Bayfront Peninsula Park & Fishing Pier – Port Lavaca, TX
The weather was windy and the pier was mostly empty of people when we stopped by Bayfront Peninsula Park in Port Lavaca. The most interesting sight was a flock of seagulls standing on the pier railing, all seemingly aligned to face the wind, like they’d agreed on it beforehand.
The lighted fishing pier is the headliner, but the park is really the whole show: about 20 waterfront acres just steps from downtown, with a children’s playground, splash pads, picnic pavilions, a boat ramp, and benches along a mile of paved, lighted pathway for sitting and watching Lavaca Bay. The playground even carries a little history: the play ship is named La Belle, after the ship La Salle lost in Matagorda Bay in 1686. It’s an easy, pleasant stop if you’re passing through town.
At the point of the peninsula is the Calhoun County Bayfront Veterans Memorial, a six-pointed star with one point for each branch of service, including the Merchant Marines. Each point flies its branch’s flag around a thirty-foot American flag at the center, and the plaza is paved with thousands of bricks, hundreds of them inscribed with the names of local veterans. It’s a lovely, quietly moving spot with the bay behind it.
Beware of the gift you may get when a seagull is overhead. And the smell of the saltwater is pungent enough to make you wonder if it’s corroding the engine while you stand there. ;-)
Lighthouse Beach and its Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse are 5 minutes away.
