20 Fabulous Beaches in Texas

Everything is bigger in Texas, and, of course, that includes the Texas coastline and the beaches in Texas!

Thanks to the 350 miles of Gulf of Mexico coastline, there are loads of Texas beaches to explore!

These stretches of sandy shores are perfect for a day out on the beach.

I mean, imagine digging your toes in the sand at one of the best beaches in Texas as the warm gulf winds blow on your face.

These beaches allow guests to enjoy outdoor activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, windsurfing, fishing, and swimming.

As some of the best places to visit in Texas, we know you will love these beaches.

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Boca Chica Beach

Located on South Padre Island, in Boca Chica State Park, Boca Chica Beach is one of the prettiest beaches in Texas.

This Texas beach is a favorite of both visitors and locals. I guess that can be attributed to Boca Chica Beach being rarely crowded.

Spending the day at Boca Chica Beach will allow you to feel like you have been transported far away.

Enjoy the day swimming, snorkeling, fishing, building sandcastles, or just napping in the Texas sun.

You will surely enjoy your day no matter what you choose to do while visiting this Texas beach!

Padre Island National Seashore

Head about 30 minutes southeast of Corpus Christi, and you will find one of the best Texas beaches, the Padre Island National Seashore.

The miles of shoreline are attributed to the Padre Island National Seashore being the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world.

One side of the island offers visitors the beautiful Gulf of Mexico, and the other side is home to the Laguna Madre.

This Texas beach is perfect for a day of fun in the sun.

You can enjoy a day full of beach activities, including kayaking, windsurfing, flying kites, or swimming in the Gulf waters.

Grab a kayak and explore the world’s saltiest lagoon when you check out the waterways in the Laguna Madre.

The Padre Island National Seashore is truly a nature lover’s paradise!

If you are lucky, you might catch a baby sea turtle being released by Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Sanctuary.

This is truly one of the unique barrier islands, and it has one of the prettiest beaches in Texas, to boot!

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South Padre Island

Really, all the beaches on South Padre Island have earned a spot on our list of the best beaches in Texas.

The beaches of South Padre Island have always been popular for Spring Breakers.

College kids always have this on their list of Texas road trips for Spring Break.

The abundance of beach bars, beachfront restaurants, and miles of sandy beaches ensure that South Padre Island is one of the best beaches in Texas for Spring Break!

Families also love South Padre Island but tend to visit these Texas beaches in the summer.

In addition to the beach activities, Padre Island offers families some other great attractions, including Schlitterbahn Water Park.

Kids (and kids at heart) also love to take fishing charters and dolphin cruises during their Padre Island vacation.

This makes it easy to see why Padre is on the list of great Texas beaches.

Mustang Island State Park

You can’t have a list of the best beaches in Texas and not include Mustang Island State Park.

You will quickly see why when you combine the miles of soft sandy beaches with all the great things you can do on Mustang Island.

A day at Mustang Island State Park can be as busy or as relaxing as you would like.

This Texas beach’s location just east of Corpus Christi makes it an easy weekend getaway.

Mustang Island allows visitors to enjoy overnight camping on the beach, perfect for making s’mores!

You can enjoy walking the sandy shores or grab your kayak and explore the 20 miles of canals in this South Texas state park.

No matter what you choose to do, this island should definitely be on your list of the best beaches in Texas!

Surfside Beach

Surfside Beach is the perfect Texas beach if you want a fun and active beach to spend the day.

While Surfside Beach offers few amenities, its short drive from Houston and free parking keep people returning to this part of the Texas coast.

Considered one of the cleanest beaches in Texas, Surfside Beach is a great place to swim in the Gulf of Mexico or try some windsurfing.

Many people love that they can drive their car onto Surfside Beach, and several people use their vehicles as a place to hang out for the day.

Beachgoers often spent the day beach combing for sea shells, building sand castles, and even doing some horseback riding!

After visiting, it is easy to see why Surfside Beach is one of the favorite beaches in Texas!

Stewart Beach

Pleasure Pier over the ocean with the sun setting in the background

While there are many great beaches on Galveston Island, Stewart Beach is a favorite of both locals and visitors.

This could be partly because Stewart Beach offers several amenities to ensure a pleasant trip to the beach.

Amenities at Stewart Beach include beach chairs and umbrellas for rent, saving you the trouble and energy of hauling those to the beach yourself.

Parents love that this Texas beach has trained lifeguards on site, and the fact that there are restrooms and showers to use doesn’t hurt either.

After a fun day at Stewart Beach, check out all that Galveston offers, including the restaurants at the island’s north end!

Port Aransas Beach

One of the best beaches in Texas for families is Port Aransas Beach.

Offering families 18 miles of sandy shore means they can have plenty of room to spread out and find their perfect beach spot in Port Aransas.

Port Aransas Beach is the perfect place to spend the day. You can hike the sand dunes, do some body surfing, or just relax on the beach.

Spring break and summer are popular times for visitors to Port Aransas.

The small Texas town of Port Aransas sees an insurgence during these times of the year.

It makes complete sense if you look at all the town of Port Aransas has to offer.

In addition to Port Aransas Beach, Port Aransas has fabulous restaurants, great beach bars, a good winery, and some fun boutique shops.

Texas Crystal Beach

One of the best beaches in Texas is Texas Crystal Beach, set on the Bolivar Peninsula, separating Galveston Bay from the Gulf of Mexico.

Bird lovers and nature enthusiasts will love visiting Crystal Beach. The fact that the beach is only accessible by ferry from Galveston Island means that it is often not crowded.

Since the island sees over 100 species of migratory birds every year, the peninsula is an excellent bird-watching location.

Campers will be happy to know that Crystal Beach is fabulous for beach camping.

Visitors can get a permit to enjoy camping and campfires on the beach.

One visit to this Texas beach will have you falling in love with the beaches in Texas!

Rockport Beach

Rockport Beach is the crescent-shaped jewel of an Aransas Bay beach, and visitors keep returning year after year.

The fact that Rockport Beach is one of the cleanest beaches in Texas is probably attributed to this.

Rockport Beach was named a Blue Wave Beach by the Clean Beaches Coalition, which means it is definitely a clean beach!

A day at Rockport Beach includes access to volleyball courts, a walking path, a fishing pier, and picnic tables.

In addition to all of this, Rockport Beach is also a designated bird sanctuary, making it one of the best Texas beaches for bird-watching.

South Packery Channel Beach

South Packery Channel Beach, also known as South Packery Jetty Beach, is a great beach if you are looking for a beach that is less crowded than other Texas beaches.

Located between Mustang Island and Padre Island, South Packery provides a beautiful setting for a day at the beach.

Fishermen love to visit this area as it is a great fishing spot.

Anglers are said to reel in kingfish, trout, and grouper while fishing from the jetties here.

If fishing isn’t your thing, you can try windsurfing, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, or snorkeling.

North Beach (formerly Corpus Christi Beach)

While people often overlook the beaches in Corpus Christi, they shouldn’t.

One such beach directly in town is North Beach, formerly Corpus Christi Beach.

North Beach offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy a day at the beach.

You can swim, build sandcastles, fly kites, or enjoy lounging at this Corpus Christi beach in the Texas sun.

North Beach is also a great area to book a day out on the ocean, whether a dolphin cruise or a fishing trip.

The view of the Harbor Bridge also adds something to the day’s scenery!

After a fun day on the beach, you are close enough to town to enjoy some of the attractions that Corpus Christi offers.

Some favorite attractions include the Texas State Aquarium, the USS Lexington, and the Selena Museum.

San Jose Island

Another island on our list that requires a ferry ride to get to is San José Island.

Near Port Aransas, San Jose Island is a ranch turned wildlife sanctuary.

The island is privately owned, so don’t be surprised when you can’t access the entire area.

Visitors do have access to one of the prettiest beaches in Texas, which is the perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon.

You can enjoy walking the 21 miles of shoreline on San Jose Island.

After one visit to this island, we think you will agree that this is one of the best beaches in Texas!

Matagorda Bay Nature Park

Matagorda Bay Nature Park is one of Texas’s best beaches for nature lovers.

Matagorda Bay Nature Park offers great bird-watching opportunities in the beautiful shifting dunes.

Combine that with the gorgeous views that Matagorda Bay Nature Park offers, and you can easily see why this is one of the best beaches around.

The unique location of Matagorda Bay Nature Park allows visitors to enjoy both the Gulf of Mexico and the Colorado River.

Amenities at Matagorda Bay include shaded picnic tables, a kayak rental shop, campsites, and more.

One visit will help you understand why this is one of the best beaches in Lone Star State.

Magnolia Beach

A day at Magnolia Beach’s 8-mile stretch of sand allows visitors to quickly understand why this is one of the great Texas beaches.

Arriving at Magnolia Beach, you will immediately notice picnic tables, a volleyball court, and barbecue grills to enjoy.

The peaceful stretch of sandy beach is a great place to look for seashells or hermit crabs or to relax.

If you want to launch your boat, you are in luck. There is a marina with a public boat launch and a fishing pier nearby.

After a day at the beach, enjoy a night out by visiting the gambling boats a short drive away.

Lighthouse Beach

You will find Lighthouse Beach in the small Texas town of Port Lavaca.

Named after the nearby lighthouse, Lighthouse Beach is one of the best beaches in Texas for families.

This is attributed to the kids’ splash pad, which allows kids to enjoy a safe time playing in the water.

Of course, adults can still enjoy swimming or fishing in the Lavaca Bay during their visit.

Another draw to Lighthouse Beach is the bird watching.

As a bird sanctuary on the Texas Gulf, Lighthouse Beach offers a quiet beach for birds to enjoy.

It is easy to see why this is such a popular beach in the Lone Star State.

Jamaica Beach

Head to Jamaica Beach if you want to see one of the best beaches in Texas for clear water.

Granted, the water is not totally clear like in the Caribbean, but it is clear by Texas standards.

As another one of the beaches on Galveston Island, Jamaica Beach has so much to offer visitors.

You can try your hand at surf fishing, build sand castles, or comb the seashore of the beach for seashells.

Jamaica Beach is often the cleanest beach in the area, and it doesn’t get as crowded as some of the other beaches.

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McGee Beach

Located in Corpus Christi Bay, McGee Beach is a great stretch of beach running alongside the seawall on Galveston Island.

The calm waters of McGee Beach make it a favorite of families.

When you combine the calm waters with the variety of rentals offered at McGee Beach, this beach makes for an easy day on the water.

The central location on the island also means that you can easily visit this beach anytime!

Malaquite Beach

The draw for so many people to come to Malaquite Beach is that this beach virtually guarantees visitors a relaxing day.

Malaquite Beach is the perfect place to fly a kite, build a sandcastle, or spend the day swimming in the ocean.

Families will find Malaquite to be one of the best beaches in Texas, thanks to all of this and the beautiful Texas scenery that will surround you while you are here.

Alamo Beach

Another popular beach in Port Lavaca is Alamo Beach.

The best way to enjoy Alamo is to find a vacation rental in this area.

That will allow you to spend the day on the beach enjoying the sun and surf.

This is truly is one of the prettiest beaches in Port Lavaca and a great place to enjoy the day!

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Michelle Snell-Founder/Writer

Born and raised in Texas, Michelle Snell graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and her Master’s Degree from Texas Wesleyan University. Her passion for travel has taken her all over the world. She has received multiple awards for her writing. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Travel Awaits, Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Weekly, NewsBreak, Voyage Dallas, Ella Inspires Magazine, and more. You can view her complete profile on MuckRacks.

Michelle Snell founder of That Texas Couple and Totally Texas Travel

Marika

Saturday 22nd of April 2023

I had no idea Texas had so many incredible beaches. I definitely need to visit some of these at some point.

texasonly

Thursday 27th of April 2023

I know, it isn't really known for the beaches, but actually has tons of them!

Wendy

Saturday 15th of April 2023

I did not know that Texas has 350 miles of coastline! And what a great list of beaches to visit, thanks for sharing.

Monday 17th of April 2023

It does. It's a huge state (as you know)!

Nancy

What fabulous beaches! I haven't visited Texas yet but exploring those big beaches is going to be right up there on my to-do list.

Yes. Texas has so much diversity to offer that a lot of people don't realize!