Sometimes called Texas’ Riviera, the Lone Star State’s Gulf Coast is all about saltwater spray and waves breaking on 624 miles of sandy coastline, a significant slice of America’s “Third Coast.” This stretch of waterfront is where visitors can settle into swanky hotels, roam a kitschy beachside burg or gaze into the Gulf of Mexico.
Houston
Greater Houston, representing a big slice of the Texas Gulf Coast, is the nation’s fourth-largest metropolis, with a diverse cultural scene that delights visitors. Performing arts, museums, pro sporting events and enough retail therapy to keep the most dedicated shopaholic busy are big selling points for the city. NASA’s Space Center Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston are just two of the most popular attractions.
For all its urban nature, Houston belies the expected as a “green” city, with more parkland than most U.S. metros in its size category. One of the newest open-air places is Discovery Green, a 12-acre park centerpiece in the downtown center. Because it’s bounded by the 1.2 million-square-foot George R. Brown Convention Center, the 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston, the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park and the Houston Rockets’ Toyota Center, Discovery Green is a popular place for meeting attendees to relax.
Also new on the downtown scene is Houston Pavilions, a $170 million mixed-used development with dining, entertainment, retail and office spaces.
“Most surprising to those who haven’t been here since 2002 is the amount of new development in our central business district,” says Ken Middleton, vice president of sales at the Greater Houston CVB.
Middleton says there are more downtown development projects in store, including two major hotels.
Between Houston and Galveston is Bay Area Houston, encompassing 35 miles of waterfront, dozens of hotels and seven cities, including Kemah and League City.
Galveston
Galveston Island’s 32 miles of beaches on the Gulf of Mexico aren’t its only visitor lure. The Strand National Historic Landmark District is full of restaurants, stores, antique shops and live entertainment. Galveston is home to one of the largest and best preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country. Visitors enjoy waterborne activities, strolls along Seawall Boulevard and—at the end of the day—sunset tranquility.
Galveston was hit hard by Hurricane Ike this year, and though major meeting facilities are conducting business as usual, some attractions remain shuttered and under repair (see sidebar, this page).
The city’s lead meeting facility is the 140,000-square-foot Galveston Island Convention Center, situated next to the beach. It is a portion of the 30-acre San Luis Resort, Spa & Conference Center, which has 700 guest rooms in three properties: San Luis Hotel, Galveston Island Hilton and Holiday Inn Resort, plus the complex’s 40,000-square-foot conference center.
Moody Gardens Hotel & Convention Center is another major meetings site, with 428 guest rooms and 100,000 square feet of meeting space.
Port Arthur and Beaumont
Port Arthur is where groups can enjoy activities like bird watching, fishing and airboat rides. They can also visit attractions like the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame, which honors the many musicians who were born in Port Arthur and other areas of the Gulf Coast.
Major meetings facilities in Port Arthur include the Robert Bowers Civic Center, with a 20,000-square-foot main hall, a Holiday Inn, a Ramada Inn and several limited-service hotels.
Ever since the Lucas gusher of 1901 erupted in Beaumont, the story of Texas oil and the bayou have combined here to create what the locals call a “lagniappe,” which means “a little something extra.” Crockett Street, the city’s downtown entertainment district, keeps visitors entertained with Cajun cuisine and clubs showcasing all brands of music, from blues to traditional Texas two-step.
Beaumont is well equipped for meetings with its Ford Park Event Center, which has an 18,000-square-foot pavilion, a 48,000-square-foot exhibit hall and a 9,500-seat arena.
The destination also has 3,000 hotel rooms, a waterfront civic center and several museums and attractions.
“Beaumont is easy on the purse strings, with rooms ranging from budget to deluxe,” says Freddie Willard, director of sales for the Beaumont CVB. “We have great meeting facilities that are as big as Texas and can accommodate anywhere from 10 people to 10,000 people, and we’re known for ‘good eating and great times.’”
Corpus Christi
With 100 miles of beaches, Corpus Christi is now Texas’ largest coastal city. Sometimes called the “Birdiest City in America,” it is a great seaside escape where a visitor may not only watch the fowl, but also fish, surf and kite board. Corpus Christi managers are fond of saying the city has birds along with its board and breakout rooms. Its beaches are near big-city energy, with a downtown entertainment district, art community, restaurants, shops and attractions.
American Bank Center is the city’s major gathering space, with 100,000 square feet and an adjacent 10,000-seat arena. Many of the rooms in major meetings hotels and resorts like Omni Corpus Christi, Holiday Inn Emerald Beach, Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, Radisson Hotel Corpus Christi, and Embassy Suites Hotel Corpus Christi boast views of the water.
One of the city’s favorite off-site event venues is the historic USS Lexington aircraft carrier. Sandi Norton, director of marketing for the ship, says groups find plenty of options onboard, including 1940s-themed parties, complete with USO-styled shows.
“We can accommodate a banquet for about 600, and there’s very little decorating needed inside this unique place,” Norton says. “We have 21 military aircraft from several eras onboard.”
Texas State Aquarium is another top attraction and off-site venue. Adding to the fun of visiting the aquarium is the city’s new Harbor Ferry.
“The new ferry provides a flexible means of transportation for convention attendees,” says Amie Daniel, communications manager for the Corpus Christi CVB. “We recently used it to transport attendees at the Texas Society of Association Executives to the aquarium for their kick-off party. They all raved about the view and the boat ride.”
Meanwhile, golfers can enjoy a new Arnold Palmer-designed course at Newport Beach Golf Resort in nearby Port Aransas.
Rockport and Fulton
The picturesque beach communities of Rockport and Fulton lie just north of Corpus Christi.
Their coastal beauty has attracted artists for more than a century, and the Rockport Center for the Arts provides a showcase of some of the artistic output. Goose Island State Park provides some of the artistic inspiration, as does the 115,000-acre Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Downtown shopping, a maritime museum and a restored, circa-1874 cattle baron’s mansion are attractions to be appreciated at the leisurely seaside pace.
Meeting facilities in the area include the Paws & Taws Convention Center, the Rockport Beach Pavilions and hotels with meeting spaces like Best Western by the Bay and Hampton Inn & Suites Rockport-Fulton.
South Padre Island
As one of the coast’s most popular leisure destinations, South Padre Island can deliver waterfront excitement or the serenity of natural wildlife preserves. The island brims with after-business fun, including restaurants, nightspots and recreational options such as fishing.
The South Padre Convention Center is the area’s largest group facility, and it has boardwalks, birding trails and wetlands to refresh attendees during agenda breaks. Other major meetings properties include Bahia Mar Resort, Sheraton South Padre Beach Hotel and Condominiums, Radisson Resort South Padre Island and Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort.
New on the South Padre scene is the Suites at Sunchase, with 16,000 square feet of meeting space.
Brownsville
The city at the southern tip of Texas bustles with “Winter Texans” from northern U.S. climes in the cool season, who come to enjoy its subtropical climate and the two-nation cultural excitement of being right next to Matamoros, Mexico. There’s also plenty of bird watching, dolphin watching, golfing and year-round fiestas.
Planners will find a portfolio of over 30 hotels with meeting facilities, including a Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and a Courtyard by Marriott.
Out and about, visitors enjoy Brownsville golf courses, the Gladys Porter Zoo and the Rio Grande Valley Wing of the Commemorative Air Force Museum.
For More Info
Bay Area Houston CVB 281.338.0333 www.visitbayareahouston.com
Beaumont CVB 409.880.3749 www.beaumontcvb.com
Brownsville CVB 956.546.3721 www.brownsville.org
Corpus Christi CVB 361.881.1888 www.corpuschristicvb.com
Galveston Island CVB 409.797.5100 www.galveston.com
Greater Houston CVB 713.437.5200 www.visithoustontexas.com
League City Convention and Visitors Corp. 281.338.7339 www.visitleaguecity.com
Port Arthur CVB 409.985.7822 www.portarthurtexas.com
Rockport-Fulton Area COC 361.729.6445 www.rockport-fulton.org
South Padre Island CVB 956.761.3005 www.sopadre.com
