The Palacios Pavilion accommodates up to 175 guests including the exterior deck. It’s located on the beach facing South Bay and has its own lower deck restroom, catering kitchen, dressing area, and upper exterior deck. Nearby is the South Bay Children’s Adventure play area, boat ramp, and small beach. Pavilion is only shown by appointment; call Paola Ortiz at 361-972-3605 to schedule your appointment today.
Rental Information
Policies, Procedures & Pavilion Rental Application | Palacios Police Department Security Contract | Peace Officer Security Form
In 1903 the Palacios townsite company arranged with the Southern Pacific Railroad to extend its line to the new city. The first train arrived on June 29, bringing prospective settlers from Midwestern states.
The company began construction of a pavilion on the South Bay in June 1904. Designed by Victoria Architect Jules Leffland, it was built on a pier extending 400 feet into the bay. Called the Pleasure Pavilion, it consisted of a central round two-story open-air pavilion with boat docks and bathers’ dressing rooms extending along the pier. It quickly became the social center of the town, offering such activities as swimming, boating, dancing, skating, and basketball games.
The Pleasure Pavilion sustained hurricane damage in 1915, 1919, and 1934. Under the direction of a local seawall commission and with funding from the federal public works administration, it was razed in 1935 and replaced with a new pavilion, called the roundhouse. The roundhouse pavilion continued to be the focal point of community activities, especially during the war year of the 1940s and the early 1950s. It was destroyed by Hurricane Carla in 1961, and eventually, the city erected a smaller open-air pavilion in its place.
In 2013, the City hired an architect/engineer team to design a new pavilion for community use. After conducting surveys and public meetings, a bay front site on the shore was chosen and the project was underway.
The Pavilion is an octagonal, elevated 3,619 square foot ADA structure reminiscent of the historic pavilion including a cupola. The site is complemented by parking, ADA ramps, a wetland exhibit, walks, plazas and of course, a stunning bay view.