94. Visit the Olmito Flea Market

94. Visit the Olmito Flea Market

Editor's Note: This is the sixth installment in a series titled, "Top 100 Things to do in the South Padre Island/Brownsville Area," meant to give the visitor a helping hand in finding the hidden gems in the area. Today we feature the popular flea market near Olmito, Texas on Hwy 77/83.

What economic crisis? Every single weekend this flea market is packed with people and the huge parking lots have hundreds of cars in them. It is a huge mecca and certainly someplace to go just to see all the neat things people have for sale. Ever break a carafe ? This is where you can go to buy a replacement. Need a unique crocheted Christmas gift? How about brand-new ostrich boots? Here you will find a Singer Sewing Shop, an eyeglass shop, and other specialty micro-shops.

You can find almost anything at this flea market.

Many people make the trek to Olmito just for the incredible prices on fresh produce. You just can't beat the prices or the amount you can buy or the freshness of the produce available there.

You can find beautiful foliage here.

Bling!

The food vendors have a bustling business.

This cake is 1/2 flan

(a custard) and

1/2 cake on the bottom.

Craving a hot funnel cake with powdered sugar?

.

There is even live music there.

You can find all sorts of seasonal items.

There are all kinds of things everybody would be interested in.









This colorful character was just visiting,



















but you can get all sorts of pets here.

Many kinds of exotic creatures are available.

95. Visit a Shell Shop

Editor's note: This is the 5th installment in a series titled, "TOP 100 THINGS TO DO IN THE SOUTH PADRE/BROWNSVILLE AREA," designed to allow the visitor to this beautiful tropical area to get the full experience of this part of South Texas.

95. Visit one of the shell shops

As you come in to South Padre Island on Highway 100 you will begin to notice things seem a little bigger.

You might say, "I heard things were bigger in Texas, but this is ridiculous!"

It is not your eyes deceiving you, it is one of our wonderful shell shops in the area that offer hard-to-find items with a oceanic or nautical theme.

These are real sand dollars.

There are many loose shells you may buy and use to make your own crafts.

Have you ever heard the ocean through one of these?

Yep, things are bigger in Texas alright...

bigger and better down here.

96. Visit a Mexican Bakery or "Panaderia"

TOP 100 THINGS TO DO IN THE SOUTH PADRE ISLAND/BROWNSVILLE AREA

Editor's note: This is the fifth installment in a series titled, "Top 100 Things to do in the South Padre Island/Brownsville Area," a series designed to help the visitor get the full experience of this bi-cultural tropical area in South Texas on the Mexican border.

96. VISIT A MEXICAN BAKERY OR "PANADERIA"


"Pan" means bread in Spanish. "Dulce" means sweet. "Pan dulce" means awesome breads that can be had at an incredibly affordable price if you know where to go. Traditionally served in the morning as part of the "medienda" or brunch, these sweet delights are sure to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth. They are traditionally enjoyed with Mexican hot chocolate but coffee is just as great.


How they work: You pick up a tray and tongs near the entrance, then go around selecting your favorites from an incredible array of breads.

The prices are just as good as the incredible flavor.

What is not directly visible is the SIZE of these breads. They were HUGE.

That's not a cinnamon roll, this is a cinnamon roll.

These breads may be found in buildings that say "Panaderia." The best one used to be on Palm Blvd. near the Jefferson St. intersection, but may have moved to a better location. This one is at the corner of Rockwell and Price Rd. but it is small compared to the Buen Gusto Bakery. I will track down Buen Gusto today and post its address here as well as others.

97. Try an "Aguas Frescas" or a Fruit Cup

Editor's Note: This is the fourth installment in a series titled, "Top 100 Things to do in the South Padre Island/Brownsville Area," designed to allow the visitor to get the complete experience of this tropical South Texas area.

97. Have an Aguas Frescas and a Fruit Cup


This is a tropical paradise and what would you expect in paradise but lots and lots of fresh tropical fruit? You must try the big cups of fresh, sweet, natural fruits such as these pictured here which can be bought from vendors at the local flea market as they are in Mexico.

Conveniently cubed for your

pop-into-your-mouth pleasure.

"Aguas Frescas" translates literally into "Fresh Waters" and are the juice of the plentiful fruits in the area. The many fresh fruit flavors include: watermelon, mango, pineapple, and many more.

Large cups may be had for a dollar or a little more.

Nothing is quite as refreshing as these natural fruit drinks on a hot afternoon. Finding them is the hard part, but we will take the hard part out of it by letting you know where they can be found.

They can be found in snow cone stands

such as the one pictured here or in

Sunrise Mall next to the

carousel pictured below.

98. Shop Downtown Brownsville

Editor's Note: This is the third installment of the series titled: "Top 100 Things to do in the South Padre Island/Brownsville Area," a series designed to help the visitor get the full experience of this South Texas region.

98. Shop Downtown Brownsville


Brownsville is not even a two-minute walk to Mexico and that is reflected in the many wares in its downtown area. Strong, vibrant colors dictate most of what you see on the main street, Elizabeth Street, only a stone's throw from Mexico.

You will be amazed at the incredible bargain prices and the rarity of some of your finds. In this mecca for shoppers you will find tools, shoes, clothing, scarves, jewelry, designer bags and their imitations, sporting goods, dollar items, mopeds, too many items to list here.
















Only the seasoned shopper will know where to find stores like the one below where you can look like you spent a million bucks but literally spent only a few. All I am willing to divulge is that these stores are on Elizabeth Street. For specifics, you may PM the author.