Weslaco, Texas is different than other cities in the Rio Grande Valley. People come from all over South Texas to spend quality time in Weslaco. You’ll find more than friendly people and a relaxed atmosphere, you’ll discover great shopping, golf and the best way to get to Mexico for an afternoon adventure. Weslaco is a slice of the good life!

A Downtown that welcomes you…

What began as a community and local government effort became a reality in 1997 when Weslaco was named a Texas Main Street City. With the ball already in motion, Weslaco and its main street businesses began the task of rehabilitating and revitalizing the downtown area. Having the City hall, Tower Theater and Skaggs House, all Texas historic landmarks, located on or adjacent to Main Street, gave Weslaco a head start to the program. Cooperation and communication have proved to be the keys to successful beginnings. The City of Weslaco offers a façade loan program to central business district businesses. A drive down Main Street evokes memories of the 1930’s Spanish architecture that helped make Weslaco famous. Older establishments have returned to the stucco shapes and forms that many will remember. Even newer buildings are conforming to the style of years gone by. Housed within these buildings are merchants who care about the look and feel of Main Street Weslaco. They offer the same personalized service and variety of services that have kept them in business for so many years. Take the opportunity to dine at some of Weslaco’s finest restaurants, shop for furniture, carpet, clothing, shoes, hardware good, stationery and so much more, and don’t forget to visit some of the most unique historic sites in Texas. The keystone project was the restoration of the 1920’s Villa de Cortez Hotel Building. This project converted a beautiful, but disintegrating building to an office building. The restoration included reviving the 2nd floor ballroom, which bustles with events every weekend.

Golfing in the Weslaco Area

The Rio Grande Valley is a golfer’s mecca and Weslaco features its fair share of courses, from its challenging 9-hole executive course to the exciting Tierra Santa Golf Club and Community.

Mid Valley Golf Course
18 hole par 72
Carts Available
2 miles north of Expressway 83 on Baseline Road, Mercedes
565-3211

Tierra Santa Golf Club
Tierra Santa is a 7,100+yard championship course designed by GolfScape’s Jeffrey D. Brauer, 1995’s A.I.A. Architect of the Year, from Dallas, Texas. This 18-hole par 72 course was nominated by Golf Digest as the best, new affordable public course in the United States.
Carts Available
1901 Club De Amistad, Weslaco, approx. 4 miles south of Expressway 83
973-1811

Village Executive Golf Course
9 hole par 31
Carts Available
2 miles south of business 83 on FM 1015
968-6516

Weslaco Museum

Discover Weslaco’s culture and history at the Weslaco Museum, housed with exhibits, historical collections, and archives. The Weslaco Museum, chartered in 1971, is located at 500 S. Texas Blvd. Earlier artifacts were exhibited in a uniquely built stone and concrete house known as the World’s Smallest Museum.

Relive history as you visit each of the permanent exhibits at the museum. From time to time special displays are brought into the Museum, so we invite you to visit us again and again!

Iwo Jima Painting
Upon entering the museum your eye goes immediately to the painting of the famous WWII flag-raising on Iwo Jima. It was donated by the U.S. Marine Corps to the Weslaco post Office as a tribute to Harlon H. Block, USMC, and the men of Weslaco who died in the service of their country.

Mail Sorting Desk
A restored case with its pigeon-holes served as a sorting desk for Weslaco’s first postmistress, Mrs. R.L. Reeves (Alameda), who served from March 1920 to January 1922.

Early Bank Safe
The bank safe was used in the Guaranty State Bank, the first bank in Weslaco, established July 15, 1920. It was later used by the First National Bank until 1971. Mr. Robert McAllen gave the safe to the museum in 1974.

Photographs and News
The Weslaco Bicultural Museum is fortunate to have a wonderful collection of photographs of the city, its founders, and citizens dating back to Weslaco’s beginnings. No visitor should omit this fascinating pictorial history from his/her stop at the museum. Weslaco historians, as well as historians of the times, may utilize the complete collection of the News. At the back of the Museum is a section characterizing the history of the farming community so important to Weslaco. Many more exhibits await the visitor. Museum docents will tell you wonderful personal stories about the permanent exhibits, making them live again as you learn of the people who are our history. From time to time special displays are brought into the Museum, so we invite you to visit us… again and again!

Hours
Tuesday – Saturday 10:00a.m.-4:00p.m.
500 S. Texas Blvd.
Weslaco, Texas 78596
(956) 968-9142

Weslaco Public Library

Try the Weslaco Public Library for your many information needs. Our reference staff can search for materials in our collection, reference books, computer databases and the Internet for you. What we don’t have on hand, we can inter-library loan from any Hidalgo County Public Library or borrow from libraries throughout the country.

Collections
The Library has videos, books on cassettes, music cassettes and CDs plus a collection of 75,000 books including large print books. The Texana section includes history, travel and other Texas information plus fiction by Texas authors. Browse the magazine collection. Borrow framed art prints for 30 days.

Computers Available For Use
Computers are available for free word processing (usually no waiting in a.m.) with internet connections. Medical information updated monthly on Infotrac Health Reference Centerl A talking computer is available for anyone with vision problems.

Programs
Pick up the Library’s monthly calendar. Don’t miss the classic guitar concerts, author visits, quilting classes, income tax assistance and 55 Alive classes. Check the bulletin board for events in the community. Approximately 1,000 adults come to the Literacy Center each year to learn to read and write, to study for the GED, prepare for citizenship, or to learn English or Spanish. It is located on the 2nd floor of the Library. You can help by volunteering a few hours a week. Volunteer tutors are trained and assigned adult students.

Parking
On Kansas Avenue and parking the lot behind the library. RV and overflow parking in the church lot on Sixth Street.

Hours
Monday-Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 1 p.m – 5 p.m
Closed Sunday

If you like a quieter library and extra service, the best times are before 3 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
Weslaco Public Library Website
525 S. Kansas AvenueWeslaco, Texas 78596
Phone: (956)968-4533

Mexico

NUEVO PROGRESO, MEXICO
Located just seven miles south of Weslaco on Highway 1015 (International Blvd.) is Nuevo Progreso, Mexico. This quaint small village is quickly gaining popularity from all points in the Rio Grande Valley for its friendly, laid-back atmosphere. Drive across the bridge or park and walk across. Enjoy old Mexico charm with its curio shops, street vendors and excellent restaurants aplenty. The streets are lined with shops catering to the tourist. Stop by the U.S. Customs Office and pick up the “Know Before You Go” brochure to answer your questions about what you can bring back into the United States.

U.S. CITIZENS TRAVELING INTO THE INTERIOR OF MEXICO
Each time you visit the interior of Mexico (more than 50 miles from the border) you need to visit an immigration office.

  • Request your entry as a tourist.
  • Show your passport or birth certificate

Fill out the FMT Tourist Immigration form which will be provided to you by Immigration. When you apply for a Tourist Visa you pay $155 (pesos) as a user fee at a bank in Mexico. This is good for 6 months

RETURNING TO U.S. – CUSTOMS PROCEDURES:
You must declare all items you are bringing back into the U.S. Further inspections may be warranted and duties may apply.

  • U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry are required to have documents that comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), most commonly a U.S. passport, a passport card, a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST, or an enhanced driver’s license.
  • The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is a result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), requiring all travelers to present a passport or other document that denotes identity and citizenship when entering the United States.

TOURISTS MAY BRING INTO MEXICO:
One pair of binoculars and one photographic camera; one television no larger than 12″, a portable radio or radio cassette recorder; 2 Laser Discs, up to 20 discs or magnetic tapes for sound reproduction; a typewriter or a portable lap top computer; a tent and camping equipment and up to 5 toys when the passenger is a child.

IT’S A CRIME IF:

  • You bring into Mexico, carry, transport, put up for sale or use any kind of firearm, ammunition, magazines, explosives or any other object forbidden by the Federal Firearms and Explosives Law (It doesn’t matter if you are doing it by commission, donation, for sale or exchange)
  • If You damage, buy, sell, transport or attempt to leave the country with: Archaeological treasures, documents, historical objects or those pertaining to the national heritage
  • Sell, buy, hunt or transport any animal that is protected by the hunting and forestry law