30+ Ways to Enjoy Port Aransas on a Rainy Day

While we love our sunny days spent on the beach in Port Aransas, we also get our fair share of rainy, overcast days. There’s no need to stay indoors on a rainy day in Port Aransas. I’ve compiled a list of my family’s favorite rainy day activities to get you and your kids through any gray day at the beach.

If you’re looking for rainy day activities in this sandy city by the sea, here are a few suggestions for what to do in Port Aransas when it rains.

LOCAL TIP: Check the beach forecast and live Port A webcams before you leave your rental (I’ve compiled a list of the best ones for you). You’ll get an idea of the temperature, winds, and view current beach conditions so you can plan your off-beach activities below.

Quick jump:

• Rainy day essential I’d actually bring
• What to do in town on a rainy day
• Day Trips off the island

Rainy day essentials I’d actually bring to Port Aransas

One thing about Port A weather… it changes FAST. I’ve had weekends where it looked gloomy all morning and then turned into a beautiful beach afternoon by dinner. And I’ve also had trips where we ended up spending way more time indoors than expected.

So now I always throw a few “backup plan” items in the car just in case. These are the things that make a rainy beach weekend feel a lot less stressful (and a lot cozier).

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A few easy games = LIFESAVER

If you’re staying in a condo or beach house, bring a couple of simple games. Rainy afternoons + snacks + card/board games somehow end up becoming the memories everyone talks about later.

A few of my family’s favorites that are easy to pack and worth every inch of suitcase space:

• UNO card game
• Waterproof Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza game
• Waterproof Playing cards
• Travel-size board games (like Connect 4, Battleship, Guess Who + Hungry Hungry Hippos)

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Portable chargers (because everyone ends up on their phone or iPad)

When the weather turns rainy, everyone suddenly starts checking radar apps, streaming movies, scrolling restaurant reviews, and watching shows back at the rental… and batteries disappear FAST.

My top pick: Clutch Thin Portable Charger with built-in cable

A good portable charger is one of those things you don’t think about until you desperately need it. I never travel to Port A without one anymore.

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Cozy rainy morning essentials

A slow rainy morning in Port Aransas can actually be really relaxing. Coffee. Balcony. Ocean air. No pressure to rush out early.

A few things that make it even better:

• Owala insulated coffee tumbler — the best!
• Lightweight “Beach” sweater
• Kindle Colorsoft or audiobook
• Cozy blanket for the condo balcony

Want to make a quick run for coffee in town? Here is where you’ll find the Best Coffee in Port Aransas (According to Locals + Visitors).

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Waterproof basics that are worth packing

These take up almost no space but can save your entire day, especially if you still plan to walk around town between rain showers.

• The North Face lightweight rain jackets
• Casemate waterproof phone pouch
• Reef Water Vista sandals that can handle puddles
• Dry bags for beach gear

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My favorite rainy travel upgrade

One small thing that completely changed road trips and rainy weekends for me? Audiobooks.

I’ve been using Audible to listen to audiobooks a lot lately (even while folding laundry, LOL) and it’s made travel days so much more enjoyable.

They’re perfect for long drives to the coast, relaxing indoors during storms, and beach walks between rain showers. Plus, I get through those best sellers that I keep meaning to read “someday soon”.

🎧 Currently listening to: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

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Shop my full list of rainy weekend favorites

I rounded up all my favorite rainy-day travel essentials, games, cozy items, and beach backup gear here. Because even if the weather isn’t perfect… your trip still can be.

What to do around Port A on a rainy day

1. Explore the island’s local museum

The Port Aransas Museum is open three days a week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Docents give tours, historical lessons, share games and offer tutorials. They also give scheduled tours of the Little Chapel on the Hill (aka Chapel in the Dunes).

Copies of more than 12,000 photos and documents pertaining to the history of Port Aransas are available for viewing, along with artifacts, oral histories of island locals and movies of Port Aransas in the 1920s.

Want to read more about the history of Port Aransas? Check out the book, Images of America: Port Aransas, for detailed stories and old photographs from Mustang Island.

2. Learn a little about wooden boats and how they’re made

See a pictorial history of the Farley family boat builders alongside a preserved 1930’s tarpon skiff, the “Tina”, at Farley Boat Works.  The Port Aransas Museum re-established the Farley Boat Works in 2011, and now boats are once again being born here.

Call ahead for their schedule of wooden boat-making classes, and plan to attend the annual Wooden Boat Festival in Port Aransas.

Curious to learn more about wooden boats? Check out The Big Book of Wooden Boat Restoration: Basic Techniques, Maintenance, and Repair.

RELATED: Tips for Taking Your Dog to the Beach in Port Aransas

3. Paint your own ceramic creation at the pottery shop

Select your favorite ceramic pieces to paint and let the courteous staff at Fire It! Ceramics help you pick colors. Pieces are fired and ready within a few days. Painting pottery is a very popular activity on a rainy day in Port Aransas.

Spending your rainy beach day indoors doing something creative like painting pottery is a great way to use your imagination. Fire It! Ceramics allows you to bring in your own food and drinks to enjoy while you paint, so you can enjoy your time.

Stir up your creativity and paint something nautical to remind you of the beach. My kids love it here.

Want to paint your own pottery creation at home? Check out this cool ready-to-paint ceramic coaster set.

4. See a live performance at the local theater

The Port Aransas Community Theater (PACT) provides a venue for live performances, movies, public interest presentations and much more. Check their schedule for upcoming performances for adults and children.

The PACT is located on Highway 361 and has plenty of public parking.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 40+ Family-Friendly Things to Do in Port Aransas

5. Fill your own bag of sweets at the candy shop

Satisfy your sweet tooth with all the sweet and sour candies you can fit in your bag at Winton’s Island Candy. Their specialty is saltwater taffy, homemade fudge and assorted popular candy sold by the pound. They even have sugar-free chocolate options too!

Can’t make it to Winton’s in Port Aransas, but still craving the sweetness of homemade chocolate candy? Learn how to make your own deliciousness at home with The Sweet Book of Candy Making: From the Simple to the Spectacular – How to Make Caramels, Fudge, Hard Candy, Fondant, Toffee, and More!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth at Winton’s Island Candy

RELATED: The Complete Local’s Guide to Beach Safety on Port Aransas Beaches

7. Shop for souvenirs, t-shirts or even Christmas ornaments at local stores

Use rainy days at the beach as the perfect day to get out and explore some of the local businesses and shops that are unique and only found here, like The Islander, Bo Jon’s, Third Coast Beach, and My Coastal Home.

Support local family businesses that help make Port Aransas the best and friendliest place around.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Family-Friendly Things to Do in Port Aransas (That Your Kids Will Actually Love)

More rainy day ideas to enjoy

We recently asked our followers on our Facebook page what they like to do on rainy days at the beach, and here are some of their responses.

1. Check out the Fly It Port A Kite Shop
2. Stop by Coffee Waves for coffee and gelato
   • Also check out the Best Coffee in Port Aransas (According to Locals + Visitors)
3. Listen to live music at local venues
4. Grab a best seller book, a blanket and sit on the covered patio to enjoy an afternoon of reading
5. Play some card games or a board games indoors
6. Try your hand at a poker game at Bernie’s, daily at 3pm.
7. Watch the offshore fishing boats come into the marina and unload their catches around 5-7pm. Check with Dolphin Docks, Deep Sea Headquarters and Fisherman’s Wharf to find out times.
8. Have a pool noodle fight in the rain 
9. Take a nap outside on the covered balcony of your rental and be lulled to sleep by the pitter-patter of rain drops
10. Swing by the local seafood market or grocery store to get ingredients to make a seafood gumbo, shrimp cocktail or seafood boil to enjoy in your home or rental, while enjoying the rain
11. Grab a hat and a beach sand bucket to walk the beach in search of sea shells. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a rainbow over the ocean.
12. Stop by Desserted Island for a warm brownie sundae or banana split. Challenge your friends to a game of foosball or checkers while you’re there. 
13. Make an appointment at Balinese Wellness Spa for yoga, massage or spa services
14. Check out the nail salon for a manicure and pedicure
15. Visit the Port Aransas Art Center, check the schedule of art classes available each day. 
16. Check out the local bar scene for happy hour specials, live music and events, like belt sander races at The Gaff.
17. Have lunch by the water on the covered patio at Beach Lodge, Trout Street Grill or Fins Grill & Icehouse. 
18. Grab some pizza at The Gaff, Seafood & Spaghetti Works (aka Jay’s, yes they have great pizza), Stingray’s Taphouse or Port A Pizzeria for the buffet. 
    • Also check out the Best Places to Grab Pizza in Port Aransas
19. Try your hand at some beach photography under the Horace Caldwell Pier
20. If the weather is simply overcast, schedule a family sandcastle building lesson with The Sandcastle Guy.
21. Visit the Port Aransas Community Park to enjoy the basketball courts, soccer goals, skate park and walking trails.

 

Day Trips off the Island

1. Make the short drive over to North Beach in Corpus Christi to the Texas State Aquarium and USS Lexington Museum. The aquarium is open every day with indoor and outdoor exhibits, a large gift shop and coffee shop inside. The popular dolphin shows are outside and are scheduled several times a day.
2. Take a trip into downtown Corpus Christi to visit the historic two-story Whataburger by the Bay.

RELATED: Day Trip: Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi

Regardless of the weather, there’s no shortage of activities to fill your days in Port Aransas. Don’t let the rain stop you from getting out and exploring all of the unique and fun things to do around town.

What to explore next

• The Complete Local’s Guide to Beach Safety on Port Aransas Beaches
• Rip Currents, Stingrays & Jellyfish: How to Stay Safe in Port Aransas Gulf Water
• Kid-Friendly Restaurants Your Family Will Love in Port Aransas
• 10 Things I Always Pack in my Beach Bag