Lots of fun, music, food, sandcastles, raffle, wind, sun…read more Words to make up the minimum requirement.

This event is poorly run and planned. The traffic was terrible. Although the sand sculptures were…read moreinteresting, clever and sometimes humorous, they were overwhelmed by the huge number of vendors. Clearly the event was not about "art" but more about "money". The traffic was horrendous. It took us two hours to travel from marker 8 to marker 15 (about the length of the event). The Port A police allowed a third lane which slowed things down even more as only two lanes were allowed out at the beach exit. The event needs more beach exits. It may be beyond the ability of the City of Port Aransas to manage this event and it should be moved.

My family an I had a blast at Bayfest last year. It was our first time going, it was indeed very…read morepack but we still where able to enjoy our self an had fun during the day before the night life starts.

Bayfest holds a special place in my wife's heart. Growing up in Corpus Christi, she loved Bayfest…read morewhen she was a kid. That's why we made the trip from Houston. Being my first time to Bayfest, I didn't have any expectations. What I got was an overpriced carnival and some shitty rap concert. My wife got all that along with a big side of disappointment. At $4 per person for most rides, we decided the $20 unlimited ride wristbands were not worth it. We only went on a couple rides. The games were limited and it seems they only had the lamest ones there. Where's the BB guns or the sledgehammer? I don't want to toss baseballs in a basket! A carnival wouldn't be complete without a funnel cake, so we grabbed one on the way out. At least the funnel cake didn't disappoint. While we managed to have a good time, we spent way too much money doing it. That will probably be our last Bayfest.

Texas Sand Fest in Port Aransas is an annual event. This was my first time actually getting to go…read moreinside the fenced event area, and I have to thank the city of Port A for that. They offer beach accessible wheelchairs free of charge for the disabled, and made it possible for me to enjoy the festival. There is a very long stretch of parking available, but I was happy to find that vehicles with a handicap placard can drop off disabled guests right near the entrance. We also purchased our tickets ahead of time, which was definitely the way to go, not only were the tickets cheaper but we were able to skip the long ticket line and head straight inside. One of the coolest things about Sand Fest is that the sculptors get three days to create their masterpieces. It's fun to visit each day and watch the sculptures take shape. The talent on display is incredible, and it's hard to believe what can be created from sand. They also have amateur competitions and also an area where kids can learn and try their hand at sand sculpting. There were tons of food trucks to choose from, along with drinks and alcohol available throughout the event. The entertainment stage is a huge area, and we were lucky enough to catch The Josh Abbott Band perform. There are both covered and uncovered seating areas, but the chairs fill up quickly, so get there early if you want one. The good news is you're allowed to bring your own chairs. I also enjoyed browsing the vendor booths, which had everything from artwork and furniture to jewelry, T-shirts, dresses, and plenty unique items. This was such a fun experience, and being able to access the event with a beach wheelchair made it possible. I'll definitely be back for Sandfest 2027.

Wonderful time for me and all my friends. I have been many times before but the way the event grows…read moreand gets better every year always amazes. Great friendly people, vendors are happy and everyone is fueled by this event giving so much to scholarships and local charities. highly recommended for families and the was Free organised parking and trolly/golf cart rides from the parking area - wonderful as the area is pretty big so if you have little ones the buggy needs some good wheels! Recommended for a family day out

A music festival dedicated to Selena Quintanilla, one of the greatest Tejano/a singers of all time,…read moreFiesta de la Flor is all Selena related. If you're a Selena fan, then why haven't you checked this place out yet? We decided to check out this festival back in 2018. My significant other is a die hard Selena fan. She worships her! Really! So I decided to surprise her with tickets to the festival. It was very reasonable in price. Each ticket was $50. It was a 2 day event with live performances from local artists and a few members from Selena's group. The festival ended with a performance fro Becky G. It was pretty windy when we were there both days. It is right next to Corpus Christi Bay. They had plenty of lunch trucks and open bars to enjoy. One of the highlights was the Selena was statue they had unveiled there. It was very full of people both days. At the end of the festival, they had a beautiful fireworks display. During the intermission sets, they had Selena music videos playing in the background. There was plenty of parking lots in the area. We had decided to Uber there, as I'm not much of a fan of driving while I'm on vacation. It is beyond amazing that the Quintanilla family and her husband, Chris Perez, keep the spirit and soul of Selena alive through the festival. It is beyond amazing that the fans come from all across the country to celebrate the life and legacy of such a beautiful singer who was robbed of her life much too soon. I have heard that there were plans to discontinue the festival. That saddens me to hear, as her legacy will alway live on. If that becomes the case, sadly, I can at least say we got to enjoy and experience this amazing festival. It was way beyond what I expected. If it does return, I'd definitely come back. Hey, Anything for Selenas!!!!!

#230-2016: It was…read moreonly 21 years ago that Selena was robbed of her chance to change the musical world once more by means of her crossover album, when her life was tragically ended. All these years have passed and her fans have kept her music and the celebration of her life alive, specially the day of her death by celebrating the greatness of her life. Then, last year magic happened and finally CORPUS CHRISTI (along with many sponsors) finally decided to officially commemorate and honor their most precious flower of all. A week end filled with Selena's music and memories as well as Tejano music performers who have gathered together to still pay their homage and rejoice of the love and amazing music Selena has brought us all in her short life. Suzette may have chosen to never perform as a percussionist without her sister but she has made a few exceptions and has never given up on the family will to keep her legacy alive. Chris has gone on to become a great artist (the Chris Perez Project is but the last of many achievements) but has been, still is and always will be honoring his late wife and the love of his life. Selena's fans storm the quiet shores of Corpus Christi every March 31st and now have even more reasons to come, the Fiesta De la Flor lasts two extremely busy days, is amazingly organized and allows Selena's message of love and humbleness to live on. So, my thanks go to Suzette, the Quintanilla family, Chris and the city of Corpus. To this year's Fiesta De la Flor and to many more!

$20 = 9 tickets = 9 half pours of beers that will normally cost you upwards of $4 for a full pour…read more Do the math. You win every time and get a good buzz on the cheap. Yes ladies and germs, best craft beer deal in TX. About 10 different local breweries were represented. Pay your money and you get your 6oz sample glass - yes, not plastic, but GLASS. Nice touch! Held at the Art and Culture center, this event was perfect: perfect weather, perfect parking, plenty of food trucks, plenty of beer, plenty of restrooms, plenty of seating and perfect setting (on the bay!). Compared to other beer festivals I've been to, this is one of the best in terms of overall value, setting, ambiance and variety. Our original plan was to visit a friend for her birthday and then all us go to the beer fest. After our experience, looks like we'll be making this an annual pilgrimage, forget her birthday!

Following a day of getting sundrunk on the beach, we spent an overcast day of our vacation checking…read moreout this glorious sanctuary for butterflies, hummingbirds, reptiles, and mosquitoes alike. Spent about an hour interacting with parrots, butterflies, a ball python, a lovely skink, observing large iguanas and turtles, beautiful orchids, and wonderful smells all around.

We spent a bit over an hour at this wonderful garden and nature center in late June. The…read moretemperature was over 90 degrees and it was very humid, or we could easily have spent more time there. If you go when it's hot, bring water. Mosquito repellent is also a good idea but if you forget it, it's sold in the visitor center. When you pay for admission, you get an arm band and a crude map. We wished the map was better. At least one part of a pathway was under construction, so we ended up cutting through the playground to get back. While called a botanical garden, this place is equally good for seeing birds, insects, reptiles, and other animals. Admission is very reasonable, so it's a great place to bring the kids. In the visitor center there are small caged reptiles. If there's an attendant, you might be able to pet a lizard. A blue-tongued skink was out while we were there. There are other animals in large outdoor cages, including several beautiful macaws and lizards. There is a winding path that takes you to a variety of areas on the property. Some areas, like orchids and butterflies, are within enclosures while most things you'll see are out in the open. Along the path there are a couple of elevated observation decks and lots of descriptive signage. There is an unshaded play area. There are several purple martin houses, which are fun to watch. We had hoped to see some hummingbirds in the gardens, as there was a hummingbird area with feeders and flowers they generally like, but the heat was perhaps too stifling. All in all, we found this to be a great place to visit, weather permitting. If you happen to be a member at another AHS garden, you can get in free.

Port Aransas is often affectionately referred to as "Port A" by both locals and seasonal tourists…read more The small southern Texas beach town is extremely laid back. You will not find high end resorts or condos here. The beaches still have remnants of tar that wash up plus nuisances like seaweed and jellyfish as Jose A. alluded to in his 8.11.2015 review, but during our visit in July 2025, the crowds weren't too bad in certain areas. My family of 11 rented a house on La Concha Blvd. It was nice. Mosquito hell. Frogs got into the living quarters, but we just laughed and allowed the kids to catch them and pitch them back outside. Boat tours, deep-sea fishing, restaurants, and sight-seeing are all around. Make the best of it!

A bad day on Port Aransas is better than a good day anywhere else! I love this island. When you…read morecome across the bridge, or better yet- float across on the ferry, you know that you need to set your internal clock to beach time. Port Aransas is a small Texas beach town. It's one of the few beaches anywhere in the country that you can still drive on the beach! These beaches are pristine. They're so clean. Port Aransas offers beach camping for the low price of $10/year. You can park right on the beach with your trailer, RV, tent, whatever. They offer public showers and restrooms at a few of the beach entrances. This is a really nice little town. They allow golf carts on the streets around here, so keep an eye out. Or better yet, rent one yourself! After Hurricane Harvey, this place got hit pretty hard. The force of the hurricane hit this island so hard that it literally changed the landscape of the beach. But I'm so glad to see that this community has gotten itself back up, dusted itself off and is back in business. Be sure to check out the 'downtown' area with lots of souvenir shops and fun restaurants.