The Best Beach Towns in Texas for Sun, Seafood, and Coastal Charm

Texas has more than 360 miles of coastline along the Gulf of Mexico, much of it occupied by everything from small beach towns to bustling coastal cities. Drive along the Gulf Coast, and you’ll run into small fishing villages where it’s evident that the goal is relaxation, plus family-friendly beach towns that are full of dining and entertainment. Whether you’re looking for a family getaway, a solo escape, or a couple’s getaway, you’ll find it along the Texas coast. Here, my favorite beach towns in Texas:

With almost 60 miles of beaches, Matagorda Texas is a small fishing town about two hours from Houston where beach lovers go to escape. This is not the place for beachside rollercoasters and hopping nightlife. This is the place where you go to unplug. Inshore fishing is popular here, where redfish, speckled trout, and flounder and found, or you can kayak through the wetlands or down the Colorado River until it meets the Gulf.

Beachcombing is also popular here, as the beach is less crowded than other Texas beaches, meaning you might find more interesting seashells here, like murexes, lightning whelks, and shark eye moon snails. Matagorda Bay Nature Park rents kayaks and offers access to its 1,334 acres of protected lands for a small fee, where more than 900 acres of the park’s wetlands are accessible for birding, hiking, kayaking, and more. They also have 10 beach bungalows, 54 RV sites, and four Airstream campers to stay in along the Colorado River. Bungalows have full kitchens and bathrooms, private decks, gas grills, and plenty of room for the whole family.

Food in Matagorda isn’t fancy, but you can still find tasty options. Stanley’s General Store—the local gas station—has groceries, plus breakfast and lunch items like breakfast tacos, burgers, fried chicken, and seafood po’ boys. Cassady’s is a local coffee shop with breakfast and lunch items like breakfast quesadillas and sandwiches, and Snappers, located in a large outdoor tent, has a small bar and local fried shrimp that comes in straight from local shrimp boats. Waterfront Restaurant would be considered the nicer restaurant in town, but they’re still doing comfort food and seafood specialties.

With 34 miles of beaches, South Padre Island is a popular beach town for families, singles, and couples alike. Warmer months are great for swimming, fishing, sandcastle building, and kayaking, while cooler months bring in more than 200 species of migratory birds that stop here during migration. Sea turtle fans should check out Sea Turtle Inc., home to the largest enclosed sea turtle hospital in the world. See sea turtle hospital patients go through rehab procedures, and check out the resident sea turtles, who all came in injured and cannot be re-released into the wild.

In summer months, they also do sea turtle hatchling releases, where hatchlings are released into the ocean for the first time. Families also enjoy the South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center, and Alligator Sanctuary, where a boardwalk and bird blinds allow you to walk across the wetlands to see a wide variety of bird species, and the alligator sanctuary provides a safe place for 50 rescued alligators. Guided birding tours and snake talks help visitors understand these creatures a bit more, and Gator Talks give you a look at Big Padre, a 12-foot American alligator and his rescued gator friends.

For a sense of the local art scene, check out the Art Business Incubator, which gives local artists their own gallery and studio space to grow their businesses. The space is open daily and they offer scheduled art classes.

Food options are plentiful across the island and include fresh seafood, authentic Mexican fare, and lots of bars with refreshing cocktails.

Families flock to Port A year after year for its 18 miles of beaches that provide surfing, jet skiing, and lazy days in the sand. The town is also the Fishing Capital of Texas, making it a great fit for anglers who want take a guided charter out into the open sea. Kids can learn about marine science through the Patton Center for Marine Science Education and the Wetlands Education Center, which have aquaria, fish-feeding demonstrations, keeper chats, and a boardwalk to view migratory birds. At the Port Aransas Art Center, see beach-centric artworks or take an art education class, which is open to all ages.

Don’t miss a seafood boil at the Crazy Cajun, or elevated seafood at Tortuga’s Saltwater Grill. Lots of spots in town will also cook your catch. And stay at Cinnamon Shore, where a community of vacation rentals offers a sense of community, plus beach access and golf carts—a popular form of transportation here.

A laid-back coastal town, Rockport is known for Rockport Beach, the first and only Blue Wave Beach in Texas. This designation means the beach is maintained and free of litter, has handicap accessibility, public restrooms, and swimmable waters. Families like Rockport for its shallow waters and gentle waves for kids. Beach amenities include a children’s playground, fishing piers, a water ski loop, a boat launch, and a windsurfing launch area and picnic cabanas. There’s also a walking trail, volleyball courts, showers, and birding opportunities.

The Rockport Center for the Arts showcases artworks that rotate monthly, with rooms filled with pieces from local artists. Admission is always free, and educational classes for all ages are regularly part of programming. At the Fulton Mansion State Historic Site, see the stately Fulton Mansion, which dates to 1877 and included many advanced mechanical systems for its time, including gas lighting, indoor plumbing, and hot and cold running water.

Active travelers who want to be on the go enjoy Corpus Christi, as it not only has more than 80 miles of beaches to explore, it’s also full of attractions. The Texas State Aquarium is a must see, as it’s bursting with exhibits on coral reefs, dolphins, sting rays, and even some land animals such as flamingoes and snakes. The touch tanks are a win with kids, as they can get up close with jellyfish, sharks, and rays.

Nearby is the USS Lexington Museum, an aircraft carrier from the WWII era that’s been transformed into a museum. Learn about Pearl Harbor and have fun with the flight simulator and the flight deck, where 20 aircraft from the National Museum of Naval Aviation are displayed. Fans of Selena Quintanilla-Perez should stop by the Selena Memorial, which honors the Queen of Tejano, who was from Corpus Christi who died in 1995 at the height of her fame. Head outside to the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, where you’ll find sprawling gardens filled with tropical flowers, roses, butterflies, and hummingbirds, plus trails for walking and a birding tower and boardwalk.

For an escape from the crowds, head to Mustang Island State Park, where over 5 miles of coastline allow you to fish, surf, swim, or get a tan in the sand. Here, the 20-mile Mustang Island State Park Paddling Trail lets you paddle through birding areas. Nearby, the Padre Island National Seashore is another quiet oasis that offers ranger-led programs for kids, stargazing, beach camping, fishing, paddling, and windsurfing.