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The Texas Coastal Bend Region contains over 10 state parks and 150 miles of coast bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Whether you’d like to hike challenging trails, appreciate Texas’ wildlife through birdwatching and fishing, or just enjoy a pristine beach- the Texas Coastal Bend Region has plenty to see outdoors!
The Texas Coastal Bend boasts several beaches that are widely considered to be Texas’ nicest! Not only will you find clean sand and safe waters, but built-in developments like volleyball courts, beach-side parking, and visitor showers/ changing rooms will make your family’s next visit to a Coastal Bend beach an enjoyable experience!
The Texas Coastal Bend contains over 3/4 miles of nature trails and 180 square acres of natural preserves and gardens, so there is sure to be flora and fauna to impress and inspire everyone. The Grasslands Nature Trail in Corpus Christi is paved and even wheelchair accessible!
From wild areas containing many species of winged inhabitants, to wildlife refuges containing extraordinary birds who are endangered- the Texas Coastal Bend will challenge and excite all experience levels of bird watchers.
The Texas Coastal Bend is a state’s largest stretch of coast in the United States and often invites some of the most skilled fisherman from around the globe to explore the gulf of mexico from our state’s shores. Whether you are an off-shore veteran or wanting to teach your children the joys of fishing from the dock, visit our most popular freshwater and saltwater fishing areas!
Texas has 15 major rivers running through the state, and most of those pass through our Coastal Bend Area! With many state parks and expansive paddling trails, kayaking and canoeing in the Texas Coastal Bend is easily accessible and fun!
The Texas Coastal Bend area is rich in its history telling epic stories about Texas’ early history surrounding statehood independence, post-civil war hardships and Texans resilience, and partnerships with native americans to cast in stone the foundations for an economically and culturally significant cattle trail.
The Texas Coastal Bend has long contained and still fosters ranchland that furthers the occupation and heritage of herding cattle that actually feeds a respectable percentage of Americans!
The Chisholm Trail is named after Jesse Chilsolm, an Indian trader who first blazed a route from Kansas to the Red River in Northern Texas. Ranchers and cattle drivers then used and extended the trail to transport cattle across states to bounce back from the destruction left after the Civil War ended and establish a heritage of the “cowboy” that would later define Texan character.
Texan independence has been a large topic of debate but also heritage, by tracing the Lone Star State’s struggle for independence we can see a more whole picture of the origins and values of the great state of Texas that this non-profit fosters for future generations.
Weather you’d like to sleep under the stars at a state park, observe rare wildlife at a nature preserve, or see incredible Texan vistas after a challenging hike- the Texas Coastal Bend Area is sure to provide!
The Texas Coastal Bend Area features many museums that preserve historic and modern culture of Texas and its many vibrant communities. With so many museums to choose from, the Texas Coastal Bend Area is sure to have a hub of education, inspiration, and culture near you!
Come see wildlife from all around the world and experience a fun and educational day with the whole family at one of our aquariums and zoos.
Texas is consistently ranked among the top wine countries in the nation, and the Coastal Bend Area features vineyard experiences perfect for anyone who’d like to sip and savor our beautiful region.
Texans are largely accustomed to scorching heat in the summer months, but the Coastal Bend Region gives Texans many opportunities to cool off and have fun in one of its water parks and pools.
While central cities like Austin or San Antonio boast multiple major league teams, our Coastal Bend region offers its residents professional sporting events that have a charming character at the same level of skill and excitement.
Strap in and take the controls of an authentic WWII airplane! Allow our sightseeing tour guide to show you around the skies of South Texas. Fly in a piece of vintage aviation… don a helmet and goggles and let us help you take a step back to the good ole days. LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE COASTAL BEND OF TEXAS, OUR FLIGHTS ARE THE PERFECT BLEND OF SCENERY AND ADVENTURE
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See our event calendar for dates and further information about upcoming events in the Texas Coastal Bend Area.
Short description of the event here.
Short description of the event here.
Palacios is the ideal place to leave the urban crowds behind and enjoy some small town southern hospitality. Experience the quiet beauty of water and sky on Matagorda Bay. Enjoy a picnic in one of the bayfront parks, complete with BBQ pits, covered tables and family friendly playgrounds. Fish off one of the free public piers, grab some friends for a chartered fishing adventure or take a kayak out for a lazy afternoon on the water. In the evening, try out one of the local dinner spots, watch the shrimp boats sail into port and enjoy a perfect sunset in this charming city by the sea.
Cuero is a community full of annual events. Beginning in the spring, Cuero and DeWitt County celebrate the natural beauty of Texas wildflowers. More than 1,000 different flora species have been cataloged in the county. Cuero’s major festival is the Turkeyfest Celebration. Held the second full weekend of October, it celebrates Cuero’s designation as “Turkey Capital of the World,” achieved when many of the farmers produced turkeys over 50 years ago. During the holidays bring your family and friends and experience Cuero’s “Christmas in the Park” lighted driving tour. The mile-long tour includes more than 150 hand-painted and lighted Christmas displays, a twinkling trail of snowflakes, gingerbread houses, and animated silhouette scenes. An annual 45-mile canoe race is held in Cuero. This race is the preliminary race of the Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile canoe race which is held in June and runs from San Marcos to Seadrift, Texas. As a birding bonus, Cuero is site #28 on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. Come visit DeWitt County with its rolling hills and prairies. Its natural beauty makes it one of the gems of South Texas anytime of the year. Come to enjoy Cuero, but stay to enjoy the stories.
Corpus Christi is a Texas city on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s tucked into a bay and its beaches are sheltered by Padre and Mustang islands. The Padre Island National Seashore is home to migratory birds and endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. The harborfront Texas State Aquarium has touch pools, an aquatic nursery and a shark exhibit. Nearby, a WWII aircraft carrier, USS Lexington, now houses a naval aviation museum.
Goliad is one of the oldest municipalities in Texas. In 1749, the Spanish government transferred Mission Espiritu Santo and its royal protector, Presidio La Bahia, to the site of a small Aranama Indian village. A small villa grew up around the walls of the Presidio. It was called La Bahia.The first great cattle ranch in Texas is said to have its beginnings at Mission Espiritu Santo. Mission Espiritu Santo possessed the largest longhorn herds in the state, at times owning more than 40,000 head.
Many of the buildings on the Courthouse Square date back to the early 1800s. They now house an assortment of shops, restaurants and bars. Some notable events to attend are the downtown Walking Tour, goliad Market Days, the PRCA Rodeo and Goliad County Fair, Presidio La Bahia’s Living History Program Reenactment, Fall Flotilla, and a Missions Tour de Goliad Bike Ride.
If you are interested in spending time with the birds of South Texas, there is hardly a better place to start than Bee County. Arriving in South Texas from the north, Bee County is where you are likely to make first contact with birds that make you feel you are visiting the tropics. You will encounter Green Jays, Audubon’s Orioles, Long-billed and Curve-billed Thrashers, Buff-bellied Hummingbirds, Olive Sparrows, and Common Pauraque among many others.
Kenedy, once known as the “Six Shooter Junction,” is now the “Junction Where Good Friends Meet.” Folks can come to explore the rich heritage of the area, visit the museums and parks, as well as experience True Texas Hospitality. The “Horned Lizard Capital of Texas” as proclaimed in 2000 by the Texas Legislature, is another claim to fame for Kenedy. Everyone is invited to come, visit and stay a while. Enjoy the blue skies, fresh air, and friendly folks. Kenedy is a wonderful place to visit, raise a family or spend your retirement years.
Affordable and Family-Friendly Ingleside is located in the heart of the Coastal Bend, less than 20 miles in any direction from Corpus Christi, Rockport and Port Aransas. Visitors can escape the big city and find new and affordable accommodations, peaceful sunsets, unique dining experiences, awesome park facilities, and friendly residents and merchants. Ingleside’s welcoming average annual temperature of 72 degrees enables many outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, birding, tennis, disc-golf, and biking. N.O. Simmons Skate Park offers a state-of-theart skate facility, huge covered sports court and
covered pavilion with game tables, seven soccer fields, two sand volleyball courts, a Tot-lot playscape, and an 8-foot wide hike/bike/fitness trail surrounding the impressively large complex. With its extended docks over marsh areas, multiple area wetland enhancements, and interpretive displays, Whitney Lake Natural Habitat Area brings joy to birders and those seeking glimpses of shore birds, waterfowl, wading birds, and other species.
San Patricio County, with its 9 incorporated towns, stretches from the fresh water Lake Corpus Christi at Mathis to the salt water bays of Portland, Ingleside and Aransas Pass. Three museums tell the history of the area, one in San Patricio City, the Taft Blackland Museum, and the newly opened Sinton Museum.
This original Texas County will delight history buffs, geo-cachers, bird watchers, kayakers, RVers, wind surfers, golfers, fisherman, skateboarders, water skiers, hunters, shoppers and disc golfers. Numerous aquatic centers welcome families and several are handicapped accessible.
The County offers ready access to the Texas State Aquarium, the Lexington, and the beaches of Mustang and Padre Island. Festivals abound from the Rattlesnake Races at San Patricio, Odem Jubilee, Taft Tamale Eating Contest, Windfest in Portland, to the Round UP Days and Renaissance Festival in Ingleside, and Shrimporee in Aransas Pass to name a few.
Port Aransas is an island getaway for beach, sun and family fun! Nestled between the dunes of Mustang Island and the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, Port Aransas’ picturesque shoreline is the perfect place to beachcomb, frolic in the waves, bask beneath the sun, and relax in the gentle gulf breezes. Mustang Island’s nature related sites abound, offering optimum opportunities for birding, kayaking, fishing, surfing and swimming.
Reflecting a unique laid-back attitude, the intimate coastal community of Port Aransas brims with eclectic boutiques, shops, art galleries, cafes, and exceptional restaurants and lodging. Escape to Port Aransas to experience family fun ~ Island Style!
Refugio county holds a very culturally diverse and rich history that many are unaware of. Many Indigenous tribes roamed the land of South Texas before the area was settled by Spanish and Mexican rancheros, followed by Irish Empresarios, famously, James Power from Ballygarrett, Ireland. One major historic feature Refugio County has to offer is the mission that used to stand on the south end of town – The Nuestra Señora Del Refugio Mission. Refugio was named after the mission, built in 1795 and was the final Spanish mission constructed in the State of Texas. Many people know the popular Texas history; Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! The aspiration is to remind everyone: Don’t Forget Refugio!
Surrounded by the sparkling waters of Copano and Aransas Bays and bathed year-round by soothing Gulf breezes, nestled among ancient windswept oaks and steeped in a colorful community of cultures, recently selected as one of the “Smallest Cool Towns in America” and Best Places to Visit in Texas, Rockport-Fulton is in a class of its own.
Rockport and Fulton offer some of the best fishing on the coast, birding opportunities, art galleries, shopping and enjoying the beautiful “Blue Wave” beach. It was also named a Cultural Arts Community in 2016! The towns of Rockport and Fulton offer a special charm, the kind of charm that has led many prominent artists to make this area their home. Named one of the top 10 Coastal Artist Communities in the U.S., the area boasts one of the best collections of art galleries anywhere.
Over 400 different bird species can be spotted in the marshes and along the sandy beach throughout the year. The Whooping Crane is an endangered species and the nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, which was named the #5 Birding Spot in the USA, is their winter home.
Founded in 1824 by Spanish Empresario Don Martin de Leon, Victoria is one of the oldest cities in Texas. With its rich history, beautiful architecture, outdoor adventures and unique festivals, Victoria is the perfect spot for making memories in the Texas Coastal Bend.
