Gulf Coast

The Texas Gulf Coast runs along the state’s southeastern edge, a 600-plus-mile arc of bays, barrier islands, and shallow estuaries from the Louisiana line south to the Rio Grande. The coastline is mostly flat — coastal prairie, marsh, and bay flats — with the major action concentrated in three port cities and a string of smaller beach and fishing towns between them. Harris County holds Houston and the largest urban anchor; Galveston, Brazoria, Jefferson, and Orange handle the upper coast; Aransas, Nueces, and Cameron carry the central and lower coast around Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Beach towns include Galveston, Surfside, Port Aransas, Rockport, and South Padre Island. Padre Island National Seashore preserves the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world. Trips here split easily by purpose. Houston runs urban — museums, restaurants, sports — while the smaller coast towns lean fishing, birding, and beach time. Hurricane season runs June through November; the back end of fall and early spring offer the most reliable weather windows.