Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

McAllen travel guide

McAllen Tourism | McAllen Guide

You're Going to Love McAllen

With a population of 129,877, McAllen is a must-see destination in Texas, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. McAllen deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Article

Where to Eat in McAllen

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Patio on Guerra (116 S 17th St) and Salome on Main (1409 N Main St) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Pausa Cocina de Autor (920 N Main St Suite 100) and Bonhomia (920 N Main St suite 160) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in McAllen.

When to visit McAllen

McAllen in September
Estimated hotel price
$97
1 night at 3-star hotel
McAllen in September
Estimated hotel price
$97
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to McAllen in August, when the average temperature is 87.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 98.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 50 °F, with an average temperature of 60.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in September, when precipitation is around 4.5″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in McAllen, with an average rainfall of 0.9″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to McAllen

Plane

When flying to McAllen, you’ll arrive at McAllen Miller Intl (MFE), which is located 2 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to McAllen include Aeromexico, Delta and KLM. The shortest domestic flight to McAllen departs from Austin and takes around 1h 18m.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to McAllen, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Bus. From Austin, the bus ride to McAllen takes 328 miles and will cost you around $155. From Houston, the ticket costs about $90 for a journey of 335 miles. The most popular bus station is McAllen, located 0.4 miles from downtown McAllen. McAllen Frontera México-usa is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to McAllen, you’ll arrive at McAllen Miller Intl (MFE), which is located 2 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to McAllen include Aeromexico, Delta and KLM. The shortest domestic flight to McAllen departs from Austin and takes around 1h 18m.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to McAllen, including Tornado Bus, FlixBus and Bus. From Austin, the bus ride to McAllen takes 328 miles and will cost you around $155. From Houston, the ticket costs about $90 for a journey of 335 miles. The most popular bus station is McAllen, located 0.4 miles from downtown McAllen. McAllen Frontera México-usa is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city center.

Airports near McAllen

HRLHarlingen Valley Intl
MFEMcAllen Miller Intl
BROBrownsville South Padre Is. Intl

Airlines serving McAllen

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,287 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (851 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,698 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (1,414 reviews)
Gulf Air
Good (201 reviews)
Qantas Airways
Good (829 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (11,163 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (346 reviews)
WestJet
Good (2,826 reviews)
Air New Zealand
Excellent (472 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to McAllen

Where to stay in McAllen

There are also lots of vacation rental options in McAllen, with prices from $51 to $398 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in McAllen are about 55% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in McAllen by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of McAllen

Most booked hotels in McAllen

See all
Radisson Hotel Mcallen Airport
3 stars
Excellent (9, 825 reviews)
$104+
View
Motel 6 Pharr
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, 527 reviews)
$60+
View
Wyndham Garden McAllen at La Plaza Mall
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 568 reviews)
$98+
View
Casa De Palmas, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 658 reviews)
$119+
View
Motel 6 Mission Tx
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 533 reviews)
$63+
View
Baymont by Wyndham McAllen/Pharr
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 467 reviews)
$69+
View

Renting a car in McAllen

Renting a car in McAllen costs $57 per day, on average, or $113 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Payless, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in McAllen is the Dollar branch at 2500 S Bicentennial Blvd, which is 2 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 18% more expensive than at McAllen Miller Intl.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in McAllen (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in McAllen is Compact (Chevrolet Trax or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Toyota Prius or similar) are, on average, 54% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in McAllen costs $57 per day, on average, or $113 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Payless, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Avis are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in McAllen is the Dollar branch at 2500 S Bicentennial Blvd, which is 2 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 18% more expensive than at McAllen Miller Intl.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in McAllen (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in McAllen is Compact (Chevrolet Trax or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Standard rental cars (Toyota Prius or similar) are, on average, 54% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in McAllen

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$28/day

Compact

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$29/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in McAllen

McAllen Travel Guide - View the KAYAK McAllen city guide for the best McAllen travel tips. To help you organize your McAllen trip ideas, this McAllen visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.