Crystal Beach, Texas: A Laid-Back Coastal Town Just Beyond Galveston

Located on the Bolivar Peninsula, a 27-mile strip of land separating the eastern part of Galveston Bay from the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find Crystal Beach, a small beach town that’s a quiet hiatus from nearby booming Galveston. Here, most visitors come for the less-crowded beach and laid-back atmosphere. There’s also opportunities for birding, fishing, golf, and even a sunset golf cart ride.

What makes Crystal Beach a calmer alternative to Galveston? You need to take the Galveston-Bolivar ferry to get onto the Bolivar Peninsula from Galveston. It’s free to all travelers and operates 24 hours a day, covering about 3 miles in 18 minutes. Once on the Peninsula, head to Crystal Beach, where surf, sand, and Texas hospitality await.

More than 400 bird species have been spotted on the Bolivar Peninsula, making it one of the most important stopovers for migratory birds between North and South America. Many birds rest and feed here before heading south farther for the winter, and birders can see them on beaches, marshes, and in sanctuaries like the nearby Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge.

Aside from Crystal Beach, you can head to High Island, Bolivar Flats, Horseshoe Marsh, and Rollover Pass—all close options to see roseate spoonbills, egrets, songbirds, black skimmers, pelicans, great blue herons, sandpipers, and more. Spring and fall have the highest amount of species diversity, while winter is better for waterfowl and shorebirds.

Crystal Beach and the Bolivar Peninsula offer numerous fishing opportunities, from surf fishing and jetty fishing to heading out onto East Galveston Bay. Speckled trout, sheepshead, flounder, and redfish are popular catches, and chartered boat trips abound. From Crystal Beach, you can wade directly into the surf to fish, or you can head to the North Jetty, about two miles from the ferry landing, and fish right from the jetty. French Town Road is another spot near the ferry landing for fishing, where you’ll find calm waters and less crowds.

There’s lots of room to roam along Crystal Beach and the surrounding Bolivar Peninsula, and  Texas’ open beaches are legal to drive on, meaning you can drive, park, and explore the 27 miles of the Bolivar Peninsula with ease. Build a sandcastle with the family, search for shells, grab a boogie board, or throw down a beach towel and sunbathe at leisure. You’ll need to purchase a beach parking permit, which you can find at local shops and stores. The Bolivar Beach Pavilion in Crystal Beach has restrooms and rinse-off showers.

You can’t go inside, but if you head to the south end of the peninsula, near Fort Travis Seashore Park, you’ll see the Bolivar Point Lighthouse, which was built in 1872 and decommissioned in 1933. The lighthouse was recently painted back to its original black-and-white striped design, making a great photo while sightseeing around the Peninsula.

About 10 miles west of Crystal Beach is Fort Travis Seashore Park, the first fort established by the Texas Republic to protect the Galveston harbor entrance. Today, some of the historic bunkers remain, but visitors can also expect picnic areas with cooking facilities and grassy areas for hanging out. Here, you can see the ships rolling through the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay while children play on the playground equipment and a relaxing afternoon.

The warm coastal weather means Crystal Beach is a great golf destination year round. The nine-hole Rancho Carribe Golf Course is a gorgeous choice with flat fairways, water hazards, and sand traps, or the Gulf Range offers 18 holes of mini golf with a saloon, pool tables, a volleyball court, arcade, giant Jenga, and entertainment for all.

Crystal Beach is also a popular golf cart destination, and you’ll see visitors driving through town via golf cart all year. There are several places in town to rent golf carts, and the annual Golf Cart Poker Run in August includes over 200 golf carts and a live auction, with awards for the best decorated golf carts.

Mexican and Cajun flavors collide at Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp, where a large menu includes fun dishes like boudin balls, fried alligator, seafood gumbo, chargrilled oysters, fish tacos, po’ boys, quesadillas, and more.

Right on the water, the Stingaree is a great place to watch the sunset from the patio while enjoying a Mermaid Water (rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, Sprite) or a piña colada. Burgers, po’ boys, gumbo, fish tacos, and other pub-style plates grace the menu, and they also have beer, wine, and mocktails.  

Both the Nauti Beaver and its Beaver Dam Patio offer laid-back vibes and plenty of seating. Expect an array of bar-friendly American meals, like burgers, sandwiches, pizza, fried shrimp, crawfish boils (when in season), loaded fries, pizza, and more.

For your Tex-Mex fix with a seafood twist, head to Jose’s Cantina. The menu is large, with items such as fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, and chimichangas, plus you’ll find grilled and fried seafood platters, Cajun catfish, fried crawfish tails, crab balls, and chili con queso.

There are lots of vacation homes for rent across Crystal Beach, but for something with amenities, head to Camp Margaritaville Resort at Crystal Beach. Right on the shoreline of the Bolivar Peninsula, the resort boasts a 75-foot swim-up bar in the pool, plus cabanas, poolside service, TVs, and day beds. Aside from the 21-and-up pool, there’s a family pool as well. Camp Margaritaville also has a live music venue on site, and Fins Bar and Grill for casual dining.

Nearby in Galveston, the San Luis Resort has 32 beachfront acres and a pool with cabanas right next to the beach. Ten restaurants are on site, including a steakhouse, Italian restaurant, and a gelato shop, and the spa offers lots of body treatments, facials, and salon services.

A historic Galveston gem, the Grand Galvez first opened in 1911 and has been welcoming guests for more than 100 years. The hotel was recently renovated in 2023, showcasing new guestrooms and suites and a renovated pool. Guest rooms are complete with fun wallpapers and art nodding back to Galveston’s past, and the spa includes all the treatments you could wish for. Stop in for a drink at the Founders Bar, where an early 20^th-century aesthetic includes Baccarat chandeliers and moody velvet furnishings.