I’ve Lived in Texas for 34 Years, and This Distant Seashore City Is the Most Peaceable Place within the State

About two hours southwest of Houston lies Matagorda Bay, a small seashore city for vacationers looking for solitude and a break from on a regular basis life. Not like different seashore cities in Texas, Matagorda Bay is sleepy. You received’t discover crowds, buzzing bars, and site visitors right here; as an alternative, you’ll encounter wide-open stretches of sand, tiny mom-and-pop eateries, and never a complete lot happening besides fishing, shelling, birding, kayaking, and some different outside pursuits.

It’s the place I am going to unplug and the place, throughout these transitional moments in life, I am going to mirror and relaxation. And through these chilly, darkish winter months, it’s a glimmer of much-needed heat and daylight.

Matagorda Bay sits the place the Colorado River spews into the Gulf. This brackish water teems with wildlife — notably sought-after fish akin to redfish, black drum, and flounder. You may see a dolphin zip by within the river, or a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle feeding close to the jetties.

Matagorda’s marshes are a haven for birds, too, which flock to the world year-round, however particularly throughout winter migration. Greater than 300 species have been noticed right here, and Matagorda has been primary on the North American Audubon Christmas Chicken Rely since 1997.

“It’s such a particular place partly due to its distinctive geographic options, together with the Colorado River, the Gulf of Mexico, and the wetlands — every of which has its personal ecological range,” says Danielle Wolfe, a program coordinator with LCRA Parks.

All through the marshes and alongside sandy seashores, guests will see pelicans wading round piers with their gular pouches stuffed with fish, ospreys, warblers, terns, herons, egrets, black-necked stilts, and roseate spoonbills, that are a vibrant bubblegum-pink colour, as a result of their shrimp food plan. “My favourite is the belted kingfisher,” says Wolfe. “They’ll fly as much as 36 mph, make their nest by digging burrows within the banks subsequent to a physique of water, and have a 3rd eyelid that permits them to see underwater.”

Whenever you’re able to hit the water, head out onto the Colorado River close to the jetties, the place you’ll be able to row alongside empty seashores and park your kayak within the sand for a little bit of land exploration. All the Texas shoreline is taken into account public land, from the water to the dune line. After leaving your kayak on a sandy financial institution, stroll down the jetties towards the Gulf, the place you’ll discover a wide-open seashore stuffed with seashells. Lightning whelks (our official state seashell), shark eye moon snails, and murexes are just some of the shells discovered right here. On a current journey, I had the seashore to myself, with hundreds of shells mendacity within the sand in entrance of me, ready to be admired.

Texas seashores and a few areas close to Matagorda Bay Nature Park are open to the general public at no cost, however the park additionally offers guests each day entry to their 1,334 acres of protected land. Greater than 900 acres of the park’s protected wetlands might be accessed by way of a locked gate, just for guests going birding, kayaking, mountaineering, and extra. The park additionally gives guided walks and birding excursions, and guests should purchase day passes to spend time within the wetland space. Guided kayak excursions can be found by way of their Paddle and Stroll program, and gear is offered to lease by way of Matagorda Bay Nature Park.

The place to Keep

You possibly can keep at Matagorda Bay Nature Park, the place 10 new bungalows have been in-built 2023 proper alongside the Colorado River. Lodging embrace full kitchens and bogs, comfortable residing areas, a gasoline grill, and personal decks for watching the sundown. There are additionally 4 Airsteam campers, campsites, and 54 RV websites.

The place to Eat

Cassady’s is the native espresso store and breakfast and lunch spot the place I am going for a short break again into society and to verify emails. Their espresso is nice, and the Mata-Getdown Gorda is their signature drink: espresso with creamy caramel and darkish chocolate. The menu is prolonged, however I really like a stuffed flattie (a breakfast quesadilla with bacon, egg, hash browns, and cheese) for breakfast, and one of many specialty sandwiches for lunch.

Snapper’s is a tented restaurant and small bar with a number of the finest native fried shrimp within the space, which comes straight from native shrimpers. Waterfront Restaurant is correct on the marina, with down-home consolation fare and seafood like stuffed flounder and hen fried steak. Coastal Que is usually open from Memorial Day to a number of weeks after Labor Day, and serves Texas barbecue classics akin to brisket, ribs, pork stomach, sausage, and smoked hen. And don’t overlook Stanley’s Normal Retailer, the native gasoline station with breakfast tacos, pigs in a blanket, burgers, fried hen, shrimp and oyster po’boys, and extra.