The Best Hotels to Book Near the Colorado River, Bay City

Sleep with your feet dangling over Tres Palacios Bay at the Peaceful Pelican. Nestle in for the night on the third floor with your own private rooftop balcony. You don’t need to ruffle your feathers trying to stay busy; rest in your nest, and simply enjoy the breeze. Wake up to a gourmet breakfast; then, digest in a rocker on the Southern-style porch or on the couch in the Victorian-style living room. Spend the day strolling the bay and the night sipping wine by the fire pit.

Keep the kids corralled and comfortable at Comfort Suites. The kiddos will love their pull-out couch, especially since they can connect their video games to their own TV. Of course, they’ll want to spend as much time as possible down in the outdoor pool. The occasional rainstorm may mosey through, but that’s no problem; Schulman’s up the road has a movie theater, bowling alley and arcade to keep you all entertained for hours.

Book a room at La Quinta Inn & Suites, and get to know Bay City. Start with gazing into the bright Texas sky from the pool, then the hot tub, just to make sure the view hasn’t changed. Dry off under the sun, and, then, head into town for a visit to the Matagorda County Museum, where kids can dress up and immerse themselves in pretend pioneer life. Tuck the kids in at night, and head next door to Neon Moon for beers with local bikers.

Your packing list for a stay at Super 8? A three-wood, a nine-iron and a seven-iron, at the very least. Bay City Country Club, Rio Colorado Golf Course and Bay-Cel Golf Course are all within a short drive. We suggest booking the efficiency suite with a fully equipped kitchen so you can come home to your own private 19th hole. Don’t feel like you need to spend all of your time on the greens; you’re welcome to spend time in the water – the pool, we mean, not the hazards.

Flocking to Bay City for the business of birdwatching? Candlewood Suites is prepared for your extended stay. Near the Central Coast Birding Trail and Matagorda County Birding Center, Candlewood Suites has everything you need to feel at home in its all-suite rooms, including fully equipped kitchens and laundry facilities. The Candlewood Cupboard has drinks, snacks and anything else you need to take out on your avian adventure. Well, everything except birdseed.

Is the beach beckoning you to worship the sun? Hampton Inn & Suites keeps you in the center of Bay City only 30mi (48km) from Matagorda Beach. Sleep in as long as you wish, and pick up a free breakfast in your PJs. Slip out of your sleepwear and into your swimsuit. Follow the Colorado River right down to the Gulf, or save the shoreline for another day, and take a dip in the hotel pool instead.

Scottish Inns & Suites is the roadside stopover you are looking for on your trip down the Gulf. This budget-friendly motel was built for comfort with pillowtop mattresses and soundproof walls in every room. They’ve even got a pillow menu so you can catch some sleep without tossing and turning. Want to wake up with a bang? Head just north of Bay City to Clay Time for an afternoon of target practice.

When your fishing license falls out of your wallet as you check in to Days Inn by Wyndham, take it as a sign. Though the hotel is near the city center, the Colorado River is only 2mi (3.2km) away. Wake up early to reel in a free breakfast; then, head out for a morning of line casting on Bay City Lake. If you want to head out onto the Gulf, one of the charters in town would be happy to lure you out to the deep.