Some people might argue that Texas beaches aren’t comparable to those in the Caribbean. And maybe they are right. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have any good beaches in Texas.
The truth is that there are plenty of great beaches in Texas where any family can spend a memorable summer vacation.
10 Texas Beaches
Here are ten great Texas beaches where thousands of people have had a lot of fun every summer.
Rockport Beach
The first of our top Texas beaches, is Rockport Beach. It is Texas’ first Blue Wave Beach. That is, a clean, litter-free beach that is managed with human safety and the environment in mind. It is also handicap-accessible, has public restrooms, and water that is safe to swim in.
Amenities at Rockport Beach include a boat launch, a loop for water-skiing, fishing piers, picnic cabanas with barbecue grills, kids’ playgrounds, volleyball courts, and more.
Pets, glass containers, vehicles, and overnight camping are not allowed on the beach. However, you may take a tent or pop-up for shade.
Here’s more info about Rockport Beach.
Crystal Beach
On the Bolivar Peninsula, just a little to the northeast of Galveston, is a small community called Crystal Beach. It boasts more than 20 miles of beach along the peninsula.
If you like camping on the beach, and fishing, Crystal Beach is a great vacation spot. You are also allowed to drive on the beach.
Here’s more info about Crystal Beach.
Padre Island National Seashore
On North Padre Island, just a little to the south of Corpus Christi, is Padre Island National Seashore. It is a stretch of about 70 miles of undeveloped beach.
This is a great area to see a lot of coastal nature. There is a program to re-establish sea turtles on the national seashore. You can see plenty of newborn turtles in the summer. You can also see a huge variety of birds.
For obvious reasons, the park is primitive, but you may camp on the beach. Keep in mind that most of the beach requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle. You don’t want to get stuck in the sand!
Read more about Padre Island National Seashore.
Mustang Island State Park
On the south end of Mustang Island, the island where Port Aransas is located, is Mustang Island State Park. The park has 5 miles of beach.
Mustang Island State Park has a rich animal life, like various types of rodents, birds, and also sea turtles. If you like exploring nature, you’ll have a great time at Mustang Island State Park.
The park has 48 campsites with water and electricity hookups, as well as another 50 primitive sites. There is also plenty to do, like swimming, hiking, fishing, kayaking, paddling, and bird watching.
Read more about Mustang Island State Park.
Malaquite Beach
Located within Padre Island National Seashore, is Malaquite Beach.
You can do primitive tent camping on the beach, and there are semi-primitive campsites available in the Malaquite campground. Semi-primitive means you have a campsite and picnic table, but no water/electricity hookups. The campground has toilets and cold-water showers.
Here’s more info about Malaquite Beach.
Galveston Island State Park
Around the middle of Galveston Island, is Galveston Island State Park. The park contains ponds, wetlands, estuaries, and has nice beaches that offer unsupervised swimming.
The park allows camping and has campsites with water and electricity.
Other than swimming, there is also plenty to do, like fishing, picnicking, bird watching, hiking, mountain biking, and paddling. You can also just kick back and enjoy nature.
Here’s more info about Galveston Island State Park.
East Beach – Galveston
Staying on Galveston Island, on the eastern tip is East Beach. During the summer, East Beach hosts several festivals and live concerts.
The beach park has some great amenities, like showers, restrooms, umbrella and chair rentals, kids’ playground, and concessions. There is also a bird sanctuary.
East Beach is the only beach in Galveston where alcohol is allowed, but keep in mind that glass is not allowed. You can take your dog, as long as you keep it on a leash.
Read more about East Beach in Galveston.
North Beach – Corpus Christi
On the northwest side of Corpus Christi bay, right next to the USS Lexington, is North Beach. The Texas State Aquarium is also within walking distance.
Along the beach is a concrete walkway, which is great for biking or taking a walk. There are plenty of places to eat along the beach as well. In Dolphin Park, on the north side of the beach, is a nice kids’ playground.
North Beach is a great location for a few days of fun in Corpus.
Read more about North Beach in Corpus Christi.
Port Aransas Beach
Of all Texas beaches, the one that we have visited the most, is Port Aransas beach. It is a long beach, but easy to get anywhere on the beach due to the sand road that runs along the beach. Buggy rentals make it easy to get around too.
The City of Port Aransas does a good job of keeping the beaches clean. You can camp on the beach, and there are a number of campgrounds along the beach, behind the barrier dune, as well.
Along some stretches of the beach are picnic facilities that include picnic tables and cabanas. If you buy a beach parking permit, available at gas stations, you can park on the beach.
Port Aransas beach is also home to the annual Texas Sandfest.
Read more about Port Aransas Beach.
South Padre Island Beach
The beach on South Padre Island stretches for miles along Padre Island. It is a beautiful beach with clean sand and plenty of activities on the beach. My second ever paragliding experience was at South Padre beach.
You can go horseback riding and ziplining on South Padre beach, and even take sandcastle building lessons from a master.
Being on the southern tip of Texas, South Padre Island may be a long drive to get to, but it is well worth the trip!
This wraps up our list of great Texas beaches to visit. While there are a number of other good beaches that we’ll cover in a future post, this list will give you a bunch of good options to choose from.
Have you been to any of the Texas beaches mentioned above? Tell us about it in the comments…