1. What’s A “Breakfast Taco?” In Laredo, They’re “Mariachis.”
In case you didn’t know, Taco Bell didn’t invent the breakfast taco when they debuted their breakfast menu earlier this year. The food has been popular for quite some time around south Texas, where it’s known as a “mariachi.” The food is usually a variation on a tortilla filled with eggs, meat, and vegetables. And it’s pretty much always delicious.
2. Spanish + English = Spanglish, The Official Language Of Laredo
Straddling the border of two countries with different first languages inevitably creates a strange amalgamation of the two said languages. This leads to conversations, signs, and unique expletives that land somewhere on a sliding scale between Spanish and English.
3. H-E-B Has The Mexican-American Grocery Goods
The fourth largest employer in the city, and certainly its biggest grocery store. H-E-B has eight Laredo locations. It’s known for selling items on the way, way cheap and carrying both Mexican and American grocery store goods.
4. Laredo Is In Texas, And Texas Loves Whataburger
What, you’ve never heard of Whataburger? Must not be from Texas. The favored burger chain of pretty much every Texan, Whataburger has many Laredo spots where they serve up artery annihilating cuisine like cheeseburger melts on buttery Texas Toast—100% worth the considerable waistline expansion.
5. Lake Casa Blanca Is Muy Bonita
For doing outdoorsy stuff like camping, swimming, mountain biking, hiking, and generally roughing it, you’re going to want to steer clear of the Rio Grande and hit Lake Casa Blanca International State Park. In particular, the 1,656-acre lake is known for being the state’s best bass fishing spot.
6. Nuevo Laredo Is Laredo’s Brother From Another Country
American Laredo and Mexican Nuevo Laredo, on opposite side of the Rio Grande, together make up the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area, one of six total American-Mexican metropolitan areas the border. While existing on the border is a central part of each of the two cities’ cultures and economies, they’re distinctly different places since they’re in different countries and crossing between the two means going through customs.
7. Rudy's Might Just Have The Best BBQ In Town
What’s a Texas town without a beloved BBQ institution? Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q, known for having “the wurst bbq in Texas,” is a favorite restaurant of smoked meat-minded Laredo residents. The no-frills, picnic table, oak-smoked BBQ spot is packed pretty much every day of the week.
8. Washington's Birthday Is A Big Deal In Laredo
Laredo has another choice American hero besides Cesar Chavez: the city is home to the country’s biggest month-long celebration of George Washington’s birthday. The February festivities are near-endless, but here are a few things that go down: a jalapeno festival, a massive air show, parades, fireworks and a city-wide “prom.” The bash draws around 400,000 yearly.
9. There’s A Spanking New Baseball Team And A Pretty Cool Stadium
The mission-styled Uni-Trade Stadium is best known as the home of the Laredo Lemurs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball since 2012. The stadium is also known for hosting an annual 4th of July fireworks display and celebration, and serving as a venue for soccer, professional women’s football, and concerts.
10. Laredo Planetarium Is Pretty B.A.
A home to college classes, summer camps, film screenings, and live star shows, the Lamar Bruni Vergara Science Center Planetarium doubles as an academic and cultural center on the TAMIU campus. The planetarium has been a popular Laredo family spot since opening in 2005, and is known for its distinctive pyramid shape.
11. A Bunch Of People Have Moved There Since You Started Reading This Sentence
Laredo is a rapidly growing city. Not in an “almost every city in America is technically growing” kind of way, but in a “the population has doubled since 1990” kind of way. As of 2000, Laredo was the second fastest growing city in America behind only the increasingly sprawled out and sinful city of Las Vegas.
12. Life In Laredo Is Life On The Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is the main reason Laredo exists where it does. Much of the city is located right on the mammoth, Texas border-shaping river, and it separates America’s Laredo from Mexico’s Nuevo Laredo.
13. Laredo Was Part Of A Country You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
How many cities can say that they were the capital of a country that existed for under a year? Between January to November of 1840, Laredo with the capital city of the Republic of the Rio Grande as it rebelled against Mexico. Mexico quelled the rebellion, and the portions of Laredo north of the Rio Grande ultimately became part of the United States in 1848.
14. Why Yes, It Does Get Quite Toasty
As you might imagine, things get good and warm during south Texas summers. Between May and September Laredo temperatures like to hover in the high 90s, and the city has a record high of a balmy 114 °F.
15. But Once In A While It Actually Snows
Yep, that’s right. Winters in Laredo are actually a bit nippy by Texas standards, dropping to the 40s and 50s during December and January nights. And about as often as America elects a new president, Laredo experiences a bit of snowfall. The last two instances occurred in 2004 and 2011.
16. Laredo Center For The Arts Cultivates Creativity
A huge cultural asset to the Laredo community, the Laredo Center for the Arts is an all-inclusive art and culture education and exhibition space with the mission to “promote the artistic creativity of all people.” Since being established in 1993, the center has sat in Laredo’s renovated old City Hall building, hosting festivals, art classes, and exhibitions throughout the year.
17. Laredo Energy Arena Is The Biggest Entertainment Center In Town
Opened in 2002, Laredo Energy Arena is the city’s biggest multi-purpose entertainment venue, hosting national boxing events, stand-up comedy and ice shows, and in particular, acts with a Hispanic and Latino appeal.
18. Laredo Has An Old Little Theatre That You’ll Love
No doubt the best little community theater in Laredo, Laredo Little Theatre, is an incredible 103 years old, having debuted all the way back in 1911. The theatre hosts four performances yearly, ranging from children’s theater, to musicals to Shakespeare. The theatre also hosts a yearly comedy jam for the George Washington’s Birthday Celebration.
19. Laredoans March For Cesar Chavez
Ultimate working class hero and farm worker rights organizer Cesar Chavez holds a special place in the heart of Laredo residents, who honor him by making the entire month of March “Cesar Chavez Month.” The most notable event of the celebration is an annual march, organized by the League of United Latin American Citizens, in his honor.
20. Laredoans Get Border Proud At The Border Heritage Museum
Housed in a large, fully restored early 20th century brick home, the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum is one of the biggest tourism draws in Laredo. The museum specializes in border culture, art, industry and history, and is operated by the Webb County Heritage Foundation.
21. Roman Catholic Congregations Means Big Old Pretty Churches
When it comes to religious observance, the Laredo region is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, meaning the city is loaded with fancy houses of worship that even the most atheistic soul could appreciate. The downtown Cathedral of San Agustin dates back to the 19th century, and has a Spanish Colonial influence. Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the Western Division, is a picturesque piece of Northern Italian architecture.
22. Everything In The Historic District Is Crazy Old And Awesome
Within the San Agustin de Laredo Historic District, you’ll find the original Laredo settlement, relics like the Republic of the Rio Grande Capitol and buildings dating back to the 18th century. The area is currently undergoing a massive historical preservation project known as Villa Antigua, which is aiming to make the district even more of a destination for cultural tourism.
23. Laredo Plaza Theater Is A Local Landmark
A cinema treasure that harkens back to an earlier time, Laredo Plaza Theater, with its distinctively oldschool vertical marquee, was built in the forties and showcased popular Mexican and American films. The building is known for its Art Moderne style and hand-painted interior artwork. While the theater has been closed for about fifteen years, there are plans to restore and reopen the theater in the near future.
24. Jarvis Plaza Has The Farm And Artisan Food Goods
Jarvis Plaza is a central, well-manicured veterans memorial that doubles as a business hub for the Laredo community. The plaza hosts the Laredo Farmer’s Market and the brand new Laredo Northside Market, featuring artisan food and craft vendors.
Featured Image Source: Flickr user Texas Military Forces
What do you love about living in Laredo? Tell us in the comments below! 
