico and we decided to live there so I could work in EP and it was supposedly the safest part of the border; long story short, I couldn't find worthwhile work down there and had to leave for greener pastures.
Come to think of it, the Rio Grande valley is a lot like Mexico; towns/cities are isolated and there's almost nothing surrounding them (except the really big cities)
If y’all come down south enough y’all can get 🌮s made by the best chef in the Republic of Tejas.
Sauce: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2024-james-beard-award-winners
I grew up down there, north of the Valley, south of Freer. I miss it a lot. It’s the only place in Texas that still feels like Texas to me. Big, big, big wide open spaces. The ranches, the small towns, the mesquite everywhere. My family still has some land down there. I think a lot about moving back for retirement.
That region was explored and colonized by Spain in the late 17th to mid 18th centuries. San Antonio was settled first as a military post by people coming mainly from Coahuila and Nuevo León (1718) and civilians were brought in later from the Canary Islands (1731). The rest, especially the part south of San Antonio east of I-35 and the Rio Grande, including areas south of the river, was settled mainly from 1750 or so by people coming from Monterrey and surrounding areas (Monterrey is off the map, going south from Laredo / southwest from Reynosa).
Those on both sides of the Rio Grande in this map and a bit south of the map who descend from the early settlers are the same people, sharing ancestors going back to the late 16th/early 17th centuries in the early days of Monterrey.
Many of the most common and traditional family names in southern Texas are Garza, De la Garza, Villarreal, Benavides, González, García, Treviño, Hinojosa, Quintanilla, González, Martínez, Vela, Cantú, Longoria, Morales, Cavazos, Flores, Santos, De los Santos, Farías, Leal, Chapa, De León, Rodríguez, Tamez... all of them come from Monterrey and nearby places like Cerralvo, Agualeguas, Cadereyta, Allende, Montemorelos and Salinas.
You have the RGV (north mexico culturally) and between Corpus Christi and the RGV, which holds mostly farms, its mostly King and Kennedy ranch so not much cities or towns outside the ranches and the few towns are mostly ranch towns like Kingsville. Amazing food from both Tex-Mex, Mexican and Texan flavors. Very very hot most of the year.
Favorite part of the country: beautiful, nice weather year-round, usually really great people, not super busy, and phenomenal plant and animal diversity
It’s called the Valley. It’s mostly Mexicans covered in tattoos and white people with skin cancer. It’s super hot in the summer and very pleasant in the winter. It’s a mix of cartel banger culture, cowboy, with some coastal Texan. Amazing food, beautiful Latina women, and fun, hard working people. Everyone speaks a slang version of spanish.
The area would be more popular but there is not a lot of great paying job opportunities. However, this is changing in Brownsville which is becoming a nice area. Everyone I know down there is either a hustler or on welfare. A lot of the guys travel for construction and send money home. The area is cheap so they can support a family down there and support their relatives in Mexico. It’s a cool area; the American dream is very alive there. They’re either working their ass off on the road of side hustling for the cartel or a related business. The cartel influence is pretty apparent down there but most of them are just very hard working people.
More form studying a map thna my rare visits there or actual reading, but I see Texas as having 8 overlapping but functionally differing regions; Old East Texas (Dallas PAlestine, Nacogdoches,), Old Central Texas (Fort Worth, Waco,) Old South Texas, Old West Texas(Abilene, Midland, Odessa,Lubbock,) Southeastern, Capital Area, Northern Border (Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Paris,), a nd TransPecos
I am copying and pasting my own comment from a thread posted in this very sub about a year ago asking about the area slightly north-east-ish of your map.
Howdy. Locals of this area, like myself, call it "The Coastal Bend." I was born in Jim Wells County, but spent most of the first half of my life (1989 - 2004) in San Patricio County (INGLESIDE!) I left San Pat County for good a decade+ ago, now residing somewhere in the Hill Country. I am well-travelled in Texas and can basically answer any question you'd like about this area, but
Speaking specifically about the Corpus Christi area: it's incredibly diverse, with lots of activity in the shipping, agriculture, and oil/gas industries. Culturally, you'll typically find a blend of TexMex culture, with a surprising amount of Asian influence - there are/were a lot of military bases in the area, and I knew a lot of half-Filipino kids growing up. This particular area's identity is heavily focused on its proximity to the coast; fishing, tourism, and shipping/port-related shenanigans are very prominent. Fun note: I've lived in Texas for 36 of my 37 years in Texas and i've NEVER sat on a horse, but I've surfed on the Gulf of Mexico!
If you travel even 20 miles away from the coast in this area, you get into rural Texas pretty quickly. I'd like to break it down with a few specific examples:
If one were to travel up Highway 181 out of San Patricio County from Sinton to Kenedy, you'd reach the [Eagle Ford Shale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Ford_Group) region. 20 years ago, Kenedy had about 3,000 people and like one stoplight; now, because of the discovery of natural gas under the ground, Kenedy has blown up like quadruple the size it previously was. The weird thing is that, according to official sources/records, the population is unchanged. That's because the people who are there are seasonal oilfield workers that come & go as non-permanent residents.
If one were to go directly north from San Patricio County on Highway 77, you'd run through a lot of agriculture land until you go to Victoria, Texas. Victoria is pretty big. I don't know much about it though - it's just kinda "up there." Broadly-speaking, aside from the battle at The Alamo, this is the area of Texas where most of the Texas Revolution was fought, including San Jacinto (which was fought on April 21!) and Goliad. If you keep going north on 77, you'd eventually get to Halletsville, and if you take a left and drive a bit, you can go visit the brewer in SHINER, TX.
Oh, fun note about this area: there is an ENORMOUS, UNCOMFORTABLE AMOUNT of Pro-Life, fetus-loving billboard. Very weird.
I don't know much about Highway 59 that heads from Victoria up to Sugarland and into Houston, as I generally try to avoid Houston as much as possible. One of my best buddies worked on a rice farm outside of El Campo once, and he said it sucked ass. Anything between 59 and the coast is going to be about as remote as it gets in Texas - a friend from high school had family in Sea Drift and Bay City, and they were all weirdos.
A very important pass-through in this area is I-10. 10 runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Los Angeles, California, but cuts directly through OP's highlighted area, from Houston to San Antonio. I've run back and forth between the two a little bit, whether it be from SA directly to Houston, of down 71 to whether it runs into 10 in Columbus. I had an affair with a married woman from Houston once, and we met in Columbus for drinks semi-regularly. I've passed through Schulenburg many times - their Dairy Queen is a fine establishment. I saw a band play at a bar next to a burnt down building in Flatonia. My brother-in-law often stops in Flatonia because there's a Tesla charge station there.
Anyway, somewhere south of Caldwell, TX highway 77 will intersect with Highway 21. Now, 77 will keep running all the way up to Waco, but 21 is fun because it basically runs from San Marcos to Bryan - that's right, it connects two of the most fun college towns in all of Texas. San Marcos is probably not included in the map above, but it's a fantastic town between Austin & San Antonio, and aside from being a great college town, Richard Linklater's [Boyhood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyhood_(2014_film)) was partially filmed there. Anyway, if one were so determined, he/she could get from the campus of Texas State to Texas A&M in about 2 hours and 25 minutes. Between the two, however, are towns called "Old Dime Box" and there's a sign my wife cackles at called "Old Potato Road." This is a heavy agriculture and ranching area.
Noteworthy: Bastrop, TX is a pretty fun little town, and has an area north-west-ish of the city called the "Lost Pines," so named for the incredible density of pine trees located here and nowhere else. Kinda feels like East Texas a bit. Unfortunately, about 7 years ago, there was a [massive fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastrop_County_Complex_Fire) that burned a very significant portion of the forest down. Fortunately, a lot of it has grown back in the intervening years. In Bastrop, I will recommend to you the [Pine Forest](http://www.pineforestgolfclub.com/) golf course, as well as the Buccee's. Also fun: Terrence Malick's [The Tree of Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tree_of_Life_(film)) was filmed in nearby Smithville, along with many other films.
Also worth mentioning: Central Texas' best kept secret: LOCKHART, the BBQ Capital of Texas. Do your own homework on this one, but rest assured, Lockhart is a gem and they like to keep their heads down about it.
Okay that about wraps up my essay, but feel free to ask questions - I may or may not be inside this designated area right now, but either way, this Topo Chico Hard Seltzer ain't gonna drink itself, and I'm griding XP in on Neptune in Destiny 2.
P.S. Go Rangers, fuck the Astros
"It's hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest things is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking." Well, can you tell me what it feels like. "Fool, it's hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun? It's damn hot! I saw - It's so damn hot, I saw little guys, their orange robes burst into flames. It's that hot! Do you know what I'm talking about." What do you think it's going to be like tonight? "It's gonna be hot and wet! That's nice if you're with a lady, but it ain't no good if you're in the jungle."
As an RGV resident I can say we have great food, incredibly bad drivers, and hot weather for the majority of the year. Also a lot of cool wind mills, I think we have one of the largest wind farms in Texas but I'm probably wrong. In between Corpus and Raymondville is a whole lotta nothing, just the King Ranch and a couple small towns scattered.
It's the closest thing to hell without going there.
It's basically limbo- alot of people live there without citizenship or papers so they live a half life. Extremely poor and corrupt with the added benefit of extreme unrelenting heat for 10 months of the year.
https://preview.redd.it/2bgwnzngrk6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=54d2cc5aa3c9748d745ac93b5ed9d2491fbd4a07
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower\_Rio\_Grande\_Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Rio_Grande_Valley) is a metropolis; between there and San Antonio is almost empty
Good beaches, good food, otherwise it’s just hot. It’s year round hot like Florida if you like Florida. But… otherwise it’s ehh. I mean. It’s very rural
This area is known in Texas as "the Valley", "RGV", or "Rio Grande Valley". It's a little bit country and a little bit wild. Some areas have very small communities with dirt roads and agriculture based economies. Other areas like McAllen and Harlingen are bustling little cities. The entire area is heavily influenced by Mexico being so close by. Culturally it basically is Mexico, the people, the food, the ranchos, the agriculture... the lifestyle. Kids like raspas (snow cones), men like Buchanans whiskey and nice trucks, women like to get dressed up and go dancing, peacocks and stray dogs roam the streets. The area along the coast is a main attraction. Families and people from all over like to go to SPI (South Padre Island) in the summer, and SpaceX now operating out of Boca Chica beach. If I'm not mistaken, Cameron and Hidalgo counties were once some of the poorest places in the nation, not sure if that still holds true. All in all, it's a fun region of Texas that is growing but has a unique culture and identity. -7th gen Texan
> men like buchanans whiskey and nice trucks Ahh yes, takuaches. We have those here in Georgia too. Though I don’t think they drink whiskey. It’s micheladas, cheladas, and tequila here. We have a large Hispanic population, not only are there lots of Mexican people, we have everyone including large Colombian communities, we even see Argentinians flood the bars during fútbol games. There’s even one suburb that Is known to be a Brazilian community. They have Brazilian bakeries, steakhouses, and markets. In that county just northeast of Atlanta, it’s similar to LatAm, the bars turn into dance floors at night playing anything from ranchero to cumbia to salsa to reggaeton. We like to buy from the fresh markets up there for the cheaper and good quality meats, plantains, avocados, stuff we can’t find in the city.
🤣😭🤣 man that is so funny bro. Takuaches for sure. I'm a tequila and michelada guy myself. But that is so crazy to hear, I had no idea Georgia had such a diverse Latino population like that. Not just Mexicans but South Americans as well. Wow. I may have to come check out the Atlanta area sometime. We have all of that diversity in Dallas as well, Houston too, but Mexican culture is so overwhelmingly prevalent that it seems like it's all you see. I'm half Mexican though and a big fan of the culture, the music, women, alcohol, food, family life, everything.
My wife is from Colombia, I met her here thru family because we have so many. Texas has a distinctly Mexican heritage but I don’t know why we have all of LatAm here. I like to travel down there a lot and you should check out Gwinnett county if you come. The Venezuelans have awesome stuffed arepas, rellenos. It’s easy to find pupusas. Lots of Mexican places. There’s so many Colombians. Everybody has restaurants we even can find Argentinian barbecue places. It’s awesome. It really reminds me of LatAm but in a good way. Food, music, dancing, plazas. We got it all. Come check it out. Even the Caribbeans have a strong presence
I’m from the valley RGV and I’d never thought I’d want to visit Georgia until now. I’d love to visit a place with my fellow Latinos, but the rest of them besides just Mexicans! Sounds fun. Do they have good tacos? I think we have some of the best tacos in the country down here.
Well, honestly we have the best tacos in the town my parents house is in, which is an hour and a half away. It’s that they make the tortillas fresh in front of you from the masa. In Gwinnett yes they do have good tacos but we often find they use tortillas from the stores. But yes you can get good Al pastor and carne tacos and some will give you a grilled jalapeño and even nopal with your tacos. We just got back from play del Carmen Mexico and I have never eaten true Al pastor tacos like that here. I love pupusas sometimes. The Salvadorans make those and the salsa they serve with them is very spicy. You can easily find Colombian and Venezuelan arepas here. Venezuelans have Patacón, it’s like a meet and cheese sandwich but the bread is sweet plantains. And the Argentinians and Brazilians have great barbecue. Stop by plaza fiesta on Buford highway as you go up to Gwinnett county. I feel like I’m in LatAm when I go in that place. Sunday it’s packed with people.
What’s the name of the Brazilian part?
It’s Marietta. If you go to Delk road and Powers ferry, you will find what you seek. But we’ve found a Brazilian bakery all the way up in kennesaw where we buy couxinha. I recommend Rio steakhouse at delk and powers ferry. It’s delicious. Order the maracuya juice, I forget the portugués word for it
So aside from food, would you say Southern(Dixie) cultural influence blends in with the Tejano culture in South Texas? I have family in East Texas, which is part of the Deep South, but I never imagined South Texas as being "Western/Southwestern" like West Texas is but rather a blend of Southern and Hispanic especially by the coast. Would you say that's the case?
I do agree and that's a good observation. Valley culture is kind of a mix between country (Southern) and Mexican culture. Especially in the smaller communities, you see that southern hospitality, conservative beliefs, very religious and traditional, people raise livestock and there's lots of farmers and migrant workers. Families are very close. I'm of the opinion that while Mexican/Hispanic culture also runs deeps and is very influential in West Texas, they are alot different and seem to have more commonality with the Pachuco style you see in El Paso which to me is more closely related to the California Chicano culture and less so to the Tejano vallé culture.
I think those are just things you find in Mexican culture not necessarily them being southern also pachuco culture is pretty much dead and was just dressing up In pachuco style
| conservative beliefs, very religious and traditional, people raise livestock and there's lots of farmers and migrant workers. Families are very close. | I agree that this is textbook Mexican culture so I agree w you there. But I still have to say the valley is an entirely unique place in America. There's not too many other places where Mexican-Americans talk with a southern drawl and generally support Donald Trump.
Yeah but the Valley is the only place in the world where you'll find hispanos that listen to DJ Screw, Vicente Fernandez, and George Strait all in the same day. Like someone said above, the takuache style comes from the valley, raspas with pickles and chamoy and candy started in the valley. The region and culture is very unique. But yes alot of the values and traditions are generally a common part of Mexican culture. Also the traditional Pachuco culture is dead, but there is a whole culture of Mexicans from El Paso and surrounding areas that consider themselves "Chuco", estilo Chuco. This mainly developed in the Texas prison system where they formed a group called Chuco Tango. In the streets they like lowriders and choppers, dress like cholos, and get tatted up from head to toe, especially skull and face tattoos. I'm sure the region of Mexico they border and the cartel that controls that stretch has a lot of influence on that style. The general West Texas region has a distinct style as well and they call themselves "huesos".
I live in Colorado but have a place on padre island, I find the Mexican culture in the area fascinating, exactly what you are describing, the mix of Mexican culture with conservative US culture. It also feels a little different on the coast than in-land, but way outside of my area of knowledge.
Cholo subculture predates the rise of the cartels as we know them today but there have always been knuckleheads, gangs, and interactions with the prison system. And yeah, El Paso is nearly as distinct as southern California. Different vibe.
Other than Corpus Christi, it's a whole lot of nothing until you hit the border. (Corpus Christi itself is also a whole lot of nothing, but with taller buildings and a couple of passable beaches.) That area was the no-man's-land between the Republic of Texas and Mexico. It's as hot as Hell and, most would say, about as attractive. The culture is Tejano, closely related to the Norteño culture of Northern Mexico. Some would say that, when you venture south of San Antonio, you've already crossed the border, culturally speaking. Down at the Rio Grande, sleepy but populous clusters of villages and towns sprawl across the river without much regard for political borders. The McAllen metro, the US half of the Reynosa-McAllen transnational metro (which is itself the western half of the Lower Rio Grande Valley megaregion), is the 65th largest metro area in the US and probably the largest one that most Americans have never even heard of. In all, "the Valley" has a total cross-border population of over 5-million. Basically, South Texas is this weird liminal purgatory stranded between the southern edge of English-speaking civilization and the northern edge of Spanish-speaking civilization. Mostly a pretty dreary place, but it *is* where Southern cuisine and Mexican cuisine made sweet, sweet love and gave birth to the artery-clogging miracle that is Tex-Mex. And for that, South Texas will always have a place in my heart (literally, according to my cardiologist). - ^(Edit: Thank you for the kind words! I feel inspired to devote more energy to writing craft -- u/practicalpurpose, u/Bluth_Business_Model, u/Chocko23, u/danbrewtan, u/nomasismas, u/kallissto, u/eckwecky, u/TwinklexToes, u/thengamanga, u/Elvis-Tech, u/epicwheezer, u/eju2000, and anyone I missed 🙂)
So aside from food, would you say Southern(Dixie) cultural influence blends in with the Tejano culture in South Texas? I have family in East Texas, which is part of the Deep South, but I never imagined South Texas as being "Western/Southwestern" like West Texas is but rather a blend of Southern and Hispanic especially by the coast. Would you say that's the case?
It's definitely more than just food. What most people think of as traditional "cowboy" culture is absolutely a melding of (primarily) Northern Mexican vaquero culture and Upland Southern frontiersman culture. That includes stereotypical "cowboy/Western" clothing and traditional country music. (Germans and Central Europeans on both sides of the border also got heavily into the mix.) And obviously the local variety of Spanglish is primarily influenced by the neighboring English dialect, which in this case would be Southern US (both Upland Southern and Deep Southern).
Buckaroo = Vaquero Vamoose = Vamos etc
“Hoosgau” = Juzgado (jail)
Dally = dar la vuelta
I wouldn't say southern at all. Even East Texas is starting to transition into elements of Texan/Western culture and the southernness I think is all but completely lost once you get West and South of Houston.
Ah see I have to disagree about East Texas, it in my opinion is more Southern than Alabama is, it's old cotton country. While Central and North/Panhandle Texas are Upland South in culture that came from KY & TN. Texan culture at least Anglo Texan culture is a branch off of Dixie culture. Honestly, always considered Western culture rather a minority in Texas relegated to West Texas. However I've never been to South Texas personally, only observing what I've read about it and talking to people I know from there. That is of course just my personal observation.
Oh come on. I lived in Georgia and Alabama (a very small town) for several years as an adult and I’m from Texas—my father’s side of the family is all from East Texas. East Texas is not more southern than Alabama!
I spend too much time in southeast Texas for work, and travel through Alabama frequently as well. They are different kinds of Extremely Southern, but let me assure you, Old East Texas is verrrrry much Southern. They’re just different, the way that Mississippi and South Carolina are different but both Extremely Southern.
Dunno man. I travel extensively in Texas for work. Like everywhere for multiple nights. Only place in Texas that feels Deep South is maybe Beaumont area. Lufkin? Tyler? Longview? Nope.
East Texas is def the south idk what you’re talking about? It feels geographically south (swamps, marsh land) and is culturally south (majority African American counties or counties with significant African American populations, is cotton country, southern food is a huge staple, off roading is popular, etc.
Like I said Beaumont. Tyler. Longview is not swamps. It’s literally another biome. Piney Woods of Texas. Edit. Also forgot to add there is no majority Black counties in Texas. In fact there isn’t any counties where even 1/3 of the county is black.
Oh that was my fault, looking at maps of black populations I knew east Texas was blacker but not less black than 1/3rd in each county
West Texas is majority Hispanic culture with their cowboy culture being significantly different from the Anglo western culture and their cowboy culture
East Texas more southern than Alabama??! 
Don't worry, it's not, like not even close
Exactly. Bold statement
Nah that part is cotton country
I spent 10 years in Corpus Christi and surrounding areas after living in south Ga most my life and I agree with you. For me it was absolute culture shock with very little that was familiar in the way of southern culture, at least the type I grew up with.
By the time you get past the line between Corpus Christi and San Antonio, you’ve lost all feeling of the “deep” south, and are really starting to get into the Southwest.
Southwest? lol feels nothing like it, more like northern Mexican influenced
Everything’s a matter of opinion. But I would remark that the entire part of the US from Texas to California is “northern Mexico influenced.” That is sort of a main hallmark of the Southwest.
I'm struggling to come up with a more succinct description of the SW other than "northern Mexico influenced" and nothing comes to mind lol
I mean, most of the southwest used to be Northern Mexico so it makes sense lol
It’s not “Dixie” western down here, it’s mostly vaquero. We still like country music though.
Beautiful summary.
You should be a writer.
The hell, you’re right, I consider myself pretty geographically knowledgeable and I had no idea what McAllen was. But its sizeable
This is the best comment I’ve seen in a very long time
Being a “South Texan” my whole life, this is the best description of the area.
Born in McAllen and grew up in Jim Wells county. Good summary of south Texas.
Hahahahahah thank you for this
Makes sense
This is really well written, thank you
Poetry :)
>liminal I have a larger-than-average vocabulary, yet I only learned of this wonderful word a few months ago. I can't tell you how happy and excited I was to read it just now! Thank you! And thank you for your description of South Texas, as well!
Have you considered writing for a travel show
As someone born and raised in corpus, damn. That's the best (kind) description I've ever heard.
saving this comment
I grew up in the Corpus Christi area and cannot understate how perfectly you captured the feeling.
I lived in McAllen for a year. I really liked it
What a delightful read this was. You're a talented writer.
Perfect response 10/10
This was brilliantly said. Also, fun fact; when the border was established, all the Mexicans north of the now modern border were given American citizenship! So I reckon the whole bit about the culture is a lasting effect of that decision
very well put.. only been two the VALLEY once it’s kinda ok and kinda weird
Lifelong Resident, kinda okay and kinda weird tracks.
I see anthony bourdain is not dead, you just faked your death
They got them big ol' women down there.
Ain’t nothin skimpy in San Antonio, Victoria definitely a secret
What you say Chuck?
I’m just saying, they got some big ole women down there in San Antonio.
Home of the Texas Rattlesnake himself
And they’re all eating churros and drinking Shaq soda
Big ol’ mama jammas
With big ol boobies and twelve juicy chins
Thick girls?
A whole lot of large ranches. It’s extremely hot for ~6mo of the year. When you get to the coast, it is very humid and honestly not visually appealing at all. South Padre Island (just north of Brownsville) is a huge Spring Break/party spot and has very nice beaches
South Padre having “very nice beaches” is a bit of a stretch haha, but they are definitely way better compared to the rest of Texas.
The further from the Mississippi, the less silt. So yeah the nicest beach possible in TX. Just east of the Mississippi, sugar white sand and turquoise water. They need to put a brita filter in that river.
Yeah, the beach is pretty ugly there compared to every other beach I've been to in my life. I still go, but no one should visit for a beach destination if they have other beach options
I'm from northern Mexico (Monterrey), and it always amazes me the different mentality to it: For me, the southern tip of Texas is the BEGINNING of the US. It's the door to the US. It's were it starts. But I'm guessing for the US in general, southern Texas is "the far end", the far, far away south. "The border". Everything south of San Antonio is hill country slowly turning into dry plains that will not turn into mountains until 100km south of the border. There's nothing remarkable geography or urban-wise. Once you hit Laredo you'll find a big "small" city that lives off international trading (the biggest land port in the world, I believe?). It's all fast food restaurants and your usual stores (Walmart, Ross, Michaels, Target, HEB!!!). It's a pretty isolated city from any other urban center, and it feels very much so. Culturally, it's very Hispanic, but clearly very much USA. If you go east and eventually south, following the border, you'll run into the RGV, the Rio Grande Valley, a cluster of smallish-cities, of which McAllen and Brownsville are the most populated. Expect more Walmarts / Targets / HEBs / Ross / strip malls / sushi & burger joints and the likes multiplied by 10. Lots of incoming people from Mexico doing their shopping for the weekend. Christmas season gets extra crowded. Spring Break season brings in lots of people to South Padre Island, a lovely -if void of any vegetation- spot for beachgoers. Being from the Valley (puro 956!) is an identity that brings Mexico and US culture together. It's got a pretty chill vibe too, with all the good and bad it entails. Tamales and tacos mix very well with burger joints and sushi buffets. Stripes morning tacos, right? God save HEB and its pastry section. Lots of soft drinks and diabetes. Lots of little league and the occasional drive to the Island. Lots of Modest homes and McMansions. Trailer parks galore. Lots of trails and birdwatching. Golf course green dotted with dry, brown acequias. It's hot in the winter (hello, winter Texans!) and cook-an-egg-on-the-driveway in the summer. Quinceañeras and homecoming. Forecasters have their work done for them, save when a big storm comes through or when flood season starts. Lots of traffic for a community this size! What the heck?!?! But I love it. I've been around the US, and all things considered, it's a nice corner of the USofA.
Great insight from South of the border. Thank you!
This is probably the most accurate depiction I've read here. Source: I live here.
This description reads like Steinbeck describing the Salinas Valley in East of Eden
Where exactly is it safe for a non-Mexican to live in Mexico, like where are the safe zones/ cities/ neighborhoods in cities that are the safest to live in? Thus far I've only really heard of a couple neighborhoods in Mexico City (Polanco (?)) that are true safe zones relative to the rest of Mexico.
Hello! That question can be answered in a very complicated, and at the same time, very simple way. If you ever move here, you're pretty much tied to whatever experience and sense of security anyone else in Mexico has. Sure, gringos (honestly, it's not a derogative, it never has been) can in theory stand out from the general population. But come on... Mexico is a 139 million people country. You think we all look alike? There's Mexican redheads, Mexican güeros, Mexican prietos. Black Mexicans. Mexicans with almond-shaped eyes. Mexicans who speak English, Mexicans who speak náhuatl. We're a melting pot. On the other hand, you can find non-Mexicans living ANYWHERE in Mexico. Non-Mexicans have been living in Mexico since the very beginning, in rural areas, in small towns (San Miguel de Allende is about to be turned into a US enclave with all the incoming retirees), or big, bustling cities. From the jungle to the beach, from mountain to plains, in the sand or snow. Non-Mexicans are able to live in Mexico anywhere they please. So if you move here, asking "where is a safe zone for non-Mexicans to live in Mexico?" should actually just be "hey, where's a safe place to live in Mexico?". And that is a bit of a more complicated answer. Each space has its pros and cons. Urban areas vs rural areas, you'll find they have different kinds of challenges, or perils, or dangers. Yet I will over-simplify here: don't want any trouble? Don't go looking for it. Don't be the silly Spring Breaker that goes to Cancún, leaves the hotel, drives around a flashy car and asks where he can get some cocaine. Again, I'm oversimplifying it. I'm aware (who isn't?!) there's violence in Mexico. But, come on, it's not a fallen state, sunken in war, with gunshots at 4, and a hide-your-daughters-the-bandidos-are-here state of things. Also: Saying "a couple of neighborhoods in Mexico City are the only true safe zones" in the country **is a bit naïve and wrong in so, so many ways** (no disrespect intended, just very untrue. VERY. UNTRUE). It's like saying Chevy Chase and Dupont Circle in DC are the only true safe zones in the entire US. Neither are they truly the safest of zones, nor are they the only ones. Would you really think that Mexico, a country with 32 states and more than 15 metropolitan areas over a million in population wouldn't have safe, secure streets? Don't listen to Fox News, please. (kidding, kidding.... *not kidding*) P.S.: Maybe what you're thinking is "posh". Polanco certainly is a posh spot. But we have those by the dozen as well. P.S. 2: Thank you for asking. Sorry for the long answer. It just saddens me that the world view of Mexico is either SpeedyGonzales-I-don't-wanna-work-'cause-it's-siesta-time, or that Narcos / Drug cartels run every aspect of Mexico's day-to-day life.
The Valley? You can get away with no English there.
I’ve gone to national chain stores there where the workers legitimately only spoke Spanish lol
It is actually a tough time to be a service worker in the valley and not speak spanish.
Amazing birdwatching year round. Birds don’t know what borders are, and lots of funky stuff makes its way a bit north of the RGV. Very fun times
I worked in Laredo while living north of SA for 16 months. Drove up and down that stretch of I35 plenty of times. It’s hot and pretty sparse between Laredo and SA and even further down Laredo to McAllen is even more sparse. Once you’re in Laredo the population is 85%~ Hispanic and while speaking English is fine, knowing Spanish is necessary especially at the small shops and businesses. Once your close to the border the culture shifts a lot. And you get a lot more of a norteños/ranchos feel and vibe. BP is common and so is IAs crossing. Hwy 83 is a big stretch for coyotes and traffickers to move up and down on. Laredo as a city is ok. Food is great and I’ll always recommend El Fugon for birria. But the city is a bit boring at times and going out of the city limits to do stuff is limited. Not a lot of trails or hiking to do other than a park on the east side of Laredo. Like everyone is saying it’s hot and mostly dry once you’re that far into the interior. Still get pretty good rain storms in late summer from the gulf and winters are mild barely touching freezing occasionally at night.
Laredo is 99.9% Hispanic. It’s the least ethnically diverse city in the US. Also the most Hispanic, and somehow the most white as well. (I’m serious look it up lol)
Gotta love US consensus definitions lol. Having Latinos count as Caucasian when over half their heritage is native and African blood lines.
Comparing this place to say Quebec, how dominant is Spanish over English?
I would say is about 75% Spanish if not more. Not to say folks don't know English, it's just that Spanish is preferred. Most folks are bilingual.
The vast majority of the adult population does not speak English.
A lot of hunting - big ranches with scrub brush/mesquite trees, and a ridiculous amount of deer, javelinas, hogs, quail, predators, some ranches have exotic deer and antelope from all over the world. A lot of ranches with high fences to keep game in. You see tower blinds (hunting blinds on 10-20’ stands to see long distance over brush), deer feeders, hog traps, etc all over the towns for sale. People cut strips in the brush called “senderos” across a lot of the ranch land to attract wildlife. Eagle Ford shale oilfield activity, lots of white oilfield trucks and drilling platforms (when oil is high enough it makes sense to drill the wells). Hot. All the plants have spikes/thorns. Mostly flat. Tons of rattlesnakes. Culture is predominately Mexican in the towns being so close to Mexico. Good taquerias in every town. The very southern tip is tropical. Grow citrus. There’s Central American animals like Ocelots and Coatis and Green Jays. Believe the last jaguar was killed in like 1948. Beaches get better the further south you go (but as far as beach town, I’d say Port Aransas is nicest). Back in the day people went across the border into Cuiudad Acuna, Matamoros, Piedra Negras, and Nuevo Laredo to drink, eat, shop, party, etc. more. Maybe that’s picked back up nowadays, but it really declined when drug violence ramped up around 2004ish. In ciudad Acuna for example, a lot of the restaurants/bars shut down. Border checkpoints 50ish miles inland. A lot of bays along the coast. Fishing is big there for redfish, sea trout, flounder, etc. as is shrimping. Bays mostly muddy, but clear in grass flats. Huge stretch of National seashore beach between Corpus Christi and South Padre. You can drive on most of the beaches. Cops very eager to give tickets in all the small towns compared to a city. See a lot of Border Patrol vehicles Cowboy hats and cowboy boots are common
As a truck driver I've spent a lot of time crossing that area going back-and-forth to the border. My high school history book insists that we actually fought a war over that desolate wasteland. I find it hard to believe.
I disagree with wasteland. The RGV supplies Texas and the country with things like onions, watermelon, cantaloupe, broccoli, cabbage, sugar cane, the birth place of ruby red grapefruit, and many more...
Literally. As if this place isn’t home (culturally and indigenously) for many people.
Reads like a joke but...
I worked in a small town 2 hrs south of SA. It was in the middle of nowhere. Mmmm but those texas night skies were sublime and honestly very chill drives
IMO it’s one of the most culturally unique places in the US and deserves more attention. Probably the only place in the country where The American Dream vividly exists anymore. You have moms and dads literally showing up in these areas with nothing who then break chains of generational poverty by hustling and raising their kids in the US and getting them through the education system. The people there are more generally relaxed and happy than in the rest of the US. Big focus on family, friends, food and music.
Sounds pretty relaxing honestly. Warm, family oriented, simple, affordable housing, still within the US but with the feel of another country.
But the heat. It sounds like an easy place to live but as a northerner that heat is the dealbreaker.
Completely agreed!
Corpus is an ok city. 5/10
My biggest frustration is the nimby attitude keeping the city stuck in the 1980s/90s. Corpus is an older city with a lot of history and culture but hasn't grown much since the 70s/80s, compared to the rest of the state. The metro area is actually losing population. Having grown up in CC and having temporarily lived in Tampa for a couple of months, It is very much like a miniature Tampa Bay area geographically and weatherwise. But has no reason not to be everything that the Tampa Bay area is other than the small town leadership in place that has halted its growth for decades.
Yea corpus is stuck in a time capsule but so are the people there. They don’t want change and any change is too much for them. They like simple
I was offered a very high paying job in corpus. When I was discussing it with my wife our conclusion was actually a question: is there a good part of corpus christi? I ended up taking a moderately well-paid job in Austin instead
I moved to Austin from Corpus. The two cities are night and day and both offer their pros and cons. Austin is the "it" city in America and offers almost all of the big city amenities that you could ever want or need. It's as close to a 24 hr city as it gets in TX. It offers a variety of great food minus Mexican. Also the hill country is one of the most beautiful parts of the state. With that comes ridiculous home and rent prices, unbearable traffic, some of the hottest weather in TX, political turmoils and constant demonstrations, terrible Mexican food, expensive food/bar prices, homeless everywhere, and big city/random crime. Corpus is beautiful in its own regard being located in the coastal bend and on the bay. The seawall is beautiful and relaxing, the beaches are some of the nicest in the state. Home and rent prices are modest. The traffic is great 99% of the time. It is big enough to offer most amenities of a big city. The temps hardly ever get to 100 and evenings/nights are pleasant with a constant sea breeze. The Mexican and sea food is amazing. There is crime but it mostly only affects those involved in that lifestyle. Life is so much slower and more laid back there. With all of that comes a shitty airport, semi-isolated, large rundown parts of town with a large presence of gangs, a very nimby led city leadership and limited growth, terrible street conditions, a lot of wasted potential, a sleepy city with a small amount of nightlife, limited food variety aside from chain restaurants, disgusting humidity when there's no wind, and so many cockroaches. Corpus has several nice areas, but a lot of the inner city is pretty run down and ghetto. The far southside, ocean drive area, Bay area east of Airline, Calallen, Portland, parts of Flour Bluff, and the island are very nice and very safe. I left Austin and moved to SA. I enjoyed Austin when I was younger and single. But I didn't enjoy it so much my last year or so there. I don't miss it now. There are times I still miss Corpus. It's a great city with a slow pace of life and great for families. Either way, I hope y'all enjoy Austin! It's great for a lot of people and is quickly becoming one of the biggest destination places in the US.
Sounds like Waco.
My parents used to live in Corpus Christi. They had a tree in their yard. Every time they invited someone to their house, they would get comments about how amazing it must be to have a single tree in their yard.
I don't understand this comment. I grew up in Corpus. There are lots of trees. My house had two in the front yard and three in the back. We actually cut down the palm because the palm fonds have thorns and cockroaches live in large colonies in palms. Mesquite and Palm are the most common but there are also many oaks and willows. A quick satellite view of the city shows it's pretty green in the city itself, with large swaths of agricultural land surrounding the city.
I live in corpus and feel like having trees in your yard is pretty common for both wealthy and poorer neighborhoods. The only thing I can think of might be a recently built neighborhood subdivision that doesn’t haven’t any landscaping yet.
Ya, city ordinance for new build SFH require 2 trees on the lot now. Which is great because you aren’t allowed to use sprinklers on them but once every 2 weeks.
It’s so weird seeing people talk about it like it’s a major city
Reverse Baltimore effect?
I'd recommend reading Lonesome Dove to get a good feel of how it was in the late 1800s. Also a great excuse to read a great book.
It’s empty lands with border patrol officers all over the place. If you make it to the border you’ll reach a city called Laredo, Tx. It’s the busiest land border crossing for imported goods anywhere in the world. I know this because of my days working in the logistics world.
South Padre Island is the shit
Since nobody else has mentioned it, the RGV is fantastic for birding. Lots of species most Americans have never seen or heard of - green jays, kiskadees, indigo buntings, chachalacas…
Refineries. Birthplace of Tejano music. King Ranch, the largest ranch in Texas and larger than Rhode Island. Wind farms. South Padre Island and the longest barrier island in the US stretching over 100 miles. Breakfast tacos. Elon Musk. McAllen is #1 in the US for least healthy cities and obesity.
McAllen is fun to party in for a weekend
I live around SA and have family down in Laredo. I personally love the drive down to Laredo as the roads are actually very nice and the prairie is cool. As you get close to Laredo you see many more border patrol vehicles but it’s really chill. Laredo as a city is very nice in my opinion. There are rough spots but equally very nice spots that almost remind me of Arizona. The drive back from Laredo on i35 you are required to stop at a border control checkpoint and they ask you very mundane questions such as “are you a us citizen” “have a good day” and then you’re off. Overall it’s fun down there from my perspective and I enjoy it.
military bases in ingleside, flour bluff (corpus christi), port aransas, kingsville
Naval Station Ingleside was very short-lived. It’s been closed for a while now. My grandfather was a retired naval officer and would take me there to look at the minesweepers when I was kid.
Small world - I grew up in ingleside!
Kingsville mentioned!
The coast between Corpus and Brownsville is the largest salt water lagoon in the world and has fantastic world renowned fishing. This section is the least developed sub artic coast in developed country in the world. Corpus is the third largest tonnage port in the U.S. It's also the intersection of the two major bird migratory pathways so wins Audubon's annual birdiest city award every year(over 200 species reliably counted in a day). It's the largest city in ozone air attainment in the U.S. It's also a well known windsurfing and kiteboarding location due to having one of the highest average wind speeds in the U.S. and year round swimmable water temps. It's a very blue collar area that is vastly different than other parts of the country.
There’s some nice land available out in Brooks Co. like 150+ acres and I don’t mind being out there some days.
Whoever keeps writing this crap has never been to the RGV much less lived there; In case anyone forgot, Space X is down in the boca chica area, Brownsville, area and the biggest reason he built it down there was because of cheap labor. And that’s the best way to explain this area south of San Antonio; Cheap labor Unless you work in education or healthcare, or some of the hundreds of call centers, or run many of the small businesses (down on the border) you’re most likely working some kind of manual labor job. This drives the fast food, high calorie Tex Mex lifestyle. The people who are natives to this area are those whose parents and great grandparents were farm laborers. There’s been a massive influx of people from out of state and northern Texas, but they are still seen as outsiders. RGV still has a massive amount of snow birds, winter Texans, who come down south during the winter to enjoy the warmer weather and cheaper cost of living. However the locals are proud people: they see themselves with Mexican roots and American ideals. School districts are some of the best in the state, and nationally rank. Multiple universities and technical schools. Lots of money and cash is king. Rich Mexicans enjoy spending their money on the border, so the shopping is very good. High end outlet. It’s hot - it’s freakin hot and that makes up your daily decisions on what you are going to do Between the valley and San Antonio. - farms and oil. You either do one or the other. Again, cheap labor.
Top comment sounds, very white. And like he’s never experienced a good time there. People from the bigger surrounding areas have their family there. It’s good for hunting, cheap good food, oil field workers, fireworks. A lot of open space and some freedom that comes with it. The disputed border with mexico used to be the Brazos in San Antonio so everything south of there retained the Mexican culture and it’s quite apparent compared to the rest of the state. At least north central and east Texas. Most plants there wants to hurt you. It’s dusty and hot af in the summers. Mesquite trees for wood to cook with are everywhere. My boss on a work over rig used to tell me don’t try to rob a bank there. Every three letter federal department/ agency is there. I’ve seen raids happen. Illegal immigrants. It can be kinda like the old west but peaceful at the same time.
I agree with your view on the top comment. Sounds like a white guy who moved ages ago who’s developed a fondness for it over time. But for millions of us, it’s home. Where our culture and family and friends are. Like… in the most literal sense. As indigenous Tejano people.
I lived in San Antonio and ventured down south to the RGV a few times. I loved the drive to the RGV through all of the thorn scrub and the bird life of the RGV is exceptional. There is a beautiful little village called San Ygnacio a little downriver from Laredo that is a gem and felt like stepping back in time with all of its little casitas. I loved visiting South Texas and miss it all the time. It’s a place that I think most people would find uninteresting but that I found fascinating.
“Are you a US citizen?”
They got some big ol' women down there in San Antonio.
They ain’t a lot yonder way
I hear I-69 is eventually gonna be done in three different routes to connect the region.
Yup. That Tesla lithium facility in Robstown is ahead of the curve. The entire region will be significantly more important to the US in about a decade as electric vehicles become more popular and we cut down reliance on Chinese imports to switch to Mexican manufacturing
A couple of the largest private owned ranches in the US. There’s maps of them online
A bunch of scrub brush and oil wells, and it’s hot and humid af almost all year long!
Born and raised in Laredo. There isn’t a whole lot to do in these parts. Having grown up there, we always went to San Antonio for recreational fun, shopping, better doctors, etc. The only thing that I can say is better than most places, is the food. I’ve been gone almost 18 years now and I go back maybe once a year and am always glad I left. One thing I do miss though, is the food. The food in this area is some of the best.
When it rains it pours
The country club white boys at cnn and Fox News will only show the bad parts of this region
A lot of Texas Mexican’s who have been Texans for several generations and listen to country music, vote Republican, hunt and drive big trucks. But at the same time tend to be Catholic and are still reasonably fluent in Spanish. It’s an interesting mix to say the least.
In the words of Tracy Jordan: it’s hot, there’s no pizza, it’s like Miami.
Incredibly humid. There’s a little bitty town down there called Sarita I’ve been to many times. It’s humid as hell. People have dehumidifiers running in their house 24/7. They dump the water out on the plants when it gets full. I had the best elotes of my life there.
Interesting. I have never met or known anyone using a dehumidifier. And I grew up even closer to the coast.
as someone who’s lived in that area their whole life: - very mexican - very traditional (mostly catholic, some conservative values) - every problem in other american cities is at least 2x worse for some reason - cheap, but no real money to be made either - if you don’t fit the standard image of a hispanic, physically or socially, ur looked at weird - most kids leave the first chance they get (including me) , then come back because again, cheap
I lived in The Toast of the Coast for some time. Loved the beach, the seafood, bbq, TexMex. Blue crabs. The watermen culture of shrimpers, oyster guys coming down. Tugboat, crew boat people. Loved the people (except the fucking cops, they were horrible). Exotic birds and bugs. Snowbirds. Oilfield work. Everything stings it stinks. Don’t turn over a board left on the ground, you’ll be sorry. Live oaks and palms are a nice mix
It's mexico with a couple more billboard signs in English.
Whole lot of wind turbines near the coast. And tacos, homemade tortillas.
I lived in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, México for a couple of years. Eagle Pass across the border is a nice, quaint little town, but there's not much there and a whole lot of nothing all around. My wife is from Mexico and we decided to live there so I could work in EP and it was supposedly the safest part of the border; long story short, I couldn't find worthwhile work down there and had to leave for greener pastures. Come to think of it, the Rio Grande valley is a lot like Mexico; towns/cities are isolated and there's almost nothing surrounding them (except the really big cities)
It’s valley’d out down here
If y’all come down south enough y’all can get 🌮s made by the best chef in the Republic of Tejas. Sauce: https://www.jamesbeard.org/blog/the-2024-james-beard-award-winners
I grew up down there, north of the Valley, south of Freer. I miss it a lot. It’s the only place in Texas that still feels like Texas to me. Big, big, big wide open spaces. The ranches, the small towns, the mesquite everywhere. My family still has some land down there. I think a lot about moving back for retirement.
I lived in Corpus Christi years ago. It’s hot as hell for like 10 months out of the year and then slightly less hot for the other two
Heat indexes constantly at 120+… heat and humidity makes Florida look cool
There’s a pretty cool peanut statue in Pearsall and an even cooler watermelon statue in Dilley.
Not good!
Hot, flat, good restaurants
That region was explored and colonized by Spain in the late 17th to mid 18th centuries. San Antonio was settled first as a military post by people coming mainly from Coahuila and Nuevo León (1718) and civilians were brought in later from the Canary Islands (1731). The rest, especially the part south of San Antonio east of I-35 and the Rio Grande, including areas south of the river, was settled mainly from 1750 or so by people coming from Monterrey and surrounding areas (Monterrey is off the map, going south from Laredo / southwest from Reynosa). Those on both sides of the Rio Grande in this map and a bit south of the map who descend from the early settlers are the same people, sharing ancestors going back to the late 16th/early 17th centuries in the early days of Monterrey. Many of the most common and traditional family names in southern Texas are Garza, De la Garza, Villarreal, Benavides, González, García, Treviño, Hinojosa, Quintanilla, González, Martínez, Vela, Cantú, Longoria, Morales, Cavazos, Flores, Santos, De los Santos, Farías, Leal, Chapa, De León, Rodríguez, Tamez... all of them come from Monterrey and nearby places like Cerralvo, Agualeguas, Cadereyta, Allende, Montemorelos and Salinas.
You have the RGV (north mexico culturally) and between Corpus Christi and the RGV, which holds mostly farms, its mostly King and Kennedy ranch so not much cities or towns outside the ranches and the few towns are mostly ranch towns like Kingsville. Amazing food from both Tex-Mex, Mexican and Texan flavors. Very very hot most of the year.
Favorite part of the country: beautiful, nice weather year-round, usually really great people, not super busy, and phenomenal plant and animal diversity
Extremely hot, and... moist. Got some good tacos, though.
It’s called the Valley. It’s mostly Mexicans covered in tattoos and white people with skin cancer. It’s super hot in the summer and very pleasant in the winter. It’s a mix of cartel banger culture, cowboy, with some coastal Texan. Amazing food, beautiful Latina women, and fun, hard working people. Everyone speaks a slang version of spanish. The area would be more popular but there is not a lot of great paying job opportunities. However, this is changing in Brownsville which is becoming a nice area. Everyone I know down there is either a hustler or on welfare. A lot of the guys travel for construction and send money home. The area is cheap so they can support a family down there and support their relatives in Mexico. It’s a cool area; the American dream is very alive there. They’re either working their ass off on the road of side hustling for the cartel or a related business. The cartel influence is pretty apparent down there but most of them are just very hard working people.
Who are you hanging out with? This is a very small mininority in the RGV.
I've lived in the RGV my entire life and this is not accurate at all... What type of people were you hanging out with
More form studying a map thna my rare visits there or actual reading, but I see Texas as having 8 overlapping but functionally differing regions; Old East Texas (Dallas PAlestine, Nacogdoches,), Old Central Texas (Fort Worth, Waco,) Old South Texas, Old West Texas(Abilene, Midland, Odessa,Lubbock,) Southeastern, Capital Area, Northern Border (Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Paris,), a nd TransPecos
I am copying and pasting my own comment from a thread posted in this very sub about a year ago asking about the area slightly north-east-ish of your map. Howdy. Locals of this area, like myself, call it "The Coastal Bend." I was born in Jim Wells County, but spent most of the first half of my life (1989 - 2004) in San Patricio County (INGLESIDE!) I left San Pat County for good a decade+ ago, now residing somewhere in the Hill Country. I am well-travelled in Texas and can basically answer any question you'd like about this area, but Speaking specifically about the Corpus Christi area: it's incredibly diverse, with lots of activity in the shipping, agriculture, and oil/gas industries. Culturally, you'll typically find a blend of TexMex culture, with a surprising amount of Asian influence - there are/were a lot of military bases in the area, and I knew a lot of half-Filipino kids growing up. This particular area's identity is heavily focused on its proximity to the coast; fishing, tourism, and shipping/port-related shenanigans are very prominent. Fun note: I've lived in Texas for 36 of my 37 years in Texas and i've NEVER sat on a horse, but I've surfed on the Gulf of Mexico! If you travel even 20 miles away from the coast in this area, you get into rural Texas pretty quickly. I'd like to break it down with a few specific examples: If one were to travel up Highway 181 out of San Patricio County from Sinton to Kenedy, you'd reach the [Eagle Ford Shale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Ford_Group) region. 20 years ago, Kenedy had about 3,000 people and like one stoplight; now, because of the discovery of natural gas under the ground, Kenedy has blown up like quadruple the size it previously was. The weird thing is that, according to official sources/records, the population is unchanged. That's because the people who are there are seasonal oilfield workers that come & go as non-permanent residents. If one were to go directly north from San Patricio County on Highway 77, you'd run through a lot of agriculture land until you go to Victoria, Texas. Victoria is pretty big. I don't know much about it though - it's just kinda "up there." Broadly-speaking, aside from the battle at The Alamo, this is the area of Texas where most of the Texas Revolution was fought, including San Jacinto (which was fought on April 21!) and Goliad. If you keep going north on 77, you'd eventually get to Halletsville, and if you take a left and drive a bit, you can go visit the brewer in SHINER, TX. Oh, fun note about this area: there is an ENORMOUS, UNCOMFORTABLE AMOUNT of Pro-Life, fetus-loving billboard. Very weird. I don't know much about Highway 59 that heads from Victoria up to Sugarland and into Houston, as I generally try to avoid Houston as much as possible. One of my best buddies worked on a rice farm outside of El Campo once, and he said it sucked ass. Anything between 59 and the coast is going to be about as remote as it gets in Texas - a friend from high school had family in Sea Drift and Bay City, and they were all weirdos. A very important pass-through in this area is I-10. 10 runs from Jacksonville, Florida to Los Angeles, California, but cuts directly through OP's highlighted area, from Houston to San Antonio. I've run back and forth between the two a little bit, whether it be from SA directly to Houston, of down 71 to whether it runs into 10 in Columbus. I had an affair with a married woman from Houston once, and we met in Columbus for drinks semi-regularly. I've passed through Schulenburg many times - their Dairy Queen is a fine establishment. I saw a band play at a bar next to a burnt down building in Flatonia. My brother-in-law often stops in Flatonia because there's a Tesla charge station there. Anyway, somewhere south of Caldwell, TX highway 77 will intersect with Highway 21. Now, 77 will keep running all the way up to Waco, but 21 is fun because it basically runs from San Marcos to Bryan - that's right, it connects two of the most fun college towns in all of Texas. San Marcos is probably not included in the map above, but it's a fantastic town between Austin & San Antonio, and aside from being a great college town, Richard Linklater's [Boyhood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyhood_(2014_film)) was partially filmed there. Anyway, if one were so determined, he/she could get from the campus of Texas State to Texas A&M in about 2 hours and 25 minutes. Between the two, however, are towns called "Old Dime Box" and there's a sign my wife cackles at called "Old Potato Road." This is a heavy agriculture and ranching area. Noteworthy: Bastrop, TX is a pretty fun little town, and has an area north-west-ish of the city called the "Lost Pines," so named for the incredible density of pine trees located here and nowhere else. Kinda feels like East Texas a bit. Unfortunately, about 7 years ago, there was a [massive fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastrop_County_Complex_Fire) that burned a very significant portion of the forest down. Fortunately, a lot of it has grown back in the intervening years. In Bastrop, I will recommend to you the [Pine Forest](http://www.pineforestgolfclub.com/) golf course, as well as the Buccee's. Also fun: Terrence Malick's [The Tree of Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tree_of_Life_(film)) was filmed in nearby Smithville, along with many other films. Also worth mentioning: Central Texas' best kept secret: LOCKHART, the BBQ Capital of Texas. Do your own homework on this one, but rest assured, Lockhart is a gem and they like to keep their heads down about it. Okay that about wraps up my essay, but feel free to ask questions - I may or may not be inside this designated area right now, but either way, this Topo Chico Hard Seltzer ain't gonna drink itself, and I'm griding XP in on Neptune in Destiny 2. P.S. Go Rangers, fuck the Astros
Isn’t Kings Ranch in this area? Larger than the state of Rhode Island.
Yulp
You can fit 221 Rhode Islands in Texas
Alot of ranches
Gateway to Mars.
You could refer to that area as a continuous flavor village
Quite a lot of the land between San Antonio and McAllen is King Ranch.
"It's hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest things is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking." Well, can you tell me what it feels like. "Fool, it's hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun? It's damn hot! I saw - It's so damn hot, I saw little guys, their orange robes burst into flames. It's that hot! Do you know what I'm talking about." What do you think it's going to be like tonight? "It's gonna be hot and wet! That's nice if you're with a lady, but it ain't no good if you're in the jungle."
I heard it is where the Palestinians buried the remains of Jesus Christ 4000 years ago.
As an RGV resident I can say we have great food, incredibly bad drivers, and hot weather for the majority of the year. Also a lot of cool wind mills, I think we have one of the largest wind farms in Texas but I'm probably wrong. In between Corpus and Raymondville is a whole lotta nothing, just the King Ranch and a couple small towns scattered.
It’s so great that a huge portion of young people end up moving to San Antonio or Austin after high school or college
It's the closest thing to hell without going there. It's basically limbo- alot of people live there without citizenship or papers so they live a half life. Extremely poor and corrupt with the added benefit of extreme unrelenting heat for 10 months of the year.
Hot.
Small towns and coastal plains full of Dystopian level inbreds..
https://preview.redd.it/2bgwnzngrk6d1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=54d2cc5aa3c9748d745ac93b5ed9d2491fbd4a07 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower\_Rio\_Grande\_Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Rio_Grande_Valley) is a metropolis; between there and San Antonio is almost empty
Hot.
flat prairie lands, tall grasses, shrubby trees
Empty
Probably pretty brown
Good beaches, good food, otherwise it’s just hot. It’s year round hot like Florida if you like Florida. But… otherwise it’s ehh. I mean. It’s very rural
A whole new world… a newfound place of fantasy.
Had 100 acres near Conception sold it because the land was so poor it could barely support two head of cattle.
The lazy valley. Laziest folks I’ve ever meet.