While in McAllen, TX we decided to take a day trip over to Nuevo Progreso in Mexico. Just a short drive away, I was so excited to see all of the bright colors and all of the fun things to do in Nuevo Progreso. The tourist area of Nuevo Progreso is just one long street so you can spend half a day to a full day there just wandering into all of the shops, visiting the bars, and more. Luckily for us, we had McAllen local, YirlaRubi, who regularly visits to show us the best spots for a fun day in Nuevo Progreso. Want to be more prepared before your trip? We’ve been using the Rosetta Stone app! It has 5-10 minute lessons all on your phone with visual and audio cues to help you learn quick! Join Rosetta Stone now and get 50% off your lifetime subscription! Crossing the Border into Nuevo Progreso Crossing into Nuevo Progreso is easy and quick. Right when you get to the border on the right side is a parking lot. In order to save time, it’s best to walk across. Of course don’t forget your passport to avoid any delays. It takes a couple of minutes and it’s best to bring cash or some coins as it takes a few quarters to cross. If you don’t have cash there is an ATM, and there is someone there to change dollar bills for coins. It took us less than 10 minutes to get from the car to the drinks at our first stop. Related Posts: Where The Norwegian Prime Sails Currency Exchange in Nuevo Progreso Luckily you don’t have to exchange currency in Nuevo Progreso. You’re perfectly fine with dollar bills and most things are already priced in dollars. Sign Up. Be Inspired. Travel. Experience travel like never before with our exclusive tips, tricks, and recommendations. Join our newsletter for the best advice on making the most of your adventures! Newsletter Sign up now for all the best travel tips and destinations! Subscribe Loading… Thank you! You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Top Things to do in Nuevo Progreso Grab a Pina Colada at Panchos As soon as we reached the shops, we had to start off with a drink at Panchos. They serve massive drinks for dollars and have live music playing. You can order the drinks to go as you walk around with a drink along the streets of Nuevo Progreso. While doing all of the other fun things in Nuevo Progreso, it was fun to be able to have a drink in hand too. Find Some Fun Goods at El Disco Super Center In the same shopping area of Panchos is the super center which is two floor of goods! There are all sorts of Mexican decor, artwork, clothing, alcohol, snacks, and more. We enjoyed walking around and then made one last stop on our way out of Progreso to pick up a couple of things to take home for ourselves and for gifts for friends and family. Check Out the Local Food Vendors Just walking down the streets you will see plenty of vendors selling all sorts of delicious items. One of my favorites were the sweet gorditas which we filled with dulce de leche. You can also fill it with honey and butter or buy some to take home. There really is so much to look at like roasted nuts or even the fresh agave and honey being sold right there. Many of them will let you try before purchasing too. Grab Drinks at the Panty Bar Another fun bar that is quite popular is the Red Panty Bar. I’m not sure if they have these from previous owners or how they get bras and panties, but it’s a pretty popular spot. Get Pampered on a Budget If you’re looking to get pampered on a budget, there are multiple places to get manis, pedis, massages, eyelashes, and more. You can also get your hair braided or even extensions. Wander Through All of the Local Stands More than just yummy goods, all of the local stands in Nuevo Progreso are filled with different things to buy: jewelry, purses, handmade goods, toys, jerseys, clothing, and more. It’s a little like an outdoor shopping mall. It was almost overwhelming how much there was. Related Posts: Fun Things to do in Isla Mujeres Go Dancing During the Day Here at Galerias you can head up to the second floor and on the weekend there is a live band playing salsa, merengue, and other music. Even going around 1pm people were happy to jump up and dance and get into the music! This a great place to order a michelada which comes in a massive glass. What amazed me were the prices (which was really the case for everywhere here!) Two margaritas, a massive michelada, and a beer came out to less than $10. If you’re looking to drink cheap, then Nuevo Progreso is the town! Buy a Pinata Okay. You don’t have to walk out with a llama pinata and get lots of stares (but compliments to a little girl who came up to hug it!) like I did. However, if you plan on hosting a party anytime soon, there are so many shops with ornate pinatas, decor, plates, and all things you need for all kinds of parties. Eat From an Elote Stand Elote is by far one of my favorite foods so of course I had to stop in for some elote at the colorful stand! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Texas Blogger – Travel (@mycurlyadventures_) on Dec 9, 2019 at 4:54pm PST Try Lonches Lonches are popular in Nuevo Progreso and are like a taco except the meat is served inside of a mini baguette. Luckily we had our friends who helped us find the best lonches and taco spot in Nuevo Progreso. While there’s a long line of different stands, Taqueria “Danny’s” isRead More »