OPINION: Laredo offers hidden gems
By Kaily Olivo
Editor-in-chief
Published Wednesday, March 25, 2026
To me, all Laredo offered were small, local restaurants; that’s what made Laredo feel so different, like no one else featured the food we have.
Besides that, it felt as if Laredo had nothing unique. Like there were no activities. Yes, Laredo is unique, considering it’s a border city, and has a rich history, but it’s a matter of: What can I do in Laredo besides eat?
At first, there’s numerous things that came to my mind, such as walking in the parks, fishing at Lake Casa Blanca, and going to the annual Jalapeño Festival. I was just trying to see what’s out there, and that’s where it began.
I started to really look into non-profit organizations, societies, clubs, anything really. I’ve lived in Laredo my whole life and it always felt like there was nothing there, but really I just wasn’t looking hard enough.
I will not lie, it’s a stretch to say that I’ve found something I really enjoy doing in Laredo, but non-profit organizations, like the Laredo Film Society, really opened my eyes to something new. Recently, I began an internship with the society.
It could be my slight closed-mindedness to what Laredo had, but I never thought there was a group that comes together to support cinema. This group talks, connects, reflects and immerses itself—not just merely watching movies—but into the history of it too.
I enjoy connecting with the Laredo community, and also becoming more knowledgeable in a way I never thought I would, interactively.
And, this is not coming just from my internship work, but from the pure enjoyment in my experiences.
I definitely think this is one of those things that just makes you feel more connected to a city that’s not so big and not so small, like Laredo.
After my experiences with LFS, it made me think more about what else Laredo has to offer, and changed my mindset toward shutting down the idea that Laredo has nothing to offer.
With all of this, I think anyone can find something they can enjoy. It just takes a little digging to find out what’s out there.
I know for me, this digging through Laredo definitely isn’t over because I don’t think I’ll ever find peace in saying Laredo isn’t unique and has nothing to it when somebody asks me about this city.
