Texas—Safe to travel there?

[CoElkHunter]

This is just me being my facetious self, but never having been to Texas except through the airport, I was curious as to the “lay of the land”, so to speak. We’re heading out to Port Aransas Saturday from Colorado Springs pulling our fifth wheel. My wife wants to go here because of the beach and her friends from the San Antonio area will camp with us for a couple of days. I guess the water is 83 degrees right now. We're gonna stay in a campground there. I have properly headstamped cartridges for my 10mm, so any sarcastic/facetious remarks or something helpful would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Trophyhunter01]

You will get to see some great regions of the state from the plains to hill country to eastTexas pines to the coast. Pt A nice little town, there is a ferry to get on the island but not sure if RVs are allowed or not, can go a little longer route up from Corpus. Go see a Hooks ball game in Corpus, Astros minor league team. Not sure on eats down there. if coming down through Lubbock stop at Evie Maes BBQ, thank me later, 30 minute wait in line is worth it. Summer is on in the 90s and coastal 90% humidity, good for the skin.

 

[crs]

You will be just across Aransas Pass from Rockport where one of my best hunting buddies lives.
He is the one that took my .45-90 to Africa for a bullet testing Safari and took ele, buff, leopard, etc.
If you two get together for a BS session, please allow several hours. Also has Warthog pix from a game camera on his lease in the Rio Grande Valley.
Check a map to see that you will be on the Gulf of Mexico - at lands end.

Travel safely.

 

[wesheltonj]

If you are going to Port A for the beach you will be greatly disappointed. Are you camping at Mustang Island SP? If so it’s more then a few miles from Port A and actually very close to N. Padre Island. Don’t take the ferry, the wait can take forever. Very good fishing in the area.

 

[375Fox]

I’ll give you some sarcasm, the area between Pecos and Midland is definitely the prettiest part of Texas! You’ll be missing out if you don’t detour to drive through it.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Prepare to be bored AF driving through the panhandle, but their gas is usually super cheap…but prices may still be recovering from the freeze in February.

 

[R.M.C.]

I like Texas but I hate driving down interstate 35 lol bumper to bumper for hundreds of miles every time I went. It was a good time though and I'd probably do it again lol. Have fun and safe travels!!

 

[CoElkHunter]

If you are going to Port A for the beach you will be greatly disappointed. Are you camping at Mustang Island SP? If so it’s more then a few miles from Port A and actually very close to N. Padre Island. Don’t take the ferry, the wait can take forever. Very good fishing in the area.

Well, were not camping on an island, so I guess it's next to the crappy beach. This is my wife's idea and I'm just the chauffeur. It's the reason I didn't check out an African hunt this summer. To top it off, my mother in law and her friend are riding in our truck with us. They are both very nice, but it's not my idea of FUN! I know, it sucks to be me, but she'll pay for it next year when she sees an African hunt invoice! Ha! Ha!

 

[CoElkHunter]

Prepare to be bored AF driving through the panhandle, but their gas is usually super cheap…but prices may still be recovering from the freeze in February.

I don't know about the panhandle, but we're staying in Sweetwater (I'll bet it's not) @103F after I drive for 13 hours. Tell me it's not as BORING as driving through New Mexico or through Utah/Nevada to Vegas?

 

[BourbonTrail]

It’s flat and yellow grass as far as you can see. Correction: there are some small patches that look like NM near Tucumcari

 

[CoElkHunter]

It’s flat and yellow grass as far as you can see. Correction: there are some small patches that look like NM near Tucumcari

At least there's grass and not just endless rock and more rock and cactus to look at.

 

[mdwest]

GO FISHING! that part of the bay around port a has some great speckled trout, excellent red fish, flounder, etc...

Either pick up an inexpensive inshore rod/reel combo and cast from the surf.. or find yourself a guide for a morning fishing excursion...you won’t regret it...

 

[CoElkHunter]

GO FISHING! that part of Matagorda bay has some great speckled trout, excellent red fish, flounder, etc...

Either pick up an inexpensive inshore rod/reel combo and cast from the surf.. or find yourself a guide for a morning fishing excursion...you won’t regret it...

I AM GOING FISHING! Cause, apparently there ISN'T ANYTHING ELSE I WOULD WANT TO DO! My brother in law and I are going fishing at least twice, maybe more. I don't really care what fish species are there or if I catch anything. It'll get me out of camp by the "pristine" beach so there is NO downside! Oh yeah, we're taking a boat out somewhere.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

GO FISHING! that part of the bay around port a has some great speckled trout, excellent red fish, flounder, etc...

Either pick up an inexpensive inshore rod/reel combo and cast from the surf.. or find yourself a guide for a morning fishing excursion...you won’t regret it...

@CoElkHunter If you bring a couple freshwater bass rods with 15lb mono you'll be fine. Run by Rockport Tackle Town in Rockport and ask for Alan. He'll get you set-up. You should be able to wade fish a lot of it, the surf was producing really well memorial day weekend from the reports I heard. I was at Crystal Beach on Boliver over the weekend and we caught a limit of specs. Blue crabs were in as well.

You can probably find a decent inshore charter pretty cheap. Again Alan at Rockport Tackle might steer you the right direction. If you PM me I can probably get y'all in contact before hand. If you've never been on an airboat y'all might be able to do a little trip like that too.

 

[JES Adventures]

Enjoy your Freedom in the Great Republic of Texas!

 

[Inline6]

BUY DEET! The mosquitoes damn near carry you away right now.

If you are staying in Port A and you have a golf cart that you can fit, bring it. You can rent them too, just an easy way to get around.

Be prepared for some ridiculous hot humid weather. No humidity in CO you will get your fill here.

It really depends how long you are down for. There are a few interesting things that you can do.

As far as the ferry was not bad during Mother's day weekend. With school out, I am not sure now.

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter If you bring a couple freshwater bass rods with 15lb mono you'll be fine. Run by Rockport Tackle Town in Rockport and ask for Alan. He'll get you set-up. You should be able to wade fish a lot of it, the surf was producing really well memorial day weekend from the reports I heard. I was at Crystal Beach on Boliver over the weekend and we caught a limit of specs. Blue crabs were in as well.

You can probably find a decent inshore charter pretty cheap. Again Alan at Rockport Tackle might steer you the right direction. If you PM me I can probably get y'all in contact before hand. If you've never been on an airboat y'all might be able to do a little trip like that too.

I'll PM you. Thanks!

BUY DEET! The mosquitoes damn near carry you away right now.

If you are staying in Port A and you have a golf cart that you can fit, bring it. You can rent them too, just an easy way to get around.

Be prepared for some ridiculous hot humid weather. No humidity in CO you will get your fill here.

It really depends how long you are down for. There are a few interesting things that you can do.

As far as the ferry was not bad during Mother's day weekend. With school out, I am not sure now.

I'm bringing DEET! Don't want to get Zika, West Nile or Malaria. I have a quad, no golf cart, so I guess we'll be on foot, although supposedly I can drive my truck to/on the beach? Can't wait for the humidity, thanks! We're only there for a week, so limited time, but I will be fishing. But, I don't care. My fifth wheel has air and I'll have lots of beer to get through this.

 

[CoElkHunter]

I’ll give you some sarcasm, the area between Pecos and Midland is definitely the prettiest part of Texas! You’ll be missing out if you don’t detour to drive through it.

I have no idea where Pecos and Midland are, but alas, I do have a Rand McNally map. But, it would be up to my "entourage" to decide whether or not I should/would/could deviate from the chosen path. I'll tell them YOU said they'll be missing out on the unicopia of Texas should they decide not to stray from their chosen route.

 

[Inline6]

It's not that bad of a drive, we drove to unit 24 in CO last October. We were not pulling a camper, we made it in 25 hours.

 

[Deleted member 46122]

I second everything said so far. Stop in San Antonio. It’s worth it even though it’s the 7th largest city in the USA.

Does anyone remember the bow hunt only season in the AP wildlife area? Used to be the first week in October when I was TDY Ft Sam Houston. Great dear and hog hunting. Do they still have this?

Great fishing as well as Lots of Gators.