Port Aransas Community Park

I thought it was time for another review of this park since the last one was from six years ago from this writing. It also looks like there have been some recent additions since the last review. The park is located at a crosswalk next to an RV park on Avenue G. There is actually a lot to see here starting with a very long paved nature trail running through a nature preserve with observation areas and continues on by the ship channel. You will also find 3 ball diamonds, a large baseball field, a little league diamond, and a T-ball diamond complete with batting cages. Other amenities include a fenced in dog park, a community pool, a soccer field, basketball court, public bathrooms and a large children's play scape. On the property is also a frisbee golf course and skateboard park. You will also find five fenced in pickleball courts that look like they were just built yesterday. The pickle ball courts are open to the public at no cost. There are some covered picnic tables directly next to the pool and a couple of tables in the dog park. This is definitely one of the nicest community parks you will find anywhere.

Located on Cut Off Road, jusy behind San Juan Taqueria, this unexpected gem is an oasis in the middle of the island, and a nice place to visit with your bird watchers, wildlife lovers or kiddos. Dedicated in 2002, Paradise Pond is a 2-acre habitat that provides an excellent example of public/private collaboration. A group of birders who won the Great Texas Birding Classic designated the prize money for the purchase of land located behind a local motel. Several donations of land, additional grants and other funding sources helped to complete the project that birders from across the country now enjoy.Paradise Pond is a stop on the spring migratory route for smaller warblers and other songbirds, while many feathered friends call the pond home all year long. The wheelchair accessible boardwalk and 3 observation decks provide easy access to get "up close and personal" with the birds under a mantle of trees.There is a sitting area at the entrance for watching butterflies, dragonflies and birds, along with information about the flowers and the butterflies that the flowers attract.Private donations of land, foundation funds and teamwork helped make Paradise Pond part of the Birding Trail of Texas. Visitors flock from across the country for a sitting here...and you should too!

This place is kind of hard to find, but I suppose it is worth a look if you find it. Supposedly a pond, this is more of a dried wetland, where we saw a Blue Grosbeak, an American Redstart, and a Grey Catbird among a few other things. It was okay.