With sunny weather, beautiful beaches and a friendly population, the Gulf of Mexico in Texas is a happy home to many residents. Large cities and quaint towns dot the coastline that stretches for thousands of miles. Each town is unique and offers residents a mixture of quiet living, artistic venues and outdoor activities.
Located on Mustang Island near Corpus Christi, Port Aransas is a charming coastal town that offers many choices for activities, dining and relaxation. Though the population swells during summer weekends and college spring-break weeks, other times of the year, the beach is quiet. The town has art galleries and a community theater that produces quality shows throughout the seasons. The quaint shops offer clothing, home decorations and personal gifts. The restaurants provide a variety of cuisine from seafood to hearty Italian to traditional Mexican fare. Birdwatching and fishing are very popular here and serve as staples to the local economy. However, tourism as a whole provides the most jobs for residents. As of October 2010, the current population is 3,817. Because of the small number of residents, the town requires only one elementary school, middle school and high school. This provides teachers and students with an intimate environment in which to teach and learn.
Nestled on the shores of Galveston Bay, Baytown has a thriving business community and plenty of outdoor activities to offer. Exxon, Chevron and Aamco employ many residents, as do the shopping and banking industries. Baytown is home to the Houston Raceway Park, the San Jacinto Monument and a 400-acre nature center that houses wildflowers, mammals, birds and aquatic organisms. The city has invested a great deal in the public parks, which are clean, safe and offer boat access to the water. Baytown has 14 elementary schools, five junior highs and three high schools. Located within the Goose Creek District, the schools were awarded a $120 million grant in 2005 to restore facilities and improve education programs. As of 2006, the population of Baytown was 78,311.
With a blend of Texan and Cajun inspirations, Beaumont is a bigger city than Port Aransas and Baytown, but still has a small, friendly atmosphere. The city is home to several museums, a performing arts theater and an alligator theme park. Residents enjoy shopping and dining on Dowlen Road, a bustling area full of boutiques and restaurants. Lamar University is here, where over 13,000 students are enrolled every year. Beaumont is also host to a charter high school and several Catholic schools. The majority of the population is employed by the education system and the two local hospitals, Christus St. Elizabeth and Memorial Hermann Baptist. Beaumont sits right next to Sabine National Wildlife Refuge and Lake, which spills out into the Gulf of Mexico. As of the 2000 census, the population was 113,866.
