North Packery Beach (J.P. Luby Surf Park)

North Packery Beach, also known as the J.P. Luby Surf Park, is one of the best and cleanest beaches around Galveston and Corpus Christi – a perfect place to come for a relaxing beaching day with your family or friends. The crowd here is quite diverse – from young party lovers and teenage companies to elderly couples and families with little children.

This beach is a true paradise for those keen on water sports, such as wakeboarding, jet-skiing, surfing, kiteboarding, snorkeling, etc. There are water equipment rentals on-site.

If you prefer to stay on land, you can find various leisure opportunities here as well and spend some time sunbathing, strolling, shelling, fishing, or picnicking (grilling your food over a ground fire is permissible!).

Access and Parking

This beach turns out not that easily accessible as it may seem and, having decided to go there, you may find the following instructions helpful: take State Highway 358 from Corpus Christi to Upper Padre Island, pass the John. F. Kennedy Causeway, and drive further for about one mile to the stoplight, then turn left to State Highway 361 and continue for more half a mile to Zahn Road.

At the park entrance, there is a spacious parking lot with a boat ramp for kayakers, canoers, and fishermen, connected to the channel. If you purchase a $12 yearly parking permit (at various spots in Corpus Christi and at the beach), you can drive your vehicle directly to the beach. The permit will be valid until the end of the year.

Note that, during the spring break, the beach gets very crowded and there is only one way driving.

Swimming and Water Sports

The powdery sand is clean and soft and the water is warm and clear, without excessive seaweed and driftwood most of the time. The amount of seaweed as well as jellyfish is seasonal and depends on the weather. You can enjoy swimming in a few sectioned off areas, not bothered by plowing kiteboarders, and feel even safer taking into account that lifeguards are on duty.

North Packery Beach features consistent northwest winds blowing offshore, providing some of the best surf in the area. Surfing and wakeboarding are popular activities here; the same can be said in regards to kayaking, jet-skiing, and kiteboarding, which is given a separate area so that kiteboarders won’t bother other beach visitors on the water. All the necessary equipment is available for rent at several vendors on site.

Avid fishermen, as well as curious beginners, are welcome to try surf fishing on this beach. The fish is plentiful all year round and no fishing license is required.

Driving Time

• 25 minutes from Downtown Corpus Christi, TX
• 1 hour 45 minutes from Victoria, TX
• 2 hours 20 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 North Packery Beach (J.P. Luby Surf Park) which you can visit:

• South Packery Channel Beach (Jetty Beach) (1 mile)
• North Padre Island Beach (Seawall Beach) (1 mile)
• Michael J. Ellis Beach & Seawall (1 mile)
• Newport Pass Beach (1 mile)
• Whitecap Beach (1 mile)