You came to Port A for Texas warmth, fun, sun, and the sand and water at the beach along the Gulf of Mexico. While Port A isn’t a bustling city so full of tourists you have no elbow room, it’s a popular location with water activities galore that constantly has visitors flocking to the shores, day after day. You’ll likely participate in some of these activities, but there are some days you want to get away from the more crowded activities and enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet in these quiet places in Port Aransas.
Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center
The name itself indicates there’s a little more peace and quiet to be had. Just the activity of birdwatching itself is quiet, so you can get views and pictures of each species before it flies off. The 750-foot-long boardwalk spans over freshwater wetlands, toward a salt marsh where you can look out over the viewing area or take a seat on the benches. Every Wednesday morning, you can join an organized walk where experts from the center will help you find some of the more elusive species. Spring migration time is a great opportunity to see even more birds visiting the center on their way to their final destination.
Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture
While the preserve is a popular attraction, it’s home to several species of animals that demand calm and tranquility themselves. There are 1,217 acres of upland, tidal flat, marsh, wooded, and estuarine habitats. It’s one of the few contiguous tracts of undeveloped land in any coastal plain that’s been preserved for ecological, environmental, or historical purposes. Take a solitary walk along the many walking trails, or join a guided walk, but the calm, untouched landscape means even these activities are quiet and peaceful.
Lighthouse Lakes Paddling Trails
Kayaking and canoeing are fairly calm and quiet activities, especially if you’re paddling on your own or with just your loved ones. The trail was established in 1999 by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and is the first paddling trail on the Texas coast, and is located on North Harbor Island, nestled between Aransas Pass and Port Aransas. There are several launch points off State Highway 361, which itself is part of the Scenic Drive around Corpus Christi Bay. The area is named for the historic Lydia Ann Channel and is mostly shallow, perfect for a quiet and solitary paddle. You’ll paddle through black mangroves that line the channels and the open flats, or “lakes.” The trail is made up of a series of four loops, with the shortest at 1.25 miles and the longest at 6.8 miles. Follow the signs painted with numbers corresponding to GPS coordinates, or download a map of the trails, as there are several places where a trail may split to offer a different experience each time.
San Jose Island
A short trip from Port A transports you to a whole different world. The island went from a military settlement in the 1800s, to a hunting and fishing hot spot, to a private island in the 1930s. Today, it is still a private island and ripe with natural beauty. Visitors can swim and enjoy water activities, go shelling on the beach, and more, but there are no amenities of any kind, and visitors are not allowed beyond the beach. The first ferry leaves for the island at 6:30 a.m., and the last ferry leaves the island at 6 p.m., with ferries every hour until noon, and every two hours after that. Arriving in the early morning will be your best time for quiet enjoyment.
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge is best known as the wintering home of the last wild flock of endangered whooping cranes – there’s even a festival to celebrate their arrival in the area every February! Enjoy the quiet, as well as breathtaking scenery, diverse wildlife, and a few recreational opportunities. Take a self-guided driving tour, available 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset, even on days the visitor center is closed (Monday and Tuesday). Purchase a pass and map for the closed-hours auto tour at the kiosk at the main gate – cash only.
Peace and Quiet in Port A
When you stay in a vacation rental in Port A provided by The Dunes, you’ll enjoy all the privacy, peace, and quiet you desire, as well as easy access to the beach and the crashing waves of the Gulf, and many other activities and attractions. Choose from one-bedroom units all the way up to three-bedroom units for your larger group. Prepare a delicious home-cooked meal in the fully equipped kitchen, retreat to a private bedroom, or spread out in an open living space for a movie or to relax. Enjoy the view from the private balcony or patio or spend some time near the pool.
Contact us today to go to some quiet places in Port Aransas!