The San Agustin Historic District is the oldest neighborhood in Laredo, in Webb County; Tomas Sanchez founded it in 1755. Laredo’s long history can be explored through several specific themes: a historic district, museums in buildings from different eras, and sites commemorating military history. Alongside these are art, interactive learning opportunities, a planetarium, and nature experiences. This lets you switch between local history, culture, and nature as you choose what to explore, rather than getting to know Laredo from just one perspective.
San Agustin: History in the Neighborhood
The San Agustin District Tour takes you through the San Agustin National Register District and can be taken as a guided or self-guided tour. You can choose between a tour with a guide and exploring the district on your own. In the historic district, San Agustin Cathedral overlooks San Agustin Plaza. This named connection between the cathedral and the plaza gives your visit a clear sense of place: You can explore the district through both the tour and its historic sites.
Museums and Traces of the Past
At the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum, the building itself is part of the story. It is housed in a restored, two-story brick building from the early 20th century that once belonged to two early merchant families from Laredo. Rotating exhibits, outdoor films, and educational seminars round out the offerings. Guided tours and programs on local history and preservation are also offered year-round. The museum thus combines architecture with different ways of sharing information, from exhibits to guided tours.
The Republic of the Rio Grande Museum offers an authentic, permanent portrayal of everyday life in a mid-19th-century Laredo home. The museum building served as the capitol of the Republic of the Rio Grande. These portrayals of everyday life and political history offer different perspectives on Laredo’s past.
Fort McIntosh in Laredo, in Webb County, offers another historical perspective. It was established in 1849 as a star-shaped earthen fort on a hill overlooking the Rio Grande. Initially, the fort served to defend the river border; later, it became a training camp. It was abandoned as an army post on June 9, 1947. The Fort McIntosh Barracks are the last surviving of three brick barracks built by the U.S. Army in 1880. The dates mark different chapters: 1849, the fort’s founding; 1880, the construction of the barracks; and 1947, the end of its service as an army post.
Art, Learning, and Immersive Shows
The Lamar Bruni Vergara Planetarium in Laredo, in Webb County, presents immersive shows about nature, animals, Earth’s environment, and space. 360-degree panoramic visuals and surround sound shape the presentations. The renovated Sonia and Memo Benavides Immersive Theater at the planetarium features state-of-the-art projectors, improved lighting, and new seating.
The Imaginarium of South Texas offers families from Webb County, South Texas, and northern Mexico a bicultural and creative learning experience through hands-on exhibits and outreach programs. At the Laredo Center for the Arts in Webb County, other cultural formats take center stage: It hosts art exhibits, dance and music performances, art history lectures, and art education classes for adults and children. The offerings thus range from creative learning formats to art, dance, and music.
Nature, Local Flavors, and a Major Celebration
At Lake Casa Blanca International State Park in Laredo, there are trails for mountain biking and hiking. Wildlife viewing is also possible—on land, in the lake, and in the air. This offers a different focus from the museums and historic sites, bringing together trail activities and wildlife observation in different environments.
The Laredo Taco Trail in Webb County is a digital pass that takes you to participating taquerias and lets you experience local taco flavors. The Laredo Coffee Tour takes you to local cafés and includes tastings of different coffees from Laredo. Both offer a way to discover local flavors, but in different ways: The Taco Trail focuses on participating taquerias, while the Coffee Tour combines café visits with tastings.
The Washington's Birthday Celebration has a history in Laredo spanning more than a century. Its four-week schedule of events includes two parades, an air show, a Jalapeño Festival, a two-week fair, and fireworks. The different events make for a wide-ranging celebration, from parades and an air show to a festival, fair, and fireworks.
Discover more destinations: Laredo, Jefferson, Anderson, Callahan County, Mills County, Hays, Reeves County, Burnet County.
For the broader travel overview: Texas.
