If you need to feel the sand between your toes, just head to a Texas beach. With over 600 miles of shoreline you are sure to find a destination suited for your vacation. According to the Corpus Christi Visitor's Guide, 5 million people visit Corpus Christi alone each year, generating billions in tourism revenue.
Destinations
There are several cities that you can visit along the Texas coast. Each offers a number of experiences. Houston, the fourth largest city in the nation, is home to the professional sports teams the Astros, Texans and Rockets. South Padre Island is a popular Spring Break destination and Galveston and Port Arthur are two top destinations for celebrating Mardi Gras. Corpus Christi is a great destination for hanging out at the beach or to charter a deep-sea fishing expedition out of the Rockport-Fulton area.
Activities
While each coastal city is unique, there are activities that you can enjoy in any city your choose for you vacation. The Texas coast has excellent freshwater and saltwater fishing. In the Gulf, you can go deep-sea fishing or flounder gigging, wade fish or try your luck from one of the numerous piers or jetties. You can go camping on the beach, such as at Corpus Christi's Padre Balli Beach, or in one of the state parks. Surfing, swimming or just sunbathing are all popular ways to enjoy the ocean. Hunting for deer, ducks and other wildlife attracts many visitors to the coastal region.
Wildlife
If you are interested in wildlife, then you will not want to miss the abundance that live along Texas beaches and waterways. According to their website, the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trails are considered the number one bird-watching destination in the nation. You can spot endangered whooping cranes. You can also visit the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge or the World Birding Center. If you are interested in marine life, you should check out Sea Center Texas.
History
The Texas beaches are filled with a rich history of Native Americans, Spanish explorers and Texas settlers. You can see where the battle of the Alamo was avenged at the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. In Beaumont, you can witness Spindletop, the oil derrick that ushered in the modern petroleum industry. You can visit the NASA Space Center in Houston or walk aboard the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi.
Campgrounds
In the coastal region of Texas, you can stay at state parks, city parks or privately owned campgrounds. Some popular places to stay are the Matagorda Island Wildlife Management Area in Bay City, Goose Island State Park, Mustang Island State Park or Lake Corpus Christi State Park. You can camp on the Padre Island National Seashore in Corpus Christi, the world's longest stretch of undeveloped beach of a barrier island, according to TravelTexas.com. Because Texas beaches are popular vacation destinations, you can also find many privately owned places to unroll your sleeping bag such as the Lighthouse Beach and Bird Sanctuary RV Park in Port Lavaca.
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