Museum · 41 min west
USS Lexington Museum
A World War II aircraft carrier docked on Corpus Christi Bay, with planes on the flight deck, a flight simulator and a 3D theater.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission plus parking fee
Day Trippin' › Texas › From Port Aransas
Day trips from Port Aransas
From Port Aransas, the beach, Mustang Island State Park and the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center are about 10 minutes away, Rockport under 40, the USS Lexington and the Texas State Aquarium about 40, and Goose Island under an hour. The best day trips from Port Aransas, by drive time.
38 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Port Aransas
- USS Lexington Museum 41 min west
- Texas State Aquarium 42 min west
- Goose Island State Park 49 min north
- Lake Corpus Christi State Park 1 hr 12 min northwest
- King Ranch 1 hr 12 min west
- Choke Canyon State Park 1 hr 50 min northwest
- Aransas National Wildlife Refuge 1 hr 55 min northeast
- San Antonio Missions National Historical Park 2 hr 28 min northwest
- San Antonio River Walk 2 hr 31 min northwest
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas 2 hr 52 min northwest
Within an hour from Port Aransas 5 spots
Zoo · 42 min west
Texas State Aquarium
A big aquarium on North Beach in Corpus Christi, with dolphins, sharks and a sea turtle rescue center.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
State park · 49 min north
Goose Island State Park
A bayside park near Rockport home to the Big Tree, one of the largest live oaks in the country, plus a 1,620-foot fishing pier.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; whooping cranes nearby in winter
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Beach · 38 min north
Rockport Beach
A shallow, calm bay beach in Rockport, the first Blue Wave beach in Texas, with picnic sites, playgrounds and an 800-foot fishing pier.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Per-vehicle parking fee; free on foot or bike
Historic site · 40 min north
Fulton Mansion State Historic Site
An 1877 Victorian mansion in Fulton with a mansard roof and gas lights and flush toilets that were new for the time.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round (closed Mondays)
- Admission (kids 5 and under free)
1 to 2 hours from Port Aransas 4 spots
Lake · 1 hr 12 min northwest
Lake Corpus Christi State Park
A brush-country lake near Mathis for swimming, boating, fishing and birding, with a 1930s CCC refectory.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
Wildlife refuge · 1 hr 55 min northeast
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
A coastal refuge known as the winter home of endangered whooping cranes, with a 16-mile paved loop drive, an observation tower and alligators.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round; whooping cranes in winter (check)
- Entrance fee per vehicle (17 and under free)
Historic site · 1 hr 12 min west
King Ranch
A historic ranch at Kingsville that offers daily ranch tours, nature tours, a museum and a saddle shop.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (tours)
Lake · 1 hr 50 min northwest
Choke Canyon State Park
A reservoir park between San Antonio and Corpus Christi for bass and catfish fishing, boating and birding.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Texas State Parks day-use fee (per person; kids 12 and under free)
2 to 3 hours from Port Aransas 27 spots
Historic site · 2 hr 28 min northwest
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
Four Spanish colonial missions on the south side of San Antonio, Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan and Espada. The Espada Aqueduct and Rancho de las Cabras are part of the park too.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Town · 2 hr 31 min northwest
San Antonio River Walk
A walkway below street level along the San Antonio River, lined with restaurants, shops and hotels downtown. It runs about 15 miles in all.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk; boat cruises cost extra
Theme park · 2 hr 52 min northwest
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
A big theme park in San Antonio with roller coasters, family rides and shows.
- Full day · Easy
- Most of the year (check calendar)
- Admission
Cave · 2 hr 53 min northwest
Natural Bridge Caverns
Big show cave near New Braunfels named for the natural limestone bridge at its entrance. Two guided cavern tours plus zip lines, a maze and gem mining above ground.
- Half day · Moderate
- Year-round
- Admission (per tour or activity)
Theme park · 2 hr 59 min northwest
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels
A big riverside waterpark in New Braunfels with about 45 rivers, rides and slides in four sections, each with a lazy river and kids' area.
- Full day · Easy
- Summer waterpark season (check the calendar)
- Admission
Town · 3 hr northwest
Gruene Historic District
A 15-acre historic district on the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, with old township buildings, local shops, food and free live music daily.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free to walk around
Historic site · 2 hr 30 min northwest
The Alamo
The famous mission and 1836 battle site (check) in downtown San Antonio. You can walk the grounds and visit Alamo Church.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (closed Christmas Day)
- Free; paid guided tours
Bike trail · 2 hr 28 min northwest
Mission Reach Hike and Bike Trail
A paved river trail that links the Alamo and all four missions along the San Antonio River, about 2.5 miles between each mission.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 78373 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.