Best of Port Arthur, TX | Enjoy Gulf Coast
Port Arthur sits on the northwest shore of Sabine Lake near the Louisiana border, a refinery port city that calls itself the Cajun Capital of Texas. It is the hometown of Janis Joplin, honored at the Museum of the Gulf Coast, and the gateway to Pleasure Island, Sea Rim State Park, and some of the best redfish water on the upper coast. Gumbo, zydeco, Mardi Gras, and Gulf history give it a flavor unlike anywhere else in Texas.
What to do
Museum of the Gulf Coast
The Museum of the Gulf Coast at 700 Procter St covers Gulf Coast history, natural history, and art, with a Music Hall of Fame featuring a permanent exhibit on Janis Joplin, who was born and raised in Port Arthur. Exhibits also honor football coach Jimmy Johnson and pop artist Robert Rauschenberg.
Pleasure Island
Pleasure Island is a 3,500-acre man-made island in Sabine Lake with a marina, golf course, fishing, crabbing, boating, hiking, biking, birding, and camping. The Sabine Causeway at its south end connects Texas to Louisiana.
Sabine Lake and Sea Rim
Sabine Lake is a large estuary between Texas and Louisiana, famous for redfish, flounder, and trout fishing. Nearby Sea Rim State Park and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge add boardwalks, birding, and untouched coastal marsh.
Cajun Capital of Texas
Port Arthur calls itself the Cajun Capital of Texas, with crawfish season, gumbo, etouffee, and live zydeco and two-step music along the Cajun Heritage Trail. Mardi Gras is a growing family-oriented celebration here.
Good to know
- The Museum of the Gulf Coast is at 700 Procter St; its Music Hall of Fame has a permanent Janis Joplin exhibit. Joplin was born and raised in Port Arthur.
- Pleasure Island is a 3,500-acre man-made island surrounded by Sabine Lake and the Intracoastal Waterway; the Sabine Causeway at its south end connects Texas and Louisiana.
- Port Arthur is on the northwest shore of Sabine Lake, about nine miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and was named for railroad financier Arthur E. Stilwell.
- Sea Rim State Park offers birding, camping, kayaking, and a boardwalk on the upper Texas coast.
Visitor tips
- Sabine Lake is famous for redfish, flounder, and trout; the Port Arthur visitors bureau sells an area waters guide with fishing spots and marina info.
Fishing, boating, and seafood
Sabine Lake is a redfish factory — the shallow, oyster-studded estuary straddling Texas and Louisiana produces some of the best shallow-water redfishing on the Gulf Coast, along with speckled trout and flounder. Pleasure Island's marina gives anglers direct access to the lake, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the nearshore Gulf through Sabine Pass. Crabbers work the lake's edges, and shrimp boats still tie up along the Port Arthur waterfront. Local tables run heavy on Gulf shrimp, blue crabs, crawfish in season, and the gumbo that gives the Cajun Capital its name.
Seasonal rhythms
Spring and fall are prime for fishing Sabine Lake, when trout and redfish feed hardest in the shallow flats. Summer brings family boating and beach trips to Sea Rim. Winter quiets the waterfowl marshes at McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, where migrating ducks and geese settle in — and birders work the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail stops along the upper coast year-round.
Nearby Destinations
- Sabine Pass — Civil War battleground, shoreline fishing, and ship-channel views at the mouth of the Sabine River.
- Bolivar Peninsula — ferry-linked barrier peninsula with Fort Travis and the Bolivar Point Lighthouse.
- Galveston — the island city: Strand shopping, Moody Gardens, and deep beach-town history across the causeway.
Keep exploring the Texas coast
Research date: 2026-10-12. This is a research draft, not yet verified. How we verify.