Golfers enjoy the challenging course at Hatch
Bend Country Club. Open to the public Tue.-Sun. On Texas 35 south of the city. Call 361/552-3037 for more information.
CALHOUN COUNTY MUSEUM—Features artifacts and mementos of the early days in this area. It is housed in the courthouse annex. 301 S. Ann. 361/553-4689.
www.calhouncountymuseum.org.
HALF MOON REEF LIGHTHOUSE—Established in 1858 on Matagorda Bay, it was kept dark during the Civil War and reactivated in 1868. It was condemned after the 1942 hurricane and moved in 1943 to Point Comfort. It was moved again in 1979 to a site next to the chamber of commerce. 2300 N. Texas 35. Texas 35 Bypass near causeway. 361/552-2959. www.portlavacamainstreet. com/
HalfMoonReefLH.html.
Shrimp boats near Port Lavaca may put visitors in the mood to catch their own.
PORT ISABEL POP. 5,066
ALT. 15 MAP Z-18
PORT ISABEL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND VISITOR CENTER: 421 E. Queen Isabella Blvd. 956/943-2262 or 800/527-6102.
www.portisabelchamber.com.
This small, picturesque village is on the Laguna Madre, the body of water between the Texas mainland and Padre Island. The town offers accommodations, RV parks, restaurants and shopping. In the Port Isabel area, anglers can fish from beach,
piers and jetties. Group boats provide bay and deep- sea fishing for half and full days; charter cruisers are available for offshore sport. Small boats with guides are available for bay fishing. Marinas and boat rentals are available.
HISTORIC INN—Queen Isabel Inn—The inn opened in 1906 as the Point Isabel Tarpon & Fishing Club to serve travelers on the Rio Grande Railroad. As the Point’s first and only hotel for more than 20 years, it was the site for many significant events. 300 Garcia St. 956/943-1468.
www.queenisabelinn.com.
LAGUNA MADRE—This large body of shallow water is an important breeding ground for some aquatic birds and is a wintering stopover for numerous species. Sport fishing is rewarding with redfish, black drum and flounder. Two public boat ramps allow easy access to Laguna Madre and the Gulf.
http://tpwd.texas.gov/ fishboat/fish/didyouknow/
lagunamadre.phtml.
PORT ISABEL HISTORICAL MUSEUM—Nationally known for its fish mural painted in 1906, the museum has hands-on displays, audiovisual interactives, artifacts, rare documents and vintage photographs that tell the story of Port Isabel and surrounding area. Admission charge. 317 Railroad Ave. 956/943-7602.
PORT ISABEL LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER’S COTTAGE— When lighthouses were built, people who staffed them lived in a small house beside it known as a keeper’s cottage. This replica is home to the Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center. 956/943-2262 or 800/527-6102.
PORT ISABEL LIGHTHOUSE STATE HISTORIC SITE— Of the 16 lighthouses constructed on the Texas coast, this is the only one open to the public. A museum, lighthouse keeper’s cottage replica and picnic tables are on the grounds of the 72-foot tower. Admission charge. 421 E. Queen Isabella Blvd. 956/943-2262. http://
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/port-isabel-lighthouse.
70
TREASURES OF THE GULF MUSEUM—Exhibits focus on three Spanish shipwrecks that occurred in 1554 just 30 miles north of the city. Murals, artifacts and hands- on activities are featured, along with a Children’s Discovery Lab, Ship Theater and Nautical Gift Shop. Admission charge. 317 E. Railroad Ave. Next to the Port Isabel Historical Museum and a short walk from the Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site. 956/943-7602.
PORT LAVACA POP. 12,281
ALT. 19
PORT LAVACA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 361/552-2959 or 800/556-7678.
www.portlavacatx.org.
The seat of Calhoun County is on a bluff overlooking Lavaca Bay. It has miles of nearby swimming beaches, numerous bait and tackle shops, and boat ramps. Waterfowl hunting is available during the season.
MAP T-19
INDIANOLA—This ghost town on Matagorda Bay has a historical marker and a 22-foot-tall pink granite statue of Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle. The French explorer was the first to leave a boot print on the sands of Indianola more than 300 years ago. In the 1840s German colonists landed here. An army depot here supplied all Texas frontier forts in the 1850s. And in 1875, a hurricane wreaked havoc, killing 300 residents and destroying three-fourths of the city. Residents rebuilt, but another storm devastated the city 11 years later. The county seat moved to Port Lavaca. South of Port Lavaca, adjacent to a highway rest area on Texas 316.
LIGHTHOUSE BEACH & BIRD SANCTUARY—Beautiful sandy beach, waterfront camping sites, a swimming pool and playgrounds make this a fun place to visit. The Formosa Wetland Walkway and Alcoa Bird Tower, made of recycled plastic, provide a place to watch birds. 361/552-2959.
MATAGORDA ISLAND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA—Formerly used for practice bombing, the 7,325-acre area has largely returned to its natural state as a haven for water fowl and deer. Birding is very popular with more than 300 species of migratory birds spotted here. The park is seven miles south of Port O’Connor, separated from the mainland by Espirito Santo and San Antonio Bays. Accessible only by charter or private boat. 979/323-9553.
http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/wma/.
PORTLAND POP. 15,553
ALT. 40
PORTLAND VISITOR CENTER: 2000 Billy G. Webb. 361/777-3301.
www.portlandtx.com.
In southeastern San Patricio County on a bluff overlooking Nueces and Corpus Christi bays, the town was a dream of John G. Willacy. He purchased land from Coleman-Fulton Pasture Co. in 1891. Incorporated in 1949, the town forms an almost perfect triangle with Portland, Maine, and Portland, Ore.
FRED JONES NATURE SANCTUARY—This site is a birding hot spot during migration. The buff-bellied hummingbird is a resident and other species inhabit the native brush and trees along the creek. A walking path is the only access. From Portland: 6.5 miles west on F.M. 893 (Moore Avenue). At the intersection with F.M. 1074, turn left on C.R. 69E (Koonce Loop Road). The sanctuary is on the left.
www.ccbirding.com/aoc/sanctuar.htm.
INDIAN POINT PARK AND PIER—A long pier with a T-head over Corpus Christi Bay offers saltwater fishing. The park includes two boardwalks, wade fishing area and picnic area. On U.S. 181, northbound side. 361/777-3301.
The Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site is open to the public.
SUNSET LAKE PARK—This wetland and saltwater lake are the nesting grounds for several species of birds. It is lined by a hike and bike trail. Visitors can enjoy birding, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, swimming and sailing in Sunset Lake. From Portland take the Moore Avenue exit and go south toward the bay, then take a right on Sunset Drive. 361/777-3301.
PHOTO: WILL VAN OVERBEEK/TXDOT (TOP); J. GRIFFIS SMITH/TXDOT (ABOVE) MAP V-17/HH-19
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