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Port Isabel Light House, Texas
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Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge at the Blue Hour from Port Isabel, Texas
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Jesus Christ of the Fisherman Statue, Port Isabel, Texas
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Pirates, Nazis, Gold Rushers, Spanish conquistadors, and Civil War soldiers all pop up in the history of this peaceful little fishing village, which perches at the bottom tip of Texas. Tourists and snowbirds have replaced the smugglers and scallywags, but the charms that attracted the area’s earliest inhabitants (the Coahuiltecan people) are still there: pristine beaches, balmy weather, and bountiful seafood at every turn. Colorful flowers found nowhere else in America bloom brightly in this subtropical playground, where shrimp boats bob in the water and pleasant sea breezes drift in from the Gulf of Mexico.
Spanish adventurers navigated along this coastline in 1519, the first Europeans to set eyes on Texas. Treasure ships stuffed with Aztec gold soon began sailing by on their way back to Spain — but one fleet never made it, sunk in a hurricane off Port Isabel in 1554. Only one sailor out of hundreds survived. You can learn his story at the Treasures of the Gulf Museum while you browse through historic artifacts, maps, and murals dedicated to the Spanish shipwrecks.
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Three centuries later, the notorious pirate Jean Lafitte marauded around Port Isabel and allegedly dug a well with his thirsty shipmates in nearby Laguna Vista. If a visit to the famous watering hole ignites your swashbuckling spirit, consider cruising on the four-deck Black Dragon Pirate Ship — complete with sword fights, sea shanties, rum punch, and a booming cannon. You’ll set sail on the Laguna Madre, the long lagoon between Padre Island and mainland Texas, whose shallow waters made it easy for freebooters like Lafitte to scamper away from larger ships.
Lafitte was long gone when the California Gold Rush hit in 1849, transforming Port Isabel into a boomtown as fortune seekers searched for a quicker route to the riches. The six-story Port Isabel Lighthouse was built in 1853 to deal with the harbor traffic and is now the only one in Texas open to the public. Climb almost 100 steps to the top for a totally-worth-it view of South Padre Island and the Gulf.
This view (and a strategic location) made Port Isabel a hot potato during the Civil War; the harbor and lighthouse changed hands between Union and Confederate armies multiple times. Daring blockade runners hid in the same secluded coves favored by Jean Lafitte. The very last battle of the war was fought within spitting distance at Palmito Ranch, 45 days after General Lee surrendered at Appomattox.
The lighthouse ceased operations in 1905 but served as a lookout during World War II when German U-boats were crawling around the Gulf and sending American vessels to the bottom (56 in all). Port Isabel’s residents were trained as a first-response militia just in case the Nazis began an invasion of the country in their placid little village.
Despite such a profound history, Port Isabel is anything but stuck in the past. Just 10 miles across the South Bay is the launch facility for SpaceX, where Elon Musk’s spaceship company shoots the most powerful rockets ever built into the cosmos. From the sandy beaches to the sparkle of stars, Port Isabel will quietly keep doing its thing with easygoing style and the freshest shrimp you’ll ever find.
Explore Port Isabel
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View of South Padre Island, across the Laguna Madre, from Port Isabel
Savor: Get your fish fix at Los Tortugos Seafood Market or bring in your catch and they’ll cook it. Shrimp ceviche and grilled shrimp tacos are standouts (the restaurant is owned by a shrimping family), but don’t sleep on the raw oysters, flaky redfish, and Cajun-seasoned king crab. Burgers come on jalapeño-cheddar buns at Hopper Haus, a gastropub and biergarten with an impressive selection of brews. Thirsty for something stronger? Sample wild flavors of moonshine at Rio Grande Distillery, like horchata, mango, and apple pie. If you have kids in tow, the atmospheric kitsch of Pirate’s Landing is sure to please — snag a waterfront table with your mateys and enjoy the view.
Shop: Shops stocked with colorful beachwear and ocean-inspired gifts cluster around Lighthouse Square. Browse handcrafted jewelry and ceramics at Art Sea Gallery & Goods, along with locally roasted coffee beans and dreamy Port Isabel watercolors. Laguna Madre Art Gallery is a co-op of 20 area artists with a stout selection of paintings, photographs, and woodworking. Tesori is tops for stylish swimsuit cover-ups and breezy accessories, and if you’re looking for seashells — it’s off to Bobz Castle for you. Behind medieval turrets and giant conch shells lies a cavalcade of seaside trinkets and oddities, including a pirate ship inside the store.
Enjoy: Take a slow-paced stroll out onto Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier; you can rent a rod and reel if you didn’t bring your own. Fishing charters and dolphin-watching cruises are always popular here, and the Laguna Madre’s gentle waves are ideal for watersports like parasailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and jet skiing. Birdwatching is big news, and Port Isabel’s green spaces are planted with special foliage to attract birds as well as butterflies. Go old-school with a metal detector and look for Lafitte’s lost treasure in the sand dunes, or simply relax under palm trees and watch the boats float by.
Snooze: Port Isabel’s accommodations are akin to the town itself: low-key, laid-back, and full of character. Like the historic Queen Isabel Inn, a beachy white charmer opened in 1906 with a palm-fringed pool and a classic bungalow vibe. Sleep in cushier digs at the Lighthouse Boutique Hotel, which boasts a beautiful little café with excellent espresso and gelato (try the lemon pie flavor). On Airbnb and Vrbo, you’ll find cute waterfront cottages, modern beachside condos, and luxurious casitas with hot tubs and boat docks. If you’re looking for a fancy beach resort, you’ll have to cross the 2.4-mile Queen Isabella Causeway to South Padre Island.
How to Get There: Drive south on Interstate 35 to San Antonio (about 260 miles), then take Interstate 410 S to Interstate 37 S (about 11 miles). Follow I-37 south toward Corpus Christi (120 miles), then exit onto Interstate 69 E/US 77 S toward Brownsville. In about 140 miles, I-69 splits. Follow the signs for Interstate 169 E, which soon turns into TX-550. In about 9 miles you’ll reach TX-48 E; turn left. It’s 15 miles to Port Isabel, where TX-48 ends at a T intersection with Highway 100. Most points of interest are to your right. This 556-mile trip takes a minimum of 8 hours.
