Rockport-Fulton

This picturesque beachfront community, just north of Corpus Christi on the peninsula between Copano and Aransas Bay, has drawn the attention of coastal artists for more than a century. The Rockport Center for the Arts provides a showcase for their work, and Goose Island State Park is an inspiration for aspiring artists. Rockport Beach Park, located next to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, was awarded the coveted Blue Wave rating, the seal of approval for a top-notch, tidy beach. Downtown shopping, the maritime museum, and the restored 1874 cattle baron’s mansion are attractions to be appreciated at the leisurely seaside pace. The Rockport-Fulton area has more than 300 economical, 600 moderate, 500 first-class, and 200 deluxe accommodations.

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Seven miles south of Austwell on FM 2040
361-286-3559
fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/

The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a 115,000- acre coastal refuge that serves as protected habitat for migratory birds, endangered species, and native wildlife. The complex comprises the Aransas (Blackjack Peninsula), Matagorda Island, Tatton, Myrtle Foester Whitmire, and Lamar Units. The refuge hosts the largest wild flock of endangered whooping cranes, which arrive between October and early December after a grueling 2,500-mile flight from Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada. Visitors can view a pair of whooping cranes from the refuge observation tower or they can see more by taking a boat tour from Rockport along the Intracoastal Waterway.

Open 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Visitors center and bookstore open daily 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas). Register at the visitors center before touring.

Admission: $3 per person or $5 per vehicle, annual pass $15. Call the Rockport Chamber of Commerce for information on boat tours

800-242-0071 (in Texas) or 800-826-6441 (out of state).

Fulton Mansion State Historic Site

317 S. Fulton Beach Rd., Rockport, 78382
361-729-0386, ext. 30
tpwd.state.tx.us

This three-story mansion, built from 1874 to 1877, was the home of cattle baron George Fulton. The 20-room house was decades ahead of its time, with such au courant amenities as running water, flushable toilets, central heating and ventilation, and gas lighting.

Open Wed.–Sun. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Call for tour times.

Admission: $6, children 12 and under free. Group tours by reservation, one month in advance.

Goose Island State Park

202 S. Palmetto (Lamar), Rockport, 78382
361-729-2858
tpwd.state.tx.us

The 314-acre park is the closest public campground to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Entertainment here includes fishing from a 1,620-foot lighted pier, birdwatching, and a boat ramp (but no swimming because of the oyster beds). Guided bird walks are offered.

Open daily 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Open 24 hours for camping.

Call for prices and parking fees.

Rockport Center for the Arts

902 Navigation Cir., Rockport, 78382
361-729-5519
rockportartcenter.com

The Rockport Art Association remodeled this charming 19th-century bungalow to accommodate three galleries, a clay studio, and a fine-arts classroom. The center now hosts regional exhibits and workshops.

Open Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m.

Admission: Free (donations accepted). Group tours by reservation.

Texas Maritime Museum

1202 Navigation Cir., Rockport, 78382
361-729-1271

866-729-AHOY
texasmaritimemuseum.org

Take in a panoramic view of Aransas Bay and one of the most pristine beaches in Texas from a 48-foot lighthouse. Texas’s maritime history is the focus of this museum, which is one of six Coastal Bend museums that hosts “La Salle’s Odyssey,” an exhibit that chronicles life aboard the La Belle. Artifacts discovered in the ocean wreckage include a thimble, a hairbrush, and wooden objects. The museum was accredited by the American Association of Museums from Washington, D.C., in August 2005.

Open Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun. 1–4 p.m. Guided tours by reservation.

Admission: $5, seniors $4, children 6–12 $2. Group rates available.

Events

Hummer/Bird Celebration

361-729-6445, 800-242-0071
rockport-fulton.org

Rockport
Sept. 13–16, 2007

Rockport, the last stop for hummingbirds before they cross the Gulf of Mexico by flying 500 miles in one night, hosts this festival to celebrate the tiny winged ones. Events include workshops and lectures presented by world-renowned speakers, bus tours to hummer feeding spots, hummer-banding demos, boat tours to see shorebirds, and arts and crafts for birding aficionados.

Rockport Seafair

361-729-6445, 800-242-0071
rockportseafair.com

Rockport
Oct. 5–7, 2007

Come celebrate the sea! Right on the harbor, right by the water, this fun festival has a gumbo cookoff, hilarious crab races, a carnival, live entertainment, arts and crafts, an outdoor boat show, and food.

Rockport Art Festival

361-729-5519
rockportartcenter.com

Rockport-Fulton
July 5–6, 2008

Artists from across the nation show their masterpieces at this juried fine-arts event, now in its 39th year. More than 125 artists exhibit their work in a variety of media and styles. Most of the works are for sale, so you can bring the art home. Children’s activities, food and drink, and live music add to the fun.

Travel Itinerary

Rockport-Fulton, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi

7 Days

The Rockport-Fulton area is known for its relaxed atmosphere, scenic beaches, fishing, shopping, and natural beauty. Explore the 70,000-acre Aransas Trails National Wildlife Refuge, where you’ll likely see alligators and exotic birds. Fulton Beach Road is lined with stunning, wind-sculpted trees, a surreal landscape that’s a great photo op.

Continue your tree pilgrimage with a visit to Goose Island and the Big Tree (also known as the Lamar Oak, Bishop’s Oak, and Goose Island Oak). This huge live oak, which has been featured in a Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” cartoon, measures more than 35 feet across, has a crown spread of a whopping 89 feet, and is 44 feet tall. The Texas Forest Service estimates that the tree is more than 1,000 years old. While you’re there, look for endangered whooping cranes, fish for speckled trout, redfish, drum, flounder, and sheepshead, or grab a basket and scoop up some crabs and oysters.

You’ll get a taste of culture at the Rockport Center for the Arts, where recent renovations and expansions to the main gallery and the addition of two parlor galleries have created a fine showcase for the work of local, national, and international artists.

Bring your fishing poles (or rent them there) and find yourself at a state park (the only places in Texas where you can fish without a permit), such as Goose Island for a day of communing with sea life. Or sign up for a chartered-boat fishing trip, dolphin watch, or birding excursion through Fisherman’s Wharf, Airboat Eco-Tours, Kohootz Dolphin and Lighthouse Tours, or Rockport Birding and Kayak Tours. It’s a full day of exploration, and most tours include lunch on the boats.

End the day at the Angel Rose Bed and Breakfast Inn (an 1881 Victorian newly opened as a B&B) or Anthony’s By-the-Sea Bed and Breakfast (within walking distance of Rockport Beach.

Enjoy dinner at Tony Legner’s (1003 E. Concho) and while you’re there, pick up a bottle of “Cat-5 Food Polish,” a very spicy seasoning and rub, to take home.

Next day, get an early start, because there’ll never be enough time for relaxing in Mustang Island’s Port Aransas, or “Port A,” as it’s affectionately called by those who make vacationing here a tradition. Its 18 miles of beaches are some of best on the Gulf Coast for hanging out, with great surfing waves, dolphin watching, wildlife exploration, hiking, and just relaxing. Enjoy a casual lunch at the new Fins Grill and Icehouse (420 E. Cotter), with burgers, decks, and water views.

Book one of the popular dolphin-watching cruises through Woody’s Sports Center or a fishing charter to catch red snapper, mackerel, and pompano. Or just take a relaxing stroll on the mile-long jetty. Don’t miss the historic Tarpon Inn, where the wall art features a huge tarpon scale signed by President Franklin Roosevelt.

A few hours’ drive takes you to Corpus Christi before the sun sets. After a walk on McGee or Corpus Christi Beach to dip your toes in the surf, have a relaxed seafood dinner at Blackbeard’s on the Beach (3117 Surfside). Wind up the evening at the Ocean House, an 8,000-square-foot Mediterranean bed-and-breakfast with five guest suites, a pool, and gourmet breakfasts served on the weekends.

The next day, take a tour at the Texas State Aquarium and get acquainted with the varied sea life in the area, or tour the Museum of Science and History. Have an “artsy” brunch at Jezebelle’s, located in the Art Center of Corpus Christi (100 N. Shoreline), where you’ll enjoy great views of the marina, original artwork, and jazz. Continue the day’s art focus with a stop at the South Texas Institute for the Arts.

For entertainment, catch a performance at the Harbor Playhouse, a nonprofit community theater featuring diverse productions and local talent. Music fans can visit the Selena Museum, a tribute to the Tejano singer, and plant lovers will like the Corpus Christi Botanical Garden, a collection of gardens with walking trails, 2,500 varieties of orchids, a rose garden, desert and tropical flowers, wetlands, and birdwatching.

For a night on the town, start at the 21 Spirits martini bar (317 N. Mesquite), move on to dinner at the Grand View (on the 11th floor of the Best Western Grand Hotel), then go to hear some live music at Dr. Rockits Blues Bar (709 N. Chaparral).