Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas (Playground with Dolphin Views for Families)

If you’re visiting Port Aransas with kids, there’s a good chance you’ll spend most of your time at the beach. But every parent eventually hits that moment when the wind picks up, the sand is everywhere, and the kids need somewhere new to run around.

That’s exactly why Roberts Point Park has become one of our favorite stops in town.

It’s right by the ferry landing, sitting on a peninsula along the ship channel, which means while your kids are playing you’ll often see massive ships passing by, fishing boats coming in, and dolphins riding the wakes. 

And the best part?

It’s free, easy to access, and surprisingly uncrowded compared to the beach.

If you found this page from my viral Roberts Point Park reel — welcome! This park is one of my favorite hidden gems for families visiting Port Aransas. (Find us on social media @portaransastex)

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During every visit to Port Aransas, I’ve always taken our kids to Roberts Point Park, no matter their age. I kid you not… my oldest child is now 22 and she still asks about the park every time.

As a family, we’re always on the lookout for great attractions in Port Aransas that are ideal for kids. Turtle Cove Playground at Roberts Point Park is a perfect combination of activities, gathering areas and waterfront view.

Roberts Point Park is one of our favorite playground stops in town, but there are lots of other fun activities for families too. If you’re planning a family trip to Port A with kids, you might also like my guide to family-friendly things to do in Port Aransas, my best beaches in Port Aransas, and my Port Aransas beach packing list.

 

Why families love Roberts Point Park

Let’s be honest. Beach days with little kids are magical… until everyone is sandy, hungry, and melting down. This park solves that problem… easily.

Roberts Point Park is best for:

• families with toddlers
• elementary age kids
• families needing a beach break

While one of the main draws is undoubtedly the view (especially at sunset), Roberts Point Park has a wide variety of activities to keep the kids entertained.

1. Best playground in Port Aransas: Turtle Cove is huge (and brand new)

The recently rebuilt Turtle Cove playground is coastal-themed and designed for kids to climb, explore, and burn energy. It’s bright, colorful and includes fun things like:

• slides
• swings
• climbing turtles
• a lighthouse-style lookout tower
• a zip line (it’s perfectly kid-sized!)
• toddler play areas

What I love about this playground is that it’s large enough for older kids to climb and explore, but still manageable for toddlers who want to wander and play safely nearby. When our kids were young, we could sit at the shaded picnic tables and still keep an eye on them while they raced from the slides to the climbing structures.

The park has adorable playground structures that are appropriately-sized for toddlers to school-age kids. The toddler playground is lower to the ground for their little legs and slightly separate from the larger playground area.

On hot summer days the playground equipment can get warm, so we always bring a large insulated water bottle and a portable stroller fan if younger kids are with us.

The spacious playgrounds are ideal for school-age kids, with plenty of climbing areas and several slides. The play structures are not shaded, but there are covered picnic tables just steps away.

What this means for you: Your kids will want to stay longer than you planned.

My “beach break” trick: Roberts Point Park has saved several beach days for us. When the wind gets strong or the kids start melting down from too much sun, we’ll leave the beach for an hour or two and come here instead. They get to run around the playground, watch boats in the channel, and reset before heading back to the sand.

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2. A not-so-secret place to watch dolphins + ships in Port Aransas

Two of our must-dos on every visit to Roberts Point Park are to walk along the seawall and rock jetties to look for sea turtles (they’re plentiful!), and to watch for the playful dolphins in the ship channel.

The dolphins are most active it seems in the mornings and evenings as they follow the cargo ships and large tankers that enter and exit the Lydia Ann Channel. It’s also a fantastic place to watch the sunset from the seawall or the two-story observation deck.

This is one of the best free dolphin viewing spots in Port Aransas.

One evening we were walking along the seawall when a dolphin surfaced just a few yards from the rocks. The kids were completely mesmerized watching it swim alongside a passing ship. It’s moments like that that make this park feel a little magical.

If your kids love spotting dolphins, bring a small pair of travel binoculars. It turns dolphin watching into a game and helps them spot ships and pelicans out on the channel.

From the Keeler Observation Tower, the park’s fishing pier or the waterfront walkway, you can often see dolphins swimming through the channel — especially in the morning or evening when the water is calmer. 

Sometimes the dolphins ride the wake of the big cargo ships coming through the channel, which is honestly pretty amazing for kids to watch.

Kids are always amazed at how big the cargo ships are when they pass through the channel. The first time we saw one glide by, it felt like it filled the entire view. Even if the dolphins don’t show up, there’s still plenty to keep kids entertained:

• sea gulls overhead and pelicans diving for fish
• a variety of boats passing by
• the ferry loading and unloading cars

If your kids are fascinated by boats, they’ll also love watching the ferry load and unload cars nearby. It runs constantly throughout the day, so there’s almost always something happening on the water.

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3. It has fun things to do in Port Aransas with kids

This park has room to roam.

Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas covers about 50 acres along the water, with walking paths, fishing areas, picnic tables, and open space. 

It’s totally geared toward your young family and good for:

• scooters
• bikes
• toddlers who just need to run
• parents who want to sit for five minutes

There is also a larger covered pavilion for big groups, families or gatherings, and a few shaded benches ideal for taking in the view of the ship channel, relaxing with a book, or some fishing.

The rocks can be slippery in places, so closed-toe water shoes are helpful if your kids like exploring along the jetty edges.

Roberts Point Park is an ideal location for family-friendly sports, with a soccer field with bleachers, basketball court, sand volleyball court, bocce ball court, shuffleboard, horseshoe pits and a small amphitheater area for outdoor concerts in the summer.

Roberts Point Park features a large pavilion for special events such as fishing tournaments, fish weigh-ins and family cookouts. There is also a small stage for performances during annual festivals and other local talent events. The park hosts a wide variety of local sports, including fishing tournaments at the harbor next door and an annual pole vaulting competition.

The 1-mile bulkhead seawall also serves as a walking, jogging, and cycling trail with benches and palapas (wooden shade umbrellas) along the route.

The park and playground areas are open year-round and there is no admission fee. There are public restrooms available and even a fish cleaning station by the marina. Parking at Roberts Point Park is plentiful and free.

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Planning a family trip to Port Aransas? You might also like:

• Family-Friendly Things to Do in Port Aransas (That Your Kids Will Actually Love)
• Best Beaches in Port Aransas (Local Guide to Beach Access, Driving & Family Spots)
• Best Restaurants in Port Aransas (Local Favorites + Dining Guide)
• Where to Stay in Port Aransas with Kids (From Someone Who Spends a Lot of Time Here)

Parent tip: Come here when the beach gets too much

Every parent eventually hits the moment where the beach stops being fun. You’re overheated, overstimulated, and just over it.

Sand everywhere. Wind picking up. Kids melting down. That’s when Turtle Cove Playground at Roberts Point Park is the perfect reset spot.

Let the kids play while you:

• sit under the pavilion
• watch boats in the channel
• read a book in peace
  • Top books of 2025: you may find your next epic beach read here.

Then you can always head back to the beach later.

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Things kids love doing at Roberts Point Park

Here are a few fun things your family and your kids will love doing here:

Explore Turtle Cove Playground
Let the kids climb everything in sight.

Create a dolphin spotting challenge
First kid to spot a dolphin wins ice cream. They’ll have their eyes glued on the water!

Watch the ferry boats
The ferry runs constantly and kids love watching the cars load up.

Walk the waterfront trail
The bulkheaded walkway wraps around the park and is stroller-friendly.

Fish off the park pier
Even beginners sometimes catch redfish or drum here.

If your kids love spotting dolphins, bring a pair of compact kid binoculars. They make ship and dolphin-watching way more fun.

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What to bring for your day at the park

The best way to enjoy the park: come prepared with sunscreen, water + snacks, and items to keep you cool.

Sun protection for the family

While there are shaded picnic tables and benches, I suggest bringing plenty of sunscreen to fully enjoy the playground and sports areas that are not shaded.

Here’s what I always keep in the car (or golf cart!):

• Sun Bum Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF30 (water resistant, vegan, gluten-free and smells so nice!)
  • One of my faves: I love the Baby Bum sunscreen for my kids.
• Coola (great for face, reef-friendly)
• ThinkSport (water resistant, vegan, gluten-free & reef-friendly)

Drinks + snacks to keep everyone happy

Be sure to bring plenty of snacks and water when you visit the park. There is no concession area, only a few vending machines near the marina.

Here’s what I always bring:

• Insulated water bottle to keep drinks cold
  • My top pick: Stanley IceFlow Tumbler Water Bottle
• Easy packaged snacks to avoid meltdowns
  • My kids love: That’s It Fruit Crunchables

Stay cool with these essentials

If you plan on staying a while, easy-to-setup shade tents are allowed and folding chairs are great for relaxing and enjoying the view.

You’ll also want to wear comfortable athletic shoes, maybe even water shoes if you plan to walk on the rocks near the water. The small waves produced by passing boats can make the granite rock jetties slippery for flip flops.

If you find yourself at the park for some quiet time just for yourself, like I’ve done before, I highly recommend taking along a Kindle for reading any of your favorite books (have you seen this new edition yet?). This new Kindle Colorsoft has vibrant color and is easy to read, even in the sun (with sunglasses on).

And have I mentioned these park sunsets? Aaaaamazing.

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Where is Roberts Point Park?

Roberts Point Park is located near the Port Aransas Ferry landing on the ship channel. The park is on about 50 acres on a peninsula of land that separates the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from the Port Aransas City Marina.

The entire park peninsula is easily visible from the ferry boats crossing the ship channel. It has easy access by car, bike, golf cart or the free local trolley with multiple stops along a 1-hour loop that runs throughout Port Aransas.

Needless to say, the park offers a beautiful 360º view of the ship channel activity, the marina and its waterfront restaurants, the ferry boat landing, and the countless dolphins, pelicans and sea turtles along the seawall.

And who doesn’t get giddy when they see dolphins, truly?

Roberts Point Park
301 JC Barr Blvd. in Port Aransas, TX

Get directions to Roberts Point Park here.

So on your next visit to Port Aransas, bring the kids to climb… run… play… search for sea turtles and enjoy the amazing views at Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas.

And whatever you do, don’t miss a sunset here with Best Sunset Spots in Port Aransas (Local Favorite Views).