Directions & Area Attractions
Matagorda Beach
Matagorda, Texas has approximately 58 miles of beach. 23 miles of the beach east of the Colorado River is open to vehicles. The remaining 35 miles of beach is west of the Colorado River and only accessible by boat, kayak, canoe or other watercraft. The first 8 miles of beach beyond the dunes is private property. After 8 miles, it is state property behind the dunes and there are lots of trails you can explore.
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
The bugle of an endangered whooping crane echoes across the far reaches of the marsh. Only at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge do North America's tallest birds find an enduring winter stronghold. Here, too, pelicans, herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills, ducks, and geese dine in brackish waters and salt marshes teeming with fishes, blue crabs, and clams. On shore, javelinas, bobcats and deer wander oak woodlands. Alligators peer from still waters of ponds and sloughs. Ringed by tidal marshes and broken by long, narrow sloughs, this 59,000-acres refuge sprawls mostly across the Blackjack penisula, where grasslands, live oaks, and redbay thickets cover deep sandy soils. Storms and waters of the Gulf of Mexico constantly reshape this vital refuge, home to over 390 different bird species.
King Fisher Beach
King Fisher Beach is located at the end of Hwy 185 (Adams St.) on Park St. The park contains several covered picnic areas with BBQ pits. There are showers and restrooms available as well as a volleyball court and a great fishing pier. King Fisher Beach is a great place to sit back relax and enjoy the sun. Seashells and sandcastles are common place in this area. The tides can leave some exciting treasures along this stretch of sand. It’s best to get out early in the morning if you plan to do some beach combing this will ensure the best finds!
Indianola Ghost Town & La Salle Monument
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community was once the county seat of Calhoun County. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a powerful hurricane struck, killing between 150 and 300 and almost entirely destroying the town. Indianola was rebuilt, only to be wiped out on August 19, 1886, by another intense hurricane, which was followed by a fire. Indianola was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1963.
Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse
The Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse is one of the many screw-pile type lighthouses built on the Texas Gulf Coast, but the only one that still stands. To distinguish it from the nearby Matagorda Island Light it was given a red glass chimney to be used with the oil lantern to give it its red beam. Though originally constructed on the bay, the current resting place for the light is on Port Lavaca, alongside Highway 35.
Calhoun County Museum
The mission of the Calhoun County Museum is the acquisition, documentation, preservation, study and exhibition of artifacts relating to the history, natural history and maritime history of Calhoun County. Passing this material culture on to future generations. Some of the outstanding exhibits include the Fresnel Lens from the 1852 Matagorda Island Lighthouse, an 8-foot diorama of the town of Indianola, a collection of items from the Belle in an exhibit entitled the La Salle Odyssey and many more items dealing with the life and times of Calhoun County.
Lavaca Bluffs Vineyard and Winery
With their deep Texas roots, the educator owners of Lavaca Bluffs Vineyard and Winery aspire to honor the character, history and heritage of the Texas Gulf Coast through their friendly, authentic wines. They offer “history by the bottle” in naming wines and providing historical or geographical descriptions of the region with every label. These unique wines are produced on premises from Jackson County and area fruit, estate-grown Black Spanish, Blanc du Bois, native Mustang grapes and selected grapes blended with Texas fruit.
Rusty Hook Winery
Rusty Hook Winery is a family owned, boutique winery located in Long Mott, Texas. We specialize in small batch wines that compliment the area and its gastronomy. Our wine tasting room is for the love of people and fellowship. Wine is the medium that brings it all together. Our hope is that you come as strangers, leave as friends. Our selection of wines have been custom crafted to suit our customers on the gulf coast. We took extra care in selecting blends and varietals that would match our gastronomic region and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers and novice wine drinkers alike.
La Petite Belle
La Petite Belle is a half scale seaworthy reproduction of Rene-Robert Cavelier’s ship LaBelle and is located in Palacios, Texas on Tres Palacios and Matagorda Bays. The vessel is 30 feet long 8 feet wide and displaces about 15,000 lbs.