TX coast

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motorboat

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motorboat
Hi y’all. Any good scenic spots to fly into or over on the TX coast with a good hotel nearby?
 
Corpus, Rockport, and Galveston are probably your best bets off the top of my head that are coastal and would have hotels easily accessible.

Oh Port Aransas, too. Don't know about hotels there, though.
 
Let me know which has the best hotel next to a beautiful airfield if this exists?
 
Not sure I would call any of them beautiful. Rockport, Port Aransas (Mustang Beach) and Scholes Field are all over-water approaches. Mustang Beach is the only one I haven't flown into, Rockport is definitely more of the small town local kind of airport. Can't comment on hotels at any of them. Moody Gardens is directly next to Scholes, shame the Lonestar Flight Museum isn't there anymore.
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
Not sure I would call any of them beautiful. Rockport, Port Aransas (Mustang Beach) and Scholes Field are all over-water approaches. Mustang Beach is the only one I haven't flown into, Rockport is definitely more of the small town local kind of airport. Can't comment on hotels at any of them. Moody Gardens is directly next to Scholes, shame the Lonestar Flight Museum isn't there anymore.
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Lonestar is now @KELD, like a 5 min flight from kgls
 
From NE to SW, Galveston, Rockport, Port Aransas, Corpus then Port Isabell/South Padre although you’ll fly into Brownsville and there’s nothing scenic there, but drive over the causeway for the weekend and it’s the best water in Texas.

There’s good hotels in all the places, Galveston and Port Aransas are the two most popular/crowded. From Corpus you can drive to the T-heads, North beach, or over to Port Aransas.
 
Rockport is a great place to fly to get lunch, but it is not exactly on the coast, it's on the north side of the Aransas Bay. If you want to stay near water where you can take off and be on the coast in five minutes, it's a nice place.

Port A has become crowded with tourists, but it's probably your best bet. You can take a shuttle or taxi into town and there are plenty of hotels on the beach.
 
Mustang beach, rent a golf cart to cruise town/beaches. One of the rental co will actually leave one in airport lot for you.
 
Port Aransas (Mustang Beach). You can stay at Amelia's Landing.

Amelias Landing Hotel in Port Aransas, Tx

Amelias Landing Hotel in Port Aransas is a unique aviation themed hotel within walking distance of everything in Port Aransas!
www.ameliaslanding.com
For those who remember Jay Hoeneck, this is his and his wife's hotel they founded after leaving the midwest. Nice place, great folks, and you can see the big shark!
DSC_0318.Port.Aransas.TX.Shark.2048.jpg
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
... shame the Lonestar Flight Museum isn't there anymore.
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Keep in mind that the reason it's not is because it was almost destroyed by a hurricane. They _did_ lose a large number of their smaller static displays. Fortunately, because almost all of their planes are maintained in flyable condition, they were able to evacuate many of them.

Ironically, one of the planes that is no longer part of their collection is a PBY Catalina...because it didn't survive the water. (Well, I suppose it survived, but the museum opted to sell it as a result of the damage it suffered.)
 
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Poor word choice on my part, should have picked something better than shame. I grew up going to the museum in Galveston and have been a couple of times since they moved to Ellington, well aware of the reasons for the move, it was the right call.
 
There are beachfront hotels in walking distance of Mustang Beach airport. There’s a trolley route that goes by the airport too if you want to go to “downtown” Port A. And golf carts readily available as noted above.

I haven’t been down there yet myself, but there’s the SpaceX launch site on south Padre Island. Check NOTAMs before you go…
 
We have a family beach house at Pirates Beach on Galveston Island so we go there often. It’s a little crowded on holiday weekends, but wonderful otherwise. Lots of hotels with beach view rooms. KGLS is a great airport with a friendly tower and FBO. No courtesy cars, but they will bring your rent car to the plane or will drop you off anywhere you want to go. There are so many things to do on the island; water park, amusement park, aquarium, museums, fishing boats, old fashioned ice cream parlor, fishing peer, more good restaurants than you can imagine, oh yeah, and great beaches.

In my 75 years I’ve seen Galveston in all levels of repair and disrepair. Now is the time to see Galveston while it’s at its best. It is one Hurricane away from being trash again.

Glenn Campbell liked it there.
 
Van Johnston said:
There are beachfront hotels in walking distance of Mustang Beach airport. There’s a trolley route that goes by the airport too if you want to go to “downtown” Port A. And golf carts readily available as noted above.

I haven’t been down there yet myself, but there’s the SpaceX launch site on south Padre Island. Check NOTAMs before you go…
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The Monday before July Fourth, my son in law and I followed the coast from Galveston all the way to Brownsville. We saw SpaceX from the air and saw how desolate part of Padre Island can be. We ate lunch in Rockport, good airport and good food nearby, but I know nothing about accommodations there.
 
Rockport airport is only a couple of miles from Fulton Harbor. They will arrange a rental car or you can Uber to The Inn At Fulton Harbor which overlooks the Marina. Also is across the street from Charlotte Plumbers restaurant and the Moon Dog Restaurant and Bar. We were there last weekend. One of our favorite places for a one or two day getaway.
 
I live moderately close to GLS. Galveston is decent but it’s not Destin. Moody gardens is actually pretty cool.

I have flown down to mustang beach (RAS) a couple of times. It’s smaller and a little more walkable and quaint.

Scenic approach to either. Either can be super hot so plan ahead. After about October 1st weather is cooler.
 
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Texas GATORFEST | Anahuac, TX

Texas GATORFEST is an annual family-friendly festival held in Anahuac, TX. GATORFEST celebrates central-Chambers County's bountiful natural resources and attractions - namely the American Alligator. Visitors can enjoy carnival rides, great food and excellent music.
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T00, 3 weeks away. No local hotels though IIRC.
 
Sierra_Hotel said:
Not sure I would call any of them beautiful. Rockport, Port Aransas (Mustang Beach) and Scholes Field are all over-water approaches. Mustang Beach is the only one I haven't flown into, Rockport is definitely more of the small town local kind of airport. Can't comment on hotels at any of them. Moody Gardens is directly next to Scholes, shame the Lonestar Flight Museum isn't there anymore.
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If you want a flight museum in Texas, although not near the Beach, go to the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Tx, KOSA. B25, P51, Bearcat, P40, TBM, Corsair, Huey, LOH, Cobra and many others along with the B17 coming back in the Spring. EVERYTHING is airworthy and gets flown regularly. Museum is open to the public for viewing 8AM until Noon Saturdays from early April until late November. Closed for the Winter.
 
motorboat said:
Hi y’all. Any good scenic spots to fly into or over on the TX coast with a good hotel nearby?
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I have a listing on my vacation rental and hotel map in Port Aransas. It is 2.3 miles NE of Mustang Beach Airport (KRAS). If you would like a link to my website just reach out.

Screenshot 2024-09-07 202341.pngScreenshot 2024-09-07 202034.png
 
Haven't seen @Jay Honeck around these parts in a while...
 
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