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Island Time

Escape Austin and head to the beach: Where to eat, play, and relax in Port Aransas

Nicole Raney
Sep 2, 2015 | 12:38 pm

Soak up the sun with a quick escape to Port Aransas. The Gulf of Mexico is always churning out fun — and fishing and swimming aren't the only things to do in Port A. Here's a quick guide to some of our favorite things to do on "island time."

Play
Schedule a trip with Handsome Sailor Yacht Charters or Kohootz Etc. and get up close and personal with dolphins and native Gulf wildlife. Closer to shore you'll find more outdoorsy fun, such as kayaking, parasailing, and a wide variety of extreme activities. To get even more in touch with your wild side, try horseback riding at Coquat Ranch in Aransas Pass or with Horses on the Beach in nearby Corpus Christi.

Relax
If you're looking to treat yourself during your Port A vacation, the Balinese Wellness Spa offers a wide variety of services, including massages, facials, manicures, and more. This coastal gem also hosts several fitness classes, including a must-try yoga session on the beautiful outdoor deck.

Discover
Step out of the sun to explore the many art galleries of Port A. Port Aransas has a colorful arts scene with an array of cute markets. In addition to the arts, the ferry between Port A and Aransas Pass is an absolute must, so we suggest traveling across the water to check out the Rialto Theater, which hosts a bevy of entertaining plays and cool events.

Shop
Interspersed among the beachy trinket shops you'll find some wonderful fashion havens. For a mix of cute gifts and hot trends, we suggest Coastal Closet, Stephanie's Stuff, Saltwater Gypsies, and Raggdoll Boutique. If you're looking to bring the coast back to your home, Susan Castor Collection is a great stop for that seaside-inspired interior design, while A Mano will give you a taste of Mexico with its selection of handmade goods.

Eat
Seafood is the name of the game in Port A. Beach & Station St. Grill is a best bet for seafood, while Fins Grill & Icehouse and Castaways Seafood and Grill will cook your catch. Delicious dishes like seared yellowfin tuna in convenient, picnic-ready containers make Irie's Island Food a must for lunch (or brunch). For fine dining, try Roosevelt's at the Tarpon Inn or Venetian Hot Plate. Coffee Waves is a prime spot for morning coffee or a late-night gelato treat. Stop by The Back Porch Bar for a cold beer (or two) and some live music.

Smile
It wouldn't be Port A visit without a dose of your typical tourist attractions. Go by Winton's Candy Co. to get your sweet tooth fix as well as a close-up chat with a real, live rattlesnake. Make a detour to Destination Beach & Surf for some great cheesy gifts and snap a pic in front of the iconic giant shark.

Chute 'Em Up Parasailing will give you an extreme view of Port Aransas.

Chute Em Up Parasailing Port Aransas Gulf of Mexico boat
Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce/Facebook
Chute 'Em Up Parasailing will give you an extreme view of Port Aransas.
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Hot Headlines

Austin father-daughter photography duo captures essence of ACL Fest, plus more top stories

Hannah J. Frías
Oct 29, 2022 | 12:00 pm
Photographers Daniel and Ryder Cavazos taking photos at Austin City Limits Festival.
Photo by Rick Kern
Photographers Daniel and Ryder Cavazos taking photos at Austin City Limits Festival.

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Austin father-daughter photography duo captures essence of ACL Fest through her lens. Multi-generational photography team Daniel and Ryder Cavazos took on ACL Fest together this year.

2. 400-acre surf park deemed 'biggest' on the planet rides a wave into Austin. The 400-acre development will be called Pura Vida and will land near the Austin airport.

3. The weirdest homes in Austin welcome tourists this Halloween weekend. The Weird Homes Tour is returning for the first time since 2019.

4. Austin-based boot maker takes over storied Tesoros space on South Congress. The hometown boot brand moved up the block to Tesoro's Trading Company's old space.

5. The Contemporary Austin unveils confrontational but celebratory new mural in the heart of downtown. The downtown has unveiled a new mural on that prime wall space on Seventh Street and Congress Avenue.

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CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Austin intel delivered daily.

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most read posts

New development of affordable homes breaks ground in South Austin, plus more top stories

Newest location of healthy casual restaurant Flower Child blooms in Westlake

The Contemporary Austin unveils confrontational but celebratory new mural in the heart of downtown

Concert news

Shania Twain rides into Texas to reclaim her throne on upcoming world tour

Alex Bentley
Oct 28, 2022 | 3:03 pm
Shania Twain
Photo by Louie Banks

Good news: she's coming to Texas. Bad news: you have to go to Dallas or Houston to see her.

Good news for Texans: Shania Twain is coming to the Lone Star State. Bad news for Austinites: you'll have to head to Dallas or Houston to catch her. The country music star's expansive world tour dubbed the Queen of Me Tour will head to Dallas on July 21, 2023, and Houston on July 22, 2023.

The Texas dates are the last of 44 North American concerts currently scheduled on the tour before Twain heads to Europe for five final shows.

This is Twain's first tour in nearly five years; she last played in Dallas in June 2018. She'll be joined on the tour by a variety of well-known current female stars; Arlington native Mickey Guyton will be her special guest in both Dallas and Houston.

The tour was announced in conjunction with the news of the upcoming release of her new album, also called Queen of Me, due out on February 3, 2023. Her first album since 2017, it is also the first with her new record label, Republic Nashville.

The sales of that album will add to her record of being the best-selling female artist in country music history, a record she's achieved despite releasing only five albums in her 30-year career.

Twain has remained a star all these years thanks to three massive albums — 1995's The Woman in Me, 1997's Come On Over, and 2002's Up! — each of which sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. alone. She also has seven No. 1 hits and eight more top 10 hits from those three albums.

Tickets for the tour will go on sale starting 10 am Friday, November 4 at LiveNation.com. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning 10 am Tuesday, November 1 until 10 pm Thursday, November 3 through the Citi Entertainment program.

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New development of affordable homes breaks ground in South Austin, plus more top stories

Newest location of healthy casual restaurant Flower Child blooms in Westlake

The Contemporary Austin unveils confrontational but celebratory new mural in the heart of downtown

News You Can Eat

7 spooky things to know in Austin food right now: Restaurants and bars bite into Halloween

Brianna Caleri
Oct 28, 2022 | 1:47 pm
Macarons by Bakery Lorraine in Austin.
Photo courtesy of Bakery Lorraine

A special Halloween roundup of fun-scary food news in Austin.

Editor’s note: There are so many Halloween weekend events offering delicious snacks to sink your fangs into, and cocktails to drive you to madness, we were spellbound. We have you covered with a special Halloween roundup of fun-scary food news.

Hotel Van Zandt's rooftop bar and restaurant, Geraldine's, has fun things going on every night through Halloween itself. On October 28 and 29 there are regularly scheduled nighttime live music sets, followed by the weekly jazz brunch on October 30. Then on Halloween one of Austin’s truly weirdest bands (fronted by puppets), Fragile Rock, puts on an emo show to remember. Reserve on OpenTable or hope for room at the bar.

We’ve heard of spending Christmas at Chinese restaurants, but how about Halloween? Old Thousand, always ready with holiday spirit, is hosting Goth Night on October 29 at its 11th Street location. The special menu is darkly creative, with black vinegar “Damned Dumplings,” “Sacrificial Lamb Bao,” a restorative-potion themed hot pot; black sesame Crème brûlée, and special on-theme cocktails. Call (737) 222-6637 to reserve.

Wes Anderson fans do not need Halloween as an excuse to dress in costume, but here’s one for inspiration. The Carpenter Hotel is dressing up in the style of the Grand Budapest Hotel — at least, culinarily — on October 29 for a six-course dinner (starting at $160 for two guests). These include unexpected but very friendly flavor combinations like savory apple and cheddar cookies and sausage with white beans, onion, and toast. Reserve on Eventbrite.

Few Halloween frights are as intimidating as trying to find a cool booze-free event, but fear not. Yacht Drops is a new sober cruise line on Lady Bird Lake, debuting October 29 with dancing, bites by Siete, non-alcoholic beers by Athletic Drinks, and zero proof whiskey and tequila by Spiritless. A portion of ticket sales benefits Keep Texas Waterways Clean. A costume contest and pro photographer ensure that your Halloween efforts are appreciated. Tickets ($75) on Eventbrite.

Now that Second Bar + Kitchen has taken over the rooftop bar at East Austin Hotel, the Halloween tradition is theirs to uphold. On October 29 from 4 pm to 12 am, the bar welcomes disguised and casual Austinites for a costume contest, dancing, and scary-delicious drinks: vampire's bite shots, mad eye mules, witch’s brews (“prosecco punch with worms”), and poisoned apples (with spiced rum, caramel, bourbon cream, and sour apple liqueur).

Fareground, the sunken downtown food hall, is hosting an all-ages event on October 30 for low-key vibes and maximum commitment to the theme. A screen outside will show Hocus Pocus for free, with seasonal concessions, popcorn, cotton candy, and $4 happy hour drinks. Vendors inside make this movie much yummier than most theaters, with a lot more variety, and will hand out candy for trick-or-treaters. The movie starts at 7 pm. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Whether you’re looking for luxe treats to wow party guests or delicious sweets to hoard at home, Bakery Lorraine at Domain Northside is ready. Until October 31, the bakery is sending out black cat tarts (chocolate mousse and vanilla filling), mummy tarts (lemon curd topped and meringue), phantom of the opera cake slices (pumpkin spice sponge cake and buttercream with dark chocolate glaze), and other cute, spooky pastries.

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CultureMap Emails Are Awesome
Get Austin intel delivered daily.

We will not share or sell your email address.

most read posts

New development of affordable homes breaks ground in South Austin, plus more top stories

Newest location of healthy casual restaurant Flower Child blooms in Westlake

The Contemporary Austin unveils confrontational but celebratory new mural in the heart of downtown

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