Jan 27, 20234 min read

Weekend Getaway to Port Aransas

Every time I drive to Port Aransas, I play the song “Take Me to Texas” by George Straight.

It's a perfect Texas pride song, and I especially love it for one specific line:

"The closest thing I've ever seen to Heaven's the Gulf of Mexico."

I always smile, shake my head and slyly say to myself, "yeah."

Port Aransas is situated on a small island, Mustang Island, named for the wild horses brought over by Spaniards, and is located just north of Padre Island, east of Corpus Christi and the Corpus Christi Bay and south of Aransas Pass. Mustang Island is known to have been visited by the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte and its first inhabitants were the Karankawa Indians. You can arrive from San Antonio and TX-37 through Corpus Christi via the JFK Causeway, then up along 361 or from the north via 183 ,traveling through Gonzales and Goliad, and taking the ferry (open 24/7 and a free service!) across the Aransas Pass.

My love for the Texas Gulf expands every time I visit. There's *something* special about the Texas coast that keeps bringing me back.

I recently celebrated the New Year in Port Aransas with family and friends. And dogs. It was perfect.

Accommodations

My sister's fiancé recently began renting out a property through AirBnB, Keep it Shrimple. This place is adorable! It's perfect for families or a getaway with friends, as it's very spacious and only a short walk to the beach.

You're probably rolling your eyes while I'm here promoting my family. But really, my sister has a knack for decorating and accommodating guests. You'll fall in love with the simple touches, from the wall decor to the pre-pasted toothbrushes they supply. I just love it!

Keep it Shrimple AirBnB

I also highly recommend The Dancing Dunes, especially if you're going with a large group. Dog friendly and laid-back, yet clean and adorable, this is a great place to get together with friends or family. We stayed here each summer for many years in a row. We'd walk to the beach, then spend the evening using their outdoor kitchen for a shrimp boil.

Dining

I have to admit, I don't usually try many restaurants while in Port Aransas. Most trips involve picking up some fresh shrimp, throwing together a boil or grilling at our rented place. We even camped on our first couple of trips! However, this time, I was lucky to try some of the local restaurants that truly add to the magic of this island.

Seafood & Spaghetti Works

www.seafoodandspaghettiworks.webs.com | 910 HWY 361

We loved this place so much, we ate here for both lunch and dinner. For lunch, I ordered their Fried Shrimp PoBoy to go. Don’t forget a frozen drink to go from the bar! We went back to our place, sat outside with the dogs, sipped on Coronas, and enjoyed perfectly fried and butterflied shrimp on a super soft roll. Highly recommend! For dinner, my husband raves about the Shrimp Bolognese.

Tortuga's Saltwater Grill

www.tortugassaltwatergrill.com | 429 N Alister St

We ate here for dinner on Friday night. The place was pretty packed, so I would recommend making a reservation first!

Everything that arrived at our table was phenomenal. We started with boudin balls, crab cakes and oysters on the half shell. My cocktail of choice was the Painkiller. If you like rum and want to really fall into that island vibe, this is your drink.

They're known for their Shrimp and Grits, and yes, it was incredible. Large gulf shrimp on a cheddar grit cake (a little different than your classic grits), served with bacon and poblanos for a little kick. Yes please.

You also can’t go wrong with the Charbroiled Fish of the Day.

Coffee Waves Coffee Shop

https://www.coffeewaves.com/ | 1007 TX-361

There is a wonderful coffee shop near the town’s main intersection. They have amazing roasts from Nordaggio’s and Driftwood Coffee Company, serve traditional espresso, hand-crafted gelato, and frozen drinks. I like a black coffee, breakfast croissant, or any of their delicious pastries.

Boating

With a little trepidation, we took the boat, a Carolina Skiff, out to enjoy the last sunset of 2022. We launched it at the Port Aransas Dennis Dryer Municipal Harbor. There were several available ramps and spaces to park the trailer. If you don’t have a boat, the adjacent Robert Point Park is an excellent place to watch the wildlife and ships go by. We only spent a few hours on the water in the Lydia Ann Channel but we saw many bottle nose dolphins along the way, including several in the harbor!

Fishing

The boys enjoy fishing at Wilson’s Cut located just a few miles south of the town of Port Aransas or the Lighthouse Lakes, just a few north taking the ferry. These spots are great for redfish and spotted seatrout.

Wildlife

Green sea turtles and Kemp’s ridley Sea Turtles are known to visit the island. The area is a birding mecca, with over 400 bird species identified here.