When to visit Port Aransas

Overview

Port Aransas is on the north end of Mustang Island, and the island is connected to the mainland by the State Highway 361 causeway and a state-operated ferry. The Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce (the Port Aransas Chamber) says the town is surrounded by water, so this page follows the fishing, the birds and the beach through the year.

This page covers only what differs here. For the whole Coastal Bend by month, including hurricane season and what to pack, see When to visit the Coastal Bend.

Season by season

The island has a busy season and a quieter one. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) lists spring and summer as the busy season at Mustang Island State Park, says the park often reaches capacity, and highly recommends reservations for both camping and day use. It suggests visiting in the cooler months for a quieter beach.

At the Port Aransas station the warmest month is August (average high 89°F) and the coolest is January (average low 50°F). September is the wettest month, with 6.5 inches, and December is the driest, with 1.7.

These are the NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Port Aransas station (USC00417170), from the National Centers for Environmental Information. Temperatures are rounded to the nearest degree Fahrenheit and rain to the nearest tenth of an inch.

Winter

From October 30 to April 30, or whenever whooping cranes are present, the Port Aransas Chamber publishes winter birding guidelines for the trails. Visitors must stay 1000 feet from whooping cranes and never approach or disturb them. If cranes are within 1000 feet of a trail, the guidelines say not to enter it.

Spring

The Chamber lists sheepshead in the bays from January to April. TPWD's wildlife trail guide says bird diversity at its Port Aransas sites is highest during spring and fall migrations, when land birds and shorebirds can be abundant. The Chamber says six sites in Port Aransas are on a coastal birding trail.

Summer

TPWD's wildlife trail guide says early summer can bring close views of nesting Snowy and Wilson's plovers and Horned Larks at one of its Port Aransas sites.

Fall

The Chamber says spring and fall often provide peak conditions for fishing in the bays.

Events

Three yearly events are held here, each run or listed by a local organizer.

• The Whooping Crane Festival, in February. The Chamber says it has celebrated the cranes' annual return to their wintering habitat at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge every year, and lists tickets for boat tours, photography workshops and field trips.
• Texas SandFest, usually in April. Its site calls it the largest beach sand sculpture competition in the USA, with sand sculptures, food, shopping and live music.
• The Deep Sea Roundup, in July. Its own site calls it the oldest fishing tournament on the Texas coast.

Dates change every year, so check with the organizer before you plan a trip around one.

Beach conditions

Port Aransas faces the Gulf. The City of Port Aransas says the stretch of Port Aransas Beach between the sand dunes and the wooden post markers is a two-lane Texas roadway and that all traffic laws apply. Parking a car on the beach requires an annual sticker, which the city says is valid in both Port Aransas and Corpus Christi.

At Mustang Island State Park, TPWD lists swimming and surfing among the things to do at the beach. It says the park has portable toilets along two miles of the beach, and it asks visitors to read its swimming safety tips before they swim.

More about Port Aransas

When to visit the Coastal BendPort Aransas area guideAll places in Port Aransas

Where to stay