Quality of Life

Professional sports entertainment

Mercedes has a full selection of professional and semi-pro entertainment, from football, to baseball, to basketball, and hockey.

United League Baseball has two franchises located in the area, the Edinburg Coyotes and the Rio Grande Valley White Wings.
The Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees is the areas minor league hockey team. The Killer Bees are frequent play-off contenders and have a heated rivalry with the Laredo Bucks.
The professional arena-football team is the Rio Grande Valley Dorados, members of the Arenafootball2 League.
Two basketball teams play locally. The semi-pro NBA development team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. And the members of the Continental Basketball Association, the Rio Grande Valley Silverados.

Star gazing at the Mercedes Planetarium

Mercedes Independent School District is home to one of the few planetariums in the Rio Grande Valley. The Mercedes Planetarium is open to students, organizations, and for special events. The public is always invited to explore nearby and distant constellations and galaxies from the convenience of Mercedes.

Birding heaven

Birders across the country recognize the Rio Grande Valley for its unique birding experience.

Six wildlife refuges sit within a 90 minute drive from Mercedes, offering the chance to see species that are not found in more northern latitudes. One of the refuges, Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, has been ranked as one of the top birding locations in the United States.
Even going for a walk in quiet neighborhood can offer visitors and locals a chance to see a unique species.

Birding tours into Mexico are also available and easy to access.

Sportsmen’s delight

Sport fishing and game hunting are just down the road from Mercedes.

The Gulf of Mexico, accessible via the resort paradise of South Padre Island and from Northern Mexico, offers fishing fans an exciting adventure. Species like kingfish, shark, marlin, red snapper, grouper, and amberjack are found off shore to South Texas. Sport fishing is available year around.

For the hunters, wild turkeys, whitetail deer, and javelina are some of the species found in the unique South Texas brush. Hunting trips into Mexico are also available.

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