Reader Question: Border for the Weekend?

Dear TexasTripper,

I am planning my first visit to Texas for November; I’ll be attending a convention in San Antonio. The conference has a lot of San Antonio and area activities planned for the evenings (plus I’m coming in a day early) but when the conference wraps up on Friday I’d like to visit the border over the weekend (I fly out late Sunday). I’d like to visit Mexico (I’ve never been), do a little shopping, and some sightseeing. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks! Alice, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Dear Alice,

Thanks for your email! From San Antonio, you have several options for a weekend getaway to Mexico: Laredo/Nuevo Laredo, Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras, and Del Rio/Ciudad Acuña.

In the past, Laredo and its sister city, Nuevo Laredo, were the top choice for shoppers; however, due to recent violence in Nuevo Laredo, we recommend you wait on this visit for another time. Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras is fun but it’s a more limited stop if you’re looking for shopping and sightseeing (although if you were looking for a casino, we’d point you there…a Kickapoo-operated casino is located outside Eagle Pass.)

We’d recommend Del Rio as the best choice. It’s the closest of the border cities; the drive is due west from San Antonio on US 90 into Del Rio, Texas. The city has several historic attractions ranging from museums to the state’s first winery (and even ancient pictographs if you have time to include a visit to Seminole Canyon). Del Rio’s sister city is Ciudad Acuña; there’s shopping and dining across the border.

Happy travels! Paris and John