Labor Day weekend may seem as if it is a long way away from now, but you know how quickly the days speed by and even though Memorial Day has barely ended, you know that Port Aransas is where you will be that last weekend of August and the Dunes are where you are going to stay. Those were two of the easiest decisions you have made this year, but now you may be wondering what you will do to keep busy during all the minutes of the long weekend, and just as you turned to us for a place to rest and relax, you have found your way to this page, and of course, we won’t let you down. This guide to the top must-do Port Aransas Labor Day weekend activities in our island town of Port A will ensure that your holiday will be one filled with everything fun and everything relaxing!
Port Aransas Beach
It is definitely a given that you will want to spend some of your time, if not most of your time, on Port Aransas Beach, and we hesitated to add it to the list for that reason. But digging your toes in the white sands, walking along the shore’s edge, feeling the warm waters of the Gulf curl around your ankles, when the heat of the day gets a little too much, diving into the salty waters is such a primal experience, how could we not write about it?
Maybe you will spend your beach day lounging on chairs that are anchored in the sun, letting a colorful umbrella provide a little protection from the sun’s rays as you flip through magazines, read that new Susan Mallery book, or simply close your eyes and let the sounds of surf, seabirds, and chattering children provide a lullaby that eases you into a thoroughly relaxed state.
Or maybe you know you aren’t the type to do nothing, and you decide to rent jet skis, try your hand at parasailing, or walk along the edge of the water for a couple of miles, Port Aransas Beach extends out about 6 miles. It doesn’t matter how you fill the minutes of your beach day, just that you are there and enjoying every single second.
Red Dragon Pirate Cruises, 440 W Cotter Avenue
Fun for the whole family, the Red Dragon Pirate Cruises offers 2-hour cruises aboard a replica Spanish Galleon for the kiddos, featuring cannon fire, sword fights, and the hunt for pirate treasure. An on-board snack bar sells snacks, soft drinks, and rum drinks (because what kind of pirate ship would it be if it didn’t offer rum?), ensuring that while your child is lost in the magic of the activity, you too will enjoy some magic of your own. If you aren’t traveling with children, however, you won’t have to skip the fun of traveling aboard a pirate ship, as Red Dragon offers 2-hour sunset cruises every evening of the week, and on Thursdays, the regular price is cut from $40 per person to $25 per person! Offering music, beverages, and prime views of the Texas sunset, this cruise is often our guests’ favorite thing to do at any time of the year!
Fire It! Ceramics, 611 S Allister Street
We are about to share a secret with our guests that may change the way you souvenir shop from here on out. The best souvenirs are often the ones you make yourself, and on a day that is a little too warm or quite possibly a little too wet (rain does fall occasionally!), you may find yourself making your own souvenirs at Fire it! Ceramics.
This walk-in studio offers shelves filled with plain white unglazed pottery pieces of all shapes and sizes, and you get to choose the one that calls to you the loudest, choose the colors you want your piece to be, and start painting.
Maybe you will adorn a plate with the words Labor Day 2025 in Port Aransas or maybe you will simply use all the colors of the rainbow to make your coffee mug fit your personality; there are no rules as to how you should color in all that white space, save just one.
Have fun while doing it! After you have finished painting, you give your piece to the staff and they will fire it for you and have it ready for pick-up in 1-3 days. If you are going to be home before the piece is ready, they will ship it for you, so no worries there!
Hanging Out at Home with the Dunes
We’ve got you running all over our town, but sometimes your favorite adventures will be the ones you enjoy at home in your Dunes holiday hideaway. Watching the sun set from your balcony overlooking the Gulf, hanging out poolside with a tropical drink in your Stanley, or staying up late with the family playing board games, knowing you can sleep in late in the morning. All these wonderful moments will be brought to you courtesy of the Dunes; reserve your favorite retreat today!
