USA TODAY 10Best
Rockport Beach named best in Texas!
Best Texas Beach (2018)
Texas is known for many things – cowboys, barbecue, and Old West heritage, and wide open spaces – which may be why its 600-mile sparkling coastline along the Gulf of Mexico is so often overlooked. The saying "Everything's bigger in Texas" is true of the beaches too; the Lone Star State is home to the world's longest undeveloped barrier island, as well as some of the best coastal birdwatching in the country.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Texas Beach are as follows:
- Malaquite Beach - Corpus Christi
- East Beach - Galveston
- South Beach - Padre Island National Seashore
- Isla Blanca Park - South Padre Island
- Port Aransas Beach - Port Aransas
- Matagorda Bay Nature Park - Matagorda
- Crystal Beach - Bolivar Peninsula
- Surfside Beach - Surfside Beach, Texas
- South Padre Island Beach - South Padre Island
- Rockport Beach - Rockport
Photo courtesy of Terry Ross / Flickr
No. 10:
Padre Island boasts that it has the longest stretch of undeveloped island anywhere in the world. The seashore is 70 miles long, nearly all of which is bordered by a thin strip of firmly packed white sand. Grasslands and marshes back a thin border of dunes that parallel the beach. Malaquite Beach is a short stretch of beach near a pavilion with a visitor center, observation deck, gift shop and restrooms. This section of the seashore also provides a family-friendly swimming area free of pets, fishing and public driving.
Photo courtesy of Brian Greul / Flickr
No. 9:
Situated on the far eastern tip of Galveston Island, East Beach offers a beach party vibe, thanks in part to a summer calendar packed full of festivals, live concerts and events. Alcohol is permitted on the beach, and amenities include a pavilion, boardwalk, showers, concessions and umbrella rentals.
No. 8:
South Beach runs for 60 miles along the undeveloped shores of Padre Island National Seashore. Driving and primitive RV and tent camping are allowed on the beach, making it a popular getaway for those looking to escape the busy beaches of South Padre Island.
Photo courtesy of Vince Smith / Flickr
No. 7:
Occupying the southernmost tip of South Padre Island, Isla Blanca Park is home to over a mile of pristine white sand shoreline packed with amenities, including two beachfront pavilions, food concessions and beach rentals, RV sites, a walking trail, showers, shaded picnic areas and jetties for fishing.
Photo courtesy of Michael Salazar / Flickr
No. 6:
This 18th century pirate hideout is now one of the most popular beach destinations on the Texas coast. The only town on Mustang Island fronts 6 miles of sandy beach, popular for swimming, snorkeling, birdwatching and its annual sand castle competition.
Photo courtesy of Lower Colorado River Authority
No. 5:
The 2-mile beach within Matagorda Bay Nature Park not only offers inviting blue waters, horseback riding through the surf and beach camping, it's also right in the heart of one of the nation's top birdwatching destinations
Photo courtesy of Donnie Ray Jones / Flickr
No. 4:
While the main beaches of Galveston Island can get crowded during the hot Texas summer, catch the ferry to Bolivar Peninsula for a bit of beachy seclusion on 7-mile-long Crystal Beach.
Photo courtesy of Brazosport Convention & Visitors Council
No. 3:
Located just 60 miles outside of Houston, Surfside Beach is a quiet 4-mile stretch of coast perfect for fishing, surfing, horseback riding, swimming and sunbathing in relative solitude. The water gets deep quite quickly, allowing fishing enthusiasts to catch species often found much further offshore.
Photo courtesy of South Padre Island
No. 2:
This family-friendly destination near the border of Mexico draws water sport enthusiasts eager for kiteboarding, kitesurfing, jetskiing and windsurfing. And if visitors aren't partying the night away or spending the day outdoors on the beach, they're hitting parks like the Laguna Madre Nature Trail, popular with birders and nature lovers.
Photo courtesy of iStock / jerryhopman
No. 1:
The Lone Star State's first designated Blue Wave Beach, Rockport Beach prides itself on its clean, crescent-shaped stretch of sand. Popular with families thanks to its calm and shallow water, Rockport Beach offers convenient amenities like numerous shaded picnic areas, grills, volleyball courts, playgrounds and a walking path.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Congratulations to these 10 winning beaches!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original,... Read More
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
Dr. Stephen Leatherman
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach") is a... Read More
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach") is a Professor at Florida International University who uses 50 criteria to select the best US beaches on an annual basis since 1991. He has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles about waves and beaches, as well as appeared hundreds of times on TV shows.
Dr. Stephen Leatherman
Dr. Stephen Leatherman (a.k.a. "Dr. Beach") is a Professor at Florida International University who uses 50 criteria to select the best US beaches on an annual basis since 1991. He has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles about waves and beaches, as well as appeared hundreds of times on TV shows.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
