Known as one of the best beaches in Texas, Galveston Island State Park also offers four miles of trails for hiking or biking. Water sports enthusiasts can hit the water and paddle on one of the park's water trails.
Matagorda BeachIt's easy to commune with nature here, but this is an especially great spot for the family. The sand is soft and the beach is clean, quiet and great for swimming and shelling. Surfers can try their luck, too.
Blue LagoonWhy You Need To Go: This lagoon in East Texas has the most striking turquoise waters that look like they were taken from a tropical island and transported to the middle of Texas! This spot caters to scuba divers but has spots for swimming along the shore.
Rockport Beach is Texas' first and only Blue Wave Beach, meaning it is incredibly clean and free of litter. Rockport Beach also has fishing piers, playgrounds, and even an area to protect migratory birds, giving you and your family plenty of options while you are visiting.
Corpus beaches are nicer than Galveston, but still not exactly the Riviera. Galveston offers more in terms of off- the-beach attractions such as restaurants. To get to Galveston you'll have to contend with the absolutely horrid traffic around Houston.
South Padre Island is a tropical oasis located off the southern tip of Texas. This barrier island offers the unsurpassed beauty of the Laguna Madre Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and is the ideal year-round destination for visitors seeking a getaway from the daily grind.
On the Gulf Coast of Texas, you'll find some of the prettiest white sand beaches and warm crystal-clear waters. Long, thin barrier islands, like Galveston Island and Padre Island, beckon beach-goers to throw down a beach blanket and splash in the mild waters, even build a sandcastle or two.
So, although Texas as a whole experiences mild winter weather, its southernmost beaches retain their high temperatures year-round. This includes Boca Chica Beach and South Padre Island, whose temperatures rarely dip below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
In Galveston history, due to its combination of commerce and immigration, Galveston became one of the region's fastest growing cities and is credited with an impressive list of Texas firsts—first courthouse, post office, opera house, hospital, golf course, bakery, grocery story, drug store, and telephone.
In Galveston history, due to its combination of commerce and immigration, Galveston became one of the region's fastest growing cities and is credited with an impressive list of Texas firsts—first courthouse, post office, opera house, hospital, golf course, bakery, grocery story, drug store, and telephone.
For example, the ocean water in South Padre is cleaner than in Galveston. South Padre has lots of tourist shops if you are looking to get a nice souvenir for yourself or a friend. The one other advantage that South Padre has is that it has much more nightclubs if you enjoy the nightlife.
Rockport Beach is often referred to as the “gem of the Texas coast,” and it's easy to see why. This beach is located in a quiet and peaceful town and has been recognized as a Blue Wave Beach, which means it's one of the cleanest and safest beaches in the country.
That's because South Padre, or SPI, delivers with wide sandy beaches, sparkling blue water and a mixture of fun activities for kids of all ages. But there's more to SPI than beach revelry. Kiteboarding is a favorite pastime and several sports outfitters offer deep-sea fishing trips and dolphin-watching excursions.
Stunning Texan BeachesIf all you want from your vacation is access to miles and miles of unspoiled, beautiful beaches, Corpus Christi is ideal. Base yourself in Downtown Corpus Christi and you can be on Padre or Mustang Island in minutes, where the water is warm and the soft sands are always inviting.