Touring the Texas Coast
It’s summer and that means it’s time to hit the beach. No kidding, but there are a lot of beaches along the Texas coast that are worth checking out.
Not to worry—we did the work for you! Below you’ll find our guide to the best of what the coast has to offer, from catching trout in Port Aransas and Matagorda to lying on the beach in South Padre to clubbing on the Strand, so relax, kick back and tour with us.
Corpus Christi
1Omni’s Republic of Tx Restaurant World class dining experience in Corpus at the Republic of Texas Restaurant at the Omni Hotel. The view of the marina makes you think you’ve died and gone to South Florida. Be sure to order the hash browns served late, they’re unbelievable. 707 N. Shoreline Blvd. Omnihotels.com/corpuschristi
2Whataburger Field Home of the Houston Astros Minor League Corpus Christi Hooks, who have the best logo in all of baseball. Check out the next Jason Castro up close at this cozy and spectacular AA baseball stadium! They also feature live music concerts with a view of the bay.
3Brewster Street Icehouse the place to go after a game – there is live music almost every night and it is within walking distance to Whataburger Field. 1724 North Tancahua St. brewsterstreet.net
4Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre Trophy Trout and Redfish Fishing with Bill Sheka. Take a guided trip with legendary fisherman Bill Sheka. Whether it’s just a few guys or the entire family, Bill’s 21-foot Kenner Vision will accommodate. Billsheka. com
Galveston
5Hotel Galvez If luxury is your thing, go no further. They’ve got the best pool in on the island, the best view and the most opulent rooms. The prices are more reasonable than you might think—we found rooms for as low as $125 per night on hotels.com. 2024 Seawall Blvd. wyndhamcom/galvez
6San Luis Pass Beach The place to go to do whatever you want. The beach is clean and free of charge, alcohol is allowed and you can drive your car right up to the water and blast some music—better watch out for those riptides though.
7Gaido’s The food here is worth the drive from Houston even if you’re not even thinking of getting in the water. Top notch Gulf Coast cuisine—case closed. 3802 Seawall Blvd. gaidosofgalveston.com
8The Strand This retail and bar hopping destination has just undergone a post- Ike makeover.
Kemah
9Boardwalk Bring the kids to Kemah this summer. It’s a short drive for a lot of fun and games on the boardwalk. kemahboardwalk. com
10Roller Coaster Kemah has a wide variety of fun roller coasters like the Pharaoh’s Fury if you’re into exciting rides. There imalso the Boardwalk Tower if you just want to take in the whole view from above. They also offer an all-day ride pass for under 20 bucks and you go as many times as you want.
11Rock the Dock Every Thursday night til August 26 you can catch live music on the boardwalk from 6:30pm to 10:15pm. Artists range from 80’s pop rock to rock & roll bands like the Rat Ranch and there is music for all ages.
Matagorda
12Rent a beachfront property at Two Pluggers Lodge and fish with legendary fisherman and writer Bink Grimes, the authority on wadefishing. Lot 55 just north of old Allen’s Landing (2900 FM 2031). Binkgrimesoutdoors.com Port Aransas
13Newport Dunes Golf Course Don’t go here thinking you have arrived at Pebble Beach. No Inn at Spanish Bay or Pebble Beach Lodge, but a fantastic seaside course at $65 ain’t all bad. In fact this Arnold Palmer design is spectacular and playing now rather than later may enlighten the experience before new developments surround the place. 265 Palm Island Dr. newportdunesgolf.com
14The Dunes Condominiums The best rooms with the best views make this the ultimate refuge after a day of fishing. 1000 Lantana Dr. thedunescondos.com
Port Isabel
15Lighthouse Historical 1852 lighthouse that you can climb to the top of for a 16 mile view which includes the Laguna Madre Bay, South Padre Island, the Gulf Intercoastal Water Way, the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge, Brazos Santiago Pass, and the Gulf of Mexico. Portisabel-texas.com
Port O’Connor
16World headquarters of where it all began: Walter Fondren’s Poco Bueno fishing tournament, which will be July 14th through the 17th this year. You’ll find some of the best sportfishing and hunting in the world. Be sure to check out Clark’s Restaurant and Marina, which is over 90 years old. Portoconnor.com
Rockport- Fulton
17Redfish Lodge If this is your first fishing trip or last you might want it to be at Redfish Lodge. Seasoned flyfishermen and beginners alike will love this place. You can wadefish or choose from one of their many bay boats. Their resident guides know the Copano Bay waters well. A hot tub, pool and lighted pier enhance your stay, so you might want to opt for more than a few days. 901 Rattlesnake Point Rd. redfishlodge.com
18Kontiki Beach Resort Condominiums When it comes to Rockport, this place has it all. You can sit on the deck just 30 feet above the water of Aransas Bay, hang out by the pool, play tennis, go trout fishing from their lighted pier… the list goes on and on. 2290 North Fulton Beach Rd. kontikibeach.com
South Padre
19South Padre Island Beach You can’t find a better beach in Texas—big waves, clear blue water, white sand – perfect for wave jumping, surfing and just chilling on the beach. Sopadre. com
20Little Inns Little inns like Wanna Wanna and The Palms Resort are a cheaper alternative to expensive hotels, are right on the beach and have more of a party atmosphere. You’ll find live music, drinks and revelers all day and long after nightfall. 3616 Gulf Blvd. palmsresortcafe.com. 5100 Gulf Blvd. wannawanna. com
21Louie’s Backyard With three bars and two decks, this is hands-down the best bar in South Padre. 2305 Laguna Dr. lbyspi. com
Surfside
22Fireworks The place to party and set off all the fireworks you want – legally! Always a great Independence Day destination. surfsidebeachtx.org