As far as Texas beaches go, the 8-mile-long Boca Chica Beach is as close to Mexico as you can get without crossing the border. The Rio Grande, which flows eastward into the Gulf, is the only thing that separates the two. This quiet beach, which is part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge and is protected by the state, is as rustic and untouched as they come. As a result, there are no facilities nearby, so bring all of the food, water, and beach essentials you'll want or need.

While this is undoubtedly inconvenient, it is precisely this lack of development that distinguishes Boca Chica. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed, ideal for slowing down and enjoying life's simple pleasures such as swimming, snorkeling, fishing, birding, or simply soaking up the sun's rays while flipping through a favorite beach read.

Crystal Beach is located on the Bolivar Peninsula, which connects Galveston Bay to the Gulf of Mexico. Because of the beach's remote location (it can only be reached by ferry from Galveston), the ratio of hermit crabs to beachgoers is frequently quite high. When not looking for hermit crabs, visitors can go fishing or bird watching. Every year, more than 100 species of migratory birds visit the peninsula. Crystal Beach also welcomes campers and allows campfires to be built directly on the sand.

Despite its remote location, Crystal Beach provides a true party atmosphere. Visitors can drive their cars and trucks directly onto the sand for a $10 fee per vehicle, camp overnight for free, and set up grills and bonfires, encouraging groups to gather and revel throughout the summer. Fishing, shell and hermit crab hunting and birding (over 100 migratory species visit the Bolivar Peninsula each year) are also popular activities. After the sun goes down, the energy level is maintained by nearby restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

Galveston Island, located an hour south of Houston, is a popular local getaway from city life. This is not to say that Galveston is raucous; there are as many quiet corners as there are crowded areas along the seawall. East Beach is Texas's largest and Galveston's most beautiful beach (as well as the only beach on the island that allows alcohol), so it gets crowded. Throughout the summer, there are concerts and festivals, as well as an annual sandcastle competition. There is also a children's playground. Are you looking for sandcastle lessons? Instead of alcohol, head next door to Stewart Beach, where you'll find seasonal lifeguards, umbrella and chair rentals, and an even more family-friendly atmosphere.

Continue walking west along Seawall Boulevard until you reach the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, one of the island's most popular attractions. Its amusement park, which includes a steel roller coaster and a 100-foot-tall Ferris wheel, is located near the island's best beachfront restaurants, bars, and hotels, including Hotel Galvez and Spa (from $215 or 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night).

The Colorado River flows through Texas for more than 800 miles before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at Matagorda Bay Nature Park. The park encompasses two miles of coastline and 1,333 acres of land, and available activities include camping, fishing, and swimming. Visitors can also go horseback riding on the beach or bird watching in the park's coastal marshes. Visitors who do not have their own beach equipment can rent it from the park service, which offers items such as paddleboards, beach chairs, and beach wagons.

Only about half of Matagorda's 58 miles of beach are accessible by foot, which helps to preserve the area's natural state, but if you can brave the primitive surroundings and bring plenty of provisions and sunscreen, it promises to be one of Texas' most serene beach experiences. The rest of the inland region is open for exploration when you're not setting up camp on the sand, horseback riding in the water, or kayaking along the coast.

Hike one of the trails to see the shifting sand dunes or explore the coastal marshes, which are home to herons, storks, and spoonbills. The rusted-over Matagorda Island Lighthouse, built-in 1852 and no longer open to the public, is another popular sighting.

North Beach demonstrates that you don't have to leave Texas city limits to enjoy quality beach time. One of the best beaches in the state is just across the Harbor Bridge from Corpus Christi, the second-largest metropolis in south Texas (after San Antonio). Two of Texas' most popular attractions are easily accessible from this 1.5-mile stretch of sand. The most well-known is the USS Lexington, a WWII aircraft carrier turned naval museum that can be photographed from North Beach.

A paved Beachwalk from North Beach leads directly to the non-profit Texas State Aquarium, which has a 4D theater, a 400,000-gallon tank habitat for sharks, and a jungle exhibit with Yucatán flora and fauna like flamingos and southern 2-toed sloths.

There is no other place on the planet where you can find an undeveloped barrier island as long as Padre. Padre Island National Seashore, located approximately 30 miles from Corpus Christi, is a nature lover's paradise for over 300 individual bird species, as well as the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle. It's true that it sounds rugged. The seashore belongs to the birds and turtles, but those in the know come here to relax, camp, windsurf, kayak, and walk along the waterline alone.

Kayaking and snorkeling are possible in Laguna Madre's shallow waters, and beachcombing is best on the well-known Big Shell and Little Shell beaches. Beachgoers may have the most fun, however, at Malaquite Swimming Beach, where park rangers host baby sea turtle releases and lead conservation programs. Padre Island is also one of the best places in the country for birdwatching, especially in the early spring, fall, and winter.

The best family-friendly destination on Mustang Island, the small, sleepy town of Port Aransas draws more visitors than Mustang's state park, but not as many as the ever-popular Galveston or South Padre Island. Convenience is essential in this situation. The 18-mile-long beach is lined with laid-back restaurants and vacation homes for rent, and it's only a short walk to the sand. Bathrooms and outdoor showers are among the well-kept amenities.

Because of the beach's popularity, celebrations take place all year. Texas SandFest, a weekend sand-sculpture competition with concessions, live music, and activities that draws tens of thousands of people, is the biggest event of the year in Port Aransas. Every February, the Whooping Crane Festival is also held for bird enthusiasts.

In southeastern Texas, Rockport Beach overlooks Aransas Bay. Vacationers will find volleyball courts, picnic tables, and a fishing pier at this crescent-shaped beach. Travelers can also take a stroll along the promenade that runs alongside the sands or set up chairs for relaxing and sunbathing on the beach, which previous sun-seekers praised for its overall cleanliness. In fact, the beach is so beautiful that the Clean Beaches Coalition named it Texas' first Blue Wave Beach.

Cars, dogs, bonfires, fireworks, and beach camping are all prohibited on Rockport Beach, ensuring that the sand (and water) is as clean as possible. These strenuous efforts paid off handsomely: this was Texas' first "Blue Wave Beach", an environmental certification that recognizes clean, well-managed beaches worldwide.

Locals enjoy swimming, volleyball on the beach courts, fishing off the pier, and relaxing in the thatch-roof palapas that line the crescent-shaped sand. Families particularly enjoy the shallow waters and the available amenities, which include picnic tables, restrooms, and showers. Parking costs $5 per day.

Visitors who want to experience the natural beauty of San José Island must take a short ferry ride from Port Aransas, which is about 40 miles northeast of Corpus Christi. Visitors can only access the sands below the vegetation line on the island's 21-mile-long pristine coastline. However, there is plenty to do on the beaches. Birding, shelling, and fishing are popular activities. Keep an eye out for sea turtles while swimming or fishing from the island's jetties; the marine animals are frequently spotted in the area.

To get to this pristine island across from Port Aransas, you'll need to take a boat. You'll be limited to the beach once you arrive (San José, or "St. Jo" as the locals call it, is privately owned, so there are no restaurants or stores), but that's what you've come to enjoy. The jetty is ideal for fishing for flounder or speckled trout, the water is startlingly clear (a rarity in Texas), and the area is extremely safe, quiet, and clean because no cars are permitted on the island.

It's not surprising that the beach is the main draw in this small town located 40 miles southwest of Galveston. It's also not surprising that Surfside Beach's deepwater provides ideal conditions for surfing, kayaking, and windsurfing. When you're not in the water, the clean environment and soft sand of the shoreline are ideal for soaking up some sun while napping or reading a book. In addition, the beach has a fishing jetty and a splash pad with ten water features.

During hurricane season, stronger waves occur here, making Surfside one of the best surfing beaches in the state. Surfside Beach, like Rockport, has some of the cleanest and clearest sand and water in Texas. However, unlike Rockport, the rules are far laxer here. Leashed dogs and campfires are permitted, and cars are permitted in designated areas of the beach for a fee.