JP Luby Surf Park (aka North Packery Beach) is the beach directly behind the Lively Beach Resort…read moreoff Zahn Road & Hwy 361. If you are staying at Lively, this is your spot. The boardwalk from Lively empties right onto this beach between markers 204 and 205. If you aren't staying at Lively but you wanna get away from the crowds in Port A, Cinnamon Shore, or on North Padre Island out of Corpus Christi, you might wanna keep JP Luby as a backup option. It's well-maintained, clean, and generally as pleasant as Texas beaches can possibly be. You do need to pick up a permit for driving onto the beach, $12, easy to get at any convenience or grocery store in the area. The pass is good for the whole calendar year and all drivable beaches in the Port A - Corpus region from mile marker 0 to 62. Trucks or other 4WD high clearance vehicles are advised, but I did see a few less sporty options around. Take care to heed warning flags about surf conditions and the rip current. These are posted as you enter from Zahn Road, just as you pass the shower station and porto-johns. Once you get settled, you'll see everything from anglers to families on beach vacations to dare devils on surfboards, boogie boards, or kite surfing rigs. Our early October 2024 visit was easily one of my favorites from 30+ years of semi-annual trips to the Mustang / Padre Island area. We spent 3 days on this beach just watching the waves, the birds, and the happy visitors soaking up the last bit of summer paradise for the year. It was so calm, no loud stereos blasting, just folks out to enjoy Mother Nature and allow others to do the same. The adjacent North Packery Channel Jetty includes a long walkway that was packed with anglers at sunrise each morning we were there. From one fisherman I spoke with, red fish and trout were the goal at this time of year, with bait mullet easily caught by casting a net from the rocks. If you don't want to haul a bunch of chillax gear out to the beach, there are vendors who will provide setup/take-down of chairs, shade, campfires, and more for a fee. Some options to consider include Corpus Beach Rentals and 361 Blue Beach Concierge, but note that these vendors may close outside of "high season" dates.

The JP Luby Surf Park (also known as North Packery) is always a good time. Let me tell you about a…read moreday I had there... I spent Christmas in Port Aransas. It was probably the best Christmas ever. The only thing missing was I couldn't go surfing. A couple of days later, the sun came out and the wind switched to the south. and there was a bit of swell in the Gulf. That morning, the buoy report said 8' at 6 seconds with a SW wind at 12 mph. We loaded up the truck and headed down to Zahn Rd. It was a beautiful day. It was warm for December. It felt like Springtime. Not a cloud in the sky. The water was a beautiful, clear green. The waves were waist to chest high with good form. Nothing but really cool people at the beach that day. I caught countless fun waves for about four hours. I paddled back in for a water break. It was fun just sitting on the tailgate of my truck just watching everyone have a good time. People were surfing nice, clean waves. Some were fishing on the jetty. Boats were going out. Kids were playing. Dogs were running around. One guy was spearfishing by the jetty. Classic rock was blasting all day. The sounds of Santana, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix filled the air. So much fun. I paddled out again and road a few more waves until my back and shoulders couldn't take anymore. Some old friends were on the beach. I paddled back in and drank beers until the sun went down. That was a good day.

Did you know Corpus is known as being the "Birdiest City in America"? Well, according to the…read morecity's visitor website it is! I open this review with this observation because the Hans and Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge is without a doubt one of Corpus' most popular "birding" destinations. You can almost be assured that if you are visiting this park on a nice day, you will come in contact with both "birders" and "bird watchers" alike. I am not a birder, per se, but I am an overall nature lover, which makes me kind of a bird watcher by definition. In any event, like most normal people, I genuinely appreciate any and all aspects of nature. The park is kind of a not so hidden gem in that it is in an ideal location, but not frequented a lot by locals. It is located off Ennis Joslin just South of TAMUCC (Texas A&M University Corpus Christi) and the innaccessble part (by the public) of the naval base. It is actually smack dab in the middle of all the public university housing, which explains a lot. It is a beautiful wildlife refuge on the bay. There are more than enough trails to keep one moving and entertained with the endless views of beholden beauty that nature bestows upon us.

We have been doing some exploring around the area and came across this wildlife refuge. We love to…read morebe outdoors with our dog! The trails aren't very well kept and the trees and bushes are overgrown. I'm not sure if it's because it's winter time, but it just seems that this place isn't maintained. There are nice views of the water and plenty of birds.

Really enjoyed the pier and seeing the views. Lots of people fishing which gave for extra…read moreentertainment. The pier was in great condition and they are in the process of adding a covered shaded area at the entrance. Walked over to the playground which had lots of options for kids and really liked the splash park. That would come in handy for these hot summer days.

Cole Park is an excellent amenity to Corpus living!…read more It is located just South of McGee Beach where Shoreline Blvd turns into Ocean Dr. Most visitors and tourists ignore it because it is not the beach, but once you get familiar with the park, you'll see all it has to offer. And it is quite large and currently under redevelopment with more improvements I remember when lockdowns ended in 2020 and public amenities became accessible again. This was one of the first parks I started to frequent again. I often go downtown for dining and work events, and find myself going for walks here afterwards.

We were in Port Aransas for 2 days in mid-April to look for migrating birds. The one place we went…read moreto several times was the Leonabelle Turnbull birding center. We visited both morning and afternoon, and found that the selection of birds was somewhat different each time. It also made sense, for photography purposes, to visit at different times because we found quite a few beautiful migrating birds in the mulberry and willow trees, and the lighting was best there in the afternoon. There are multiple areas for birding. The entry walk has some willow and mulberry trees where birds congregate. In spring, the mulberry provides fruit for the birds and is a favorite for migrating species. Past the entry there are boardwalk to view (mostly) water birds. There are a couple of covered observation decks as well, and these provide the only shade in the boardwalk area. If you're prone to getting bitten by mosquitoes, do use repellent before visiting. The parking area nearest the entry was being enlarged during our visits, so we ended up in the overflow parking area on the other side of the water treatment facility. This is a great place to see resident and migrating shore birds, as well as inland species during migration. We saw buntings, videos, tanagers, warblers, orioles, and other migrating species during our most recent visit... a feast for the eyes!

one of my fav birding places. They have really improved the pier out over the water. You are up…read morehigh with the birds down low, so not really disturbing the birds and you get great looks. We got to see the Pink Flamingo last week. One of the best places to see shore/water birds. Away from the water nearer the parking lot, a water feature and trees for the migrants in fall and spring. even if you aren't into birds, it is still a beautiful place to visit. There is a resident alligator that is around sometimes. Bigger parking area coming soon.

I love this little island town! I've been visiting with my family for 50 years. There are prettier…read morebeaches in the world, but this one just feels like Home to me. I love the smell of the salty fishy air! The further you go away from the jetty, the clear of the water and the nice or the beach. You can hunt under the pier at low tide for shark teeth find all sorts of shells, watch people, pulling fish and shark in from the waters Lots of souvenir, shops and restaurants. Some good I'm not so good. And the grocery store with the deli that you can eat three meals a day for really inexpensively. Love love love it

Port Aransas and I go way, way back to my earliest childhood. Its changed somewhat since then but,…read moreits central core as a sleepy fishing village on the Texas gulf coast remains in spirit. 90 % of visitors back in the day came here to fish. Either in the surf, bay or deep sea. While ive done my share of that, this trip centers on long walks on the beach and introspection. What a great way to build up to Christmas.

Visiting this park was an unexpected pleasure as we were actually looking for the Centennial House…read more I enjoyed the Gold Star World War II memorial to mothers of those who served. The only caution to the park is the steep incline to the Centennial House and Catholic Church. Otherwise, we enjoyed the visit. There are stairs located at either end of the park. This place seems well-maintained and clean. Please check out this piece of history.

Gold Star Memorial Park This scenic park is located right at…read morethe base of Old St. Patrick's Church, overlooking the Corpus Christi Bay. It's a scenic park, with a giant memorial to those lives lost in World War I from Nueces County. Turns out, there were quite a few soldiers who died for the cause of liberty and freedom fighting in the Great War. This memorial on the hillside is a reminder of those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. There's a large marble plaque here, and a big sign that lets you know what's going on here. It's a fairly big park for downtown, but a lot of the park is on a heavy slope. The other part is all natural grass, but I'm not sure if it's respectful to go play Frisbee or walk the dog around a war memorial. There are no picnic tables, trash cans, or facilities here. There really aren't any sidewalks to help you navigate the hill, you gotta walk in the street, or walk on a heavy grassy slope. No restrooms. It kinda seems that this was a happening park back in the 20's, but has fallen into disuse in the last century. Parking is a bit on the challenging side, as you either have to park in the church's lot, or walk.

TLDR: Very family-friendly beach with super shallow and calm water plus a playground. $10 daily…read morefee, $40 per year. This beach is perfect for kids, especially toddlers. The water is super shallow (saw people going super far and it was still only up to their knees) and very calm. The sand in the water is also soft and free of rocks (my kids took off their water shoes). The water was warm (end of July) and pretty clean (not clear). It was really clean on the first day we visited and two days later, some seaweed floated in. Ocean conditions change obviously but it was never unpleasant. There's a playground on the beach although we didn't actually go to check it out. $10 daily fee ($40 per year so if you're here for a week or something, consider upgrading to save). It gets crowded on weekends (naturally) so arrive early to secure a parking spot (before 10am is usually a good call). They have indoor bathrooms and showers. Loved this beach! Perfect for a calm beach experience. If you're looking for waves, go to Port Aransas.

This beach is about 2 1/2 hours from my house, is the only place we go at the coast. There's a $10…read moreper car fee or if you frequent you can buy a season pass. Have clean restrooms available, an area for shower and rinsing off. Nice parking, not far to walk to the sand. We love the beach, highly recommend!!

Get orientated! This park is right along Business 35 in…read moreRockport. It's a great example of the public works of art that makes Rockport such an artistic, cool destination! This park has a private little lot right off the highway. Once you arrive at the park, you can't help but notice the giant palm tree that's survived storm after storm. It's long since fallen, but continues to grow, sideways and upwards. To me, it's a symbol of Rockport's resiliency. It's been knocked down, but continues to survive and flourish, making it even more interesting. You don't get old by being weak! The park is full of native flora and fauna. There are colorful examples of local flowers and plants to check out. The park is situated along a labyrinth on the ground- you walk along it in a meandering spiral within the circle of the compass rose with some sort of meditative mindset and it's supposed to be relaxing. The labyrinth is an ancient symbol of wholeness, and the journey from the outside in and back out again helps clear the mind. The compass is right on, according to my measurements! You can come here and set your own compass to the giant directions made from marbles on the ground. The compass is true! The park offers a great view of the entrance to Rockport, and the bay, with the beach in the background. It's an exquisite spot for taking in the scenes of Rockport! My only gripe is there aren't enough places to sit in the shade here, and there are no facilities like a drinking fountain. North, South, East or West, this place is a the best park around!