San Jose Island is a small private island near Port Aransas that you can only access by passenger ferry. This is a great place to visit for the adventurous type that like to explore beaches beyond your typical drive up beaches in the area. The beach is beautiful and feels so remote and untouched compared to the crowded beaches in Port A and North Padre.
I recommend you plan this visit in advance so you have time to prepare and plan. I decided to go at the last minute and it was super stressful and I wasn’t as prepared as I’d have liked to be. The island has absolutely nothing on it, so you need to bring everything you need. The small ferry boat takes you from Port Aransas and is called the “Jetty Boat”.
The ferry is located at The Fisherman’s Wharf at 900 Tarpon St in Port A. The cost is $18 per adult and $9 per child. Check out their website for schedule info: https://www.fishermanswharfporta.com/jetty-boat/
The ferry will not wait for you, so arrive at least 15 minutes early to get your stuff loaded. Be sure to pack what you can carry, we brought a big cooler and put everything else in a wagon. This was a BIG mistake because the sand makes it very difficult to roll anything through. I recommend a backpack cooler instead and that you put your other items in backpack, and then just carry your chairs and beach umbrella by their straps. Get the kids to help!
The first thing you will see when you get off the boat is a concrete walkway that leads to the beach. The beach is about a 100 yards away from the boat. Be sure to look down into the rocks on the way, we saw sea turtles, some big fish, and jellyfish. Fisherman, bring your poles!
Speaking of jellyfish, come prepared with first aid supplies in case anyone gets a sting while swimming. My son and I both got stings while we were there. They weren’t bad ones and didn’t slow us down for long.
The wild life on the beach was awesome too!
One thing that we enjoyed about the island is that it’s right next to the ship channel, so we got to enjoy watching the giant ships sail by all day.
By the end of the day, we were nearly the only people left and it was awesome to be alone on the beach. We saw that one couple was planning to stay over night with their tent, that would be a great way to camp.
Here is my San Jose Island packing list:
- Sunscreen
- Beach Towels
- Beach Blanket
- Beach Umbrella
- Beach Toys
- Chairs
- Hats/Sunglasses
- Rash Guards
- Backpack cooler packed with drinks, lunch items, snacks, ice
- First aid kit-include items for jellyfish stings or cuts
- Emergency meds if needed- inhaler, epi pen, etc. (you have to wait for a ferry to get back to a medical facility)
Drop a comment if you go or if you have any other tips! Enjoy!
Knoll It All Travel 