LAREDO , over one hundred miles from the coast, has seen greater days even though it's the fastest-growing city in the state. Santa Anna marched his troops through in 1836, and in 1840 the city was the center of Zapata's Mexican separatist protest. The capitol of Zapata's short-lived republic still stands on Zaragoza Street in the historic district, now housing the small Republic of the Rio Grande Museum (TuesSat 9am4pm, Sun 14pm; $1). San Agustin Plaza, the site of the original Spanish settlement, has been restored with cobbled streets and Victorian buildings, as has El Mercado, on San Agustin Avenue, the former hub of downtown activity.

Greyhound arrives at 610 Salinas St. The visitor center is at 501 San Agustin Ave (MonFri 8am5pm, Sat 9am3pm; tel 956/795-2200 or 1-800/361-3360). Toos , 1202 E Del Mar Blvd (tel 956/717-4999) is especially popular at lunch for its Tex-Mex standards, and Cotulla-Style Pit Bar-B-Q , 4502 McPherson St (tel 956/724-5747), serves a regional spicy type of barbecue as well as other Mexican dishes.