Where to Stay

The heart of Port Aransas — within walking or carting distance of restaurants, bars, shops, and the harbor. Older cottages, boutique hotels, and historic properties. This is where the Tarpon Inn has stood since 1886. Best for visitors who want to be in the middle of the action without driving.

Condos and resorts directly on the beach along On The Beach Drive. Wake up to the sound of waves. Most properties have pools, beach access, and balconies facing the Gulf. Higher price point but the location is the whole point — you're here for the beach.

Master-planned community 4 miles south of downtown on Mustang Island. New Urbanist architecture, walkable grid streets, town center with retail and dining (Lisabella's Bistro). Median home price around $1 million. This is the high-end, design-forward Port A experience.

Hotels and vacation rentals along SH 361 between downtown and the beach. Chain hotels (Hampton Inn, Best Western, Days Inn) plus locally owned options. More affordable than beachfront, easy driving access to everything. Good base camp if budget matters more than views.

Port Aransas has some of the best beachfront RV camping in Texas. Full-hookup resorts with pools and amenities, rustic parks with character, and IB Magee Beach Park — a county park where you camp right on the Gulf for almost nothing. Winter Texans fill the parks November through March.