Brownsville sits on the Rio Grande at the southern tip of Texas, a border city where two cultures meet. The city shares a metro with Matamoros, Mexico, across the river, and Charro Days, a binational festival held each winter, celebrates that friendship with parades and music. Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, just north of the city, preserves the site of the first battle of the Mexican-American War. Market Square anchors downtown with shops and restaurants, and Boca Chica Beach, near the SpaceX launch site, stretches along the Gulf a short drive east.