Laredo is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The city population is around 230,000, making it the 3rd largest on the United States-Mexican border, after San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas. Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area and the city’s economy is based on international trade with Mexico. The biggest festival, Washington's Birthday Celebration is held during February all month long, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists. The Jalapeño Festival, Stockmen's Ball, Princess Pocahontas Pageant, Mr. South Texas Luncheon, an air show, and two major parades are all held in conjunction with the Washington birthday events.

In terms of arts and culture, the city offeres the Border Heritage Museumm, the Casa Ortiz and Republic of the Rio Grande Museum, all located in Zaragoza Street. Shopping opportunities include the Fountain Center, Independence Plaza, North Creek Mall, the Mall Del Norte, and the French Quarter & Times Square. San Bernardo Avenue, Laredo’s original main street, boasts the largest collection of import merchandise along forty-plus city blocks.

With regards to outdoors activities, there is Big River Outfitters, offering year-round kayaking trips for all ages and skill levels, the Lamar Bruni Vergara Environmental Science Center at Laredo Community College, and the Max A. Mandel Municipal Golf Course, due to be opened in spring 2012. Laredo is also home to several sports teams, including Laredo Bucks, Laredo Rattlesnakes, Laredo Heat
and Laredo Lemurs, Laredo’s new professional baseball team with its inaugural season in 2012.

Accommodation in Laredo’s university residences

Most of the student accommodations in the city are found at the Texas A&M International University and availability is mostly during the summer vacation period. It should be understood that these student residences are designed primarily for students and not children or adults expecting a high level of luxury. However, with this in mind, the halls do meet a level of comfort that we expect most visitors to be happy with, and we will welcome any feedback where this is not the case.

Getting around Laredo

Laredo is served by the Laredo International Airport. El Metro is the mass bus transit system that operates in Laredo with 21 fixed routes. Rural transportation is provided by "El Aguila Rural Transportation" bus services, which provides fixed daily routes from Rural Webb County (Bruni, El Cenizo, Mirando City, Oilton, and Rio Bravo) to the downtown Laredo Transit Center. The International bridges in Laredo are the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge, the Juárez-Lincoln International Bridge, the World Trade International Bridge (commercial traffic only), the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge and the Texas-Mexican Railway International Bridge.

Laredo, originally named Villa San Agustin de Laredo, was founded May 15, 1755 by Don Tomás Sánchez. The name Sanchez chose is a tribute to Saint Augustine of Hippo and combination of Laredo, which is attributed to Laredo, Cantabria, a town on the northern coast of Spain. Sánchez was a captain in the Spanish colonial army. The settlement was part of a grand plan to bring civilization to an area which now comprises northeastern Mexico and South Texas.

In 1840, Laredo was the capital of the independent Republic of the Rio Grande, set up in opposition of Antonio López de Santa Anna and brought back into Mexico by military force. In 1846, during the Mexican-American War the town was occupied by the Texas Rangers. After the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ceded the land to the United States. A referendum was taken in the town, which voted to petition the American military government in charge of the area to return the town to Mexico. This petition was rejected, and the bulk of the population moved over the river into Mexican territory to found Nuevo Laredo. In 1849, the military set up Fort McIntosh (originally Camp Crawford). Laredo was re-chartered as a city in 1852. Through these changes in sovereignty, Laredo has the distinction of flying seven flags (the Flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande in addition to the Six Flags of Texas).

Laredo has grown from a villa, to the capital of the brief Republic of the Rio Grande, to the largest inland port on the United States-Mexican Border.