The route to Port Aransas comes with a traveling option: take the ferry or drive along the beach on Highway 361.
Either way, both routes come with a view of the beach or bay. But if the ferry is your decision there are some things you should know.
The Port Aransas Ferry takes people, their vehicles — and sometimes dogs — from State Highway 361, near Aransas Pass, across the Corpus Christi Channel to Port Aransas, on Mustang Island, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
How to get to the ferry
From Aransas Pass, drivers will take State Highway 361 where they will run into the ferry just past Gulf Copper Harbor Island, in the100 block of the highway.
How it works
Drivers can then join the up to 20 passenger vehicles for the free quarter-mile ride, which runs 24 hours, seven days a week with between two and six ferries shuttling back and forth,according to TxDot's website.
Vehicles towing a boat should be no longer than 80 feet and should not be wider than 13 feet or taller than 13 feet, 6 inches. Single-axle vehicles should be under 20,000 pounds, tandem axles should be under 34,000 pounds and combination vehicles should be under 80,000 pounds, TxDoT states.
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During the ride
The ride, which takes about 10 minutes, drivers should turn off their vehicles and set their parking brake. Motorists and passengers can get out of their vehicles and stand on the ferry deck, but children should be accompanied at all times and dogs must be restrained in the vehicle, TxDoT states.
Seeing-eye dogs can be on the ferry-deck, but no other animals are allowed on the deck.
The ferry, which departs from Aransas Pass, will drop drivers off at619 W. Cotter Ave. in Port Aransas. Drivers can also re-enter the ferry, at 3 mph, from the Port Aransas location, which will take them back to Aransas Pass.
How long is the wait?
Peak seasons for the ferry may cause longer wait times, but no need to guess how long that wait is. The Port Aransas ferry has a Twitter account, where wait times are frequently posted.
TxDOT Port A Ferry (@PortA_Ferry) | Twitter
For more information on the ferry system, call 361-749-2850 or visit www.txdot.gov.
