Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Brownsville (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Gladys Porter Zoo, Gateway International Bridge, and Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Also, be sure to include Resaca de la Palma Battlefield in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Brownsville (Texas).
Table of Contents
Gladys Porter Zoo
Lush park with 377 species and an aquarium. Gladys Porter Zoo is a zoological and botanical park located in Brownsville, Texas. The zoo officially opened on September 3, 1971, and currently averages over 424,000 visitors annually. Situated on 31 acres, the zoo houses about 400 animal species and over 250 tropical and neo-tropical species and subspecies. It is the first zoo to have successfully bred the vulnerable Jentink's Duiker. It is also the birthplace of Harambe the gorilla.
The zoo is named after Gladys Porter, the daughter of Earl C. Sams, former president of J. C. Penney. Porter, a wildlife enthusiast, helped to plan and stock the zoo, which was entirely funded by the Earl C. Sams Foundation. After its opening, the zoo was given to the city of Brownsville.[1]
Address: 500 E Ringgold St, 78520-7998 Brownsville
Gateway International Bridge
Bridge in Brownsville, Texas. Gateway International Bridge is one of three international bridges that cross the U.S.-Mexico border between the cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas. It is owned and operated by Cameron County. Over the past century, it has developed the nickname of "The New Bridge" when the bridge was remodeled back in the 20th century. Despite the fact that the Veteran's International Bridge is newer than Gateway, it still retains its nickname.
This international bridge unites the Matamoros–Brownsville Metropolitan Area, which counts with a population of 1,136,995, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in the Mexico-US border.[2]
Address: 510 East 14th Street, 78520 Brownsville
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Cathedral in Brownsville, Texas. Immaculate Conception Cathedral is a historic church at 1218 East Jefferson Street in Brownsville, Texas, United States. It is the cathedral church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville. It was built in 1856 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as Immaculate Conception Church.[3]
Address: 1218 E Jefferson St, Brownsville
Resaca de la Palma Battlefield
Historical place in Brownsville, Texas. The Resaca de la Palma Battlefield is the site in Brownsville, Texas, where American forces under General Zachary Taylor engaged Mexican forces under General Mariano Arista on May 9, 1846 in the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. A surviving undeveloped portion of the battlefield is now part of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.[4]
Address: 1024 PAREDES LINE Rd, Brownsville
Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge
The Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge, also known as B&M International Bridge, Brownsville-Matamoros International Bridge and Express Bridge, is one of three international bridges that cross the U.S.-Mexico border between the cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas. This international bridge unites the Matamoros–Brownsville Metropolitan Area, which counts with a population of 1,136,995, making it the 4th largest metropolitan area in the Mexico-US border.
It is popularly called the "old bridge" because its original incarnation, still standing, is the city's oldest international bridge. In 1999, Texas state Historical marker 11778 was placed at the site by the Texas Historical Commission and the Cameron County Historical Commission to recognize the bridge's historical significance.[5]
North Brownsville Park & Tennis Center
Tennis court, Park, Relax in park
Address: 3 Event Ctr, Brownsville
Brownsville Gateway Port of Entry
The Brownsville Gateway Port of Entry opened in 1926 with the completion of the Gateway International Bridge. The original bridge was a steel arch design, and arches, which have long been used to signify international gateways, were incorporated into the design of the Matamoros Gateway border station in the 1950s. Unfortunately, the steel arch bridge was not well maintained, and it was replaced with two flat deck spans in the late 1970s. All truck traffic has been prohibited since 1999.[6]
Brownsville – B&M Port of Entry
The Brownsville B&M Port of Entry opened in 1909 with the completion of the Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge. The bridge was built to carry trains, horses, wagons and pedestrians. The original bridge could swing open to allow river traffic to pass; however it was a function that was almost never used due to the shallowness of the Rio Grande. The bridge was substantially renovated in 1953, and a second 4-lane bridge dedicated to northbound traffic was built adjacent to it in 1997. Since 1999, all truck traffic has been diverted to the Veterans and Los Indios crossings.[7]
Brownsville – Veterans Port of Entry
The Brownsville Veterans Port of Entry opened in 1999 with the completion of the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates. The bridge was built primarily to divert commercial freight traffic away from the busy downtown bridges, but about a third of the passenger vehicles also cross at this point. The Veterans Port of Entry is the easternmost US-Mexico border crossing, and is by far the newest of the three crossings between Brownsville and Matamoros.[8]
Rusteberg Art Gallery
Museum
Address: Gorgas Dr, Brownsville
Brownsville Event Center
Address: 1 Event Center, Brownsville