San José Island — the wild island across the channel

What San José Island actually is

San José is the next barrier island up the coast from Mustang Island, separated from Port Aransas by the Aransas Pass ship channel — the same channel the ferries and dolphins work. The entire island is privately owned and managed primarily as a wildlife haven: no public roads, no development, no vehicles. Texas law keeps the wet beach — the sand below the mean high tide line — open to everyone, so visitors land at the dock near the north jetty and spread out along the Gulf shoreline from there. Stay on the beach; the dunes and interior are private property.

Because so few people make the crossing and no cars ever comb the sand, the beach stays wild in a way the drivable beaches can't — fresh shells on every tide, ghost crabs everywhere, and long stretches where the only footprints are yours.

How to get there: the Jetty Boat

The only public access is the Jetty Boat, a passenger shuttle that has run from Fisherman's Wharf (around 900 Tarpon Street, in the heart of old town Port Aransas) for decades. The crossing takes about five to seven minutes, boats run daily, and departures are spread through the day — earliest runs start around sunrise in summer, and the last return boat typically leaves the island around 6:00 pm. Round-trip fare runs about $20 for ages 13 and up, $10 for ages 6–12, and free under 6; schedules shift by season, so confirm times and rates with Fisherman's Wharf before you go.

Two rules keep the day fun. First, know when the last boat leaves and be standing on the dock before it does — there is no shelter, no camping, and no other way home. Second, treat the boat schedule as the skeleton of your day: most visitors find four to six hours on the island is the sweet spot.

• Board at Fisherman's Wharf, ~900 Tarpon Street, Port Aransas
• Ride time: about 5–7 minutes each way
• Runs daily, seasonal schedule — earliest boats around sunrise in summer
• Don't miss the last return boat (typically around 6:00 pm)
• You'll often see dolphins working the channel on the crossing

A short history of St. Jo

The Spanish charted and named the island, and by the 1840s a small port town called Aransas stood near its southern tip — until Union marines burned it during the Civil War, and it was never rebuilt. In the 1930s, Fort Worth oilman Sid Richardson bought the entire island, ran cattle on it, and built a private retreat that drew remarkable guests: Franklin D. Roosevelt fished these waters in 1937, and Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson visited in later years. The island passed to Richardson's nephew Perry R. Bass, and the Bass family remains closely associated with it today. The Texas Legislature made "San José" the official name in 1973, but around the docks it has always been St. Jo.

FDR's 1937 tarpon-fishing visit is part of Port Aransas lore on both sides of the channel — the [Tarpon Inn](/roosevelts-tarpon-inn-port-aransas), where his party was headquartered, still stands on Cotter Avenue with thousands of signed tarpon scales on the lobby walls.

Shelling: the best beach in the area

St. Jo is the shelling trip on this coast. Vehicle-free sand and light foot traffic mean the beach isn't picked over, and every tide restocks it — lightning whelks (the Texas state shell), shark eyes, angel wings, sand dollars, and the occasional starfish. Go early, aim for low tide when the most seabed is exposed, and the days after a storm or full moon are the jackpot windows. Collect empty shells only: anything occupied — including brown or fuzzy sand dollars — goes back in the surf. Our sand dollar guide covers timing and technique in detail.

Fishing and birding

Surf anglers spread out along the Gulf side, and the granite north jetty on the San José side of the channel is one of the best big-fish platforms in the area — redfish, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, pompano, and whiting all ride the tides through the pass. Wear grip-soled shoes on the rocks and respect the swell. A Texas fishing license with a saltwater endorsement is required for anglers 17 and older; see our full fishing guide and surf fishing guide for tactics and gear.

Birders get the island at its best in the cooler months. Port Aransas sits on the Central Flyway, so shorebirds and waders move through year-round — and in winter, the world's last wild flock of whooping cranes feeds on the marshes of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge across the bay (a record 557 birds were counted in the 2024–25 season). Pack binoculars; our whooping crane and birding guide covers the boat tours that get you close.

What to pack (there is no store)

Pack like there's nothing on the other side, because there isn't — no shops, no restrooms, no shade, no fresh water. The essentials, learned the hard way by generations of day-trippers:

• More water than you think you need, plus snacks in a soft cooler
• Sunscreen, hats, and a beach umbrella or lightweight shade
• Water shoes or sturdy sandals — required footing on the jetty rocks
• Mesh bag for shells; rod and small tackle kit if you're fishing
• Dry bag for phones, a portable battery, and a mini first-aid kit
• A trash bag — everything you bring comes back with you