Corpus / Port Aransas Vacation

[STANG RED]

I am thinking if taking the family down to the CC/Port Aransas area for vacation this coming Thursday thru Sunday.
Anyone have any suggestions on a great place to stay, preferably on the beach, that doesnt cost an arm and a leg?
Something out on Mustang Island would be nice.

[pirate44]

Originally posted by STANG RED
I am thinking if taking the family down to the CC/Port Aransas area for vacation this coming Thursday thru Sunday.
Anyone have any suggestions on a great place to stay, preferably on the beach, that doesnt cost an arm and a leg?
Something out on Mustang Island would be nice.
most everything on Mustang is pretty $$$$ this time of year during the peak season. the 2 top places are Port Royal (http://www.port-royal.com/) and Mayan Princess (http://www.mayanprincess.com/)

[pirate44]

and dont go to Port Aransas without eating at Shells

[CalallenWildcat]

Originally posted by STANG RED
I am thinking if taking the family down to the CC/Port Aransas area for vacation this coming Thursday thru Sunday.
Anyone have any suggestions on a great place to stay, preferably on the beach, that doesnt cost an arm and a leg?
Something out on Mustang Island would be nice.

Mustang will command top dollar. If you're looking for beachfront and a good deal, Holiday Inn Sunspree resort on North Padre (about 10-15 miles south of PA) is worth looking into.

[CalallenWildcat]

Originally posted by pirate44
and dont go to Port Aransas without eating at Shells

Pelican's Landing. Expensive, and they don't give you enough food, but what they do give you is excellent.

Trout Street is overrated. Virginia's (next to Trout Street) is good.

[Sweetwater Red]

I was on Galveston Island about eight years ago. It was right in
the middle of summer. The Days Inn right on the beach was
$150 a night. I had to go back later in December and the rooms
were $40 a night.

[pirate44]

Originally posted by GPWildcat
Mustang will command top dollar. If you're looking for beachfront and a good deal, Holiday Inn Sunspree resort on North Padre (about 10-15 miles south of PA) is worth looking into.
did they ever do the repairs on that? we did a structural analysis a couple years ago and they had half that place closed off for structural problems

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by pirate44
most everything on Mustang is pretty $$$$ this time of year during the peak season. the 2 top places are Port Royal (http://www.port-royal.com/) and Mayan Princess (http://www.mayanprincess.com/)

Wow, those are nice, but $300+ per night, is a little out of my league.
I'm not really looking for fancy, as much as location. I was hoping for something on or near the beach, for around $100 per night.
Am I just crazy? Should I be looking more in Corpus C, or Port Aransas?

[pirate44]

Originally posted by STANG RED
Wow, those are nice, but $300+ per night, is a little out of my league.
I'm not really looking for fancy, as much as location. I was hoping for something on or near the beach, for around $100 per night.
Am I just crazy? Should I be looking more in Corpus C, or Port Aransas?
i know they just opened a holiday inn express or something like that across the road from Shells on Port A. i'll ask around, but my guess is nothing beachfront for $100.

[CalallenWildcat]

Originally posted by STANG RED
Wow, those are nice, but $300+ per night, is a little out of my league.
I'm not really looking for fancy, as much as location. I was hoping for something on or near the beach, for around $100 per night.
Am I just crazy? Should I be looking more in Corpus C, or Port Aransas?

Corpus Christi city limits - Padre Island. A lot cheaper than anything on Mustang, and the beaches are just as good. Plus you can drive a little ways and be at the National Seashore. All of those beaches are refreshingly devoid of development.

Here's the Holiday Inn Sunspree I mentioned earlier
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ss/1/en/hd/pdino

EDIT: The rates there are high, too. $173 for the cheapest

[pirate44]

its also not unheard of camping out at say, Padre Island national seashore. there are showers, visitors center, etc. and it costs $10 per car. very well patrolled by park rangers

[pirate44]

tripadvisor list of Port A hotels (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g56476-Port_Aransas_Texas-Hotels.html)

[DaHop72]

Originally posted by STANG RED
Wow, those are nice, but $300+ per night, is a little out of my league.
I'm not really looking for fancy, as much as location. I was hoping for something on or near the beach, for around $100 per night.
Am I just crazy? Should I be looking more in Corpus C, or Port Aransas? Take you travel trailer and you can stay right over the berm from the ocean. We stayed at a real nice place last year that was on the main road and right beside the seashore as well.

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by DaHop72
Take you travel trailer and you can stay right over the berm from the ocean. We stayed at a real nice place last year that was on the main road and right beside the seashore as well.

Yeah, I thought about that. I just did'nt want the hassel of dealing with the travel trailer for just a couple of nights.
If we were going for a whole week, thats probably what I'd do.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by GPWildcat
Pelican's Landing. Expensive, and they don't give you enough food, but what they do give you is excellent.

Trout Street is overrated. Virginia's (next to Trout Street) is good.
I've worked at either Pelican's or Trout every summer the past three years ('03,'04,'05) and have pretty much lived on the beach my entire life.

Virginia's is OK if you like fried food, but not much for anything else. Anything grilled, sauteed, or broiled is junk.

Pelican's is great, but they've tailed off a little the past year or two. Still, you can't beat their lunch specials. Try the fish tacos or the garlic butter fish... they have a different lunch special every weekday and (if I remember correctly) the fish tacos are on Tuesdays and the garlic butter fish is on Thursdays. I think they're still $5.95.

Trout Street usually has the best grilled fish of the three, but if you go, make sure to get the shrimp embrochette (pronounced EM-BRO-SHAY). Best thing on the menu. Just ask any of the waiters. The Meditteranean Shrimp Scampi (not the scampi you get at Red Lobster, old-school scampi served with olives, noodles, and tomatoes in a tomato-based sauce), Shrimp Larisha ("Red Lobster" buttery scampi), and the Southwestern Tuna Pasta are amazing.

If you're not into seafood, ask if Marky is on the grill. If he is, the steaks come out perfect. Everytime.

Here's the Trout Street menu. (http://www.troutstreetgrill.com/menu.html)

If you're looking for tuna, the best tuna on the island is at Hooks Bar and Grill. Ask for for the Blackened Shashimi Grade tuna. $10. And don't be scared when it comes out red in the middle. If a tuna is grilled anything more than medium rare it's ruined. They're nothing like a steak. You can't keep cooking them.

But be prepared to wait. They take a while to get your food out... but it's great and it's fairly-priced. Oh, and if you want some bourbon or tequila it's BYOB. They don't have their liquor license(at least they didn't the last time I was there-- Christmas).

But as far as the best restaurant there, bar none, take Pirate 44's advice. Shells. Without a doubt the best seafood in the CC area. Nothing even comes close. They're a little different in their cuisine, but I've never had anything that was anything less than great and I eat there all the time.

Finally, check out the Venetian Hot Plate for Italian. It overtook Mama Mia's as the best Italian food in the CC area a few years ago.

Oh, and for a budget one night, go out to the Crazy Cajun. Nothing fancy and the food won't just blow you away like Hooks' tuna, Pelican's garlic butter fish, Trout's embrochette, or Shells entire menu, but it's still better than 75% of all the Cajun restaurants out there. They basically just take a pot of crawfish, veggies, shrimp, etc and dump it on the table in front of you. A family can eat good and cheap there, at least by Port A standards.

Cool places to go for lunch: Hooks, Port A Beach Club (nothing great, just sandwiches and burgers, but it's the only restaurant that's actually on the beach), and the Port A Pizzeria. All the BBQ joints in town suck.

[pirate44]

hey Russ, Mamma Mia's has always been my favorite, but the last time i went i had awful service. this is strange, because every other time has been the best food, service, atmosphere bar none. its funny how one time like that can sour ya on a place. but i heard Venitian is all upity and looks down on people as if they dont deserve to be eating there. thats why ive never been.

[big daddy russ]

Oh, and for decent-priced rooms in Port A, there are some cottages on Station Street, a little off the beaten path, that are fairly cheap. No beachfront view, but they dip below $100 on weekdays during the summer. Same thing with the hotels there in town. Try the Alister Square (maybe it's Alister Inn... I forget) or the Best Western. Both are pretty new and pretty nice, but won't cost as much as the condos.

Still, North Padre (CC beaches... JP Luby and Bob Hall Surf Pier) are cheaper than Port A.

But your best bet for a beach view is taking DaHop's advice. Bring your camper and go to Mustang Island State Park. It's away from town, not as crowded, and the south jetties are right there. I used to surf on the north side of those jetties all the time... a little spot called Fish Pass.

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by pirate44
hey Russ, Mamma Mia's has always been my favorite, but the last time i went i had awful service. this is strange, because every other time has been the best food, service, atmosphere bar none. its funny how one time like that can sour ya on a place. but i heard Venitian is all upity and looks down on people as if they dont deserve to be eating there. thats why ive never been.
I've never had that experience with the Venetian, but then again I know most of the waiters over there.

I don't know if you remember this, but Mama Mia's used to have the pasta that would come out with the little grains of flour still stuck to the noodles. To me, those were the good ol' days... but then again that was probably seven or eight years ago.

Not that Mama Mia's isn't still the best Italian food in Corpus (and it's not even close), it's just that it's slacked off just enough (as far as the food goes) to be overtaken by the Venetian. They have GREAT Italian food.

[CalallenWildcat]

Where is the Venetian? Mamma Mia's is still excellent...

[pirate44]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
I've never had that experience with the Venetian, but then again I know most of the waiters over there.

I don't know if you remember this, but Mama Mia's used to have the pasta that would come out with the little grains of flour still stuck to the noodles. To me, those were the good ol' days... but then again that was probably seven or eight years ago.

Not that Mama Mia's isn't still the best Italian food in Corpus (and it's not even close), it's just that it's slacked off just enough (as far as the food goes) to be overtaken by the Venetian. They have GREAT Italian food.
i only found out about the place about 5 years ago. i fell in love the first time we went. everything i had was the best. and Italian songs were playin. My wife freaked a little when Marino came up and kissed her on the cheak. smoking laws and all, he still walks around with his pipe and that sweet tobacco smell.:D best host in the business in my opinion

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by GPWildcat
Where is the Venetian? Mamma Mia's is still excellent...
It's at the corner of Beach and Station Streets, caddy-corner from the Crazy Cajun. Turn off next to Castaway's, like you're going to Horace Caldwell Pier, and it's at that 4-way stop across the street from the tennis courts, behind the HS.

...And yes, Mama Mia's is still great.


Originally posted by pirate44
i only found out about the place about 5 years ago. i fell in love the first time we went. everything i had was the best. and Italian songs were playin. My wife freaked a little when Marino came up and kissed her on the cheak. smoking laws and all, he still walks around with his pipe and that sweet tobacco smell.:D best host in the business in my opinion
Absolutely. That place still has the best atmosphere and service out of any restaurant in the area. Hell, I can't think of any restaurant anywhere that has a better atmosphere or service.

[AP Panther Fan]

There is a Holiday Inn and a Best Western over there on G Street. One is on the corner of G and Station Street, the other is on the corner of G and Eleventh.

I'm trying to get some phone numbers for ya.:D


(G Street is the main access road to the beach and within walking distance...also walking distance to restaurants and shops.)

[AP Panther Fan]

Here's a link to the chamber page for motels also....

Port A Motels/Hotels (http://www.portaransas.org/motel.html)

[AP Panther Fan]

Holiday Inn Express (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/portx)


Best Western (http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=44443#null)



These are the two I was referring to...:cool:

[3afan]

I went to Rehoboth Beach, DE yesterday - my first time in the Atlantic Ocean - pretty neat place
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehoboth_Beach,_Delaware

[CenTexSports]

When I was a kid we went to PA every year. Almost always we camped on the canal side of the island and fished for gafftop. The one place I remember was Custard's Last Stand. Anybody else remember this place?

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by CenTexSports
When I was a kid we went to PA every year. Almost always we camped on the canal side of the island and fished for gafftop. The one place I remember was Custard's Last Stand. Anybody else remember this place?


I do....best ice cream around! :D

It is actually where the Venetian Hot Plate Restaurant is located now.

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
Holiday Inn Express (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hd/portx)


Best Western (http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=44443#null)



These are the two I was referring to...:cool:

Thanks for all the help everyone!!!
I just made a reservation at the Best Western, for about $150 (including tax) per night. All in all, I guess that is'nt too bad.
By this time on Thursday, I should have my feet in wet sand, and a cold beer in one hand. I guess they'll let me have a cold beer on the beach, won't they?

[AP Panther Fan]

Originally posted by STANG RED
Thanks for all the help everyone!!!
I just made a reservation at the Best Western, for about $150 (including tax) per night. All in all, I guess that is'nt too bad.
By this time on Thursday, I should have my feet in wet sand, and a cold beer in one hand. I guess they'll let me have a cold beer on the beach, won't they?


Yep, just no glass containers. They sell those that look like bottles, but really aren't....you know what I mean? Oh, and you are walking distance to a Circle K Convenience Store!:D

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by AP Panther Fan
Yep, just no glass containers. They sell those that look like bottles, but really aren't....you know what I mean? Oh, and you are walking distance to a Circle K Convenience Store!:D

Thanks! Hope I dont get a WWI.:D

[GetRDoneStangs]

Thanks! Hope I dont get a WWI.

Stang.. You have done enough Rattlesnake Roundups..I bet you can handle it!! :D :D

Have a good time and send all that rain up during the time you are there!:clap:

[STANG RED]

Originally posted by GetRDoneStangs
Stang.. You have done enough Rattlesnake Roundups..I bet you can handle it!! :D :D

Have a good time and send all that rain up during the time you are there!:clap:

Yeah, I'm a little concerned about the rain. The forcast is only calling for AM showers though. I hope its right. We'll see.

[sinton66]

Would be wayyyyyy better to wait until the 15th and make the M&G.;)