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Dining & Shopping
Palacios is known as the "Shrimp Capital
of Texas"and is home to the largest
fleet of commercial fishing boats in the
state. The town boasts seven miles of shoreline
so recreational fishing is big here, as
are sailing, kayaking and canoeing. The
waters of Tres Palacios Bay offer prime
fishing for the angling enthusiast. Drift
and wade fishers will find plenty of redfish
and speckled trout. Deep sea fishers in
the Gulf of Mexico can catch grouper, red
snapper, amberjack, wahoo, black drum and
more.
There are kayaking and canoeing trips to
meet any paddler's desire - whether on salt
or fresh water. You can kayak or canoe Tres
Palacios Bay or floating down the nearby
Colorado River, where you'll can enjoy vistas
of rice farms and cattle until the river
meets the gulf. There are five public access
areas on the river, with many offering picnic
sites, camping, fishing piers and group
pavilions. Sailing and wind surfing are
also popular pastimes in Palacios, as are
snorkeling and scuba diving.
Palacios is situated directly on the central
flyway, a migration route where four major
bird groups converge during the spring and
fall. Not surprisingly, birding is a popular
pastime. The area consistently ranks number
one in the Audubon Society's annual Christmas
bird count. More species are regularly spotted
here than anywhere in North America. Examples
of birds that can be spotted include the
painted bunting, Tennessee warbler, scarlet
tanager, roseate spoonbill, hummingbirds,
warblers and more. Along highways, red-tailed
hawks and other birds of prey can be seen
perched on poles; down on the beach, white
and brown pelicans and other shore birds
fish for a meal; in the coastal marshes,
great blue heron, roseate spoonbills and
other wading birds step gingerly through
the tall grass; on the Colorado River, anhinga
and cormorants bask in the sun to dry their
wings; and in the fields and woods throughout
the county, colorful warblers flit from
tree to tree The Great Texas Coastal Birding
Trail lists several sites in Palacios. For
hunters, the area offers alligator, early
teal, dove, goose, duck, hog and deer hunting
in season.
Other activities and attractions include:
Palacios Seawall, a 1.5 mile concrete seawall
that is a favorite spot for walkers. There
are also free boat ramps and numerous lighted
jetties and piers for fishing.
Palacios Golf Course, a 9-hole public course
located adjacent to the Municipal Airport
on Hwy. 35.
Palacios Museum, operated by the Palacios
Area Historical Association, has exhibits
and information about the history of the
town, plus displays about the underwater
excavation of the Belle, one of ships belonging
to French explorer LaSalle that sank in
the bay in 1686. The museum is in a temporary
space on Commerce Street but will eventually
move to the historic 1910 Hill Building
across the street.
Palacios Public Library, affectionately
known as "the best little library in
Texas," was founded in 1907 by five
women. Located on Main Street, the library
has several computers available for public
use, a reference and geneology section,
a wide range of local and Texas history
books, the latest novels and non-fiction
works and a good children's section.
Palacios Municipal Airport, with three
150x5,000-foot concrete runways, is on the
western edge of town.
Useful Links:
Palacios Chamber of Commerce
http://www.palacioschamber.com
Palacios Beacon (local newspaper)
http://www.palaciosbeacon.com
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