by Katie Barton | staff writer

Every summer since I was born, and even before that, my family has made the two hour and forty minute drive from San Antonio to Port Aransas. And since I’ve been going there for 16 years, I’ve become quite the expert when it comes to knowing where to go for good food and unique souvenirs. Now I will pass this knowledge on in my list of the best restaurants and souvenir stores in Port Aransas.

My favorite souvenir shop is called “The Connoisseur.” The Connoisseur is a little shop filled with odd souvenirs that are pretty unique. You can get everything from jewelry to wooden stickers. And even better, the store has a cat that lives there that you can pet while you shop. (This is my favorite part.) Overall it’s the best place to go to find souvenirs that no one else will have. For more information go to https://www.portaconnoisseur.com/

The islander is another favorite of mine. It’s got pretty much anything you would want for a fun day put at the beach. But the coolest thing about it is the big boat full of hermit crabs that you can look at and buy. In my opinion, they are also the best place to go for buying pool floats and boogie boards. 

Bo Jon’s Surf and Gift is a great shop to try if you are into collecting shells. They have a huge selection of shells, starfish, and other ocean collectables.

The last souvenir store that I recommend is more for the outside of of the store. The outside of Destination Beach Surf features a huge shark statue that you can go inside of which is really unique and not something you find often.

When it comes to restaurants, my all time favorite is Port A Pizzeria. It’s a classic pizza place with great pizza, and even better they deliver until 10pm which means you can have a nice full day at the beach before you decide to get dinner. For more information go to https://portapizzeria.hungerrush.com/ 

For a nicer restaurant, I recommend Doc’s. They serve very good seafood and steaks and they’re near the water which means you get a great view as you eat great food. For more information go to https://docsseafoodandsteaks.com/  

And for some dessert, I recommend Desserted Island ice cream. Desserted Island has great ice cream, and if ice cream isn’t your thing, they also have some delicious baked goods. Desserted Island also just has a really cool interior with chess boards and a foosball table.

Hope this list helps the next time you’re in Port Aransas.