Island Moorings — Port Aransas

Island Moorings is the island's canal-and-marina neighborhood — homes wrapped around a private, wind-protected marina and a network of canals where nearly every backyard ends in a boat dock. Short-term rentals aren't allowed here, so the whole neighborhood is owners and second homes: boats first, quiet always.

At a Glance

Price band

Generally $1M+ — canal-front homes with private docks.

Property types

Canal homes with docks · Custom homes · Homesites

Beach access

Bay-and-channel side of the island — drive or cart to the Gulf access points; your boat is already in the water out back.

Getting around

Quiet internal streets; cart or car for town errands. The marina, ship store, and on-site dining are the neighborhood amenities.

HOA / ownership

POA community; no short-term rentals — owner-occupied and second homes only.

What It Feels Like

Boat-dock mornings. Coffee on the bulkhead while the water wakes up, then out Piper Channel before the town's first ferry line forms. Streets are quiet in a way most beach towns can't offer — with no vacation-rental turnover, your neighbors are your neighbors, whether they're here every day or every other month. Evenings end at The Phoenix, the fine-dining restaurant right inside the neighborhood, or back on the dock.

The Marina Is the Amenity

The neighborhood is built around Island Moorings Marina & Yacht Club — private and wind-protected, with slip rentals from daily to yearly, diesel and non-ethanol fuel, self-serve pump-out, and a ship store stocked with bait, tackle, and ice. The basin and Piper Channel carry an 8-foot mean depth (mind the tides). For the harbor-side version of boat life, see the Marina Guide.

Who This Area May Appeal To

•Boat owners who want the boat in the water behind the house, not in a storage barn
•Second-home buyers who want genuine quiet — no short-term-rental turnover next door
•Full-time residents who value an all-owners community feel
•Golfers — Palmilla's links course sits just across Hwy 361

Property Considerations

Canal-front homes with private docks anchor the neighborhood, joined by custom homes and some remaining homesites. Bulkheads and docks join the inspection list here, alongside the usual island items — flood zone, elevation, and windstorm certification. And plan your math around ownership, not income: the no-short-term-rental rule is the neighborhood's defining feature, not a footnote.

Ask Porter

He knows the island

Have a question about the Island Moorings neighborhood in Port Aransas? Porter has decades of Port A know-how — ask him anything.

Prefer to talk to a person?

Our team is here to help with Port Aransas real estate questions, trip planning, and local advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are short-term rentals allowed in Island Moorings?▾

No. Island Moorings does not allow short-term rentals — which is exactly why it's the island's quietest full neighborhood. Every home is owner-occupied or a second home, so there's no vacation-rental turnover.

Do homes in Island Moorings have boat docks?▾

Most canal-front homes have their own private dock — the neighborhood is built around a canal network that feeds Island Moorings Marina, a private, wind-protected marina with slip rentals, fuel, and a ship store. The basin and Piper Channel carry an 8-foot mean depth.

What do homes in Island Moorings cost?▾

Generally $1M and up for canal-front homes with docks, with custom homes and some homesites in the mix. Pricing moves — ask Will or Porter for the current picture on specific properties.

Related Guides

All Neighborhoods

Compare all Port Aransas areas.

Marina Guide

Both of the island's marinas, explained.

Quiet Coastal Retreats

The island's other quiet answer.

Second-Home Guide

For buyers who won't live here full-time.