Ingleside and Portland area guide
What to do, when to go, a little history and how to get to Ingleside and Portland.
Last updated
Overview
Ingleside and Portland are neighbors in San Patricio County. Ingleside is on Corpus Christi Bay, on a jutting arm of land called Ingleside Point at the eastern tip of the county. Portland is on a bluff overlooking Nueces Bay, in the southeastern part of the county.
The Handbook of Texas says farming and ranching were Ingleside's principal sources of income at first, and that it later developed as a residential area. It says Portland grew in the 1960s and 1970s as a bedroom community for Corpus Christi. Both towns now have city parks on the water or beside wetlands, which are listed below.
What to do
Beaches
- Surfside Park
Bayside park in Ingleside on the Bay with calm water, a small beach, and picnic space.
On the Water
- Bahia Marina & Docks Store
Ingleside marina and dock store on the bay with launches, bait, and boat basics.
Boat Tours & Cruises
- Dolphin Connection Ingleside
Small-boat wild dolphin tours with Captain Kelly, plus views of the tanker and tugboat traffic in the ship channel.
Fishing & Birding
The City of Portland says Indian Point Pier has fishing, cleaning stations, birding platforms and a picnic area.
- Anne's Bait House On The Bay
Bayside bait house between Ingleside and Portland with live bait and local fishing intel.
- Corpus Christi Free Fishing Pier
Free public fishing pier off the causeway over Nueces Bay, lighted and open without a boat or a fee.
- Indian Point Pier
Lighted fishing pier off the causeway between Portland and Corpus, with wide bay views and steady action for trout and drum.
Parks & Trails
The City of Portland describes Sunset Lake Park as a 333-acre wetland and saltwater lake habitat with a two-mile hike and bike trail. The City of Ingleside says Live Oak Park has miles of nature trails and is site number 55 on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.
- Bayside Park
Ingleside-area park on the water with picnic spots and playground space, quieter than the big-city parks.
- Ingleside-on-the-Bay City Park
Small city park in Ingleside on the Bay with water views and a quiet pace.
- Live Oak Park
Ingleside city park of about 90 oak-covered acres with a playground, picnic tables, barbecue pits, nature trails, tennis courts, and an 18-hole disc golf course.
- N.O. Simmons Park
Ingleside city park just off Highway 361 with a skate park, splash pad, playground equipment, sports fields, and a nearly mile-long hike and bike trail.
- Portland Municipal Park
Portland's big community park with playgrounds, courts, and shaded picnic spots.
- Sunset Lake Park
Portland park wrapped around a shallow tidal lake, with trails, birding, and true-to-its-name sunsets over the water.
Golf & Sports
- Ingleside Skate Park
Ingleside's concrete skate park, free and open for boards and scooters.
Indoor Fun
- B&B Theatres Portland Northshore 8
A cinema with heated reclining seats, a full restaurant menu, and an indoor playground inside the theatre building.
- TAG's World Gymnastics
Ingleside gymnastics gym with kid classes and open-play sessions for burning serious energy.
Arts & History
- Dinah Bowman Gallery
Portland gallery and studio of Dinah Bowman, known for her fish prints and coastal art.
- Ingleside Renaissance Festival
Ingleside's community renaissance festival with costumes, vendors, and turkey legs.
- Site of Bayview College
Historical marker at the site of Portland's old Bayview College, a quick roadside history stop.
Shopping
- Attic Antiques & Gifts
Ingleside antique shop stacked with vintage finds and gifts worth digging for.
- Books Ink
Portland's independent bookstore, small, curated, and staffed by people who read.
- My Mom Had That!
Portland vintage and antique shop stacked with nostalgia, from glassware to signs.
- The Texan
Convenience store stop in the Portland area for fuel-run snacks and drinks.
Food & Drink
- Asian Garden
Family-owned Asian restaurant in Ingleside serving dine-in, takeout, and delivery to the Coastal Bend.
- Blackbeard's Too
The quieter sibling of the Corpus Christi original.
- Chick-fil-A
The Portland location of the chicken chain, with the drive-thru line to prove it.
- China Wall Super Buffet
Portland's Chinese buffet, big and cheap, built for hungry crews who want volume.
- City Tortilla Mexican Restaurant & Bar
Ingleside Mexican restaurant making its own tortillas, with combo plates and a full bar.
- Good N Crisp Chicken
Ingleside's longtime fried chicken stop, doing crispy birds and sides the old way.
Desserts & Coffee
- 7 Brew Coffee
Drive-thru coffee stand in Portland slinging fast espresso and flavored energy drinks.
- A Sweet Slice
Portland bakery doing custom cakes, flavored cheesecakes, and pies.
- Bloom City Coffee Co
Portland coffee shop with espresso drinks, pastries, and room to sit awhile.
- Can I Get A Scoop
A local ice cream shop serving Wisconsin-made hard ice cream, ice cream nachos, and a small lunch menu.
- Cha³ Tea
Portland boba shop shaking milk teas and fruit drinks with generous toppings.
- Explore Play Cafe
Portland play cafe pairing a toddler play space with coffee for the adults.
Nights Out
- Applebee's Grill + Bar
The chain fallback in Portland when the group wants familiar menus and no decisions.
- Boneshakers
Sports bar and billiards hall in Portland with a full kitchen, table reservations, and room for private parties.
- Chili's Grill & Bar
The familiar chain standby in Portland when the crew wants fajitas and no surprises.
- Pep's Mexican Steakhouse
Portland spot mixing steaks with Tex-Mex plates and margaritas, a local dinner staple.
- Texas A1 Steaks & Seafood - Portland
Portland steakhouse with seafood platters and a busy bar side.
When to visit
The City of Ingleside says a Bluebonnet Run is held each year in March at Live Oak Park, at the height of the bluebonnet season. The Lions Club sponsors it. Dates change every year, so check with the organizer first.
The city also says Live Oak Park has a fresh water lake that is home to a variety of birds, and that it sits on the migration trail through the area. The City of Portland says Sunset Lake Park has nature boardwalks where you can see hundreds of species of birds.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to NOAA. Storms sometimes form outside those dates. Check the forecast from the National Weather Service in Corpus Christi and follow local officials.
History
The Ingleside community began in 1854, when settler George C. Hatch bought land on both sides of the bayou. Tradition credits John Vineyard with naming it Ingleside, which means "Fireside," for his ancestral home in Scotland. A school in the community was destroyed by Union soldiers in 1862. Hatch brought grape growing to the area, and his son built a flourishing grape business in the 1880s that lasted until the vines were killed by a blight in the 1930s.
The present Ingleside townsite was laid out in 1909. A hurricane destroyed many buildings in 1916. After Humble Oil built a tank farm at Harbor City and announced a refinery in 1927, housing for workers and two local newspapers followed. Ingleside was incorporated in 1951. In 1954 the Corps of Engineers cut a channel through Ingleside Point, which marked off the area known as Ingleside-on-the-Bay.
Portland was the dream of John G. Willacy. In 1891 he bought 1,920 acres from the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company. Lots went on sale in July of that year. A steamer brought buyers from Corpus Christi across the bay, and the railway ran special trains. Business was brisk until the panic of 1893 made the boom disappear almost overnight. Bay View College later opened on that property, and it operated until a hurricane destroyed it in 1916.
Portland was hit by hurricanes in 1916 and 1919, and the Handbook says the storms put an end to dreams of a port. For a time it was a rail shipping center for vegetables. The city was incorporated in 1949, and in 1952 the Reynolds Metals Company broke ground for an industrial complex.
Getting around
The City of Portland says Sunset Lake Park is next to Highway 181, between Portland and Corpus Christi. The City of Ingleside says N.O. Simmons Park is just off Highway 361. The city lists a skate park and a splash pad there.
Getting here
These drive times come from the OSRM routing service, which uses OpenStreetMap data. Each one starts at the center of the city and ends in Ingleside or Portland. The two towns are close together, so the figures are given as a range when they differ. Drive times vary with traffic, so allow extra time on busy days.
- From Houston: about 200 miles and about 4 hours. The routes use I-69, US 59, US 77 and FM 136.
- From Austin: about 185 to 190 miles and about 3 hours 45 minutes. The routes use US 183, US 77 Alt and FM 136.
- From San Antonio: about 150 miles and about 2 hours 45 minutes. The routes use I-37, US 281, TX 188 and US 181.
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Plan your tripSources
- Handbook of Texas: Ingleside, TX (San Patricio County) (TSHA)
- Handbook of Texas: Portland, TX (San Patricio County) (TSHA)
- Live Oak Park (City of Ingleside)
- Parks and Recreation facilities (City of Ingleside)
- City Parks (City of Portland)
- Sunset Lake Park (City of Portland)
- Tropical cyclone climatology (NOAA National Hurricane Center)
- National Weather Service Corpus Christi
- OpenStreetMap contributors (map and route data)