Clarion Inn near McAllen Airport

Known as the City of Palms, McAllen is considered the retail center of southern Texas and northern Mexico. The hotel is just down the street from La Plaza Mall, which has 150 stores and restaurants. Die-hard shoppers might want to take a short drive to nearby Mercedes to the 130-store Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets. If you’re not a shopper, head to the golf course or take a bike ride.

Gather your group for a visit to McAllen’s Smithsonian-affiliated International Museum of Arts and Sciences or the McAllen Arts Center for a concert or performance. The sub-tropical climate here is ideal for a stroll in Archer Park, the city’s oldest park and host to events such as Shakespeare in the Park.

McAllen is a birding paradise, drawing birders from across the globe. More than 500 bird species have been found in this small region.