Texas has some of the best beaches on the Gulf Coast. If you live in Texas, or close to it, and planning a beach vacation, we have a number of beautiful, long, white sand vacation spots with clear waters that you definitely need to check out!
99 Best Beaches of Texas
Find a perfect beach in the Lone Star StateBy city
- Beaches near Fort Worth
- Beaches near Houston
- Beaches near Austin
- Beaches near San Antonio
- Beaches near Beaumont
- Beaches near Dallas
- Beaches near Corpus Christi
- Beaches near Victoria
- Beaches near La Porte
- Beaches near Port Lavaca
- Beaches near Brownsville
- Beaches near Galveston
- Beaches near Port Arthur
- Beaches near Pasadena
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Galveston, Texas
Uncrowded beach with two pocket parks. Both are pet friendly, easily accessible by car. A great choice between a wide variety of facilities and a quiet seaside area.
7 mi from Galveston city center
Galveston, Texas
Drive-on, relatively close to the city, which makes shopping easier if needed. Sunbathing, enjoying waves and walking out dogs are the most popular activities here.
7 mi from Galveston city center
Galveston, Texas
Well-known camping site, fully equipped for a family vacation. Sandy, scenic and relaxing, the beach is located within a walking distance from the RV park. Free Wi-Fi.
6 mi from Galveston city center
Seabrook, Texas
The beach is locally-friendly rather than for tourists. Small parking lot and absence of amenities turns it into an authentic place. The city life escape.
3 mi from Seabrook city centerGalveston, Texas
Great tourist destination with plenty outdoor activities such as flying a kite, swimming, strolling and kayaking. Rich wildlife comes with unforgettable birdwatching.
12 mi from Galveston city center
Galveston, Texas
Close to big cities it's a perfect getaway place. Fine brown sand and expansive ocean views are very relaxing. This beach owns one of the best RV parks in the city.
13 mi from Galveston city centerGalveston, Texas
A row of beaches known as a home of different cultures and festivals. Easy to park but might be crowded and not very clean. Many lifeguard stations make vacations safe.
3 mi from Galveston city center
Galveston, Texas
Private beach with easy parking. Pet friendly. Canoeing, paddle boarding and beautiful sunsets make it an awesome place for romantic evenings. Alcohol is permitted.
Close to Galveston city center
Galveston, Texas
Highly-rated family vacation spot. All necessary amenities. Supervised by lifeguards, free from litter and therefore safe for children. A chance of seeing dolphins.
Close to Galveston city center
La Porte, Texas
Free and spacious parking. The white-sand beach is clean and equipped with shaded playgrounds. Swimming, sunbathing, strolling and fishing are common activities here
Close to La Porte city centerGalveston, Texas
Famous party destination, home for festivals and performances as well as annual sandcastle contests. Various see animals and birds. Beach wheelchairs are available.
3 mi from Galveston city centerPort Bolivar, Texas
Remote and uncrowded beach with drive-on sand. Relaxing atmosphere, clean sand and warm water. Shopping might be difficult so make sure you took everything needed.
9 mi from Port Bolivar city center
Surfside Beach, Texas
A pet and family-friendly drive-on beach, easily accessible by car. Entertainment comes down to classic beach activities such as swimming, sunbathing, and picnicking.
Close to Surfside Beach city centerQuintana, Texas
One of the lesser-known beaches with a family-friendly atmosphere, basic beach facilities, and a long fishing pier. Blue but murky still waters. Good accessibility.
Close to Quintana city centerPorter, Texas
Open all year-round nudist destination with special rates and discounts. Spectacular waterfront views at campsites. Spa facilities include outdoor pool, fitness area.
Close to Porter city center
Port Arthur, Texas
Wild and spacious with brown water. Opportunity to find sealife artifacts. Hardly suits for swimming. Offers free hunting,fishing, hiking and wildlife photography.
19 mi from Port Arthur city centerWillis, Texas
Outdoor recreation includes boats, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards rent. Pet-friendly with an area for playing unleashed. Clean water will make your swimming enjoyable.
4 mi from Willis city centerMatagorda, Texas
Long and vast beach with drive-on or paved parking options. Quiet atmosphere on weekdays but crowdy on weekends. Well-kept RV campgrounds. Picnic tables are available.
6 mi from Matagorda city centerHuntsville, Texas
Scuba diving centre, open for non-divers as well. The lake is spectacularly beautiful with a clean water and good visibility. Visitors with kids ought to be cautious.
7 mi from Huntsville city centerPort O'Connor, Texas
Remote, shallow and quiet beach, free of big waves. Perfect place for coming with your little ones. It will be also enjoyable for fishermen. Pier entrance is free.
Close to Port O'Connor city centerPort Lavaca, Texas
A pretty beach, featuring primitive oceanfront RV campsites as close as 15 feet from the waterline. Good for pensive walks, picnicking, and sunset watching.
7 mi from Port Lavaca city center
Rockport, Texas
Long, sandy beach. One of the top beaches in Texas. The water is shallow, good for swimming beginners and children. Free umbrellas. Restaurants are in walking distance.
Close to Rockport city centerPort Aransas, Texas
A place for seclusion and meditation with beautiful sunrises. Favorite spot of fishermen. Clean and shallow water. No businesses on site so bring everything you need.
Close to Port Aransas city centerBeach Recreation in Texas
Does Texas Have Beaches?
Located in the south on the Gulf of Mexico and being the second-largest state in the country, Texas features diverse landscapes common to the Southern United States and – about 400 miles of beautiful coastline offering all kinds of beaches for sunbathing, swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing, surfing, fishing, etc. The variety of recreational options for Texas beaches is as huge as the variety of destinations to choose from, which include rivers, natural lakes, and man-made reservoirs like Canyon Lake and Lake Travis in addition to plentiful coastal beaches with warm blue water. There are many good places for families, offering all necessary amenities and safe swimming experience under the watchful eyes of lifeguards. If you’re looking for naturist recreation, there are nudist beaches and resorts as well. The Lone Star State has something to offer for every taste and budget.
Where are the Beaches in Texas?
Some of the best beaches are located within or close to Galveston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Austin, so if you happen to stay nearby, you should definitely spend a day or two soaking up the sun at the seaside or somewhere by a scenic lake. Some of the nicest parks and beaches outside the coastal area are located at Canyon Lake, Lady Bird Lake, West Lake, Possum Kingdom Lake, Lake Pflugerville, and Lake Travis. On our website, you can find first-hand information about the most popular and visited destinations as well as real hidden gems only locals know about. It’s only up to you and your preferences which to choose.
What are Texas Beaches Like?
The majority of Texas beaches are sandy and the quality and cleanliness of sand vary depending on the beach location and maintenance. If you’re lucky enough – or if you do a bit of research at home – you can even end up on a marvelous white-sand beach with a picture-postcard landscape and clear water to swim in. To make sure you don’t regret your holiday choice, check thoroughly the beach info, photos, and reviews before your visit. Most of the Gulf waters along the Texas coastline are not perfectly clear and feature no fantastic emerald tints – that’s true – and Texas beach experience is very different from the Caribbean one. Still, there are many picturesque pristine beaches, where you can enjoy the blue expanse of the ocean and some truly unforgettable sunsets.
Beach Facilities
Most of the beaches feature basic amenities and facilities such as parking lots, restrooms, rinse showers, shaded picnic areas with tables and grills, benches, pavilions, food concessions, drink dispensers, sunbed and umbrella rentals, and modern children’s playgrounds. If you are a sports enthusiast or just in a mood for active recreation, it’s easy to find a beach with watersport rentals or with an adjacent hike and bike trail. In Texas, you may try almost all kinds of beach recreational activities including snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, parasailing, jet skiing, scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, tubing, banana boat riding, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, and kiteboarding.
Best Beaches in Texas
In fact, Texas has quite a number of nice beaches we would recommend to visit. If you are at a loss trying to choose a destination for your beach vacation, start with checking information on the beaches from our top including Padre Island National Seashore, Port Aransas Beach, Boca Chica Beach, Matagorda Beach, McGee Beach, Crystal Beach, Harrison County Sand Beach, North Beach, and Whitecap Beach.
Bacteria Levels on Texas Beaches
Before going somewhere to swim, it is highly recommended to check current information on the water quality and bacteria levels and it applies equally to the coastal, river, and lakeside beaches. Specifically for this purpose, we added a special widget on each beach page allowing you to see the recent data on the water quality.