Tourist Bureau has visitor info

I f you have a question about Port Aransas or Mustang Island,

The Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce-Tourist Bureau has opened a new satellite office on the south side of town inside the Port Aransas Community Theatre. stop by the Chamber

of Commerce-Tourist Bureau.

It is located at 403 W. Cotter, about a block east of the ferry landing in the sunny yellow building trimmed in white. The tourist bureau also operates a satellite office in the Port Aransas Community Theater building on State Hwy. 361 at Sea Isle Drive. It has general information and brochures about Port Aransas accommodations, dining, shopping, fishing and other activities. This office also sells tickets for PACT productions (no longer sold at the main office on Cotter). The new information center is open on Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tourist bureau staff members have a wealth of information, as well as brochures from all the member businesses. For visitors staying in the area for longer periods, brochures from other Texas destinations also are available.

Port Aransas is a great place to spend a day at the beach with your family looking for seashells, building sandcastles or strolling on the beach. Details of local and area events can be had for the asking at the tourist bureau.

The tourist bureau also has dining and accommodations guides as well as the South Jetty's Visitors' Guide - but you knew that because you're reading this!

Beach parking permits are sold at the tourist bureau, as are Port Aransas t-shirts.

Visitors who want to plan a return visit for a family or school reunion or business meeting can get help from tourist bureau staffers. Also, tour groups on buses can arrange to have a tour guide from the bureau join them for a narrated tour.

The Cotter Street tourist bureau lobby is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. When the lobby is closed, a rack with brochures, dining and accommodations guides, and a South Jetty newspaper rack are left on the porch.

The tourist bureau's newly redesigned Web site, www.portaransas.org, "is a great source of information with lots of links," said Ann Bracher Vaughan, executive director of the bureau.

Contact the bureau by phone at (361) 749-5919 (1-800-45-COAST) or by e-mail at info@portaransas. org.