The route we decided to take from S. Padre Island to Rockport, on our recent road trip, took us down Mustang Island to Port Aransas. This provided the opportunity to stop and check out Port Aransas Nature Preserve. Although our GPS took us to City Hall 🤣 they kindly directed us to one of the entrances to the preserve. We ended up checking out another location that advertised a birding center. The second area had a multitude of birds and was definitely worth the visit. If we had more time, we could have explored a variety of walking paths in the preserve.
A fun ending to our visit on Mustang Island was the little ferry that ran 24 hours a day over to Harbor Island. From there the highway took us over Corpus Christi Channel to Aransas Pass. Quite frankly, although our drive through Mustang Island was planned, our escape route was not. I thought there was a connecting road and didn’t realize we would need the ferry. It was an enjoyable little adventure!
Taking the scenic route along the waters on Mustang Island was absolutely beautiful.
I loved the white pelicans. I don’t believe I have ever seen them before:
The egrets look a bit clumsy, but that’s probably the photographer’s fault😁
Another white pelican:
Looking across the grasses to other viewing areas:
Below is a photo slideshow of the ferry experience and our friendly pelican.
The route runs up to six ferries a day:
“Try to live with the same intensity as a child. He doesn’t ask for explanations; he dives into each day as if it were a new adventure and, at night, sleeps tired and happy.”
~ Paulo Coelho
peace of life today 
Lovely part of your trip
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Thank you, Sheree! It pays to check out what might be worth a stop along the way!
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Absolutely Lisa
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Pelicans are so funny, especially in flight. Unfortunately they do not live in my corner of the world…
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It’s amazing how many different birds there are in different places around the world, isn’t it?
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Absolutely. 👍
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Thanks for sharing your trip Lisa, those wetlands look extensive and the white pelican is beautiful
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Thank you, Ashley! I would have loved more time there. But it was still worth the stop!
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Inspiring photography, Lisa! Lovely.
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Thank you, Jeff! I love to make stops along the way, I’m not one for long drives… I like to explore!
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I’m not one for long drives either, and a big yes to exploring! You’re very welcome, Lisa!
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Those pelican photos are great!!
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Thank you, Nora! They are such pretty birds!
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Looks like you chose a really lovely route here – birds and a ferry ride, just perfect 🙂
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It really was lovely! And always a little adventurous when you don’t know exactly where you are going! 😊
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Love seeing pelicans… they are not in our part of the world.
Loved hearing about and seeing your trip.
Happy Sunday!
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Thank you, Nancy!! Happy Sunday to you as well!
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That looks like a fun excursion. Glad you found an escape route. The white pelicans are beautiful in their own unique way. For such awkward-looking birds, they sure move about quite gracefully.
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Yes, I was very taken by the white pelicans!
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😄
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Love those White Pelicans, Lisa!!
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Thank you, Donna! I had never seen them before, they were beautiful!!
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Maryland is lucky to have a flock of White Pelicans migrate every winter to Blackwater NWR, about 2 hours from me every winter. They are a big attraction for sure here!
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Cool pelican photos, Lisa!
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Thank you! 😊
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Nice pictures. Port A has changed over the years. I started going there as a kid in the 1950s and my family owned a house there until 2000. I saw it go from a small fishing village to a 1960s surfing mecca to a spring break crazy destination within 20 years. Now, it’s one of the most costly places to live in the state, but still a great beach to take the kids.
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Thank you, Phil! We didn’t have long in this specific area, but I am so glad we took the scenic route on our way to Rockport.
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