Do you think of amazing beaches when you think of Texas? If not, you should! Some of my all time favorite beaches are in Texas. Some of these were recommended by my dad and others by friends!
We had the best time driving along the coast of Texas and definitely want to go back soon. These were our 3 favorites but there are so many other great ones as well!
South Padre Island
Home to the largest outdoor sand castle in the USA and 34 miles of beach, you cannot go wrong in South Padre. This was my dad’s favorite beach 3 decades ago when he visited and it was my favorite beach in 2020 when we visited.
There is so much beach that you are sure to find an open space that isn’t crowded. There are also cute shops and restaurants and plenty of photo opportunities!
We loved the big beach chairs, the wall murals, and of course the aforementioned sand castle! The beaches were picturesque in and of themselves. And the best part of South Padre is the location! Just a hop skip and a jump away you are in Mexico. Or head north and get to San Antonio!
Corpus Christi
If you like big cities and beach towns, Corpus Christi is the place for you. It was gorgeous and had so much to offer but it was definitely crowded! There are essentially two parts to Corpus Christi, the mainland city and the island. We definitely preferred the island!
That being said it is a short jaunt from city to island so it may work out better for you to stay mainland and then go into the island for some fun in the sun. There is honestly a ton of stuff to do here so you will be able to fill your days!
A few of our favorite activities were visiting the USS Lexington, Bob Hall Pier, and of course we had to try the original Whataburger in the city where it all started! They even have a replica of the first ever building outside the current flagship location. And of course the beaches were a fan favorite as well!
Galveston
Okay, I really really liked Galveston. It is super close to Houston so you can really get a 2 for 1 experience if you plan a trip to this area. Galveston is a beautiful island about an hour outside of Houston. If you are staying in Houston I HIGHLY suggest making one day planned for Galveston Island.
The town in Galveston was super cute and had absolutely everything you could want. The restaurants all looked and smelled amazing and the shops were so cute! The beaches were clean and gorgeous so it is hard not to love an island like this one.
Honestly, we just had a blast exploring the town. We drove around to all of the historic buildings and drove through neighborhoods with the most amazing house I’ve ever seen! And if you go during busy season you can check out Pleasure Pier which has something for the whole family to enjoy!
I’ve been thinking of things to do this summer with my kids! These are gonna go on the list!
Yay! I hope your kids enjoy these places as much as we did!
I really miss the sea right now. Thanks for sharing x
Yes! Can’t wait to go back!
We are hoping to make it to Texas in the fall and definitely want to be by the beach! Corpus Christi is on our list, but may have to add South Padre Island. We want to hit one of the spots where we can boondock in our camper.
South Padre is amazing! I definitely recommend it. And I am sure you could find some great boondocking spots there too.
I’d love to visit all of them, maybe one day
Fingers crossed you can visit them soon!
We’ve been to two of these places since we live in San Antonio. We haven’t made it to Galveston yet. Maybe one day!
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Galveston is definitely worth the visit! I highly recommend going if you can!