< Previous50 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 FEATURE He believes newer, better buildings will withstand the next ill tide and that continued growth of largely vaca- tion-home communities is inevitable, bringing an influx of visitors and part- time residents from east Texas and the Beaumont area as well as the massive Houston metropolis. ‘THE SMALL TOWN I LOVE’ Mark Rodriguez was born and raised on Bolivar and, like his grand- father and father before him, made a career working on the Texas De- partment of Transportation’s Galves- ton-Bolivar Ferry. Together, the family provided more than 90 years of ferry service. Long lines have plagued the ferry during busy tourist seasons since Galveston tourism boomed over the past decade. “It’s really not set up that well to have that many people coming in such concentration,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve seen ferry lines backed up as far as 14th and Broadway. If you don’t pick your time right, you’re gonna be stuck in line for a couple hours.” The Texas Department of Transpor- tation recently added one new boat to the ferry fleet, making it possible for multiple boats to run when one is down for repairs. The state cur- rently is building a two-story parking garage at the Galveston landing to accommodate ferry riders who want to walk on and simply ride over to the peninsula and back. On the Bolivar side, tourism guides encourage entry onto the peninsula from Winnie, off Interstate 10 east of Houston and west of Beaumont. The problems Rodriguez sees on Bolivar reflect growing pains ev- erywhere along the Texas coast in 2023: rising housing prices and little to no affordable housing for work- ers supporting tourism enterprises; inadequate infrastructure for rapid growth; environmental degradation; and increased traffic. Still, it’s home, Rodriguez said. “It’s the small town I love,” he said. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 51 (Clockwise from top) Retired ferry worker Mark Rodriguez stands at the landing on Bolivar Peninsula. Rodriguez followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather as a ferry worker. The family has racked up almost 100 years of ferry work combined; the Bolivar ferry began as a municipally owned service in the early 1930s with two diesel-powered ferries, each capable of carrying 30 vehicles, according to the Texas State Historical Association. The ferry reduced the distance between Galveston and Port Arthur-Beaumont by 60 miles; Mark Rodriguez’s father, Richard, fourth from the right, pictured with engineering department coworkers. (Opposite, from top) The historic Bolivar Point Lighthouse greets visitors to the peninsula. The 150-year-old structure is an iconic landmark on the Texas Gulf coast; the Bolivar Point historical marker at the Jane Long Memorial near the entrance to Fort Travis. There are several historical markers commemorating the peninsula’s history. PHOTOS: COURTESY MARK RODRIGUEZ52 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 FEATURE “I either know most of my neighbors or I’m related to them. It’s hard to throw a stick and not hit a relative.” ‘A LOT OF FUN’ Brad Ballard is one of the devel- opers who has invested in the future of Bolivar as a tourist destination. It’s also his part-time home; he divides his time between Friendswood and Laguna Harbor on the peninsula, one of the neighborhoods his company built. Ballard is associated with major developments on Bolivar, including Laguna Harbor, the luxury community Seagrass and Margaritaville RV Park. At Laguna Harbor, his next plan is to develop a full-service, 120-slip ma- rina along with a small restaurant and a few other retail businesses. “We have a permit for the marina; it’s fully permitted and planned and will start in 2024,” Ballard said. (From top) Bartender Dylan Wainscott works at the swim-up bar at the License to Chill Pool at the Camp Margaritaville RV Resort in Crystal Beach; Minh Tran is one of the co-owners of the devel- opment, which offers campers resort-style amenities. COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 53 For the moment, he’s tied up with Camp Margaritaville on land he bought in 2021, completed develop- ment as an RV park, then entered into a franchise agreement with the nation- al enterprise in November 2022. “It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. Fins Bar & Grill, the restaurant at Margaritaville, seats 300, is open to the public and is the first restaurant Ballard has been involved with since he wait- ed tables some 20 years ago, he said. “Once you enter the gates at Margaritaville, it’s very quiet and expansive. It’s 150 acres with only 40 developed,” he said. On the property are two 1-acre fish- ing ponds, and the development hasn’t disturbed either wetlands or sand dunes on the property, Ballard said. “We worked very closely with the county and the Texas General Land Office,” he said. (From top) Angy Chambers, Cassidy Stanley and Dillon Stanley, all visiting from Arkansas, relax at the License to Chill Pool; Jeremiah Ackerman is the executive chef at Fins Bar & Grill, a restaurant with a beach bar vibe at Margaritaville. It’s open to resort guests and the public.Margaritaville boasts the largest swimming pool of any RV park in the country, Ballard said. Just a mile up the road from Mar- garitaville, plans have been circulat- ing for a massive new development by The Bolivar Investment Group. Preliminary website postings about The Peninsula Beach Resort tout “a 110-acre multi-phased, integrated beachfront development … the only fly-in beach resort in the U.S. with a private airport.” When completed, according to plans, The Peninsula Beach Resort will comprise 41,000 square feet of dining and entertainment areas on the beach, 77 beach cottages, 90 luxury homes, RV spots, beachfront condo towers, a boutique hotel, retail shops, a workout spa, an Olympic-size pool and pickleball courts. All of that’s a big bet for the peninsula that will require major investments in expanded infra- structure, such as a new sewage treatment plant and better water and electric power service, Ballard and Rodriguez said. Members of the investment group are well connected with the sewage utility in Beaumont that services Bolivar Peninsula, and with land mitigation professionals 54 COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 FEATURE “What we have on the Bolivar Peninsula is like no other place on the Texas Gulf Coast. It’s a 27-mile stretch of paradise rich in history … A sand-between-your-toes kind of place …” DAVID HARRIS COASTMONTHLY.COM | MAY 2023 55 who know how to secure permits for building on environmentally sen- sitive sites in exchange for purchas- ing land elsewhere to be preserved in perpetuity, developers say. The website predicts a summer 2024 opening for The Peninsula Beach Resort. SAND BETWEEN YOUR TOES “Bolivar’s changing whether peo- ple like it or not,” said David Harris, principal operator of the Bolivar Tourism Center and publisher of Coastal Outdoors Newsletter and the extensive website www.bolivar peninsulatexas.com. “Our infrastructure has kept up, but we’re going to have to add some new infrastructure,” he said. “Entergy, our electric provider, is doing upgrades now to make sure we have the power we need. The water system is being upgraded as we speak.” Harris sees more retirees moving to the peninsula and a burgeoning real estate market as well as many new businesses. But his outlook, like many others, can take the tint right out of rose-colored glasses, reflecting reality for many tourist destinations on the Texas Gulf Coast. “All it takes is one big storm and no matter how busy we are, it’s back to zero again,” he said. During spring break, some peninsu- la restaurants had an hour and a half wait for tables, a new development for full-time residents, Harris said. Yet Bolivar, despite its recent growth, remains largely undiscovered in the tourism industry. “A lot of people who stay in Galveston ride the ferry over, then want to see what Bolivar’s all about,” Harris said. “Man, you can drive on the beach here! You don’t have to go down steps and tote stuff down to the sand. We get discovered almost on a daily basis.” What’s worth preserving on Bo- livar are the family ties, small-town pleasures, natural beauty and gener- ally laid-back atmosphere, he said. In a tribute to his adopted home, Harris wrote: “What we have on the Bolivar Peninsula is like no other place on the Texas Gulf Coast. It’s a 27-mile stretch of paradise rich in history … A sand-between-your-toes kind of place.” (From top) Cyler Parker and Eli Emmons play cornhole on Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula; Beachgoers motor along Crystal Beach. Vehicles are allowed to drive and park along the 27-mile stretch of beaches on the peninsula. (Opposite) David Harris, principal operator of the Bolivar Tourism Center, long has been a champion of tourism on the peninsula. Bolivar is discovered almost on a daily basis by visitors wanting to see what the peninsula is all about, he said.Women’s Health services include: • Adolescent gynecology • Breast health • Cancer care • Gynecology • Hormone therapy • Menopause • Pelvic health • Pregnancy care • Urogynecology SCAN TO LEARN MORE Care for all seasons of life Call our 24/7 Access Services team at (800) 917-8906 , visit our website at utmbhealth.com/womens or scan the QR code to find a doctor and schedule your next appointment. 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I spent many childhood and teenage days and nights during the spring and summer fishing Bolivar from a family friend’s fishing camp. The area boasts a rich history full of angling traditions that have been passed on for generations. Bolivar Peninsula puts some excel- lent bay and surf fishing hotspots at anglers’ fingertips, and many of my favorite memories have occurred here. Right now through the summer months, the surf is by far one of the best places to wet a line along Bolivar Peninsula. My favorite stretch of surf to wade fish for speckled trout is com- monly known as the Bolivar Pocket.There are plenty of fishing options around Bolivar Peninsula that will keep anglers hooked up for the next several months. (Opposite) Michael Plitt landed this monster trophy trout measuring 32.5 inches and weighing 10.25 pounds in May 2009 along Bolivar Peninsula near the south shoreline of East Galveston Bay. To this day, it’s still the largest speckled trout Capt. Nate Skinner has ever photographed, he said.Next >