What's Ahead:
- An affordable, pet-friendly, and waterfront Airbnb Recommendation that is a five minute walk from the beach
- Kid-Friendly Activities Unique to the island
- Island Restaurant Recommendations
- Stay tuned for my sample "Island" Travel Itinerary at the end!
Accommodations:
We stayed on "The Island" at Seaside Escape, a renovated, bottom-floor, pet-friendly two-bedroom condo. This condo has a spacious kitchen, updated appliances, and smart TVs in each room. It is located in Seaside Villas, which sits on Lake Padre and is about a five minute walk from Whitecap Beach (which is also pet-friendly). Whitecap Beach is one of the least crowded beaches on the island and is more of a locals' retreat.
The complex has its own pool, its own fishing dock, and your condo rental comes with its own boat slip if you have one to bring with you. There are also boat rentals, as well as golf cart rentals, easily accessible throughout the island. We've heard there is some good night fishing off the dock, and we had some luck surf fishing at the beach.
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| We tried our hand at night fishing! |
"Island" Tip #1 - Coming from the condo, there is a seawall that you have to descend down to get to Whitecap Beach. It is steep but climbable. However, if you walk further down the seawall, there is an access ramp you can use to get down.
Activities:
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| North Padre Island Beach |
#2: Red Dragon Pirate Cruises (Port Aransas) - I don't think you'll ever be able to beat sailing the seas with real pirates!
How to Secure Your Sailing Adventure:
- Everyone wants to do the sunset cruise, so try to book these 1-2 weeks in advance via their website. They also go out in the morning and again around lunchtime.
- Make sure to arrive 15 minutes ahead of time to allow for check in. Parking is right in front of the office under the Red Dragon sign. You won't miss it because you can see the masts of the ship towering above the office, but parking is tight. There are three lanes between the chained-off area, and you have to pull all the way up and park directly behind one another. There are two tours that run out of the same office, so the pirate cruise desk is to the right when you first come through the door. They have a gift shop there too, so if you forgot sunscreen, don't worry about dodging traffic to get to CVS beforehand. No food or drink (this includes water bottles) can be taken aboard the ship. However, they do have a fully-stocked bar in the galley of the ship where you can purchase water and other beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). There are also "heads" (or bathrooms) on the ship that can be used while sailing. They are marine toilets though, so you cannot flush toilet paper down them.
- The cruise is 2 1/2 hours full of wild stories and shenanigans, tons of piratical activities for the kiddos, fun pirate songs, and ALL the pirates. And don't think you adults are going to get out of it scot-free because they involve the parents too. I won't give away too much, but as it's easy to write this off as childish (we usually take more intimate cruises), I will say that it was worth it, and the kids had so much fun!
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| The Red Dragon! |
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| I think most kids would love to be a pirate for the day! |
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| Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A Pirate's Life for Me! |
"Island" Tip #2 - If the Red Dragon is not right for you, you can take your pick on how to get out on the ocean from the Port Aransas City Marina, i.e. boat rentals, fishing charters, dolphin or sunset cruises, and/or sailing adventures. There is something for everyone!
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| Looking for dolphins! |
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| Breathing in that salt air! |
#3: Horseback Riding on the Beach - This is a Bucket List item for sure! I would book 1-2 weeks out on this one just to make sure you get a timeslot for your preferred date and time. We did the morning ride because the sunset ride is $20 extra (but worth it I'm sure). I think being on horseback is one of the best ways to experience the beach!
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| Riding the surf with Ringo! |
Horseback Riding Tips for the Beach:
- This is a more advanced trail ride for the kiddos, so I would definitely have them on a horse a few times before taking them on this tour.
- Wear sunscreen, and if you wear a hat, make sure you have a way to secure it from blowing off (for cowboy hats, they will provide you twine with close pins at each end to attach one side to your hat and one side to your shirt).
- Wear waterproof shoes (I prefer boots), and my rule of thumb is to always cover your legs (I wear jeans) to avoid chaffing for you and the horse, but I've also seen people wear shorts and tank tops, so it's your preference.
- Be gentle when navigating your horse through the water, as the horse can feel where the sandbar is, and you don't want to cause an injury to yourself or the horse by jerking them off track.
- Respect beachgoers and never go in between them and the water. Also, keep an eye on your surroundings for anything that could spook your horse (such as a charging dog or a curious child running up to you).
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| My kids are at home in the saddle, so they found this ride super exciting! |
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| Riding through the water! |
#4: All the Shops - When visiting the beach, we always try to stop by one or two of the awesome gift shops (which is why we ended up with hermit crabs in one of those "COVID-19 Splurge" purchases last year), but Corpus Christi has some of the coolest I've seen. From what is likely the biggest sandcastle in the world to a huge shark mouth you can walk through, these shops make for some awesome selfies!
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| Ocean Treasures Gift Shop |
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| Roxy Quicksilver Reef Gift Shop |
Restaurants:
The condo is right next to the Boathouse Bar & Grill. This place has an outdoor bar with live music, as well as a multilevel indoor restaurant with great views of the water. They are usually pretty packed in the Summer, so make sure you make a reservation in advance.
If you're heading out to Port Aransas for one of those cruises leaving from the City Marina, the Marina is the premier area to grab some grub. We ate at the Trout Street Bar & Grill, but there are so many great options that give wonderful views of the boats coming and going, as well as some of the freshest seafood on the island. Again, make sure you make your reservations at these in advance, especially if you have a sunset tour or something similar planned for the evening, because there is usually a one to two hour wait otherwise. If you're doing the sunset cruise on the Red Dragon, there is a restaurant right next door called Fins Grill & Icehouse, so you can assure you'll be there on time.
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| Port Aransas City Marina from the Trout Street Bar & Grill |
AND if you're a coffee fiend like my husband, there's also this really neat coffee shop made out of shipping containers near the condo called Island Joe's Coffee & Gallery.
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| Island Joe's |
SAMPLE ITENERARY:
Friday -
- Begin the trek to Corpus Christi
- Once settled, pick up some healthy breakfast for two mornings and lunch fixings for your afternoon at the beach at a local supermarket
- Eat dinner at the Boathouse Bar & Grill
- Get in some night fishing at the dock or some night swimming in the pool
Saturday -
- Eat breakfast at the Airbnb
- Head to the beach and spend the afternoon
- Head back to the condo around 2PM for some pool time
- Make sure you're dressed and ready to head out to dinner around 4PM
- Eat dinner at the Trout Street Bar & Grill or Fins Grill & Icehouse
- Make sure you're at the Red Dragon's office at least 15 minutes ahead of your 6:30PM sail time
Sunday -
- Eat breakfast at the Airbnb
- Check out of the Airbnb
- Check in for your 10AM horseback ride on the beach
- Hit up the gift shops on your way out of Corpus Christi
- Begin the trek back home
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Thanks for reading Blue Sky Days! XOXO, Kyrstie.