The United States Gulf Coast makes up the coast of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, all located in the southern region of the U.S. The economy of the Texas gulf is dominated by industries related to fishing, agriculture, aerospace and tourism. Anchored by the cities of Houston, New Orleans, Mobile and Tampa, there are over 300 miles of coastline bordering the gulf coast, complete with hotels, shopping, dining, attractions and a rich history.
Located in downtown Port Arthur, TX, the Museum of the Gulf Coast is a large museum complete with two floors of exhibits, an orientation theater, classroom, gift shop and one of the largest indoor murals in southwest depicting the discovery of oil at Spindletop. The two floors of dynamic exhibits depict the culture and history of the Gulfs Coast region of southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. The exhibits are diverse and range in subject from natural history to popular culture. The museum also features a Music Hall of Fame, a Sports Legend Gallery, and five temporary exhibits in the Dunn Gallery.
Museum of the Gulf Coast
700 Procter St.
Port Arthur, TX 77640
409-982-7000
museumofthegulfcoast.org
Sitting just at the tropical tip of Texas, South Padre Island borders the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre Bay. Named one of America's best beaches by the Travel Channel, South Padre is the number one attractions for many young island visitors. This public beach welcomes everyone with pavilions, picnic tables, playgrounds and showers. A fun family destination, South Padre offers plenty of activities like fishing, boating, bird watching, shopping, dolphin watching, parasailing, horseback riding, jet skiing and much more. You can participate in all of the outdoor activities or you can just relax and have a cocktail at one of the nightclubs, dine at one of the restaurants, or simply gaze at the breathtaking sunsets and the clear Gulf waters.
South Padre Island
South Padre Island, TX
sopadre.com
Situated in Galveston, TX, Moody Gardens is a tropical amusement theme park tourist destination which features three main pyramids, an IMAX 3D, 4D and Ridefilm theater. There is also a Splashpad automated aquatic center equipped with interactive dumping buckets, spray arches and fountains. In the Aquarium Pyramid, navigate through an underwater tunnel and watch the sharks, sea turtles and thousands of tropical fish, or visit the Discovery Pyramid where they focus on science-oriented exhibits and activities. The Rainforest Pyramid is a 10 story glass pyramid that features tropical animals, fishes and plants. Visitors can also enjoy the Paddlewheel Boat at their beautiful man-made Palm Beach open from May to September, relax on the soft white sands, play some volleyball, or gaze at the blue fresh waters. Palm Beach is only open seasonal from May to September.
Moody Gardens
1 Hope Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77554
800-582-4673
moodygardens.com
