Nuevo Progreso begs tourists to return

The military is there just to give a little more security to the tourist people. From the man who paints tourists' names on grains of rice to the teenagers selling pirated DVDs, everyone can sum up business in this tourist-dependent Mexican border town in two words. via The Brownsville Herald

[Sherree]

i absolutly love Nuevo Progresso. I stay at Las Flores Inn on Mexico side. Go in, ask for Chewy(owner) or Jerry, they will take excellent care of you.Johannna, lovely lady @ front desk. Have lunch/dinner at Red Snapper. Excellent food as well as the hotel restaurant. Tell Chewy & Dehlia Sherree sent ya. The town is safe but as anywhere whether here in the states or abroad, it is only as you make it. i don't party, etc. and have a blast. Love to shop, been staying there since 1995. No problems. For dental work, Bonoficia Hernandez, ask for Felix who speaks very fluent english and Omar(dentist) will take good care of you. Eat, drink and stay in Mexico. With my entire family.Looking forward to my next trip in a few days and just returned from there. US $ is welcome but haggle, don't pay what vendors 1st ask for merchandise. They will come down off of price to make a sale and keep you as a customer when you return on your next trip.

[Michele]

We are long-time Winter Texans and for the first time we did not visit Progresso. The border is out of control and we just didn't feel safe.

[Relocated]

Nuevo Progreso is probably the only safe place to cross these days. We relocated here 18 yrs ago from Pennsylvania. Many, many things have changed over the years. The prices, the atmosphere and especially the appearance of the Mexican Army in the streets. It is an ominous feeling, but, it is still the safest place to cross if you are seeking dental work or medications. The tourist trade has fallen off, perhaps due to the increase in prices ( especially for Mexican made trinkets) and the obvious rise in prices for medications. The cost to park on the US side has more than doubled and there is a charge to walk across as well as to drive. The streets are more crowded with street vendors since Matamoros and Reynosa have become extremely dangerous for the tourist. This is a NEGATIVE influence on the little town of Progreso. Still....embrace the experience and move about carefully as you would in any strange town. Be aware of your surroundings and do not overimbibe. Enjoy the clubs ( mostly live music ) and the libation, but be sensible. Remember to bring your ID and Passport. Enjoy.

[Senor Garcia]

The Mexican Military should not scare people into not going,its like the U.S. Military in Afghanistan.It should make the people feel safer and scare the drug lords away.

[Jay]

I am thinking of taking the family for an overnight stay, since i will be spending a weekend in S.padre soon.

Would I be best to drive and park at the Las Flores Inn? or leave vehicle on TX side? also what else could I do aside from shop, even though with 3 daughters (12,7,5) and a wife that's what they will want to do.

And is this the best hotel? how about best restaurants?

[mister lover lover]

I wouldn't stay there. Driver over for the day, do some shopping, drinking, and eating and then drive back to Padre.

[Jim]

My wife and I are senior citizens and plan on visiting McAllen and Reynosa at the beginning of Oct. Is it possible to take a "day trip" to Reynosa by bus and is this a safe way to visit Mexico?

[Philip]

nothing is safe in mexico

[fluffy]

the state dept says mexico isnt safe. our insurance man says get a kidnapping/ransom policy if you go this is for executives or any people with assets how many police/federales are on drug lord payrolls? its not safe!

[fluffy]

if you go to downtown san antonio, el mercado area, market square area, its just like mexico but safe. the food is safe, the water is safe, the streets are safe. why go to mexico?

[spazz]

Senor Garcia wrote:

The Mexican Military should not scare people into not going,its like the U.S. Military in Afghanistan.It should make the people feel safer and scare the drug lords away.

Yes, I always feel I'm in a very safe place when armed soldiers are all around and tanks and military humvees are in the streets.

Mexicans don't care about the safety of American tourists, they care about the money they might not get. Everything in Mexico is about money and greed.

[Jim]

Wow!! Now the big question: Is McAllen, Tx safe?

[PanchoVilla]

I live 1 mile north of the border, over here about 35 miles west of Progreso. So I have a firsthand account of the border life everyday, and I will tell you about some, just a little though. First of all, Mexicos government didnt want us to put a wall, they made that clear. Now the only thing they can do to get back at us currently to show their dislike is to bother us. They sent Federal Soldiers up to the border towns under the noble reason of being sent to control the feuding drug cartels. So now, as we see, many federal soldiers are cleaning house, because they have the power to push around anyone they want. They're against, well some of them are against the drug cartels, and some are paid off by them, same as the police over there. However, most young Mexican men don't like Americans anyways, especially when they see how Mexicans are treated over here in America now-a-days, so they might tend to go out of their way to give you a hard time, if they feel like it.
But its safe for an American to go over to Progresso, especially if you tell people your going over there, hhahaa. Just be nice, try to blend in, enjoy the quaint hospitality, but I wouldnt be boasting how great you are because your an American or nothing like that, just be humble.

[PanchoVilla]

Jim wrote:

Wow!! Now the big question: Is McAllen, Tx safe?

Safer than Houston, San Antonio, or Dallas, unless your in the drug or human smuggling rings around here, then things get a little treacherous. Only bad thing about McAllen, and the general area down here, the Rio Grande Valley, is car thieves get a little bolder knowing that the border is about 2 miles from any major population area, and you dont get checked going into Mexico, you just pay your $2.50 bridge fee, and keep on driving. Like I said though, life is nice and laid back down here, nobody exercises, everyones having cookouts all the time only with real mesquite wood. There is quite a bit of cheap drugs around here, because this area is like a giant warehouse, with tons and tons waiting to be shipped north everyday, hard part is getting it past the federal checkpoints, crossing over the river is easy, hence the wall. Everyday on my local news, they show you tons of weed getting caught, or if they can they'll turn around drive back to the river and drive right into the river Dukes of Hazzard style, then get out in the middle of the river, and just swim back and then look at the Border Patrol, the Border Patrol does confiscate the truck and the drugs, but the smuggler gets away, only to try again later, weird right, crazy guys let me tell ya.

[mike_lee]

Progresso is safe during the day. As safe or safer then anyplace. The troops, complete with rooftop snipers, are alarming. If there were some sort of shuffle the soldiers, who range in age from 18-24 would not hold back. .50 Cal heavy machine gun or a grenade would have trouble telling you from the bad guys. But, I wouldn't worry about it. But please be respectful and treat the people like you would expect to be treated since they have the same feelings you have.

[PanchoVilla]

fluffy wrote:

the state dept says mexico isnt safe. our insurance man says get a kidnapping/ransom policy if you go this is for executives or any people with assets how many police/federales are on drug lord payrolls? its not safe!

Of course your insurance man wants you to buy an insurance policy, thats how he makes his money.......... not safe, insurance policy, hahaha, lmao

[mitzi]

Please tell me the dentist you use i have about 15 teeth to be extracted and need dentures but can not afford it here in texas

Relocated wrote:

Nuevo Progreso is probably the only safe place to cross these days. We relocated here 18 yrs ago from Pennsylvania. Many, many things have changed over the years. The prices, the atmosphere and especially the appearance of the Mexican Army in the streets. It is an ominous feeling, but, it is still the safest place to cross if you are seeking dental work or medications. The tourist trade has fallen off, perhaps due to the increase in prices ( especially for Mexican made trinkets) and the obvious rise in prices for medications. The cost to park on the US side has more than doubled and there is a charge to walk across as well as to drive. The streets are more crowded with street vendors since Matamoros and Reynosa have become extremely dangerous for the tourist. This is a NEGATIVE influence on the little town of Progreso. Still....embrace the experience and move about carefully as you would in any strange town. Be aware of your surroundings and do not overimbibe. Enjoy the clubs ( mostly live music ) and the libation, but be sensible. Remember to bring your ID and Passport. Enjoy.

[MATT]

dr. carreon is my dentist progreso and i have referred many to him

[louie]

Omar is not a dentist, he never finished dental school

Sherree wrote:

i absolutly love Nuevo Progresso. I stay at Las Flores Inn on Mexico side. Go in, ask for Chewy(owner) or Jerry, they will take excellent care of you.Johannna, lovely lady @ front desk. Have lunch/dinner at Red Snapper. Excellent food as well as the hotel restaurant. Tell Chewy & Dehlia Sherree sent ya. The town is safe but as anywhere whether here in the states or abroad, it is only as you make it. i don't party, etc. and have a blast. Love to shop, been staying there since 1995. No problems. For dental work, Bonoficia Hernandez, ask for Felix who speaks very fluent english and Omar(dentist) will take good care of you. Eat, drink and stay in Mexico. With my entire family.Looking forward to my next trip in a few days and just returned from there. US $ is welcome but haggle, don't pay what vendors 1st ask for merchandise. They will come down off of price to make a sale and keep you as a customer when you return on your next trip.

[louie]

neither the US is safe, we were assaulted and robbed in san antonio, the thieves opened our car and took all our stuff

Philip wrote:

nothing is safe in mexico