Texas has some wonderful places for spending a wonderful winter that are not well known.
One is the fabulous Hill Country north and west of San Antonio.
Another is here where the coast of the gulf changes from east-west to more of a north-south.
The main city is Corpus Christi,
but the best places to stay are in Rockport at least one mile from the salt water to minimize rust on your RV.
If you do not mind rust or are staying only a short while, Port Aransas on Mustang Island has some amazing places.
Padre Island National Seashore is a true national treasure.
So is the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, winter home of the largest bird in North America, the fabulous Whooping Crane.
Take a boat tour to REALLY see Whooping Cranes.
The USS Lexington is a floating museum in
Corpus Christi. This fabulous cartoon is in the barber shop.
The Wharf Cat and the Skimmer Boat Tours are both
great ways to see the largest birds found in North America, the Whooping Cranes.
A Skimmer Boat tour is great to watch birds, but also
one of the best Dolphin watching trips we have ever taken. In this case a Dolphin Breach.
Lamar and Rockport-Fulton
Big Tree of Lamar. Coastal Live Oak over 1000 years old.
Fulton Mansion home of area founding multi-millionaire. We did not go inside.
Interesting Police Car at Rockport.
Windmill placed in tree by 1906 hurricane, Rockport.
Tree Frog , common in semi-tropical climates like the coastal bend.
Turtles in Rockport's Memorial Park, a great place to walk dogs.
Bird Watchers Delight
Whooping Cranes take to the air from Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Rockport.
Seen from Wharf Cat boat tour.
Great Blue Heron in winter finery at Indian Point near Portland, north of
Corpus Christi.
Rosetta Spoonbills at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
Pelicans fishing at Padre Island National Seashore, a wonderful place to watch birds and other wildlife.
Also a great place to relax and enjoy one of the great natural beaches of the world.
Like the Hill Country, the real strength of the
Coastal Bend is the friendly people and their welcoming attitude.
The merchants and residents seam to realize winter residents improve the community and make it better.
Dollars go further here than they do in the Rio Grande "Valley" of South Texas, and much further than Flroida and Arizona.