Magnolia Beach

Sandy beach

719 N Ocean Dr, Port Lavaca, TX 77979, USA

109 miles from Houston, TX

Cleanliness

Water quality

Crowded

Impressions

Overall

Grades suggested by our reviewer

Water Quality

Unknown

Beach amenities

WCPublic restrooms nearby
Public grillsGrills or fire pits
Picnic tablesPicnic benches available
ShowerPublic showers available
ParkingCar parking nearby
RV-friendlyRV parking available
Pet friendlyBring your little friends!

👉 Download a FREE PDF map

About this beach

Warnings and hazards

Bridge's maximum load limit is 10,000 lbs.

Beware of alligators.

Magnolia Beach is a 1.5 miles long stretch of drivable hard-packed sandy beach on the Texas coast, on Matagorda Bay, just 20-25 minutes south of Port Lavaca. The water here is less salty than in the ocean (just 19%) because the Colorado and Lavaca Rivers flow into the bay.

Magnolia Beach isn’t a resort-type-of a beach, but it’s a very peaceful and relaxing place where you can park your RV as close as 15 feet from the ocean, sleep to the sound of waves and wake up to a picturesque oceanfront view.

The only considerable drawback is that there’s only one little shop in the town, so you’d better take everything you may need somewhere on your way here, for instance, in Port Lavaca.

Accessibility

The access to this spacious beach is very easy – you can just drive in and find a nice spot for your RV. There is plenty of space and the main advantage is that you don’t have to pay for your stay – it’s free of charge. The sand is hard-packed and there’s a lot of crushed shell in it, so it’s easy to drive on. That said, you’ll hardly enjoy walking barefooted, so make sure you don’t go out without footwear.

It should be noted that there’s a bridge with a maximum load limit of 10,000 lbs. Many rig drivers ignore this limitation; however, if you don’t want to risk paying a hefty fine or ruining your vehicle, it’s better to choose camping on your side of the bridge.

Campground facilities

The campsites are primitive, without hookups, but the beach area has maintained bathrooms with flush toilets and showers. There is hot water and the pressure is good. The toilet paper in the restrooms is re-stocked regularly; the facilities are cleaned weekly, but their condition is far from perfect anyway. Take your flip-flops if you want to have a shower.

If you need to restock drinking water, you’ll have to go to local campgrounds or Port Lavaca, since there is no drinking water here. It takes about 20 minutes to drive to Port Lavaca from Magnolia Beach, and you can replenish your other supplies there as well.

Scenery and relaxation

There are picturesque sunrises and sunsets on Magnolia Beach. The area is clean and spacious and a walk along the shore is going to be pleasant and relaxing. In some parts of the beach, you’ll find a row of gazebos. There are enjoyable ocean breezes.

You can make use of picnic tables and barbecue grills to cook some food and enjoy picnicking in the fresh air. All in all, Magnolia Beach is a great place to spend a couple of nights or even a week, sleeping to the sound of waves and waking up to see a boundless ocean right in front of you.

Driving Time

40 minutes from Victoria, TX
2 hours 25 minutes from Houston, TX
2 hours 45 minutes from San Antonio, TX

Hotels and rentals

If you're considering staying for one or even a few nights, there are plenty of options available near the beach. Chose your preferred accomodation type and your favourite room provider:

Nearby rentals from VRBO.
Nearby rooms and properties from Booking.com.

Beaches nearby

Additionally, there's a number of beaches near Magnolia Beach which you can visit:

King Fisher Beach (11 miles)
Matagorda Bay Nature Park Beach (34 miles)
Rockport Beach (48 miles)

Beach reviewed by:

Angie

Ask me a question about this beach! 👈

Photos from Google Maps

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Visitor questions:

Question: Can you park your RV in Magnolia beach for free?

Asked by Jennifer Tellez almost 4 years ago

Answer: Yes! Nightly stay is also zero.

Question: It's may 5, can you camp on the beach ?

Asked by Jeff o. about 3 years ago

Answer: Unfortunately, you can't. Texas beaches re-opened on May 1st but with certain restrictions. You are not allowed to stay on the beach after 8.00 p.m. Camping implies that you stay on the beach overnight, so the answer is no.

Question: is the beach still closed to rv camping and if so when is expected to open. Thanks

Asked by perkins about 3 years ago

Answer: Unfortunately, overnight camping is still prohibited, and no one knows when the epidemic will come to its end, and when camping will be allowed. Regrets!

Question: will be beach open on /after may 24? is it possible to camping without RV using just tent and minivan?

Asked by Zhanna Shatsov about 3 years ago

Answer: The beach is now open for tourists at daytime hours only. You can bring a tent with you but it is still prohibited to camp overnight, regardless of whether you are using RV or not.

Question: Is the beach open today?

Asked by Jemmi Guzman about 3 years ago

Answer: Yes, the beach is open (during daily hours only).

Question: With COVID 19 is the beach open?

Asked by Michele about 3 years ago

Answer: Sadly enough, the beach is closed at least till the end of April due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Question: Will the beach be open July 4th?

Asked by Rhonda almost 3 years ago

Answer: Yes, Magnolia Beach is open.

Question: Is the beach open this weekend for camping?

Asked by Norma almost 3 years ago

Answer: Currently, there is no information about Magnolia Beach being closed for camping. To be on the safe side, please call the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: Will the beach be open for the weekend of July 18 my son want to celebrate his birthday at the beach

Asked by Nicolas Lopez Jr. almost 3 years ago

Answer: Currently, the beach is open, but things may change due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. Please call 361-552-3347 (Parks & Recreation department of the City of Port Lavaca that Magnolia Beach belongs to) or the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: Do you have to have an RV to park on the beach? We were just wanting to visit for a day trip with our kids and wondering if we can drive our vehicle on the beach.

Asked by Josh almost 3 years ago

Answer: You can both drive and park your car on the beach even if you haven't got an RV. The existing limits concern the nearby bridge only: its maximum load limit makes up 10,000 lbs.

Question: Going the weekend of Sept. 19th. Need to know if we are able to park our truck on the beach for the day and use our own personal grill? Can we set up our canopy too?

Asked by Michelle Nogue over 2 years ago

Answer: You can park your RV truck as close as 15 feet from the ocean. You can either use your own grill and canopy or the grills and the picnic tables provided by the campsite. Have a nice weekend!

Question: Can I tent camp at Magnolia? And can I have a fire?

Asked by Jay over 2 years ago

Answer: Yes, you can tent-camp on this beach. Burning fires is prohibited on all Texas beaches for safety reasons but you can use public grills if necessary.

Question: We are over 10,000lbs. Is there an area on the beach we are allowed to, and if so, how long can we stay? Thank you

Asked by Tonya over 2 years ago

Answer: You are allowed to enter the beach provided that you don't drive on the bridge across the channel connecting Old Town Lake with Matagorda Bay (the bridge on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/TN2gAVSYA5WW5Mw77). The weight limits concern the bridge only. You can stay on the beach for no longer than 2 weeks.

Question: Is the beach currently open during November and December for RV camping?

Asked by James thornburg over 2 years ago

Answer: Currently, there is no information about Magnolia Beach being closed for camping in November and December. To be on the safe side, please call the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: Are pets allowed?

Asked by Judy about 2 years ago

Answer: Yes, this beach is pet-friendly! You can take your four-legged friend with you.

Question: Can you run a generator in your camper on the beach?

Asked by Connie Estes about 2 years ago

Answer: This beach is RV-friendly, so we suppose that the answer is yes. For more precise information, please call the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: Is the two-week limit strictly enforced at Magnolia Beach? We would really like to stay for a month. Is there a way to ask for an extension?

Asked by Jennifer about 2 years ago

Answer: With Magnolia Beach being a very popular site among campers, this limit is enforced strictly for the sake of letting more people enjoy this wonderful place. Moreover, camping is limited to 14 days with a 30 days gap, meaning that you can't stay here for 14 days, leave for 1 day and then come back. Yet there are many different RV parks in Magnolia Beach and nearby, why not move from one RV park to another? Here are some waterfront variants for you to consider: Waterfont RV Park, Sunrise on Mag RV Park (+15122218082), Lola & Ethel’s RV Park (+13617468022). Inland RV parks: Magnolia Beach RV Park (+13617776527), Rick's Roost RV Park (+13254503998), Oceanside RV Park (no contacts available). Have a nice camping vacation!

Question: How is the shelling on Magnolia and King Fisher beaches? Thank you!

Asked by Elizabeth Winn almost 2 years ago

Answer: On Magnolia Beach, there are many crushed shells because it is a drive-on beach, and the shells get broken under the heavy vehicles. If you are fond of shelling and are wavering between these two beaches, we recommend going to King Fisher Beach. It offers endless opportunities for beachcombing!

Question: Is electricity available?

Asked by Faith almost 2 years ago

Answer: No, there are no electricity plugins. You'll need a generator to cook or watch TV.

Question: Is this beach open for overnight RV camping now?

Asked by Lynda Taylor over 1 year ago

Answer: There is no information about overnight camping being restricted now. Yet to be on the safe side, contact the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: Is the beach open for RV Camping? (Sent 1/25/2022)

Asked by Dennis Seymour over 1 year ago

Answer: Magnolia Beach is RV friendly, yet in our turbulent times, the rules are often changing. To get to know if RVs are allowed now, please contact the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: Are side-by-side UTVs allowed?

Asked by Pete Gonzalez about 1 year ago

Answer: There is no information about side-by-side UTVs being banned on Magnolia Beach. The only known limitation is the bridge that has a maximum load limit of 10,000 lbs (and UTVs usually weigh much less). Driving on the sand is allowed on Magnolia Beach. Yet we recommend calling the county commissioner at 361-552-9242 just in case.

Question: Even though the beach is free to use, do you have to make reservations or is it first come first served?

Asked by Sandra Barton about 1 year ago

Answer: No reservations are needed. Regular visitors say that there's always enough room for everyone, and that the place never gets too busy despite being so popular among RV travelers.

Question: Farandwide com says the ocean is dangerously polluted at Magnolia Beach, TX?

Asked by Rod Collet 11 months ago

Answer: The part of the ocean shore where Magnolia Beach is located features several ports and industrial plants. Also, this region is separated from the ocean by long barrier islands with just a few narrow straits. This prevents dirt from dispersing all over the ocean, and it accumulates in the bays. Also, ocean waters all along the Texas coast are known to have a brownish color. Despite being polluted, Magnolia Beach remains a popular camping place. It's up to you to decide whether to swim or not.

Question: It is now JULY 12 2022. Is the beach open for overnight with RV and how long can you stay at one time?

Asked by AB Montoya 11 months ago

Answer: Usually, RV camping on Magnolia Beach is limited to 14 days with a 30 days gap. To get to know if overnight stays are allowed in July 2022, please contact the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.

Question: And what about those alligators??? Don't see anything but a warning.

Asked by Felix 9 months ago

Answer: Alligators inhabit the lake area near Magnolia Beach and sometimes come up to the beach. If you scroll this page down, you'll see a review where one of the beach visitors (Wally) describes a 4-foot alligator that was noticed on the beach. No panic, though, just follow the rules - don't approach them and don't feed them.

Question: Can't we park overnight on the beach?

Asked by Carole 3 months ago

Answer: Overnight parking was restricted some time ago but there is no information about it being restricted now. To be on the safe side, contact the county commissioner at 361-552-9242.