Safe Mexican Border Towns to visit? (McAllen, Allen: neighborhoods, prices, shopping centers)

[NOTAM]

i would like to know more about Miguel Aleman.
the only border town i go to, for shopping, is Nuevo Progreso, but you are right-kinda like Mexican Bransonn.
what does Miguel Aleman have to offer? lots of dining? shopping?
how far a walk from the US side parking lot?
and what i would most like to know is safety and police.
at least one thing i can almost count on in Nuevo Progreso, that the cops are there to ensure safety for the Americans cuz they KNOW how much our dollars are contributing to the economy of that little town

Originally Posted by jtur88

When driving down, I always cross at a place like Rio Grande City/Camrgo or Roma/Miguel Aleman. No lines at the border, and the Mexican towns on the other side and nice and easy to get through, and they look safe. I prefer Camargo, because it is so easy to drive through, with no complicated turns and a decent road right to Gral. Bravo, but Camargo is about 5 mies from the river. Just for the day, it's better from Roma to Miguel Aleman, because on the Mexico side, you are right in the center of the town. You can probably leave your car in on the US side and just walk across to downtown MA. Nuevo Progreso is like being in a Mexican Branson, with more fat old gringo shoppers than Mexicans on the other side. Although its only about 10 miles from Donna.

[crbcrbrgv]

Let's see. In the past month or so they have found a dead body south of Donna, someone was murderd in Mercedes and a kid was shot to death in the parking lot of a gas station in front of his dad in Weslaco. I would almost argue keep your kids in Nuevo Progreso instead of Donna!

[carolmcb]

It really is a shame that you can't take your kids across anymore. I grew up in Brownsville and we frequently went across to Matamoros. Of course, even way back then we knew to be careful. But still with a few precautions, we weren't afraid.

I loved the Mercado Juarez. Some of my favorite toys were bought there. I had some great marionettes.

Everything just seemed more colorful and interesting there. For a kid, it was always a great experience.

We also loved going out to eat in Matamoros. The Drive-Inn was first class. Don't let the name fool you. Continental cuisine and service second to none. I was still a kid and my favorite meal was Steak Diane Flambe. I've now eaten is some of the finest restaurants in the world and still say that the Drive-Inn was among the best.

We also loved Arturo's Restaurant in Nuevo Progreso.

I'm sorry that kids now are having to miss out on the positive experiences that earlier generations had.

[Spree]

<< We also loved Arturo's Restaurant in Nuevo Progreso.>>

It's still there and very good. It's also a good place to park while you are shopping and then stop for a bite to eat or a drink before you leave.

[carolmcb]

Originally Posted by Spree

<< We also loved Arturo's Restaurant in Nuevo Progreso.>>

It's still there and very good. It's also a good place to park while you are shopping and then stop for a bite to eat or a drink before you leave.

Thanks Spree. I'm glad to know the food is still good. A couple of weeks ago I was reading about the horrible violence going on in Mexico and thinking about what my experiences had been like growing up in the Valley. I was thinking about Nuevo Progreso and Arturo's. I went to a web site on Nuevo Progreso and there was a nice section on Arturo's. I loved the pictures -- the wait staff in their tuxedos and the parking guard in his uniform. Just like I remembered the place. Not many restaurants can say they have been in business over 50 years.

[NOTAM]

is Arturo's on the right side or left side as you are walking down the main street from Texas?
i have only been to Aztec on the left, which is on the third floor, above the shoe store. it was "ok". is Arturo's significantly better?

[carolmcb]

I don't remember if it is on the right or left hand side of the street. It's hard to miss. It's really big and really orange-yellow in color.

Spree said that the food was still good. My family ranked Arturo's as second only to the Drive-Inn. That means that the food was really very good. My father loved both restaurants. He was a pretty good critic since every year he went to New Orleans on convention and ate at Antoine's, Galatoire's, Court of Two Sister's, Commander's Palace, etc. I'm not saying that Arturo's is in that class. I am saying that, when we were home,the only 2 restaurants that my father willing ate at were the Drive-Inn and Arturo's.

[hellpaso]

belle--arturo's is on the left. we weren't impressed with it at all. even in border towns, it's fun to go to restaurants that at least have the menu in spanish. we used to love to go to the restaurants in juarez, where you could get a top shelf margarita the size of your head for 2 bucks. arturo's was every bit as expensive as an american restaurant, and gave the impression that it hadn't been remodeled since the 1950's. and it doesn't have the old time charm of a place like antoine's or galatoire's. btw--supposedly the business is so bad in nuevo progreso now, not even the winter texans are going over for meds. i haven't been in a couple of years, and see no reason to go now.

[Spree]

The last time I was at Arturos was last Christmas, it was good - everyone enjoyed their meals and the service was excellent. Arturo's has been there forever. It burned down in the 90's (?), was left vacant a couple of years but then was rebuilt pretty much the same as it looked before. There's a lounge to get a cold drink and appetizers if you don't want a full meal and then the restaurant. The restaurant has white table clothes on the tables and waiters that refill your drinks before they are empty. It's considered one of the more nicer restaurants. Arturo's is located maybe a block or two from the bridge on the left side. They also have a guarded parking area that only allows Arturo's customers to park. We often park there, do our shopping and then head to the restaurant for a drink and get our parking pass validated.

There are plenty of other restaurants that are just as good w/a more casual setting. The Canada store and the Galleria have restaurants on the 2nd floor. There's a really good bakery about 3/4 of the way down on the right hand side of the street. Jalisco is another really good casual dining place.

[BobMane]

hi folks


can anyone please put Google map links when they mention these obscure Mexican border towns??? like....are we supposed to telepathically know where you are talking about?