McAllen, Texas is located in the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley. It was incorporated in 1911 and has had steady growth since that time. It is the regional leader in commerce, but also hosts a strong variety of cultural and historic attractions as well.
The International Museum of Art and Science is a great place to spend the day. You can enjoy the displays of dinosaur tracks, working meteorological equipment and exhibits displaying South Texas history. The Santa Ana National Wildlife is the perfect place to spot a bird or two while the McAllen Botanical Gardens is full of beautiful flowers and plants.
The climate is considered humid subtropical and is actually very similar (although warmer and dryer) to the Tampa Bay area in Florida. Summer highs can climb up around 90F. Winter lows usually stay above 40F. September averages the most rainfall during the year with the totals reaching about 4 inches.
There are a wide number of cheap flights to McAllen during much of the year. Cheap airline tickets from Los Angeles to McAllen Miller International Airport (MFE) will start just under $400 US. It will cost just a little more to fly in from New York with cheap airline tickets staring around $420 US.
The accommodations around McAllen are diverse in design and price. There are a wide range of cheap hotels in McAllen. Cheap hotel rooms near some of the main activities have rates starting just over $50 US.