directions to rooms at the pecan
and a few other places as well. just scroll down.
You’ve come to the right place! Rooms at The Pecan is a quaint, quiet, and cool place to stay in South Texas. Having trouble finding us? Well, we’re right off the expressway, so you might of passed us up, or you might need to drive a bit more; Texas is huge, you know? But don’t worry, we’re here to help! Click the map below or read our directions on the left side of this page. You got this!
SOUTHBOUND: Most of our visitors come from some area north of the Rio Grande Valley, this would make you a southbound traveler. Texas is enormous, so when you think you’re getting close, you probably still have a little ways to go, but dont get discouraged. Look at us like the treasure at the end of a rainbow. Definitely worth the effort. So as you arrive into Brownsville, this is what you’ll need to do:
EXIT STILLMAN RD which is EXIT 7. As you enter Brownsville, Stillman Rd is one of the first exits. You will see a Toyota dealership and Brownsville Sports Park entrance to your left. Your exit is quickly approaching. You will come to a stop sign once you’ve exited next to an overpass. To your right is the famous 77 Flea Market. This market comes alive every Saturday and Sunday. You’ll find more information on the flea market in our blog.
Continue on the Frontage Rd.
DO NOT ENTER FREEWAY.
Less than a half mile down from the stop sign, you can find us on the right. If you look up as you approach you will see our 70ft sign illuminating our asphalt entrance lined with palms and greenery.
You’ve made it! I told you you’d find us. Make sure to stop off in our Lobby and get registered. Registration for new arrivals is open everyday until 3AM, and reopens a few hours later at 8AM.
NORTHBOUND: Our northbound customers are either coming from our beloved Mexico from any of the three international crossings, or from another area of Brownsville. So if this is you, read on. Brownsville is cut in half by Expressway 77, but some refer to it as US 83. There is some misinformation about the actual highway designation, but don’t let it confuse you, both highways are one-in-the same. As you travel north through Brownsville this is what you’ll need to do:
EXIT STILLMAN RD. You will pass major intersections, depending on where you entered the highway initially, as you drive towards Stillman Rd exit, such as: International Blvd, Boca Chica Blvd, Ruben Torres Blvd, Morrison Rd, and Alton Gloor Rd. All these roads offer countless avenues to great restaurants and experiences, and you can find out more about that in our blog as well. Just click the CITY & CULTURE tab at the top.
Once you have exited Stillman Rd, you will take the TURN-AROUND, under the over pass, as if you were returning to the place you came from.
DO NOT ENTER FREEWAY. Continue down the Frontage Rd for less than half a mile.
If you look up a few degrees you should see our 70 ft sign that reads “Rooms at The Pecan”.
You’ve made it! I told you you’d find us. Make sure to stop off in our Lobby and get registered. Registration for new arrivals is open everyday until 3AM, and reopens a few hours later at 8AM.
directions to south padre island & Port isabel
Do not Take hwy 100, trust us
So we’ve realized that close to all the GPS systems, whether they phone based, tablet based, or automobile based, will normally send you back north towards HWY 100. While this is a viable route to the beautiful beach destination of SPI, it isn’t the fastest, closest, and/or best route, in our opinion. Looking to avoid a lot of traffic during peak season, don’t want to worry about our wonderful Texas State Troopers by the dozen, looking to take the local route to the beach? We got you!
Starting from Rooms At The Pecan you’re looking at about a 25 - 35 minute drive to South Padre Island, also referred locally to as SPI or The Island. You can find some suggestions, to-dos, and an “Essentials” list in our blog. Just click CITY & CULTURE at the top of this page and get some more details on that. So, here we go:
You will be exiting Rooms at The Pecan and turning right. If you decided to turn left, uh dude, you’re gonna have a long day. As you drive down the Frontage Rd you will come to your first light.
TURN LEFT on Alton Gloor. One of the great things about this route, and really about our area in general, is that we have gas stations/convenience stores on practically every corner. At the light on Alton Gloor you will see a gas station to your immediate right where you can stock up on any items you may need for the beach (ie: ice, drinks, snacks, gasoline, sun block, etc). Remember, you are at a convenience store and will be paying a premium for all of these items. If you have some time, and want to save money, there is a Wal-Mart behind the Whataburger, across the street from this gas station.
You will be driving down Alton Gloor Rd for a few minutes, passing on either sides a fire station, Valley Regional Hospital, a large white water treatment tower, CVS, multiple neighborhoods, Pizza Hut, Burns Elementary, commercial plazas, and a few more gas stations, in case you forgot something or already finished your gummi bears and need more. NOTE: across the street from Burns Elementary there is a place called Yuki’s. It is a fresh fruit, ice cream, and all around snack place. We highly recommend it! If you’re watching your sugar or sodium intake, steer clear of this place. Our favorite is the fresh fruit “aguas” and their homemade ice creams, but they have an endless menu of creative and tasty snacks.
Your first major intersection will be PAREDES LINE RD. This road runs parallel with the major freeway and cuts Brownsville from North to South. You will pass this intersection and continue down Alton Gloor which now turns into Hugh Emerson Rd. You will no longer see much commercial development, mainly open lands and a few houses and small neighborhoods. You are about a quarter of the way there.
The next light you come to after passing Paredes Line Rd will be FM 511. Here you will TURN RIGHT. Again, a lot of open fields and some neighborhoods on your right. Continue down FM 511. There will be one last gas station on your right before the 15-25 minute drive to Port Isabel and South Padre Island. Continue on this road. You will pass a railroad crossing and a large industrial park on your right before coming to one last over pass.
TURN LEFT on HWY 48 as you go under the over pass. It is an immediate left, don’t miss it. You will go up an on-ramp, and you are now on HWY 48 towards Port Isabel and South Padre Island. This is the longest stretch of road you will be on. You will pass the global entry point of the Port of Brownsville and an industrial ship yard named AMFELS. Cargo and Container ships from all over the world come through here. It is really quite impressive, from an import/export standpoint.
Continue down HWY 48. You will pass two small bridges that are heavily used by local fisherman as a launch point for bay boats and casting. There is designated parking at both of these bridges, but do not be surprised if you see vehicles and people off to the side. If you’re looking to fish, you might want to bring your pole and tackle to this spot. Not a lot of amenities here, but if you’re the bare bones - outdoors person type, you might enjoy this fishing hole.
The terrain by now will be a mix of sand and shrubs with a lot of strong winds blowing. South Texas is known for its gusty winds and with no buildings or tall trees in sight, the wind does blow uninterrupted. There is a center concrete divider between going and oncoming traffic, but we recommend always driving defensively, especially if you are not accustomed the type of wind gusts that may occur. Almost there! You will drive on two large curves in the road. This will signal you are very close to arriving at Port Isabel. At this point you are driving next to the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and you might see some wild pigs, whitetail deer, or even our favorite, Nilgai. Nilgai are large four legged beasts. Picture a horse fell in love with a zebra, had children, then those children had a child with a steroid abusing antelope. Yea, exactly.
The speed limit decreases quickly, so please make sure you take notice. The boys in blue in Port Isabel and South Padre Isand do not like speeders, not even little bitty ones that go “just” above the limit. Keep it cool, keep it calm, and enjoy the last leg of your quick trip.
HWY 48 ends at HWY 100. You cannot continue straight. TURN RIGHT. You guessed it, there’s a gas station on this corner. More gummi bears? Behind this gas station is a grocery store named H-E-B, as well.
Once you turn right, this same road will take you all the way to Queen Isabella Causeway, the gateway to South Padre Island. The views as you pass over this 2.5 mile bridge are amazing. Eyes on the road driver, but passengers roll down your windows, smell that soothing salt air, and behold the beauty that is the gem of the Rio Grande Valley. Enjoy your time here, and drive back to us safely.