You’ve packed away the last of your Christmas decorations and the house is looking a little, well, desolate and plain, but that’s ok, you have plans for 2024 and they don’t involve staying at home staring at blank walls. The new year is all about what you can do for yourself, discovering all the ways to bring peace, serenity, and a little extra fun into your life, and your first resolution, travel more, is destined to be your favorite as you head to the beaches of Port Aransas! This guide to kicking off 2024 the right way, with a Texas trip to Port Aransas and a stay in our Sandcastle Condominiums New Year’s nests, will help erase the blues you may be feeling over the end of the holidays.

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Doing Nothing

The calendar pages will soon be filled with social obligations, meetings, school events, and a million other little things that are a part of real life, but when you kick off the new year in Port Aransas, we invite you to do absolutely nothing. Sleep late every day, pulling the curtains and blinds tightly closed the night before to avoid being awakened by the sun peeking in the window. Take a nap after breakfast, fall asleep on the comfy sofa before the end of the show you were watching, and sit out on the balcony at sunset, sipping mojitos and watching the sky turn into a fiery array of colors. These quiet moments will be the ones you look back on in the weeks ahead, remembering how the most delicious sense of lethargy felt oh so very right.

A Taste of Port Aransas

Now, all of this relaxation is certain to make you hungry and you will have plenty of options during your getaway to enjoy all sorts of delicious foods. There are our fully equipped kitchens, of course, cheerful spaces in which you can toss together your favorite meals, reheat leftovers from your favorite restaurants, and eat late-night snacks by the light of the light over the stove. There are also, however, a plethora of restaurants, in which delicious food will be prepared, served, and cleared away by happy wait staff. Breakfasts at Island Café, offering your favorite Southern dishes, will be the best way to start every day and dinners at Trout Street Bar & Grill will be the most perfect way to end every day! Texas is known for its food and any of the restaurants that dot the landscape of Port A are destined to be your favorite.

Angling for Fun

The summer months are best for deep sea fishing in Port Aransas, heading out to the deep waters to catch your trophy fish, but in the winter months, you don’t need to hang up your poles and pack away your tackle. On shore, fishing at the Horace Caldwell Pier, Fish Pass Jetty, and the Aransas Causeway are all popular fishing locations and in January and February, sheepshead and pompano will be the catch of the day. Fishing licenses are required and can be purchased at any sporting goods store or online at www.twpd.texas.gov.

For the Birds

Birdwatching is a popular winter activity in Port Aransas, so load your favorite app on your phone, including iBird Pro for iPhone users, which does require a monthly fee, or the Audubon Bird Guide which is free and available on both iPhones and Droids. The most popular birding spot in the area is the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, located at 1356 Ross Avenue. Offering observation points, hiking trails, and a beautiful spot to view all of the area’s wildlife, a day at the center could turn into a new hobby for you to enjoy when it is time to return to real life.

Third Coast Theater, 502 E Avenue G

Hans Christian Anderson is known for his fairy tales, but he is also the wise fellow who once proclaimed, “Where words fail, music speaks” and your Texas adventures can turn into extraordinary ones with a visit to the Third Coast Theater. This intimate venue seats 150 and hosts some of our state’s most talented singers and songwriters, leaving guests feeling as if they were being serenaded while sitting in someone’s living room. Every month offers a different performer and in January, Mark McKinney and Ray Wiley Hubbard are on its lineup.

Comfortable Adventures with Sandcastle Condominiums

Whether you are watching the sunset from the balcony with a margarita in hand, are gathered around the dining table playing board games with your family, or are watching the new season’s lineup of sitcoms on state-of-the-art televisions (who else is glad the writers and actors strike has FINALLY ended?) choosing Sandcastle Condominiums for your home sweet vacation home will be the best decision you make all year. Reserve your favorite today!