The beautiful state of Texas is not only home to miles of Gulf Coast sand beaches and barrier islands but also several large lakes and rivers that make perfect waterfront meeting destinations. Here are four great waterfront locations that offer a perfect mix of outdoor adventure, history and state-of-the-art meeting venues.
Port Aransas and Mustang Island
The only town on Mustang Island, Port Aransas offers 18 miles of sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors can learn how to surf or go parasailing, kayaking or paddleboarding. The area is also a prime destination for birding enthusiasts, offering a chance to see white pelicans, royal terns, black skimmers and whooping cranes. There are six birding sites along the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, each offering the opportunity to experience nature up close.
Mustang Island is one of the longest barrier islands along the Texas coast. It is surrounded by Corpus Christi Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, the Lydia Ann Ship Channel and Corpus Christi Ship Channel.
Meeting planners wanting to host events on the island can rent a beach home in the Cinnamon Shore community, where they can arrange recreational programming built around signature events, luxury pools, and food and beverages capabilities, including in-home shrimp boils, paella parties and private catering.
Port Aransas Civic Center can accommodate 1,100 for a meeting or event. It features an auditorium, a stage, a kitchen and restrooms. Sand Castle Resort Condominiums and Port Aransas Event Center feature 3,000 square feet of event space that can host groups of 10 to 300. Groups can rent out one- and two-bedroom waterfront condos.
For fun, groups can schedule a dolphin-watching cruise or set sail on board Red Dragon Pirate Cruises, a replica Spanish galleon with four masts and 10 cannons that are fired by computer, along with a full range of audio and visual effects.
Beaumont
Beaumont sits on the border between Louisiana and Texas, along the Neches River. The city is known for its Southern hospitality and its foodie culture. Meeting planners have their pick of three full-service hotels and convention centers, including the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites Beaumont Plaza, with 252 guest rooms and 22,000 square feet of meeting space.
The MCM Elegante Hotel and Conference Center offers 278 guest rooms with 40 suites and 20,000 square feet of event space, and the Holiday Inn Beaumont East Medical Center has 160 guest rooms and 4,695 square feet of meeting space.
Doggett Ford Park Entertainment Complex features a 34,000-square-foot arena with 8,500 seats, a VIP lounge and a party patio. The exhibit hall has 48,000 square feet of floor space, 11,000 square feet of pre-function space and nine meeting rooms. The pavilion can host groups of more than 14,000 and has covered seating for 6,200, and the midway and agricultural barns offer more rustic outdoor event spaces.
Groups can take a historic tour along the Neches River or spend some time in nature at Cattail Marsh Scenic Wetlands and Boardwalk, a 900-acre wetland filled with wildlife and nature trails. Groups can take swamp boat tours or interact with 450 American alligators, crocodiles, mammals and reptiles at Gator Country Adventure Park. Beaumont is home to the Fire Museum of Texas, the Texas Energy Museum and the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, all of which can accommodate meeting extensions. Spindletop Boomtown Museum also offers unique group excursions with a historic take on the start of America’s oil boom.
The Woodlands
Just north of Houston, the Woodlands is only 25 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Because of its central location, it brings in both national and international events.
The Woodlands is a nature-focused destination with all of the upscale amenities groups require for conferences and events. There are 14 hotel properties within the township boundaries and several full-service hotels that offer meeting space.
The Woodlands Waterway Marriott offers 340 guest rooms and more than 75,000 square feet of event space. The property is in the heart of the Woodlands and sits on the Woodlands Waterway, a beautiful water feature that loops throughout the main tourism district. Groups can go kayaking or swan boating on the waterway, which connects to Lake Woodlands, a lovely spot to enjoy water activities.
The Westin at the Woodlands is across from the Marriott Westin property and offers more than 28,000 square feet of versatile meeting and event space. The Woodlands Resort has 402 guest rooms, 75,000 square feet of meeting space, two golf courses, Forest Oasis Waterpark and Lazy River, 21 tennis courts, 14 pickleball courts and five dining options.
San Marcos
In central Texas, San Marcos is known for the spring-fed San Marcos River. Groups traveling to the area for a conference or event should pay a visit to the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, which sits at the headwaters of the San Marcos River. The center is a great place for groups to host an out-of-boardroom experience, including glass-bottom boat rides on Spring Lake that give visitors a glimpse of the freshwater springs and the underwater ecosystem. Groups can also take snorkel and kayak tours on the lake.
Paddleboarding and kayaking along the river are popular activities because the water is crystal clear and only about four feet deep. Groups that want to experience the river at night can take a Crystal Kayak Glow Tour with Paddle SMTX. The boats have glass bottoms that are lit up at night, illuminating the river.
San Marcos is also the mermaid capital of Texas. Visitors to the city can explore the many mermaid statues around town, which were designed by local artists. There is also an annual Mermaid Festival in May.
The Central Texas Wing Museum gives visitors a chance to explore seven commemorative Air Force aircraft. The museum, which is at the airport, is in a large hangar that is ideal for events of 200 to 500 guests. The Embassy Suites is the main convention hotel in San Marcos, with 283 rooms and 78,000 square feet of event space. The largest space is 28,000 square feet, and there are several breakout rooms.
Corpus Christi
Located on the South Texas coast, Corpus Christi offers plenty of waterfront activities and fun attractions to keep meeting attendees entertained. The top meeting venue in the area is the American Bank Center Convention Center, which is right on the bay and offers spectacular water views. The complex has a 138,000-square-foot convention center that can be divided into 10 separate ballrooms. It also features 27 meeting rooms and a 76,500-square-foot exhibit hall for expos and tradeshows. The facility also has the 10,500-seat American Bank Center Arena and the 2,526-seat American Bank Center Selena Auditorium.
The Omni Corpus Christi Hotel has 475 guest rooms overlooking Corpus Christi Bay and a 24,000-square-foot function space, including a 10,050-square-foot ballroom. The Holiday Inn Downtown Marina has 345 bayfront guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The Emerald Beach Hotel has 368 rooms and more than 10,000 square feet of flexible event space.
For fun, groups can visit the Texas State Aquarium, which features over 250 species of fish, reptiles, mammals, birds and invertebrates from the Gulf and the Caribbean. There is a 4D theater and a splash park for kids. Visitors can learn about marine conservation at the Port of Corpus Christi Center for Wildlife Rescue, which treats and rehabilitates marine mammals, raptors, shorebirds and sea turtles.
The South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is also in Corpus Christi. Visitors can wander through 182 acres of gardens and exhibits, including 2,500 orchids, a rose garden and a butterfly house. The USS Lexington Museum gives visitors a chance to tour a World War II aircraft carrier and vintage aircraft.
