State Parks near McAllen, TX

Down on the Rio Grande near the Texas-Mexico border is the 500-acre Falcon State Park. The park spans two Texan counties, Starr and Zapata County. It's conveniently located off Highway 83 near Roma, Texas. The closest major city, San Antonio, Texas, is roughly three and a half hours from the park.One of the park’s main features is the almost 85,000-acre International Falcon Reservoir, which is also known as Falcon Lake. Together, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Mexican President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines dedicated the dam that forms the reservoir in 1953. However, Falcon State Park didn't open until 1965. The area surrounding the lake is comprised of grassy hills, small native trees, and cacti. All this greenery …

Lake Casa Blanca International State Park is located in southern Texas, close to the US-Mexico border and the city of Laredo. With Corpus Christi a few hours east and San Antonio a couple of hours north, Lake Casa Blanca International State Park lies in somewhat isolation to many large Texan cities. The state park lies on the shores of Lake Casa Blanca, who’s construction in the early 1950s provided a recreational site for the many hundreds that visit every year.Lake Casa Blanca International State Park offers campers the chance to delight in the lakes fantastic fishing, boating, and watersport opportunities, while at the same time soaking up the great outdoors of southern Texas. One of the southernmost state …

If you're planning a relaxing coastal getaway full of sun, sand, surf, and fun, Mustang Island State Park should be right near the top of your list of must-visit destinations.Located just to the south of Port Aransas, this 3,954-acre park sits on an 18-mile-long barrier island on Texas' Gulf of Mexico coast. Boasting more than five miles of pristine coastline, it's the perfect spot to hit the sand, get wet, and enjoy the refreshing Gulf breezes.Mustang Island State Park offers swimming, fishing, surfing, and kayaking for lovers of all water-based activities, as well as great hiking, mountain biking, and bird watching on land. And with 98 campsites to choose from, many of them right on the beach, …