Corpus Christi is your gateway to miles and miles of beaches. Each beach has something for every kind of beachgoer! There are lots of different experiences you can find on Corpus Christi beaches. If you're looking for beach, camping, and campfire rules, coast over to our beaches page.
Gulf Beaches
Located on the opposite side of the island from the protected waters of the bay, Gulf beaches offer crashing waves, miles of sand, and expansive views. Whether catching a wave with your surfboard or a fish with your pole, these beaches offer plenty of sun for fun year-round. Located off Highway 361 and Park Road 22, you’ll find plenty of vehicle access to the beach—just make sure to buy your parking permit!
Bay Beaches
Head to calmer waters on the Corpus Christi Bay, located in Downtown. Enjoy the Corpus Christi Seawall for downtown views; take a walk down Shoreline Boulevard and past The Water’s Edge park, and then enjoy lunch on the water or beers at a nearby brewery. Spend an afternoon at McGee Beach or North Beach for calm waves and a laid-back beach experience without vehicle access.
GULF BEACHES
PADRE BALLI PARK
Padre Balli Beach is the locals’ most beloved 400-acre stretch of coast, known for surfing, and shore fishing. Acclaimed as the best fishing spot on the Gulf Coast, this area is an esteemed sanctuary for anglers to discover new types of fish, including grouper and speckled trout.
If you’re in search of the ultimate beach camping adventure, look no further! Padre Balli Park offers a spectacular camping experience with almost 100 paved campsites suitable for RVs, 12 hardtop areas for tents with electrical and water hookups, ADA-accessible amenities, a bathhouse, and more. Camping fees include the use of the shower house and WiFi access, should you need it. With the long stretch of gorgeous shore and plenty of ways to heighten your visit, it’s no wonder this sunny spot attracts locals and visitors year-round!
NORTH PACKERY BEACH
North Packery Beach, locally referred to as J.P. Luby, is a watersports wonderland for surfing, jet-skiing, kiteboarding, wakeboarding, and more. This beach stays packed with visitors, locals, and families throughout the year.
Outdoor adventures abound at North Packery. Here you’ll discover some of the best surfing conditions in the area, due to offshore winds from the northwest. Surf fishing is also a popular activity, as the warm waters of the Gulf practically ensure success for those dropping a line, and the best part is that you don’t even need a fishing license to partake in the fun. If sunbathing and a leisurely swim are more your speed, head down to the sectioned-off areas designated specifically for swimmers during the summer months.
Camp on-beach with a tent and primitive supplies, or pull up to one of the electric campsites protected behind bordering sand dunes. Wherever you stay, be sure to bundle up around a small campfire on the beach to witness a majestic sunset. Before you go, double-check the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website for updates on burn bans and regulations. Grills, picnic tables, and a beach bathhouse that includes full restrooms are available, as well.
WHITECAP BEACH
Whitecap Beach, named after the white sands you’ll find on this untouched shore, is an excellent location for small groups or solo travelers. This location is an excellent choice for those looking to escape a busier beach scene. Stretching from Whitecap Beach to South Packery Beach is the mile-long Padre Island Seawall protecting the hotels and resorts, which offers a sand-free path for biking, jogging, or walking along the beach.
Midway along the Padre Island Seawall sits the Michael J. Ellis Beach. Here you’ll find free parking, clean facilities, showers, and dressing rooms to make your beach day even more enjoyable. Well-maintained with packed sand and lifeguards stationed along the way, Ellis Beach is a great place to bike, jog, walk, surf, and people-watch. This beach is also ADA accessible and completely free to the public. Creating a picture-perfect beach day is easy, with a variety of rental vendors in close proximity.
MUSTANG ISLAND STATE PARK
Mustang Island State Park offers a perfectly serene vacation spot featuring miles of sandy beach for a memorable day, weekend, or week-long trip. Mustang Beach, part of the state park, is an 18-mile-long barrier island on the Texas coast with great on-beach camping, beachcombing, turtles, dolphins, birds, and more.
Camping options also abound at Mustang Island State Park. Stay at one of the 48 water and electric campsites or choose among 50 drive-up primitive sites. Water, cold-water rinse showers, and portable toilets can also be found along a two-mile stretch of the beach, and full restrooms and showers with hot water are also accessible.
This untouched barrier island park allows visitors the chance to discover diverse wildlife and pristine coastlines. Ranger Programs offer special birding, stargazing, fishing, and other nature-related events for fun and educational experiences. The “Ask a Ranger” program provides an inside look at wildlife elements – like what critters reside inside beach holes and the reasoning behind unraked sargassum seaweed. Another fantastic component of this beach option is the Mustang Island Paddling Trail, consisting of the North Trail (8.5 miles), Shamrock Loop (5.24 miles), and Ashum Trail (6.8 miles). Each trail follows the western shoreline and passes through some of the best shallow-water fishing spots in all of Texas.
The entrance to the protected area of Mustang Island State Park is available year-round for visitors interested in bird-watching, shallow-water fishing paddling excursions, and sea turtle hatchings.
PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE
The most significant undeveloped barrier island in the world is 30 miles south of Mustang Island State Park. The Padre Island National Seashore offers more than 130,000 acres of dunes, grasslands, and beaches – a national park and a haven for all sorts of family-friendly activities, it’s an untouched paradise of federally-protected wildlife.
Immerse yourself in the fauna and flora that populate this marshland environment with a short stroll along the Grasslands Nature Trail. Away from the beach, this trail offers a glimpse at animals that live inland, including coyotes, deer, kangaroo rats, ghost crabs, and many others.
A regular park program allows visitors to watch freshly hatched sea turtles begin their lives in the Gulf of Mexico’s open waters. Keep an eye on the website or call the Hatchling Hotline at (361) 949-7163 for up-to-date information on when the next release might be.
Apart from the actual sands of Malaquite Beach, Padre Island’s Visitors Center holds a breathtaking observation deck for wildlife viewing. Along Malaquite Beach, visitors scavenge for small shells deposited by north currents at Little Shell Beach and comb through the sands of Big Shell Beach for larger shell discoveries. Whichever activity you partake in, it’s safe to say that Padre Island National Seashore is a beachside paradise for a gorgeous getaway.
BAY BEACHES
NORTH BEACH
One of the top five urban beaches in America is just a short drive over the Harbor Bridge. North Beach, also known as Corpus Christi Beach, delivers a relaxed vibe with plentiful souvenir shops, hotels, condos, and restaurants near a fantastic bayfront view.
The beach itself features just over a mile of unruffled sand and a concrete beach walk ideal for cycling and skating or strollers. Jetty fishing is also available from its north and south end jetties. While exciting renovations on North Beach are underway, including a new playground and bathroom facilities, there are still plenty of ways for the whole family to enjoy the area … even your pets along for the ride! Pier 99 Restaurant is not only pet-friendly but happens to be one of the only restaurants in town with a “Canine Menu.” Home to some of Corpus Christi’s most popular attractions, North Beach provides visitors with days of entertainment.
MCGEE BEACH
In Downtown Corpus Christi resides a beautiful beachfront stretching along the seawall. Visitors flock to McGee Beach – featuring seaweed-free, manicured sand and the warm, serene waters of Corpus Christi Bay – for a laid-back experience that caters to all ages. You can enjoy water sports and activities from fishing off the jetties to sand volleyball and tranquil sunbathing. The calmer waters at this beach make it the perfect family location.
McGee Beach offers a variety of rentals for visitors to enhance their experience; BF Rentals provides an opportunity to create the beach day of your dreams with umbrellas, chairs, cabanas, and jet skis, while Fun Time Rentals offers jet skis, pedal boats, and surrey bicycles.
The location of McGee Beach on Shoreline Blvd couldn’t be more ideal. The slice of paradise lies in close proximity to a handful of hotel options and the Corpus Christi Marina. This means you’ll wake up a hop, skip, and jump away from your beach locale and be within walking distance from the only major downtown marina on the Texas coast.
Parking is free and easy along the Seawall or at the parking lots directly across the beach, as this is one of our beaches you actually can’t drive on. Additional restroom facilities nearby and the bevy of rental opportunities ensure that you and the family can relax comfortably when visiting McGee Beach.
