Texas Coastal
Towns.
Every town along the Gulf has its own personality. A guide to all 37, with drive times from Boerne.
Thinking about a day trip or weekend getaway to the Texas coast? The Gulf shoreline stretches from South Padre Island to the Louisiana border, and every town along the way has its own personality. Whether you're looking for a quiet fishing village, a lively beach scene, or a historic waterfront, there's a coastal community worth exploring. Here's a guide to 37 Texas coastal towns: what each one is known for, and how far it is from Boerne.
37 towns · Sorted alphabetically
Aransas Pass
~3 hrs 15 minGateway to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and Redfish Bay.
View detailsArroyo City
~3 hrs 30 minQuiet fishing community on the Arroyo Colorado.
View detailsBoca Chica
~5 hrs 30 minRemote beach at the mouth of the Rio Grande near SpaceX.
View detailsBolivar Peninsula
~4 hrs 30 minLaid-back beach community with ferry access to Galveston.
View detailsCinnamon Shore
~3 hrs 30 minMaster-planned coastal resort community on Mustang Island.
View detailsCorpus Christi
~3 hrsThe largest coastal city in Texas, with the Texas State Aquarium and USS Lexington.
View detailsCrystal Beach
~4 hrs 30 minQuiet beach community on the Bolivar Peninsula.
View detailsFlour Bluff
~3 hrsEstablished coastal neighborhood on the Corpus Christi bayfront.
View detailsFreeport
~3 hrs 30 minIndustrial port city near the Brazos River with beach access at Surfside.
View detailsFulton
~3 hrs 30 minSmall fishing village adjacent to Rockport, known for its seafood shacks.
View detailsGalveston
~4 hrs 30 minHistoric island city with Victorian architecture, Moody Gardens, and Pleasure Pier.
View detailsIndianola
~3 hrsHistoric ghost town and port site with deep Texas history.
View detailsIngleside
~3 hrsGrowing coastal community near the Nueces Bay.
View detailsJamaica Beach
~4 hrs 45 minQuiet residential beach community on Galveston Island's west end.
View detailsKemah
~4 hrsWaterfront dining and amusement park on Galveston Bay.
View detailsLa Porte
~4 hrsBayfront community near the San Jacinto battlefield and Battleground.
View detailsLaguna Vista
~5 hrs 30 minQuiet residential community on South Padre Island's Laguna Madre side.
View detailsMagnolia Beach
~3 hrsTiny beach community near Port Lavaca with calm bay waters.
View detailsMatagorda
~3 hrs 30 minHistoric coastal town at the mouth of the Colorado River.
View detailsNorth Padre Island
~3 hrsResidential and resort area on the north end of Padre Island.
View detailsPalacios
~3 hrsBayside town with a Russian heritage and excellent birding.
View detailsPoint Comfort
~3 hrsSmall industrial and residential community near Victoria County.
View detailsPort Aransas
~3 hrs 30 minPopular beach destination on Mustang Island with deep-sea fishing.
View detailsPort Isabel
~5 hrs 30 minHistoric lighthouse town at the base of the Queen Isabella Causeway.
View detailsPort Lavaca
~3 hrsBayfront town with fishing, camping, and a state park.
View detailsPort Mansfield
~4 hrs 30 minRemote fishing village in the Laguna Madre, popular with anglers.
View detailsPort O'Connor
~3 hrsGateway to San Antonio Bay and Matagorda Island.
View detailsPortland
~3 hrsGrowing coastal city across from Corpus Christi Bay.
View detailsQuintana
~3 hrs 30 minSmall beach community near Freeport with a historic fort.
View detailsRiviera–Loyola Beach
~4 hrsQuiet beach communities near Kingsville.
View detailsRockport
~3 hrs 30 minArts and culture hub with galleries, festivals, and excellent fishing.
View detailsSargent
~3 hrs 30 minFishing village at the junction of the San Bernard River and the Gulf.
View detailsSeabrook
~4 hrsWaterfront community on Galveston Bay near NASA's Johnson Space Center.
View detailsSeadrift
~3 hrsSmall bayside town known for oyster harvesting and fishing.
View detailsSouth Padre Island
~5 hrs 30 minTexas's premier beach resort destination with nightlife and water sports.
View detailsSurfside Beach
~3 hrs 30 minQuiet beach community near Freeport with a laid-back vibe.
View detailsTexas City
~4 hrs 30 minIndustrial city on Galveston Bay with a history and a nature center.
View detailsThe Texas Gulf is closer than you think
From Boerne, the coast is a manageable drive for a long weekend or an overnight trip. Corpus Christi is roughly three hours, Galveston about four and a half, and South Padre Island about five and a half. That puts some of the best beaches, fishing, and coastal culture in the country within easy reach of Hill Country living.
Many of these communities are also worth considering if you're exploring second homes, investment properties, or retirement options. The combination of Hill Country land and coastal access is a powerful one.
From the Hill Country to the coast
Whether you're considering a move to the Hill Country or already live here and want to explore the Gulf, I can help you understand the full picture.