Monday, May 23, 2011

Guide For Texas Vacations Port Aransas

By Julianne Case


For travelers heading out for Texas vacations Port Aransas offers an idyllic gulf coast island getaway. It is a small town with plenty of natural beauty, located 30 minutes from Corpus Christi on Mustang Island, which is all of 18 miles long. The island is in the between other famed barrier islands such as the Padre and San Jose islands.

Although only around 3,775 residents live here all year round, the population climbs up to over 60,000 in the summer and during spring break. The best way to get here is by ferry, using the free Port Aransas Ferry which runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can haul cars from the mainland to the island. Another possibility is to get on the Flexi B Bus from Corpus Christi.

Getting around locally without a car is quite easy too, with a shuttle that goes around the town once every 45 minutes. It covers all the main streets leading to the beach, and visitors can get on and off as required. The shuttle is available from 10 am in the morning to 6 pm in the evening.

The beach is likely the most popular attraction, not least during the summer rush in-between the Memorial Day Weekend holiday and Labor Day. This is a single 18 mile shoreline with sand hard enough that vehicles are allowed on the beach. Shelling is also a popular activity, along with fishing and water sports jet skiing, surfing and windsurfing.

But what sets the island apart is the birding. Bird watchers will delight in the hundreds of migratory and native bird species found here. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail has five sites here - the Birding Center, Mustang Island State Park, Wetlands Park, South Jetty, and Paradise Pond.

Also, there are miles of trails for biking and hiking in the Port Aransas Nature Preserve. Endangered bird species can be observed from the tower and pavilions that have been built for bird watchers. Another fascinating attraction here is the visitor center at the Marine Science Institute.

Natural beauty, beaches and birding aside, travelers also come here for specific festivals and events like the Deep Sea Roundup and the Whooping Crane Festival. It makes the trip a lot more fun, as it is during peak travel periods like Labor Day or the Memorial Day weekend or spring break. The sum of it is that the Texas vacations Port Aransas has on offer are just as much fun as the other gulf coast islands, but with a lot more for nature lovers and bird watchers.

texas vacations Port Aransas




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