Tourist Bureau provides a wealth of information

T he people in the know about Port

Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce - Tourist Bureau staff admire their new sign Aransas are the

staff members at the Chamber of Commerce- Tourist Bureau.

The bureau is located at 403 W. Cotter, about a block east of the ferry landing in the sunny yellow building trimmed in white. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The office is closed on Sunday. 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 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).

Summer hours at the satellite office are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The number is 749-6036.

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.

Details of local and area events can be had for the asking.

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

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 tourist bureau's 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.