The first thing that comes to mind about the Gulf Coast region is precisely that; the coast along the Gulf of Mexico. And no wonder, since
there are more than 624 miles of coastline stretching southward from the Louisiana border to the Mexican border near Brownsville.
The warm water of the Gulf beckons visitors who want to
swim, fish, sail, sunbathe, build sand castles, surf or just take a relaxing
stroll on the beach.
Searching for some solitude? Look no further than the North
Padre National Seashore – which has the longest undeveloped stretch of
barrier-island beach in the world – or, if you prefer to be where the action
is, join the crowds and party-like atmosphere up and down the coast during
Spring Break, or in Galveston
and Port
Arthur during Mardi Gras.
Get up early in the morning to cast lines off a pier or head
into the Gulf for some deep-sea fishing. Spend the afternoon lying on a beach
enjoying the warmth of the sun and listening to the lulling sound of the waves
breaking on the sand. Take a walk along the sand as the sun sets, enjoying the
peace of day’s end as sunbeams make their final plays across the water. In the
evening, head out to a local waterside restaurant to enjoy fresh seafood and
the dark ripple of the waves at night.
However, the Gulf Coast is not just about the sand and surf.
From the sun-kissed valley near the Texas-Mexico border to the swamps in Orange,
and everything in between, the region has something that appeals to every kind
of traveler.
If you enjoy wildlife watching, you’ve definitely come to
the right place. The Rio Grande Valley is the nation’s number one
bird-watching destination, and most of the Texas Coastal Birding Trail stops
fall within this portion of the state. Some of the birding opportunities
include seeing tropical birds in Harlingen,
stopping at the Matagorda
County Birding Nature Center, Paradise
Pond Birding Habitat or Los Ebanos Nature Preserve, catching glimpses of
the endangered whooping crane that winter at the Aransas
National Wildlife Refuge, and visiting Rockport-Fulton
in September for the Hummer/Bird Celebration to see the migrating hummingbirds.
For history buffs, travel back to a different time in Texas with a visit to one of many sites of profound historical importance. Visit the San
Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in Deer
Park, where Texas avenged its Alamo defeat and won its independence from Mexico. See Spindletop
in Beaumont,
which set off the oil boom in Texas in 1901 and brought in the modern era of
petroleum production.
For museum lovers, the region is rich with art museums,
heritage museums, and historic homes and buildings that preserve history. Tour
homes, mansions and plantations, and see examples of everyday life and culture
in the 1800s and early 1900s. Houston’s museum
district is ranked among the five best in the nation, and its Museum
of Fine Arts is the sixth largest in the country.
With Texas’ largest city, Houston,
and its surrounding metropolitan area, along with Corpus
Christi, Brownsville,
Harlingen,
Port
Arthur, Beaumont,
the Brazosport
Area and Bay
Area Houston, there are plenty of opportunities for people who want for
modern day activities like shopping, visiting art museums, attending theatrical
performances, splashing around at water parks, and enjoying rides at amusement
parks. For a truly out-of-this world experience, visit NASA/Space
Center Houston and have some fun learning about our nation’s space program.
With so much to see and do here, it might be hard to decide
where to start, but you don’t want to miss a thing. So, be sure to review the
following pages to learn more about the cities and attractions found within the
area, and use the information to plan your adventure.
Whether you are a beach or water fan, history buff or living
for the present, urbanite or nature-lover, the Gulf Coast has something for you
to enjoy!