Texas is a big state with a long, sandy coastline. Galveston along the northeast Texas coast is the best known, immortalized in song by country singer Glenn Campbell. Along the central Texas coast, entire barrier islands such as St. Joseph and most of Matagorda are privately held with no public access. The best strand of fine sandy beaches is found at Padre Island to the south, with the National Seashore being the crown jewel of the Texas coast.

Galveston is one of the oldest coastal resorts along the Gulf coast, and the historic district is still graced by many fine old Victorian mansions along palm tree-lined streets. It is hard to believe that this city was devastated by the 1900 hurricane when some 6,000 people tragically lost their lives. A visit to the Rosenberg Library is well worth the trip to see the pictorial proof. At the turn of the century, Galveston was known as the "Wall Street of the Southwest," but this horrific hurricane literally knocked this grand city back a generation. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the Galveston seawall in 1901-3, which has served remarkably well to save this city from all subsequent hurricanes, but the beach was largely lost in the process. Beach nourishment has restored sections of the beach along this 32-mile-long barrier island. The sand at
Galveston is brown and hard packed, enabling people to drive their sedans right out on the beach. Vehicular access is limited after March 15, which is locally known as Splash Day - the beginning of the season when the water is theoretically warm enough to go swimming.

Galveston is a short ride from Houston; I made many trips to the beach during my residence in the Lone Star State. This is a party beach. I slept on the beach in a sleeping bag during the Independence weekend festivities, enjoying a spectacular fireworks display over the water. The onshore breezes were nice, but the nights are still pretty warm and very muggy; I would have done better at one of the air-conditioned hotels on the boardwalk. Galveston is the Best Novelty Beach in the Gulf, and many people say that it is just waiting to be discovered like Key West was a few decades ago.

Corpus Christi is the gateway to Padre Island National Seashore, which is some 110 miles long. This is the longest barrier island in the United States. Wouldn't you know that it had to be in Texas, which always seems to have the biggest everything. After you pass Malaquite Beach, there are no roads or anything else resembling civilization for over 50 miles of continuous, unbroken barrier island. The light grey to white sand beaches are backed by substantial sand dunes. Because the prevailing longshore currents converge at Padre Island, the beach is often strewn with seashells and flotsam, making it a great place for beachcombing. The persistent southeast (onshore) winds make the beach much cooler and more pleasant than the mainland. The only problem is that the prevailing currents and wind make Padre a collection area for all sorts of debris that is thrown into the Gulf of Mexico. Off-road vehicles provide a reasonable means to explore the seemingly endless beach, but the purest at heart take issue with their presence on the otherwise wilderness landscape. Padre Island is the Best Wilderness Beach in the Gulf accessible to the public.

Near the Mexican border and the mouth of the Rio Grande Valley is South Padre Island, which has sprouted many high rise condominiums in the last few decades. This is a favorite area for the snowbirds in the winter and college students during spring break. Here you will find the clearest, bluish water on the Texas coast. It's a long way down here to this laid-back beach community, so you might as well stay a spell (as the locals will tell you after making the journey).

Texas Department of Transportation, Travel Division
P.O. Box 5064
Austin, TX 78763
(800) 452-9292

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