Matagorda Bay Nature Park

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.