Deep in the heart of Texas — and right here along the Gulf Coast — Mexican free-tailed bats number in the tens of millions, and they make remarkable neighbors. At the historic Farley Boat Works in Port Aransas, this hands-on workshop walks you through building a small wooden bat house, sized to shelter around half a dozen of these night-flying creatures. Finish it, hang it up at home, and come dusk you'll have a front-row seat to one of nature's quieter spectacles.
After a morning of sawdust and craft in the heart of town, Port Aransas is small enough that a slow walk back puts you close to the shore — and Beached Inn is right there waiting, salt breeze on the porch and the sound of the surf to close out the day.