Enjoy the View from Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas

During every visit to Port Aransas, I’ve always taken our kids to Roberts Point Park. As a family, we’re always on the lookout for great attractions in Port Aransas that are ideal for kids.

Roberts Point Park is a perfect combination of activities, gathering areas and waterfront view.

 

Park Location

Roberts Point Park is located at 301 JC Barr Blvd., which runs right along beside the Port Aransas Ferry boat landing. The park is on about 50 acres on a peninsula of land that separates the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from the Port Aransas City Marina.

The entire park peninsula is easily visible from the ferry boats crossing the ship channel. It’s accessible by car, bike, golf cart or the free local trolley with multiple stops along a 1-hour loop that runs throughout Port Aransas.

Needless to say, the park offers a beautiful 360º view of the ship channel activity, the marina and its waterfront restaurants, the ferry boat landing, and the countless dolphins, pelicans and sea turtles along the seawall. And who doesn’t get giddy when they see dolphins, truly?

Take a look around Roberts Point Park with my panoramic photo on Facebook…

 

Park Features

While one of the main draws is undoubtedly the view (especially at sunset), Roberts Point Park has a wide variety of activities to keep the kids entertained.

The park has three adorable playground structures that are appropriately-sized for toddlers to school-age kids. The toddler playground and swings are lower to the ground for their little legs and slightly separate from the larger two playgrounds. Just be sure to bring the sunscreen!

The pirate ship and castle playgrounds are ideal for school-age kids, with plenty of climbing areas and several slides. The play structures are not shaded, but there are 5 covered picnic tables just steps away. There is also a larger covered pavilion for big groups, families or gatherings, and a few shaded benches ideal for taking in the view of the ship channel, relaxing with a book, or some fishing.

The park is an ideal location for family-friendly sports, with a soccer field with bleachers, basketball court, sand volleyball court, bocce ball court, shuffleboard, horseshoe pits and a small amphitheater area for outdoor concerts in the summer. The park hosts a wide variety of local sports, including fishing tournaments and an annual pole vaulting competition.

Roberts Point Park also features a large pavilion for special events such as fishing tournaments, fish weigh-ins and family cookouts. There is also a small stage for performances during annual festivals and other local talent events.

Two of our must-dos on every visit to Roberts Point Park are to walk along the seawall and rock jetties to look for sea turtles (they’re plentiful!), and to watch for the playful dolphins in the ship channel. The dolphins are most active it seems in the mornings and evenings as they follow the cargo ships and large tankers that enter and exit the Lydia Ann Channel. It’s also a fantastic place to watch the sunset from the seawall or the two-story observation deck (currently under repair after Hurricane Harvey).

The 1-mile bulkhead seawall also serves as a walking, jogging, and cycling trail with benches and palapas (shade umbrellas) along the route. It did sustain some damage from Hurricane Harvey in August of 2017, so walking the area is probably best until repairs are made to level out the walkway.

The park and playground areas are open year-round and there is no admission fee. There are public restrooms available and even a fish cleaning station by the marina. Parking at Roberts Point Park is plentiful and free.

Sadly, there is a small fishing pier that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey in August of 2017, but city plans are in place to rebuild it soon. It’s a popular fishing spot and a great place to greet the curious pelicans.

What You Should Bring

While there are shaded picnic tables and benches, I suggest bringing plenty of sunscreen to fully enjoy the sports areas that are not shaded. My favorite sunscreen brands are:

• Sun Bum (water resistant, vegan, gluten-free and smells so nice!)
  • I love the Baby Bum sunscreens for my kids.
• TropicSport (water resistant & reef-friendly)
• Coola (great for face, reef-friendly)
• ThinkSport (water resistant, vegan, gluten-free & reef-friendly)

Be sure to bring plenty of snacks and water when you visit the park. There is no concession area, only a few vending machines near the marina.

If you plan on staying a while, easy-to-setup shade tents are encouraged and folding chairs are great for relaxing and enjoying the view.

You’ll also want to wear comfortable athletic shoes, maybe even water shoes if you plan to walk on the rocks near the water. The small waves produced by passing boats can make the granite rock jetties slippery for flip flops.

And have I mentioned the sunsets? Aaaaamazing.

RELATED: 5 Best Places to Grab Pizza in Port Aransas

Attractions Close By

Dennis Dreyer Municipal Harbor has about 250 boat slips for permanent and visiting vessels. There are boat ramps for easy access and plenty of parking.

The Port Aransas Ferry Boat Landing offers continuous service across the Lydia Ann Channel to Aransas Pass. The current ferry wait time can be found here on Twitter.

The Red Dragon Pirate Cruise is a fun family-friendly activity that has daily sailings in the bay. Check their website for the schedule and tickets.

So on your next visit to Port Aransas, bring the kids and pretend to sail the high seas, search for sea turtles and enjoy the amazing views at Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas.

And whatever you do, don’t miss a sunset.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Savor the Sunrise at the South Jetty in Port Aransas

Have you spent some time at Roberts Point Park? Comment below and tell me your favorite thing to do.