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 State- 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
Private beach with easy parking. Pet friendly. Canoeing, paddle boarding and beautiful sunsets make it an awesome place for romantic evenings. Alcohol is permitted.
Man-made sandy beach, which offers safe swimming in a dedicated area. Free life jackets. Picnicking, boating, fishing, hiking and biking are common activities here.
Great hiking destination for enjoying marvelous river views or wildlife. Water level depends on the season. Sometimes it's enough shallow for kids. Dog-friendly.
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.
Family-owned park, often reserved for special events. It's kindly advised to call before coming. All needed facilities, even volleyball court. Alcohol is permitted.
Wonderful recreation for sport enthusiasts. Offers boating, canoeing, kayaking, hunting. RV-friendly. Extremely busy on weekends. Lots of stores in the nearby city.
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.
Although the shoreline is long, only two swimming areas. Parking fee is cheap or free. Provides scenic hiking trails going through the woods and hills. Pet-friendly.
Free and spacious parking. The white-sand beach is clean and equipped with shaded playgrounds. Swimming, sunbathing, strolling and fishing are common activities here
Famous party destination, home for festivals and performances as well as annual sandcastle contests. Various see animals and birds. Beach wheelchairs are available.
Calm and a bit isolated place, great for family vacation. The visitor center offers educational sessions and the turtle release program. Clean sand. No stores around.
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.
Rocky recreation, good for swimming as well as picnicking, sunbathing and hiking. It's a pretty popular place, open all day long and free of charge. No cafes on site.
Family-friendly and handicap accessible. Many eateries around. Swimming is possible but risky. Come here for picnicking, fishing or taking pictures. Free entrance.
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.
Great tourist destination fully-equipped for any needs and wishes. Various campsites, restaurants, stores, a jetty to fish from. Features parasailing, diving, jet ski.
Cute little beach in the city center provides all kind of stores and clean facilities. Popular with families, features a shallow water and life jackets loaning.
Clean and safe RV campground. Free parking or drive-on sand for a small charge. Besides basic swimming activities you can ride a horse here. Low price for the pier.
Wonderful destination if you want to find a full comfort. All necessary facilities and eateries. Accommodation rentals. Visit Heritage museum to learn something new.
Remote and empty, sandy beach. Ideal to escape the city life. No businesses or amenities around. Nature lovers will find here lots to watch. Part of Wildlife Refuge.
Drive-on sand. Clean and well-maintained beach, filled with wildflowers and birds. Option of a golf cart rental. Free parking at some spots. Camping is permitted.
Nice little park with much shade to help you escape the heat. The bottom is rocky. Popular scuba diving area with deep waters. No glass permitted. Limited amenities.
Beach 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.