Day 4 - South Padre Island to Eagle Pass - All about Raspas in Texas (347 miles)

Even though we are pressed time at every town due to the length of our 3,100+ miles journey, we knew it was important to take a pause. We started Tuesday morning by taking in the sunrise on South Padre Island, Texas. As most sunrises are on the island, this was spectacular and a great way to begin our day.

After crossing the bridge from South Padre to Port Isabel, we made a quick stop to photograph the Port Isabel Lighthouse. Rain started falling soon after we jumped in the car but we were thankful, as it cleaned off the dust we had already accumulated in the first 1,000 miles of our trip.

Before leaving Port Isabel, we dropped by Morgan’s mama’s house to say a quick hello and view her incredible flowers. Talk about a green thumb. She gifted Debra and me with a cutting from her plumeria tree. We look forward to having making an attempt at growing our own.

Needing a snack along the way, we managed to kill two birds with one stone by meeting Debra’s twin sister Dianne at La Reynera Bakery in Weslaco. They had a tasty collection of delectable treats. We each grabbed a bag and picked some of our favorites to enjoy during the trip.

Debra and Dianne at La Reynera Bakery in Weslaco.

The Mission Event Center in Mission was next on our list, where we met our friend Fatima Garcia and the rest of the staff to tour their beautiful.

World Birding Center in Mission, Texas is home at some point or another to more than 500 species of birds. Located in the Rio Grande Valley, the area sees so many species because it is at the convergence of two major flyways, the Mississippi and the Central.

Arboles Frutales in Mission

A quick stop at Arboles Frutales in Mission, revealed beautiful Mexican pottery and delicious fresh fruits and vegetables grown in the valley. We grabbed a bag of key limes to refresh our water for the road.

I have been introduced to raspas along this journey. Both Morgan and Debra grew up with these refreshing treats. It’s been described as a Mexican snow cone with both savory and sweet flavors. We’ve decided to start an unofficial Texas Raspas Trail. We’ve had them in Port Isabel and at Rio Grande City, so far. So yummy!

We caught up with our friends in Laredo at their new Visitor Center. It is spectacular and they look forward to seeing you when you’re in their historic city.

One of my favorite places to visit while in Laredo is the Texas Travel Information Center. This beautiful building highlights the incredible architecture of the area. It’s a wonderful stop to refresh and take a quick break along the road.