Cameron County

The US honed its country eminent domain skills in the first battle of the Mexican-American War at Palo Alto. US troops baited the Mexican Army into crossing the Rio Grande. What's interesting is that notable Army names such as Zachary Taylor and US Grant were dubious about this adventure.

We also visited Padre Island National Seashore, home to the largest stretch of undeveloped barrier islands in the US. The park is perhaps best known for its Kemp-Ridleys nesting grounds. Every turtle egg laid is collected and incubated for later release. This greatly improves the 1000 to 1 odds of a turtle reaching adulthood.Read more