Packery Channel Park

Named for the meat packing plants that landmarked the area back in the 1800s, this narrow ribbon of whooshing gulf waters, bordered by two fish-friendly jetties, is all that separates Mustang Island to the north and Padre Island to the south. The waters that rush through here fill Corpus Christi Bay and feed the adjacent freshwater wetlands and salt marsh. Wrapped in a county park, equipped with a boat ramp and the Oak Motte Sanctuary, Packery Channel teems with wildlife – the kind you can lure on your line from the water and the kind you can capture in the air with your camera. The other great thing you can catch is rays – the beach in Packery Channel Park is a great place to spread out a blanket and soak in the sun.