


From Garden Gnomes to Willie Nelson’s Likeness, the Sculptures of Port Aransas Sandfest Never Disappoint
Every year as temperatures rise, friends and families from across the state descend on the long, wide beaches of Port Aransas on Mustang Island.

Farley Boat Works, a historic link to Port Aransas’ tarpon fishing heyday, is expanding into a maritime museum
A vision 10 years in the making is becoming reality as construction begins this month for the Port Aransas Maritime Museum, an ambitious expansion of the Farley Boat Works division of the Port Aransas Preservation and Historical Association.

This Intracoastal Waterway Connects Texas to Florida

Galveston’s Resilient Spirit Sparks Another Renaissance
Restoring Galveston, new restaurants and shops lure tourists to the island once again

Matagorda Bay Beckons Families to Its Secluded Natural Playground
The kids were darting in and out of the surf at Matagorda Beach, filling buckets of water to pour into their sandcastle moat, when my 9-year-old daughter approached me with a thought.

COVID-19 Makes it Harder to Track Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles on Padre Island
Every day, from April through mid-July, the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at the Padre Island National Seashore combs 80 miles of Padre Island’s beaches in search of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles–the most critically endangered sea turtle in the world–coming ashore. It’s nesting season, but things are a bit unusual this year due to COVID-19.

Rockport-Fulton’s HummerBird Celebration Welcomes Migrating Hummingbirds
Coinciding with the hummingbirds’ southward migration, the festival features birding lectures, tours, banding demonstrations, workshops, and photography clinics—as well as the opportunity to visit the yards of Rockport-Fulton homes where the owners hang feeders to attract the birds.

Endangered Turtle Hatchlings Draw Crowds Along the Texas coast
PINS has a list of nest locations and projected hatch-dates— the next predicted hatch date for 2019 is June 12-16, with dates continuing through mid-July. However, hatchlings are unpredictable and emerge when they’re ready, according to the park.

My Hometown: Luther Hotel Innkeeper Jack Findley Talks History and Having Fun on Tres Palacios Bay
At the historic Luther Hotel in Palacios, proprietor Jack Findley often mingles with guests on the front porch overlooking Matagorda Bay. Findley’s path to Palacios was circuitous.

Texas Highways Editors Share Their Favorite Coastal Destinations
Share your favorite coastal memories and photos using the hashtag #myTXcoast for a chance to be featured on our social media accounts.

Aransas Pass Makes a Perfect Summer Weekend Getaway
Could there be a better way to experience a town comprised of at least 70 percent saltwater than to get to the water as fast as you can? With 41 square miles of Redfish Bay inside its city limits, Aransas Pass offers just that—
a self-described “Saltwater Heaven” building on its revival after Hurricane Harvey’s destruction in 2017.

An Epic 367-Mile Road Trip Reveals the Best of the Texas Coast
From Port Arthur to Port Isabel, navigating the best of Texas’ bays, beaches, and bards

Photo: Clouds Loom Over Follett’s Island
Even when clouds loom, any day is a good day on Follett’s Island, which features about 11 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico. Free access to the beach is available at multiple points between Surfside Beach and San Luis Pass along Bluewater Highway. During the summer, the water temperatures are usually a balmy low- to mid-80 degrees—perfect for fishing, swimming, horseback riding, birding, and camping on the beach.