Texas's 'City Of Enchantment' Is A Gulf Coast Escape With Vibrant Marine Life And Thriving Bird Sanctuaries

It's pretty easy to see how the Lone Star State's very own Lake Jackson earned the moniker of the "City of Enchantment." This stunning Texas Gulf Coast locale is surrounded by bewitching wild spaces about as far as the eye can see. The city has changed quite a bit over the decades. With roots stretching back to the early 1940s, Lake Jackson was originally founded as a planned community for employees of a Dow Chemical Company plant that had opened in the area. The settlement in southeast Texas, spearheaded by architect Alden B. Dow, the son of Dow Chemical Company founder Herbert H. Dow, was constructed on the site of the Abner Jackson Plantation, an old sugar plantation that was built about 100 years earlier in the 1840s.

Today, Lake Jackson — named after Abner Jackson himself — has forged an entirely new reputation as a wildlife lover's paradise, with exhibits dedicated to the region's vibrant marine life and several lively bird sanctuaries dotting the area. It's perched just up the shore from the Gulf Coast's uncrowded Matagorda Beach and revered for its scenic beauty and endless recreational activities.

For overnight visits, Lake Jackson boasts plenty of comfy accommodation options for every budget, including a Best Western Plus, Staybridge Suites, and a Home2 Suites by Hilton. The city is also part of the Greater Houston metropolitan region, served by several airports including the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Ready to see the birds? Let's take a closer look at the wildlife wonders waiting for you in Lake Jackson.

Birds abound in Lake Jackson, making it one of the best birdwatching destinations in the US, thanks to its wide range of coastal wetland, marsh, and woodland habitats. Grab your binoculars and head on over to the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory — a "beautiful, quiet location where you will see many species," a former visitor shared on Tripadvisor. Roam more than 2 miles of birding trails, which are lined with several bird feeding stations, giving you a better chance at spotting some of the region's feathery-winged critters. Just keep in mind that the sanctuary is closed on the weekends, so you'll have to get your birding in throughout the week.

You can also mosey on over to the neighboring city of Freeport, an underrated Texas coastal town known for its Gulf views, to walk along the Freeport Wetlands Trail. The easy 1-mile loop circles a 50-acre freshwater marsh, home to laughing gulls, American coots, blue-winged teals, and much, much more.

The Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary and the Surfside Beach Bird & Butterfly Trail are both about a 20-minute drive from Lake Jackson. The former, which is partly owned by the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, features an observation tower that you can climb to see birds at their level. The latter can be found hugging the Freeport Harbor along the shore of Surfside Beach near the corner of Parkview Road and Monument Drive. The area is teeming with both butterflies and birds, including herons, terns, egrets, and pelicans. "This small trail is exceptionally well maintained with birdseed and nectar stations filled each day," one reviewer wrote on Tripadvisor. "An added bonus is being able to watch from the trail as ocean going ships enter the harbor."

Don't pack up yet, because the enchantment doesn't stop there. You can marvel at some of the region's marine life right from the safety of dry land with a trip to Lake Jackson's popular aquarium, Sea Center Texas. Get up close and personal with blue, hermit, and stone crabs at the touch pool, or see the fish hatchery, which is available to tour by reservation. Best of all, admission is completely free, at the time of writing, though donations are always appreciated. While you're there, check out the wetlands exhibit, where you can traipse above marshes on a boardwalk, potentially catching sight of turtles, green tree frogs, and a variety of birds along the way. Be sure to print out the Sea Center Texas' nature checklist to keep track of what you see as you stroll about.

What's more, the nature trail-laden Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area is only about 20 minutes away. The Brazoria and San Bernard National Wildlife Refuges, both of which hug the Gulf's lapping waters for tens of thousands of acres, also flank Lake Jackson on the coast. And Brazos Bend State Park, famed for its gator population, is within a hop, skip, and a jump away if you head farther inland. There's even a wilderness park within city limits named, you guessed it, Wilderness Park. There, you can meander along an interpretative nature loop while taking in views of the rustling Buffalo Camp Bayou and Brazos River, the longest river in all of the Lone Star State.