Port Arthur

Coastal hospitality, natural beauty and the promise of spicy seafood combine to make Port Arthur the official Cajun Capital of Texas. Head east from Houston and enjoy a thriving port town on the banks of Sabine Lake. Anglers, birders, music and history lovers are invited to explore Pleasure Island, the Gulf of Mexico’s shores at Sea Rim State Park and treasures including Museum of the Gulf Coast.

Wildlife refuges, scenic marshland, soaring bridges and natural beaches get families close to nature as they kayak, sail, fish and disc golf. Pleasure Island’s new bird blind offers a waterside view of birds, with maybe an alligator sighting as a bonus. Dream of falling asleep under the stars? Dare to book Sea Rim State Park’s floating raft or the cabin that sleeps 6, overlooking the marsh unit.

Port Arthur’s coastal placement attracts diverse cultures to claim the area as home, with festivals and events celebrating Mexican, Vietnamese, Cajun, African-American and other residents. Follow our Faith Trail to Buu Mon Buddhist Temple, Queen of Peace Shrine and Gardens and Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine.    

Locals love crawfish and gumbo as much as they do the music that gets us moving to zydeco and accordion beats, country fiddles and blues riffs. Museum of the Gulf Coast’s music hall of fame features area legends from Janis Joplin and the Big Bopper to Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Tex Ritter and Bun B. The rock-to-swamp pop-to-hip-hop story is just one of several shared at the Museum.

Railroad developer Arthur Stilwell claims spirits he called “brownies” advised him to create Port Arthur as a trade center. In 1898, Port Arthur became incorporated and the Port Arthur Ship Channel and Dock Co. welcomed its first ship a year later. Two years later, Spindletop blew in nearby Beaumont and Port Arthur became the largest oil refining area of the world by the mid-20^th Century.

The Cajun Capital of Texas is waiting to show you how they let the good times roll.