5 Mexican Destinations To Visit in The United States
The summer might almost be over but that doesn’t mean you have to stop traveling
Photo: Unsplash/@a_lo
The summer might almost be over but that doesn’t mean you have to stop traveling. If you’re lucky enough to get some time off from work this fall, consider hitting the road with your family to visit some unique destinations to remind you of your Mexican heritage. These iconic Mexican destinations are a must for that traveling bucket list to visit around the U.S.
San Antonio Missions, San Antonio, TX
Looking for a destination rich in cultural history then a visit to the San Antonio Missions is a must. Visitors to these historic sites are welcomed to five missions all within close distance of each other. “A mission was an institution used by the Spanish to transplant their culture to frontier regions,” shares its website. The Alamo, Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, Mission Espada all await to unfold the mysteries of the past that “some San Antonio residents can trace their roots back to.” They bring to life the history and culture that were more than just religious centers. They are considered a World Heritage Site which is “an honor that recognizes the fact that a place has significance beyond a local or regional audience.”
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Olvera Street, Los Angeles, California
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjDYt7pA1xt/?tagged=olverastreet
A street lined with shops, museums rich in cultural history, and food to inspire your favorite recipes from Mami and Abuelita. You feel as if you have stepped onto the streets of a charming Mexican town with stories of its past in each unique shop you come across. A Mexican marketplace full of traditional foods, mariachi music, Mexican folkloric dancers, hand-made items, and is considered a historical monument in Los Angeles. Known as the “birthplace of Los Angeles,” it was established in 1930 and “recreates a romantic “Old Los Angeles” with a block-long narrow, tree-shaded, brick-lined market with old structures, painted stalls, street vendors, cafes, restaurants and gift shops.”
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Nuestra Señora Reina de La Paz, Kern County, California
Also known as “La Paz” it is a 187 acres of important historic significance located in the Tehachapi Mountains of eastern Kern County, California. Associated with Cesar Chavez, one of the most iconic Latino leaders in U.S. history. Its significance is centered around 1970 when it became the property of the National Farm Workers Service Center Inc., who made it available to the United Farm Workers of America (UFA). Civil Rights activist Chavez relocated the UFA and his own residence there. “It is the site of the country’s first permanent agricultural union.” His wish to be buried on the property is a testament “to the strength of his association with the property.”
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Benson Historic Barrio, Concha County, Arizona
Benson Historic Barrio, a part of the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places. A trip to Arizona will bring you to the Historic Barrio, “encompassing 307-572 Fifth Street, between San Pedro Street and Route 80 in Benson, Arizona.” Lined with homes and a few small one-story buildings, many of the homes are the property of family heirs. Many of the homes are close to the street and represent the culture and history that was reminiscent of the neighborhood during those times. “Some have yard shrines; all characteristics being typical of Hispanic barrios in the southwestern United States.”
wp_*postsPalo Alto Battlefield, Brownsville, TX
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhRv8XNnq6g/?tagged=paloaltobattlefield
The site of one of the most historic battlefields in history. You don’t want to miss a trip through Texas and stop at the place where “on May 8, 1846, United States and Mexican troops clashed on the prairie of Palo Alto.” A war that changed the fabric of North America. It’s a National Historical Park that preserves the site of this monumental battle and “examines the causes, events, and consequences of the U.S-Mexican War.” A Hollywood of battlefields, so to speak, with the name itself being well-known as well as the names of dozens of soldiers who are considered heroes or celebrities.
