25 Reasons to Fall in Love with Port Aransas, Texas
Port Aransas, Texas, is a charming little beach town on the pristine Texas Gulf Coast, just south of Corpus Christi. It is a leisurely two-hour drive from my beloved hometown in San Antonio and has been my annual beach retreat since childhood.
Port Aransas offers many activities, from beachcombing to birdwatching, fresh seafood feasts, and thrilling water sports.
With its coastal chic neighborhoods, golf cart driving, golf courses, and island shopping, Port Aransas rivals Florida’s 30A in terms of seaside charm. Whether you haven’t visited in a while or have never been, now is the perfect time to check out all the fun things to do in Port Aransas, Texas.
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Top 25 Things to Do in Port Aransas
Port Aransas is relatively small, with a little over 3,000 full-time residents. However, thousands of people flock to this small community during the spring and summer months for its miles of beautiful beaches and resort-like atmosphere.
Unsurprisingly, the best activity in Port Aransas is enjoying a day at its picturesque beaches.
The simple pleasures of sunbathing, building sandcastles, or getting lost in a great book beneath the shade of an umbrella make for the perfect beach day.
Walking along the shoreline collecting seashells, playing volleyball, and flying a kite are all common activities.
With over eighteen miles of beaches, you can find your own slice of paradise, whether it’s a secluded spot or a bustling stretch.
Unlike many coastal destinations, Port Aransas offers the unique perk of driving directly onto the beach. This convenience enhances the beach-going experience, making it accessible for families, groups, and solo adventurers alike.
Before driving down the beach, purchase an annual beach parking pass for $12.
The Port Aransas beach tag can be bought at most convenience stores.
It allows you to park and enjoy all the beautiful beaches of Port Aransas.
Imagine not having to trek your beach toys and supplies through a parking lot but rather being able to keep everything in your car at your fingertips. It’s so convenient.
1. Go Parasailing
For an adventure over the water, check out Chute ‘Em Up Parasailing, located in Port A Outfitters. For around $90 per person, you can fly high above the Lydia Ann Channel. They have rave reviews on Facebook, especially from first-timers.
They take up anyone from age seven and up and can even take up to three people at a time. So, pick your best friends and have the time of your life.
2. Kayak at Night
Want a water adventure that doesn’t include flying? One of the most unique things to do in Port Aransas is kayaking at night! Glow Row light-up kayak tours offer two trips on Thursday nights, leaving at 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM.
The mile-long trip takes over an hour to complete.
Clear-bottom kayaks fitted with colorful lights will be your vessel as you cross the boating channel and then into the shallows of Lighthouse Lakes.
Beginners are welcome!
3. Learn How to Surf
Texas Surf Camps
Texas may not be known for its surfing; however, the owner of Texas Surf Camps is changing that thought. Sharing his passion for surfing was the force behind creating Texas Surf Camps.
The company offers daily and weekly camps, which meet at the Horace Caldwell Pier in I.B. Magee Beach Park.
Anyone age six and up with basic swimming skills can sign up for a camp or class.
If surfing isn’t your thing, try stand-up paddleboarding. Texas Surf Camps offers private and group lessons.
Paddleboarding is a surprisingly peaceful activity once you find your balance. It’s worth checking out.
4. Build a Sandcastle
Building sandcastles is a favorite Port Aransas beach activity because the moisture level of the sand is perfect for making a sand masterpiece.
In fact, one of the most popular events in Port Aransas is SandFest, which happens each April.
Competitors from all over gather at Port A for the nation’s largest sand sculpture competition. The festival includes the sand sculpture competition, shopping, live music, food, and a fun-filled beach weekend.
5. Go Fishing
Port Aransas is known as the “Fishing Capital of Texas.” There are a variety of ways to enjoy fishing in Port Aransas. You can fish from the beach, charter a tour, or fish from the piers or jetties.
6. Dolphin Watch Nature Tour or Sunset Cruise
If you want to get out on the water but don’t want to fish, consider booking a dolphin watching cruise or sunset cruise. Cruises leave from the Port Aransas Harbor area near the ferry.
The dolphin watch nature tours last 1 ½ hours and leave several times throughout the day. Depending on the cruise line, adult prices begin at around $35, and children’s prices start at $25.
The sunset cruises leave, beginning at 6:30 PM.
For a large family, consider booking a private dolphin and sunset cruise.
7. Act Like a Pirate on a Pirate Cruise
That’s right! Port Aransas has its very own pirate ship. The Red Dragon Pirate Cruise takes visitors out into the Lydia Ann Channel in Port Aransas for a two-hour trip two times daily.
The interactive boat ride is a super fun thing to do in Port Aransas. It includes “pirates” entertaining you with stories, engaging you in a water gun and sword fight, blasting a cannon, and providing an overall fun adventure. Passengers even spot dolphins on the trips.
The Red Dragon Pirate Cruises depart from Capt. Kitty’s, which is located near the ferry landing in Port Aransas.
The cost of the trip varies with the season. To ride on a pirate ship, advanced reservations are required.
8. Visit the Port Aransas Museum
Learn about the history of this small fishing town by visiting the Port Aransas Museum. In addition to the museum, visit Farley Boat Works to see a working boat museum.
You might recognize the Farley Boat name from the boats you see at various businesses around town. Farley Boat Works sponsors the annual Wooden Boat Festival held over three days in October each year.
9. Go Island Shopping
After a morning spent in the sun, spend the afternoon visiting the Port Aransas souvenir shops.
Souvenir shops are easy to find in town. Look for the giant beach-themed displays, such as the open-mouthed giant shark or the black and white lighthouse.
Many souvenir shops sell T-shirts, beach towels, beach toys, flip-flops, and beachy souvenirs like shark tooth necklaces.
You won’t find chain retailers in Port Aransas, but you will find adorable locally-owned businesses like BoJon’s, Roam Home, and Stephanie’s Stuff, all selling beach-related decor, clothing, and toys.
These boutique shops are located throughout town and have unique items to take home to remind you of your fun time on the island.
10. Find the Wooden Art Displays
If you’re traveling with kids or young-at-heart companions, look for the painted wooden art displays in Port Aransas for great photo opportunities.
My family members modeled for you. Don’t they look great?
11. Enjoy Waterfront Dining
Indulge in the ultimate waterfront dining experience at Port Aransas’ many bayfront and marina restaurants.
With a casual, come-as-you-are atmosphere, many of these kid and pet-friendly spots offer delectable seafood delights amidst stunning views.
Savor the flavors of the Gulf while soaking in the laid-back vibes of this coastal paradise.
12. Play a Round of Golf
The Palmilla Beach Golf Course welcomes golfers to tee off on their “links” style golf course. This course is similar to those that you might find in Scotland in that three of its holes run parallel to the beach and have coastal dunes.
Originally designed by Arnold Palmer, the course has nine holes with a par three loop. Golfers have a choice to play 9, 12, or 18 holes.
Palmilla is a casual golf club with no membership fee or dress code. The course embraces island living, and players are encouraged to come and play a round with friends.
Your tee time fee includes a golf cart and an hour on the driving range.
When your round is over, visit REDS Grill at the Palmilla Clubhouse for drinks, snacks, and music.
13. Cruise the Island in a Golf Cart
Golf cart rentals in Port Aransas have become increasingly popular. Rental companies have popped up all over town, making golf carts easy to rent.
Port Aransas is extremely walkable if you stay in town, but the most popular mode of transportation around town and at the beach is golf carts. You will see golf carts of different sizes jetting around, intermingling with the regular traffic.
Many visitors cruise the small town in their carts, looking for fun things to do in Port Aransas.
Beachfront condos and home rental communities have boardwalks allowing you to drive your carts onto the beach, making it much more convenient.
Because of their popularity, golf carts are allowed on the streets in town and along most of the beach. For safety reasons, the only place you cannot drive golf carts is on the highway.
Some vacation rental properties now include golf carts in the rental price. When looking for a Port Aransas vacation condo or house, consider renting one that provides a golf cart rental.
Golf cart rental prices can range from $150 to $225 per day, so having the cost included in the accommodation rental can be a money saver.
Golf cart rentals in Port Aransas
- Bron’s Backyard & Beach Rentals—In addition to golf carts, Brons rents chairs, umbrellas, and other beach items.
- Trout Street Golf Cart Rentals
- Sage Beach Carts – provider for Cinnamon Shores guests
- Ocean Carts
- Jackfish Golf Cart Rentals – Rents golf carts, surfboards, fishing gear, and boogie boards
14. Explore The University of Texas Marine Science Institute’s Patton Center
The newly opened Patton Center, run by the UT Marine Science Institute, offers hands-on opportunities to learn about Port Aransas’s local marine life.
The Patton Center, located at 855 East Cotter Ave., is free to visit and is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday.
Visiting the Patton Center is a free and fun way to spend time with the family.
15. Watch for Dolphins
You don’t have to take a dolphin cruise to spot dolphins in Port Aransas.
You just need to go to Roberts Point Park. Located to the left of the ferry exit, here you can almost always spot dolphins that bow-surf the large ships that cross the channel.
There is a walking path, pavilions, and benches overlooking the water where you can hang out while you keep a watchful eye for the playful dolphins.
16. Go Bird Watching
Some people may not know that Port Aransas is a bird watcher’s paradise. With wetlands and miles of beach, the area offers a refuge for many bird species.
In fact, the Port Aransas Nature Preserve has four spots dedicated to protecting the area’s habitats.
If you have time to go to one, I recommend the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center. It is free and open from sunrise to sunset, but the morning is the best time to go.
A small cement pathway surrounded by beautiful plants and butterflies leads you into the area, where you will find a well-built boardwalk and viewing tower for your use.
The birding center fills with some serious bird watchers. Don’t feel silly with your iPhone as they carry their mega lenses. You can still enjoy the experience with the help of informational plaques.
If you have wildlife binoculars, you should bring them.
I don’t know much about the types of birds I was looking at, but some birds you might see are herons, pelicans, and ducks.
If you are lucky, you might even see the alligator that lives there as we did.
Beware, the wastewater treatment plant is located next door. It gave off a not-so-pleasant smell that lingered our way, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the experience.
A birding expert guides groups through the boardwalk each Wednesday at 9:00 AM on a free walk called Birding on the Boardwalk. All levels of bird watchers can come; they even have binoculars you can use for the walk.
17. Take a Yoga Class
The Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture is over 1,000 acres of undeveloped land that has been preserved in Port Aransas as a haven for wildlife. As the city’s development happens, the conservation of the land maintains the coastal environment for birds and waterfowl.
The Preserve offers free yoga classes on Tuesdays at 12:30 PM. You have to pre-register for the class, which you can do here.
18. Watch Turtles Released Into the Ocean
This next activity isn’t in Port Aransas but near The Padre Island National Seashore.
If you visit Port Aransas in the summer, watch the schedule for the sea turtle hatchling releases at Padre Island National Seashore on Malaquite Beach, located at the Malaquite Visitor Center.
Each year, Kemp sea turtles, the smallest and most endangered sea turtle species, come to Texas beaches and lay their eggs. Once they lay them, they return to the sea and never come back.
Volunteers search the beaches for the nests, then rescue and care for the eggs until they hatch.
Visitors can watch the hatchlings being released onto the National Seashore beach. Their journey to the water can take up to forty-five minutes.
Because the eggs’ hatching timeline is an estimate, there is no set schedule for the release.
For up-to-date details, check the Hatchling Hotline (361-949-7163) or the Padre Island National Seashore Facebook page.
19. Visit Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
If a trip to the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center has piqued your interest in bird watching, then you must plan a visit to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in the nearby beach town of Rockport, Texas.
The wildlife refuge is dedicated to protecting the breeding grounds of the endangered whooping crane.
Visitors can enjoy the new visitors center, a 16-mile auto tour, observation towers, walking trails, and picnic spots.
20. Visit San Jose Island
For even more secluded beach time, take a short ferry ride to San Jose Island, also known as St. Jo’s Island.
On the deserted island, you will find twenty-one miles of undisturbed beaches, including some of the best beaches to go shelling for unique shells.
The ferry leaves from Fisherman’s Wharf in town with set ferry times. There are no amenities on the island, so make sure to bring anything you might need for your visit.
21. Visit the Texas State Aquarium
The Texas State Aquarium is located a short drive away in Corpus Christi. The aquarium educates visitors about the Gulf of Mexico and its sea animals.
Visitors learn about dolphins, turtles, sharks, and rays through interactive presentations.
Additionally, there is a splash park for the kids, a 4-D theater, and many dining options.
22. Rent a Beach Tiki Hut
Imagine relaxing on the beach in your beach chair, under the perfectly placed umbrella for the right amount of shade, listening to music while you sip a margarita. Now imagine you can enjoy all of this without any of the effort.
That’s exactly what you’ll get when renting a Love Shack Tiki Hut for the beach. The tiki hut and everything you need for a fantastic beach day are delivered and set up.
Let them do all the work while you sit back, relax, and party the day away.
23. Paint Your Own Ceramics
When you have had just a bit too much beach time and are looking a bit like a lobster, take a break at Fire It! Ceramics.
This paint-your-own ceramic studio is one of the largest ceramic studios in Texas.
There are thousands of pieces available for you to paint, including mugs, platters, and kid-friendly pieces.
If you’re in a hurry, you can use acrylic paints and take your masterpiece home on the same day. Alternatively, you can have your piece fired in the kiln, which will take 1-3 days before it’s ready to take home.
Not to worry, if you prefer to have your items shipped, they can make arrangements for you.
You don’t even need a reservation. Just walk on in!
24. Play Putt-Putt Golf
If you are looking for a family-friendly adventure near Port Aransas, you must check out Treasure Island Golf & Games. It offers two putt-putt courses: the Adventure Course and the Challenge Course.
The golf courses provide just enough challenge to make this a fun afternoon or evening for the entire family.
25. Indulge in a Tipsy Sno Cone
After a full day in the sun, relax on the patio at Bron’s Shaved Ice & To Go Bar as you sway in a hammock, listening to live music and sipping a delicious cocktail or non-alcoholic slushy.
It’s the perfect way to cool down and soak in the island life.
Best Time to Visit Port Aransas
While there’s no bad time to visit Port Aransas, there are a few things to consider when choosing when to visit.
Spring brings families and college students to the beach for spring break and spring vacations. There can be large crowds, especially during the second and third weeks of March, when Texas schools are on spring break.
In the fall and winter, you will find mild weather, fewer crowds, and lower accommodation prices.
SandFest is an annual three-day festival in April that celebrates the art of sand sculpting, attracting artists and spectators worldwide. Held on the beaches of Mustang Island, this festival showcases impressive sand creations, ranging from intricate sculptures to larger-than-life designs, creating a festive atmosphere by the Gulf of Mexico.
Summer attracts the most crowds, and condominiums and home rentals are more expensive. Therefore, book your Port Aransas accommodations well in advance for a summer trip.
How to Get to Port Aransas
Located about 180 miles south of San Antonio, Port Aransas is the only town on Mustang Island, a long, narrow island south of Corpus Christi.
In 2022, Tripadvisor ranked Port Aransas as number 20 among the Top 25 beach resorts in the United States, and Southern Living‘s readers ranked it as one of the Top 15 Beach Towns in the South.
There are two ways onto the island: bridge and ferry.
The JFK Causeway bridge connects to Corpus Christi and delivers visitors onto the south end of Mustang Island by Mustang Island State Park.
A free three-minute car ferry connects to the island through the city of Aransas Pass and drops visitors in the heart of Port Aransas.
To ride on the ferry, simply get in the car line. No reservations are needed, and the ferry operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
During the busy summer months, the wait for the ferry can be lengthy. No convenient stores or bathrooms are available once you get in line, so come prepared.
RELATED POST: Driving to Port Aransas? Check out my post: The Best Buc-ee’s Snacks for your Next Road Trip.
Check the ferry’s Twitter page for updates and wait times.
Where to Stay in Port Aransas
Port Aransas has so many great vacation rentals that I compiled a list of some of the best places to stay on the island, including the best house rentals with private pools.
Begin Planning your Next Port Aransas Trip
Port Aransas is a Texas coastal gem that offers a charming seaside ambiance and plenty of activities for visitors, whether they are visiting for the first time or are seasoned pros.
The town is perfect for those seeking relaxation or excitement, with plenty of things to do, from beachcombing to water sports. The tranquil waters and pristine sands make for an unforgettable retreat, and San Antonio is just a short drive away, adding to the allure of Port Aransas.
You will fall in love with Port Aransas’ coastal charm and, hopefully, will create lasting memories that will keep you returning year after year.
Who knows? Maybe I will see you there.
RELATED POST: If you want to learn about another Tripadvisor top-ranked United States beach, you can read about Ogunquit, Maine, in my post from a New England road trip.
