Fantastic job the Rockport garden club has done restoring a segment of native marsh. 50 years ago…read morethe entire Texas coast was largely undeveloped. These days if you sit in one spot too long you're likely to get bull dozed and paved. So,hats off to anyone governmental,NGO,Clubs, Associations etc who try to preserve a piece of nature as it has been for 100s of years . Right across the street from this oasis sits a Walmart. I bet the Karankawa Indians could never have imagined that. Unbelievably I saw many species of ducks,birds,butterflies and insects I'd never seen before. But the real surprise was two white tail deer I spooked. If you're in the area definitely seek this lovingly," set aside" piece of The Texas Coast. Go!

Quick, immersive walk into some wetlands! Heard frogs a and birds, and plenty of plants and trees…read moreto learn about from markers along the way! Wish it were a longer trail, and I was surprised it wasn't dog-friendly! If those two things were changed, it'd be 5/5 for us!

I thought it was time for another review of this park since the last one was from six years ago…read morefrom this writing. It also looks like there have been some recent additions since the last review. The park is located at a crosswalk next to an RV park on Avenue G. There is actually a lot to see here starting with a very long paved nature trail running through a nature preserve with observation areas and continues on by the ship channel. You will also find 3 ball diamonds, a large baseball field, a little league diamond, and a T-ball diamond complete with batting cages. Other amenities include a fenced in dog park, a community pool, a soccer field, basketball court, public bathrooms and a large children's play scape. On the property is also a frisbee golf course and skateboard park. You will also find five fenced in pickleball courts that look like they were just built yesterday. The pickle ball courts are open to the public at no cost. There are some covered picnic tables directly next to the pool and a couple of tables in the dog park. This is definitely one of the nicest community parks you will find anywhere.

Located on Cut Off Road, jusy behind San Juan Taqueria, this unexpected gem is an oasis in the…read moremiddle of the island, and a nice place to visit with your bird watchers, wildlife lovers or kiddos. Dedicated in 2002, Paradise Pond is a 2-acre habitat that provides an excellent example of public/private collaboration. A group of birders who won the Great Texas Birding Classic designated the prize money for the purchase of land located behind a local motel. Several donations of land, additional grants and other funding sources helped to complete the project that birders from across the country now enjoy. Paradise Pond is a stop on the spring migratory route for smaller warblers and other songbirds, while many feathered friends call the pond home all year long. The wheelchair accessible boardwalk and 3 observation decks provide easy access to get "up close and personal" with the birds under a mantle of trees. There is a sitting area at the entrance for watching butterflies, dragonflies and birds, along with information about the flowers and the butterflies that the flowers attract. Private donations of land, foundation funds and teamwork helped make Paradise Pond part of the Birding Trail of Texas. Visitors flock from across the country for a sitting here...and you should too!

I absolutely love this park! It is one of my absolute favorite places in South Texas…read more The city of Rockport does an immaculate job maintaining the park, from trimming grass on the side of the paved paths to making sure that the natural trail is always trimmed low. There is a group of people who walk/jog in the early mornings here. The park opens at 6 AM. The part that is paved near the soccer fields and the playground is well lit. But the part that is closer to the ponds towards the back of the park is not. So if you do decide to walk here in the early morning, for safeties concerns, I always kept to the front half of the park. But the dog park is on a whole other level! Between the small and dog park it has to be a little over an acre. It is extremely well shaded with lots of trees. There are obstacles for your dog to play on. They have a fresh source of water as well as a self filling water station. I absolutely love that they have a pretty significantly long natural trail. My joints don't love pavement but they do love natural trails and oftentimes parks they are overlooked or paved over. This park is a gem for the people of Rockport and those who visit.

Yes, there's a dog park in Rockport! Tried finding trails and dog friendly areas, and this has been…read moreone of the best finds! Very shady, with plenty of space and places to sit. Wish there were more dogs around when we came! Idk how many people actually know about this- I've frequented rockport for years with family, and just now found it! Drive past the baseball fields and play scapes at Memorial Park, and you'll see two acres of the dog park!

*** plan around their seemingly unpredictable hours ***…read more The Port Aransas Nature Preserve is way down in South Texas. Nearby where we were staying for vacation was the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, so naturally we saw countless types of birds and other wildlife including coyotes. This particular preserve is brought to you by the City of Port Aransas. Entrance is free, however, the following is not allowed: "hunting, fishing (allowed only in ship channel), shell or seed collecting, camping, pets, and alcohol." I definitely suggest that you check their website or call before trying to visit the boardwalks, hiking/walking trails and the tower because they are often closed! Works Cited https://cityofportaransas.org/departments/parks-and-recreation/nature-preserve/

We originally went to enter through the Pavilion where most of the trails originating from there…read morehave not yet been repaired from Hurricane Harvey. We went in off of 361 by the Port A RV Park. From that entry we were able to go on a beautiful walk that led to a tower for viewing. Worth the excursion.

Labonte Brothers Park! This is a sun bleached stretch of…read morepark just north of Corpus Christi where you can go and possibly fish under a bridge. The park is basically a turn around next to the Nueces River, that goes around I-37. The park has been messed up for a while as they go and replace the bridge that goes over the Nueces. They're making it a higher bridge, and have the whole place torn up. There's no trees or any shade. The park offers a bunch of picnic tables that overlook the river. If you're a fisher, it'd be a good place to grill up some river catfish. There are no restrooms here. No running water. Dogs are welcome here. You can probably run them off a leash, as I hardly ever see anyone here. Just make sure they don't jump in the river.

This place has been here for quite some time and it's named after the famous NASCAR Labonte Bros…read more The park is famous for Easter celebrations as masses gather and enjoy the evening. People camp out here and all. This is the area where the famous Nueces River ends and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. It runs alongside the back part of the park. Passing by here you can see the number of people walking around and enjoying the sounds of the river as it makes its way over the final embankment and into the bay.

This is the beach we visit when in Corpus. Last visit was July 4th weekend. Convenient as you can…read morepark your car on the shore making it easy to unload and pack it in when you're ready. We typically park our car in reverse so we can set up the chairs/cooler out in front of the trunk facing the ocean. Makes for easy access to the shore. Everyone is respectable with cleanliness and ensuring trash/debris are thrown in the garbage cans and not littering. We always meet some friendly people here where we share some beverages and beach space with. Quite a community here. Don't forget your beach parking permit; you can purchase it when you enter ($12 for the year).

We came here on a Saturday in mid May and while there were lots of cars and people, it didn't feel…read morethat crowded and everyone was friendly and polite. We were able to set up our canopy and enjoy our 4 yo playing in the sand and in the shallow waters. It was nice because the waves aren't too crazy and it's actually very shallow for a while. The beach parking permit ($12) also could be purchased right in the front so you didn't need to stop by a gas station prior to coming. I would definitely recommend this beach and hope to come back again soon!

This place is great. They feed the wildlife and your able to watch them. Great fishing spots, great…read morechildren's playground, and hawk viewing.

If you love birding you must go here- the variety to be seen is lovely- and if you love to watch…read morehawks there is even a platform especially for it! Be patient though- the birds are here- if you look and wait a bit you will see wonderful things. I cant even express how fabulous it is when the humming birds are around. Ive seen some unusual types here also. Just keep your eyes open and binoculars handy!

Perfect beach day--especially for families! The beach was…read moreclean and peaceful, especially since we visited during the week. The water was clear enough to see our feet (definitely not Galveston!), and the shallow area stretched far out, making it ideal for kids to splash and play safely in knee-deep water. We loved having a palapa for shade--it kept us cool all day. We brought our own chairs, which worked out great. Another big plus: parking was just steps from the sand, so there was no long trek with gear. Lots of swim area and space to spread out. We'll definitely be back!

I absolutely love Rockport Beach!…read more Whenever I feel like taking a break of the city and spending some time in nature, I like to come down to Rockport, TX. This small beach town is full of delicious restaurants and amazing people. However, one of my favorite things to do is going to their beach. As any Texas beach, their sand is rockier and can't be compared to a beach in the caribbean. However, I like that it is located within a bay so it's protected from huge waves which makes it great for kids. On our most recent trip there, the ocean tied was so low that the beach looked like a giant splash area, which my kiddo absolutely loved. The daily entrance fee for the beach is $10 and their yearly membership is $40. They do have public bathrooms and showers, but they are not the best. They also sell food and beverages inside the beach, but only during busy season (usually closed on weekdays). They also have a nice playground for the kiddos which is in the shape of a pirate ship. Also, please note the beach is not dog friendly, but service animals are allowed.