Palacios is a small city located on Matagorda Bay in the Gulf Coast region of Texas, about 1.5-2.0 hours southwest of Houston. It is especially noted for birding opportunities.
Get in
Most visitors reach Palacios by car, traveling on Texas State Highway 35 which runs along the central Gulf Coast.
Palacios has a small airport for private flights as well as a harbor connected to the Intracoastal Waterway. The city is also served by a Greyhound bus route running between Houston and Corpus Christi.
Get around
Local transit is mostly by car, although bike routes have been established within the city and a 1.5-mile walk along the seawall is popular with pedestrians.
See
- City by the Sea Museum, 401 Commerce St., ☏ 1 361-972-1148. 10-4 Fr-Sa, 1-4 Su. Housed in the R. J. Hill building,
- [dead link]Luther Hotel, 408 S. Bay Blvd.. "The Palace of Palacios", originally the Bay View Hotel, has been a fixture of the community for nearly a hundred years. Check in to see its history, including movie stars, war heroes, and the pier.
- Tres Palacios Bay Shrimping Fleet, 1602 Main St., ☏ 1 361-972-5556, fax: 1 361-972-3584, ✉[email protected]. Palacios is known as the "Shrimp Capital of Texas," see the fleet that gives this reputation.
- Texas Baptist Encampment, Main St. at Welch Ave., ☏ 1 361-972-2717, fax: 1 361-972-2939, ✉[email protected]. Founded in 1906 as the "Baptist Young Peoples Union," this camp is still in operation.
Do
Buy
Eat
- Hotel Blessing Coffee Shop, 128 10th St, Blessing, ☏ 1 361-588-6623. Breakfast 6-10, Lunch 11-2, every day. The restaurant entrance is on the side, if you come in the front you'll find the hotel lobby. While you'll pass Blessing before you get to Palacios, the breakfast might be worth the fifteen minute backtrack. $5-10.
- [dead link]Outrigger Restaurant, 515 Commerce St, ☏ 1 361-972-1479, ✉[email protected]. 8-9 Mo-Sa, 8-6 Su. Local seafood and more. They'll probably have live music on Thursdays and Fridays, and most Saturdays, out back in the barn. $5-$15.
- Lighthouse Seafood, 9 8th St, ☏ 1 361-972-1231. Local seafood on the water.
- Marisela's Cafe, 906 Main St, ☏ 1 361-972-0734.
Drink
Sleep
- Luther Hotel, 408 S. Bay Blvd., ☏ 1 361-972-2312. While there are several places to get a room in town, you won't get a better local feel than the Luther. $60-$120.
- Hotel Blessing, 128 10th St, Blessing, ☏ 1 361-588-9579. A restored hotel. It's about fifteen minutes back North on SH-35. The front door is the hotel lobby.
- [formerly dead link]Moonlight Bay Bed & Breakfast, 506 S. Bay Blvd., ☏ 1 361-972-2232, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 3-7PM, check-out: Noon. Waterfront rooms in a hundred year old home. $95-150.
- [formerly dead link]Main Inn, 208 Main St., ☏ 1 361-972-3408, ✉[email protected]. Wireless internet access, great breezes. Wine and music out back on Friday nights. $70-$100.
- Peaceful Pelican Bed & Breakfast, 317 East Bay Blvd., toll-free: 1-888-972-0317, ✉[email protected]. Upscale, restored 1910 waterfront home, bay views, luxury rooms, wireless Internet, opened 2008. $135-$185.
Connect
Wireless Internet access is available at the Main Inn and Peaceful Pelican Bed & Breakfast.
Go next
To the east of Palacios there are several fine natural areas such as Oyster Lake, Mad Island Marsh and Matagorda Beach.
| Routes through Palacios |
| Corpus Christi ← Port Lavaca ← | S  N | → Jct N → Bay City → Houston |