White Sand Beaches In Texas You Should Visit This Summer
Texas’s fantastic coastline with stunning vistas and mild waters of the Gulf of Mexico offers an idyllic counterpoint to the hustle and bustle of daily life. Whether you want to satiate your love for nature, appease your inner adventure seeker, or simply soak up the sun, these white sand beaches in Texas won’t disappoint!
Crystal Beach
Named after its glimmering shoreline, Crystal Beach sits on the Bolivar Peninsula near Galveston. This popular white sand beach in Texas boasts seven miles of soft sand (whitish or golden yellow, depending on how wet it is), offering perfect conditions for a short seaside escape or even a week-long Texas beach vacation.
You can spend your day swimming, searching for hermit crabs and beachcombing, or watching rare migratory birds. What makes Crystal Beach special, though, is that you can drive your vehicle directly onto the sand and park wherever you want.
Set up a grill or bonfire and gather with family and friends for a truly memorable experience. Moreover, summer brings a multitude of concerts and festivals to offer you an experience unlike any other.
Recommended places to stay nearby:
- The 409 Bolivar Beach Hotel – within walking distance of the beach, excellent reviews
- Crystal Palace Resort – about a 15–17 minute walk, offers pool, free parking, Wi-Fi; guest rating
- Camp Margaritaville Resort Crystal Beach – an RV resort with resort-style pool, swim-up bar, entertainment venue and more, right on the peninsula
- Additional options: BOLI Bunkies Glamping Cabins, Airbnb-style tiny homes and vacation rentals just steps from the beach
- Motels: Saltwater Motel (Crystal Beach) and Gulfway Motel (High Island, ~16 miles away) are also possibilities
Sylvan Beach Park
Those who seek out white sand beaches near Houston should visit Sylvan Beach Park. This seaweed-free park in the city of La Porte that overlooks the beautiful Galveston Bay offers everything you need for a perfect beach day.
It is equipped with a host of amenities that include restrooms, playgrounds for little children, and abundant grassy spots for a picnic or a barbecue, making it one of the best family-friendly beaches to visit.
If your kids love playing in the surf Sylvan Beach Park is one of those Texas beaches that will be perfect for you because of its calmer waters. Swim, sunbathe, or go for a stroll along the coastline. You can also fish off the long fishing pier.
Recommended places to stay nearby:
Sylvan Beach Park is within La Porte and not directly adjacent to hotels. However, the nearby City of La Porte and Seabrook area offer hotels such as budget motels or chain hotels (e.g., in Seabrook or Kemah).
Stewart Beach
Head to Stewart Beach if you’re looking for the quintessential family beach getaway at a white sand beach in Galveston TX! Ranked in the Top 10 U.S. Beaches for Families by Family Vacation Critic, Stewart Beach is one of the most popular strips of sand in the area.
Known for its myriad beachside amenities that include lifeguards, concession stands, and chair and umbrella and beach wheelchair rentals, this place offers wholesome fun for everyone.
You can swim or enjoy beach volleyball, participate in sandcastle contests, and other entertaining family-oriented activities. The small waves here are conducive to learning surfing; so, don’t miss out if you’re a novice surfer. And the best is that this is a dog-friendly beach so you can bring your four-legged friends too!
Recommended places to stay nearby:
Located in Galveston, options include a wide variety of beachfront hotels, vacation rentals, and motels near the Seawall and along the island.
McGee Beach – Corpus Christi
If you’re in downtown Corpus Christi and have the urge to sink your feet into the sand, you’re in luck. McGee Beach is close. Stretched along Corpus Christi Bay, the white sands and azure waters are perfect for a day of relaxation.
The beach not only offers unparalleled views of the bay, but it is also great for swimming, particularly for kids and beginners. It also has equipment rental for multiple aquatic activities, and you can enjoy fishing from the jetty too. If you don’t want to break a sweat, simply sunbathe or walk along the beach.
Recommended places to stay nearby:
McGee Beach is downtown – plenty of Corpus Christi hotels, including well-known chains, close to the waterfront, so it’s easy to find lodging within a short drive or walk from the beach.
San Jose Island
Look no further than San Jose Island if the allure of unruffled nature beckons you. Home to 21 miles of undisturbed coastline, this island is located just north of Corpus Christi. It is one of the white sand beaches in Texas that is accessible only by a ferry from Port Aransas.
San Jose Island is a place that everyone will enjoy! With over 300 species of native birds and 600 species of native fish, you can also do some of the best birding and saltwater fishing here. This area is known for being a treasure trove of seashells, so you can spend all day just beachcombing the immaculate shores, or enjoy the day swimming and surfing.
Where to stay nearby:
Since San Jose Island itself is undeveloped with no accommodations on-site, your best bet is to stay in Port Aransas, where there are hotels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds.
Mustang Island State Park
If you wonder, “Does Texas have white beaches?” you’ve not been to Mustang Island State Park. Located on the southeastern coast, just east of Corpus Christi, this family-friendly shoreline boasts five miles of pristine sand.
This white sandy beach in Texas offers untrammeled views of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a lovely place for camping, swimming, fishing, or walking. You can also indulge in the thrill of treasure hunting with the popular activity of geocaching.
Those seeking an adventurous and immersive experience can paddle the Mustang Island Paddling Trail, getting up close and personal with coastal birds and enjoying some of Texas’s best shallow-water fishing.
Where to stay nearby:
- Within the park: camping available including the Malaquite Campground and Bird Island Basin Campground.
- Nearby Corpus Christi / North Padre Island: Numerous hotels such as Wyndham Corpus Christi Resort North Padre Island, Holiday Inn Express & Suites Corpus Christi – N Padre Island, Monterrey Motel Padre Island (budget option), and Hawthorn Suites are within a ~10–20 minute drive.
Padre Island National Seashore
Travel back in time with a visit to the 70 miles of uninterrupted shimmering shoreline of Padre Island National Seashore. Located at the northern end of Padre Island, you’ll find the longest undeveloped stretch of barrier island, a unique feature found nowhere else in the world.
With over 380 species of birds living here, this is a perfect place for birdwatchers, and you can witness rare raptors and even hatchlings of the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle.
Take a dip in the waters, drop a fishing line, go kayaking, canoeing, or simply enjoy a languorous hike or bike ride. Padre Island National Seashore is a great place to unwind and enjoy nature!
Recommended places to stay nearby:
Your options are essentially the same as those listed above on Mustand Island.
Boca Chica Beach
Yearn to leave the more crowded Texas beaches behind and bask in the sights and sounds of undisrupted nature? Head to Boca Chica, at the southernmost tip of the state.
Devoid of the bells and whistles of other beaches, this eight-mile-long stretch of sand in Brownsville is one of the most unique white sand beaches in Texas since SpaceX lies nearby, so you may even see a rocket launch from here!
Despite this popular attraction and many other exciting things to do in Brownsville, Boca Chica still remains a secluded beach, and you may even find the long stretch of sand all to yourself.
Go swimming, try surfing, kiteboarding, or liberate your inner child and build a sandcastle. Then decorate it with seashells from the vast swath commonly found covering the beach!
Where to stay nearby:
Boca Chica is quite secluded with very limited to no accommodations directly at the beach. Most visitors stay in Brownsville, which offers hotels, motels, and vacation rentals.
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