With miles of coastal area along the Gulf of Mexico, Texas offers a beach getaway for everyone. Whether your needs dictate a budget-minded week-long break with the kids or you're longing for a romantic weekend escape for two, you'll find options galore along the Gulf Coast of Texas.
South Padre Island
South Padre Island offers travelers clear water and lots of white sandy beaches to explore. While filled with high school and college students during spring break, this island offers family fun as well in the form of water sports such as boogie boarding in the surf and a visit to the nearby Schlitterbahn water park. Birding opportunities abound in both beach and marsh areas. Couples will enjoy walking along the pristine beach at sunset or dancing the night away in local night spots. The island's proximity to Matamoros, Mexico has long been attractive to shoppers as well, but as widely publicized in local and national news, crime along the Mexican-American borders has increased during the past few years and caution should be exercised when crossing the border.
Mustang Island and Port Aransas
Mustang Island tops the list of many a beach goer in the Lone Star State looking for a spot to relax along clean beaches. This area also offers some of the best beach combing for shells along Texas coasts. Although there are many condo rentals available here, nightlife is virtually non-existent on Mustang Island and the culture is geared mainly toward families. Port Aransas, well-known for its ample fishing culture, provides shopping and dining opportunities within driving distance before or after hitting Mustang Island's beaches.
Padre Island National Seashore
Just across the JFK Causeway, southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, you'll discover the beaches of North Padre Island, also known as Padre Island National Seashore. This is not to be confused with South Padre Island, which is three hours south of Corpus Christi. And while the water in this area isn't quite as clear as what you'll find down the coast, the beaches here draw many visitors. Keep in mind that much of North Padre Island south of the Malaquite Visitor Center can only be accessed by four-wheel drive vehicles and you cannot drive along the beach to reach either Mustang Island or South Padre Island from this area.
Galveston Island
Visitors to the city of Galveston can relax on numerous beaches right along Seawall Boulevard. Referred to by visitors and locals simply as "The Seawall," this area is close to hotels ranging from budget to posh and a wide variety of dining options and fishing piers. Stewart Beach is located just north of the seawall, and East Beach is just beyond this area. To the south of the seawall is West Beach, where many rental homes and condos are located. Access by car is available on both East Beach and West Beach, but you'll pay to enter East Beach and some areas on West Beach. Free parking areas require a trek away from town. Also keep in mind that alcohol is allowed on East Beach, so it's generally frequented by the party crowd rather than families.
Surfside Beach
Offering much the same surf experience as Galveston Island to its north, the water here isn't quite as clear as that of beaches further south along the Texas Gulf Coast. Nevertheless, Surfside draws its fair share of visitors and can be particularly crowded on holiday weekends during the summer. There are lots of nearby angling spots in this area as well as wade fishing in the surf if you enjoy that activity as part of your beach-going experience. Most visitors arrive through nearby Freeport, but you also can drive here from Galveston via the San Luis Pass toll bridge.
Oil Spills
Although the British Petroleum oil spill has been widely publicized, and the impact on Galveston Island appears to be minimal, tar on beaches in the upper coastal region is not a new issue. Beaches in the Galveston Island area always have had tar on them from time to time, and beach goers have had to exercise caution. The beaches on the lower Texas coast, especially on South Padre Island, rarely experience problems with tar and the BP oil spill has not affected their beaches, according to their websites.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes and tropical storms will always be an issue along the Texas coastline, but most storms have minimal impact on structures and clean-up occurs fairly quickly after they pass. The impact of Hurricane Ike, a major storm, is still prevalent in the Sea Rim State Park area of Beaumont-Port Arthur and Crystal Beach on the hard-hit Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston. Rebuilding in these areas is still in progress. Galveston Island welcomed tourists for the 2010 beach season with its main beach areas in good shape and no advisories posted according to the Galveston website. The beach areas near Corpus Christi and far south Texas have not been impacted by major storms in recent years.
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