How is re-build going? We usually book now and go every May and stay at Beachgate or Port Royal. Any locals have some input? Wanting to support with our business but want an enjoyable trip as well. I looked and Port Royal not planning re-open until 6/1/18. Beachgate seems to be shooting for March 1st. Hopeful mid May will have a lot of shops/restaurants etc open.

I wouldn't get your hopes up for much. This season is basically going to be a wash. There is still alot more "tear down" going on than there is "rebuild".

There are a handful or so restaurants and shops back open, and I see a couple more on the local news every week, but its still FUBAR.

I'm sure the city would love your business, but dont expect it to be anywhere near the old Port A, for this year at least.

Brush, are the streets still littered with nails?

We've had estimators and crews working in that area and I havent heard of any issues.

We have been back to Port A 4 days after the storm, for Thanksgiving and then for the week between Christmas & New Years....lot's of devastation but they are cleaning up surprisingly fast...numerous shops and restaurants are open for business. I think the golf course reopens this spring (their restaurant has already reopened).
Traditional condo options may be limited this season, but you should have plenty to do there this year. We have a newer house in old town that we are renting out....PM me if interested.

Was there over holidays and still seemed like a lot of businesses were not up and going. All the tourist shops were cleaned out and re-building. I heard Spaghetti Works opened back up a week or so a go. Still a long road ahead. No real word on boat docs and beach, most of the docs and piers were still pretty rough. Hopefully they can get things back up before the summer.

Big Condos and hotels are still mostly closed. Half the restaurants up and others creeping back. Spaghetti works is open, Virginia's, Fins, La Playa all open. Beach is in great shape. I have 2 rental house with Tradewinds that are starting to book for spring break and on into the summer. Main roads are all good. Lots of the side streets still have debris piles. Mt. Port Aransas was getting real close to gone last weekend. Things are creeping back but probably 2 years to be back solid. With all the rebuild that has to happen it really is going to be bigger and better. The weekend activity schedule is still going on. Plywood boat fest April 6-8. Sand fest is on. I expect all the "things/events" will go on. Finding housing for a weekend is going to be the pickle. If you are going to plan something, I'd suggest to starting getting arrangements together. The fish are still there, the beach is still there etc.

Add on. Some shops really trying to make a presence by spring break. Think that doubtful. I think the crowds are going to show pretty much as usual.. One thing pointed out to me last weekend is only 2 gas stations on the island. Convenience stores are fine but don't go with an empty tank.

The Outboard Fishing Tournament will not be held this summer....

I live here. It sucks. Don't come yet.

There's nothing to do and only a handful of restaurants open. Really sad. They need spring break and sand fest but I don't see it happening.

No where for people to stay. Every time I go down a street it seems like there's another building being torn down.

Rockport is just as bad. I heard key Allegro can't get boats in or out because of the cars and building parts in the canals. No money to dredge. Trying to get the state to fund it. Idk.

As much as we need the business I'd honestly say come to port a for the weekend and go to port isabell for vacation. I think next summer port a will be rolling again.

The nails are still around but not nearly as bad. There's still so much debris being hauled off that they fall in the streets during transport. Carry a couple cans of fix a flat. Woodys has a new tire machine lol.
Lots of flats to buy that.

Beach is awesome though. No one there. Pretty cool.

Thanks for the replies. Researching Port Isabel condos/houses now. If I find something that's not right on the water, are golf cart rentals easy to find down there like Port A?

If you can find lodging you will have a great time.

Anybody have an update on how it's going?

Go to Rockport, Port A is still very much a work in progress. All the big "resort hotels" on the beach are gutted and being rebuilt/abandoned.

Or stay close to PINS via CC and make your own resort.

Fishing has been great in the RP/AP area. Estes/South Bay/Steadmen has been holding trout and an occasional red, drifting with shrimp or plastics. California hole especially has been good with plastics.

Man....If I had a dime for all the hours I have spent over my life in California Hole throwing plastics, I would be rich!!!!

Not that fishing there wasn't enriching. Just that I am chained to this damn desk.

Any advice on renting a house for the weekend down in Port A? Was looking at going in late July between Palmilla Golf club and downtown. Not sure what has reopened now and hiw thing are going.

I used to fish AP/RP quite a bit but now pretty much exclusively fish the upper Laguna.

I take it that Harvey didn't drastically alter the bottom contours of the bay and flats along its path?

crghou said:

---

Any advice on renting a house for the weekend down in Port A? Was looking at going in late July between Palmilla Golf club and downtown. Not sure what has reopened now and hiw thing are going.

---

We're going down with a big group in late July and found houses along 11th and Anchor on Home Away as we always do. I would start there as there were plenty of choices a few weeks ago.

is cinnamon shore pretty much fully operational? We usually make it down once a year and like the facilities. Website and rental options seem to say yes.

nm

Headed there next month. Was told back in February that everything on site would be in operation/fixed by May 1.

Anymore condition updates?

Headed down May 18. Got a house with a few other couples and plan to cook at the house, chill at the beach, and fish. I've never been to Port A.

EDIT: Didn't realize BlackLab's post was this morning!

Cinnamon Shores is great. Its like the Hampton's of PA. We try to go every year.

Thanks we had found a few houses. I was more concerned about the condition of the town, beach, restaurants and if it is worth going down with the kids for a fun beach weekend.

Cinnamon Shores rentals should be fine. The beach is clean, the town is still in recovery mode and it'll be a different experience than it has been. My only concern would be what's in the sand below the surf, but that's a big unknown. There is enough stuff open and restaurants available to make it enjoyable.

There'a plenty of restaurants. Trout street opened last weekend.

There's still a ton of construction and destruction going on.

Beach is fine. Nothing to worry about there. Not really any crowds. Corpus people come over on weekends

We only have 25% of the rentals open. Just be aware that your rental might be ok, but the one next door might not.

I'd be worried if my rental wasn't ready right now. Lots of promises being broken on dates for completion.... don't let it ruin your vacation.

Sand fest was huge. The corpus folks came in droves. lol. Helped a lot.

It's nice. Crowds are low ( not many rentals open) and the beaches are great.

The wind was about 140mph at Cline's Landing & the Coast Guard Station. As you headed south out of town the wind was dropping about 15mph per mile so by the time you get to Cinnamon Shores....5 miles....you have dropped a lot of wind.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Can't wait to do a little surf / jetty fishing and enjoy the beach.

Exactly. The further south the better

Port royal has no roof on the front ( main entrance ) building. It's open though.

Sandcastle is getting leveled. You know about your place.

The Dunes are down all year. Seagull is down , pelican is down for the year or going to be leveled. Not sure.

Executive keys down until who knows. It goes on and on.....

As long as people understand that one condo or house is good but the complex is probably damaged, then they'll be fine.

Again, I'd be really leary of any place saying it'll be ready that's not ready right now. Just from what I see and hear it's really slow rebuilding. They didn't get close to what they projected open for sand fest.

There's eleventy billion golf carts for rent and no renters......

We have a place at the Mayan, last I heard the target date was June 1. I havent been out myself since BH (before Harvey), but I know it blew the solid wood balconies off the front (North facing) part of the building.

Alot of places are way behind the schedule they originally promised because of all the chicken**** contractors that came down to prey on the wounded, promised the world, were hired, got a little money, and then left. I have heard some horror stories from people who call us for fence replacement bids, but I'm not sure what they expected to get from a pop-up "restoration" contractor from out of town who had never been construction before and just got out of jail. I guess when you are desperate.....

Something big happened with the George Strait concert in rockport. I don't know the details, but there's supposedly a lot of missing money.....

He lives over there. I'll bet he finds it. Lol. Supposedly (which means it's probably not true ), the FBI is involved.

I keep hearing about all these places, but I only ever fished there. Well, I did eat at one restaurant once, but the whole touristy thing is just annoying to me when I'm trying to get my boat around.

It's a function of where you go and how you fish. I would typically run about three miles down the Lydia Ann channel. I'll pass on average 20-25 boats anchored up fishing on the west shoreline. I turn into Big Slough and putt putt as there will 3-4 in it anchored up. Turn south and run into the flats and I can fish for several hours and see less than five boats....none real close..

Perhaps you should explain how shallow your boat runs......you're going to get someone stuck. Lol. I've only been back there with a guide

Don't you have an ibis or something like that? I saw it after the hurricane but can't remember. I don't think it was damaged. Might have been your friend's boat.

I can't remember. That's really skinny back there though

SA Ag, it completely drained our canal and all of Estes 3' and under. So far, no noticeable changes is bottom, though we haven't run through Estes to Morris-Cummings to Trailer Island yet.