Family Vacation Bargains: Port Aransas, Texas

A Beach Bargain

What comes to your mind when you think of a beach vacation?

Do you picture long leisurely strolls down the beach? Do you dream of sunbathing as the waves lap your toes? Perhaps you imagine building sandcastles or hunting for sea shells along the beach.

The beach at Port Aransas, Texas, has all of those things and more. Port Aransas is located on an island. More specifically, it is on the northern tip of Mustang Island. You can access the island by taking a free ferry from the nearby city of Aransas Pass, Texas, or you can take a bridge from the Texas city of Corpus Christi. (For additional information you can check on the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce website or the Port Aransas city website.

Like the better-known Texas beaches of Corpus Christi and Padre Island, Port Aransas boasts miles of beautiful beaches for you to enjoy. Unlike its well-known Texas beach cousins, you'll find that Port Aransas has retained its local character while leaving the crowds behind.

We visited Port Aransas during an off-peak time and found that we had the beaches mostly to ourselves. We also found that we were able to get reduced or off-season rates on nearly everything from lodging to food to souvenirs during our beach vacation.

Some of the better vacation bargains are available year round. We discovered:

1. Beach Parking Permit. These are available at any Port Aransas convenience store. For only $12.00 you can purchase a permit to park on the beach. The permit is valid for an entire year and good for any beach in Nueces county Texas (which includes Port Aransas and Corpus Christi beaches).

2. Free Ferry. The Texas Department of Transportation provides a free ferry ride from the city of Port Aransas, Texas to the city of Aransas Pass, Texas. The ferry is availably seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It is a car ferry, meaning that you drive your car up a ramp onto the ferry and remain in your car during the ferry crossing. Depending on how crowded it is you may get a view of the ocean or just a view of the car next to you. For residents this is probably not exciting, but our landlubber family enjoyed the "boatride."