Without airs, 18-mile long Mustang Island with its quirky, fun-loving town, a fisher’s bolthole known as Port Aransas, has been a Texas tourism staple for decades. Before that, it harbored native people, the Karankawa, and was the enclave of pirates, Spanish explorers, wild horses and some cattlemen — not to mention a slew of great tarpon hunters, including Teddy Roosevelt.
Still unaffected and unspoiled today, Port A and its environs have grown immensely, shifting with the times. But that wild-Texan, Jimmy Buffet-in-flip-flops-with-a-cowboy-hat spirit lives on. There’s still a sleepy bliss to this part of the languorous Texas Coastal Bend. It’s easy to understand why Texas families in search of a good time swarm the island’s beaches and wander the charmingly frill-free streets of Port A year-round.
Mustang Island and Port Aransas
Easily reached by car from San Antonio (and other Texas hubs), the island makes for a convenient “drive to” holiday. Cross the Corpus Christi Ship Channel by ferry, with dolphins escorting the boat, to enjoy beach shack restaurants, an old-fashioned candy store, cheap bikini shops, knickknack boutiques and plenty of bird-watching sanctuaries. (Look for roseate spoonbills, whooping cranes, alligators, blue herons, a lone flamingo and more.) Broad, clean beaches, littered with shells, connect a range of retreats, condos and hideaways, though visitors can walk (or take a golf cart) for miles, finding plenty of undeveloped nature, too. Mustang Island is an undiscovered paradise — a secret that Texans tend to keep to themselves.
Here’s the thing: I’ve been visiting the destination since I was a toddler. Its DNA has melded with mine. For most of us, Port A remains a delectable slice of vintage Texas.
Yet, for years, I’ve wanted the island to up its game. I’ve yearned for this casual beach retreat to have fancier vibes, offer more elevated digs and present that kind of resort ambience where kids could, say, wear matching outfits for pristine Easter photos without feeling like they were overdressed. I imagined a Port A where honeymooners could find a suite with an extravagant soaking tub, a private balcony and a lavishly layered, king-size bed. I’ve dreamed of a hideaway where families could tuck into a luxury community so resplendent with amenities and activities that choosing Port A might seem as likely a vacation option for pampering repose as Hawaii or the Caribbean.
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Luxury on Mustang Island
Enter Cinnamon Shore. Not a moniker for a region or a certain beach, this is a newly built retreat community, located about midway down the island from Port A. Deftly embodying the principles of New Urbanism, a design movement that results in walkable, small townlike enclaves, Cinnamon Shore will remind travelers of Seaside (and other popular destinations) along Florida’s County Highway 30-A. Awash in public spaces, such as grassy plazas for gathering, dog parks for carousing with fur buddies, swimming pools, palm-lined, pedestrian pathways and au courant restaurants, Cinnamon Shore houses guests in homes and cottages. Most are multi-level; some have views of the sea. Ranging in size from one to eight bedrooms, many have capacities for 10 people or more. This makes them ideal for family reunions, work retreats, romantic weekends or girls getaway weekends.
What It’s Like
Summoning the nostalgic, neighborly connections fostered by old school cul-de-sacs, Cinnamon Shore offers breezy freedom, casual fun — even a sense of summer camp brilliance and excitability. The brightly painted storybook houses, all in a row with shared gardens and sidewalks, invite conviviality, and new friends are quickly met. Contemporary and picturesque in style, topped with gabled roofs and wrapped with huge porches, the homes have an element of fantasy. Their architecture suggests celebration, and their mantra might be “Don’t take yourself too seriously.” Whimsical names such as Don’t Worry, Beach Happy or Beachful Easy Feeling seal the deal.
Elegant Homes with Casual Luxury
During my recent visit, we rented a home playfully called Marky P and the Funky Beach, a name that belied the house’s overall elegance and opulence. Its aura clearly urged us to prioritize family fun, even in this most luxe of spaces. With six bedrooms and six bathrooms, the veritable beach mansion had two ample terraces, myriad common areas and, best of all for those with a penchant for cooking, a sparkling chef’s kitchen kitted out with top-tier appliances. Unlike any condo or house offered elsewhere on Mustang Island, Marky P’s kitchen boasts state-of-the-art brands (Think Thermador) and accoutrements that we were surprised to find in a rental home. A coffee grinder, serious juicer, two wine fridges and three dishwashers, for example — need I say more?
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What You’ll Do There
Once at Cinnamon Shore, guests tend to hunker down to revel in the plethora of activities it offers, whether fishing from a fully-stocked pond or cozying up around bonfires on the beach, complete with s’mores. Multiple pools, playgrounds, an outdoor movie venue, rentable bikes, life-size lawn games, fitness centers and a pickleball court offer alternatives to lounging on the beach beneath a Cinnamon Shore umbrella and chair set (labeled with your name, of course.) Nearly everyone secures a Cinnamon Shore official golf cart, six-seaters that convey guests around the property, across the bridgelike pier to the beach and beyond. There’s a sense of belonging as you trundle over the sand, passing by and honking at other Cinnamon Shore carts, your dogs and family members in tow. Take part in activities from yoga to fishing expeditions. You can hire photographers organized by the team or have a barefoot wedding on the beach. Nosh ice cream from a food truck, sip wine at Lisabella’s Bistro, a haven of coastal cuisine, or wake up with a foamy cappuccino at The Shore Cafe on Market Street.
Cinnamon Shore South in 2026
Continuing to grow, the flagship section of Cinnamon Shore (now called Cinnamon Shore North) recently opened a New American restaurant, Stout’s on the Shore, with more eateries and offerings to come. Fully launching in 2026, Cinnamon Shore South, built in close proximity to its “other half,” connects via a pier on the beach and shares a central village area. This next chapter of the five-star experience on Mustang Island adds more indulgences, including a Mexican-Cajun restaurant.
Book homes in either section for school holidays, Valentine’s Day, spring break, mental health days and old-fashioned summer vacations. You’ll find the houses perfect for long-stay trips where adults combine work and play.
Cinnamon Shore does more than bring a swankiness to this storied island and its laid-back hamlet. The community-style resort fulfills that wistfulness travelers share for simple pleasures, less complicated times and mindful holidays spent with those we love best.