Corpus Christi Beaches
The South Texas Gulf Coast boasts some of the most stunning stretches of waterfront you could hope to find. The Corpus Christi beach experience is truly wonderful, with deep-blue water, sun-drenched sand, and a great climate nearly year-round. Whether you're in the city or out on Upper Padre Island, it's never hard to have a great time on the beach in Corpus Christi.
- Mustang Island State Park
- J.P. Luby Surf Park/North Packery Jetty
- Packery Channel
- South Packery Jetty Beach
- Upper Padre Island Seawall
- Windward Beach Access
- Padre Island National Seashore
- Padre Balli Park/Bob Hall Pier
- Whitecap Beach
Island Beaches:
Mustang Island State Park
Off of TX HWY 361
Families enjoy a serene environment at Mustang Island State Park. Fishing, bonfires, building sand castles and beachcombing for shells are popular pastimes at this great spot. Along this 5-mile stretch of Gulf Coast beach just south of Port Aransas, visitors enjoy more than just the convenience of bathrooms and shower facilities, as the park store also offers souvenirs, ice, firewood and snacks. With some 48 sites at the campgrounds to choose from with electrical and water hookups, picnic tables and barbecue grills, Mustang Island State Park is a popular weekend retreat where people can enjoy the outdoors in either an RV or a tent. This Corpus Christi beach is also a hot spot for birding, especially during spring and fall migrations. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy camping, picnicking, fishing, swimming, hiking and biking on fives miles of open beach. And of course, there are the more leisurely ocean-based activities that Corpus Christi is known for, like surfing, sunbathing and kayaking.
The Mustang Island State Park Paddling Trail is another popular attraction for visitors in this area. The various sub-trails, including the North Trail, the Shamrock Loop Trail and the Ashum Trail, trace the western shoreline of Mustang Island in Corpus Christi Bay. Along the way, they take those hiking them to shallow-water fishing areas as good as any you'll find on the Texas Gulf Coast. The Ashum Trail hugs the shoreline of Corpus Christi Bay, running over a firm sand bottom along the way. It presents fantastic vistas for bird watching, as well as opportunities for sight casting.
Directions: Once on Highway 358 in Corpus Christi, continue on TX State Park Road 22, then turn left onto TX Highway 361. Continue on for about 4 miles to Mustang Island State Park.
Phone: 361-749-5246
Official TPWD Info for Mustang Island State Park
J.P. Luby Surf Park/North Packery Jetty
Off of TX Hwy 361, near Access Road 3A-1
Known as one of Corpus Christi's hottest surf spots for many years and growing as a popular kiteboarding area, JP Luby Surf Beach Park draws many young adults and teens to the beach for a variety of activities, including sunbathing, volleyball, socializing, and barbecue gatherings. Many beach-goers particularly enjoy the conveniently located equipment-rental vendors set up along the beach during the summer months. Among their many offerings are kayaks, boogie boards, surf boards and jet skis. This free beach park also features public restrooms. As a result of all these amenities, this beach has one of the largest crowds enjoying fun in the sun every spring and summer. Visitors even enjoy the freedom to drive up and down this stretch of beach in search of the perfect spot.
Many visitors are drawn to J.P. Luby not only to catch a wave, but also to cast a line for that big catch in the surf. The year-round warm Gulf Coast waters promise bountiful surf-fishing opportunities.
Consistent offshore winds blow from the west northwest and produces promising surf at all stages of the tide. Kiteboarders are encouraged to launch from the north side of the jetty and land north of mile marker 205; no launching is permitted south of mile marker 205. On the south side of the jetty, launch and land south of mile marker 212, as no launching or landing is permitted north of mile marker 212. Do not kiteboard in the swim zone from June-September. Launch off the beach, cross the swim zone carefully and stay at least 100 feet outside of the swim zone.
Directions: Once on Highway 358 in Corpus Christi, continue on TX State Park Road 22, then turn left onto TX Highway 361. Turn right on Zahn Road.
Packery Channel
Off of TX HWY 361
Packery Channel on Padre Island is a great place to surf, fish, and bird. Shorebirds frequent the flats at Packery Channel at low tide, with both Long-billed Curlew and American Oystercatcher in the flocks. Diving ducks can also be found haunting the channel's edges. Oak mottes, meanwhile, provide resting spots for migratory birds.
While fishing from the banks of the channel is permitted, anchoring within it is not. Just outside the channel, the beach around the mouth has become a hot spot for Corpus Christi surfers, who catch waves on either side of the jetties. Packery Channel Park, which offers visitors great views of the channel, is located nearby.
Directions: Once on Highway 358 in Corpus Christi, continue on TX State Park Road 22, then turn left onto TX Highway 361. Turn right on Zahn Road.
South Packery Jetty Beach
Families and Fishing. The jetties on this beach near Corpus Christi provide great fishing, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding and snorkeling. The jetties also produce currents that create the ideal environment for beachcombing and shelling. South Packery Jetty Beach was created by the construction of Packery Channel, which is the dividing line between Mustang and Upper Padre Island; the jetties were completed in 2006. This stretch of Gulf Coast shore is a continuation of the beach at the Upper Padre Island Seawall, and it resumes its northward march on the other side of the channel as North Packery Channel Beach.
This family-friendly beach is less crowded and thus perfect for children. You can even catch a glimpse of the ample local wildlife, such as deer, shore birds, coyotes and more. There are no restrooms or other facilities on the beach. Driving of vehicles is permitted until you reach Mustang Island State Park. Parking requires a beach parking permit, available at Stripes Convenience Stores and many Upper Padre Island retailers.
Directions: Once on Highway 358 in Corpus Christi, continue on TX State Park Road 22. Enter this beach through Access Road 3A.
Upper Padre Island Seawall
Occasionally confused with the Corpus Christi Seawall in downtown Corpus Christi, the Upper Padre Island Seawall has a very different feel. It’s designed for protection against storm swells that threaten the hotel resorts and condominiums it guards. With breathtaking views, the seawall makes a great spot for walking, cycling, rollerblading, skating, plus much more. As you stroll its one-mile length, gaze at the beauty of the Gulf of Mexico.
Several hotel resorts and condos at the seawall offer dining with a water view and access to the Gulf Coast beach in front of the wall. Beach umbrellas and chairs are available for rent. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months. Driving is allowed on the stretch of beach in front of the Seawall but a beach parking permit is required. Permits are available for purchase at Stripes Convenience Stores and other local retailers.
Directions:Take South Padre Island Drive into Upper Padre Island. Take a left on Windward Drive, where you will find resorts, condominiums, restaurants and bars. The beach can be accessed most easily from Windward Beach Parking Lot.
Windward Beach Access
(Parking Lot)
Corpus Christi surfers treasure the stretch of beach located next to the convenient parking in the Windward Beach Parking Lot. This ADA-compliant parking lot features direct access to the seawall via ramp and steps. Being paved, the lot is appealing to visitors who don’t wish to drive in the sand along the beach or for those just wanting to take a stroll on the seawall.
Padre Island National Seashore
20420 Park Road 22
Padre Island National Seashore comprises more than 130 thousand acres of pristine grasslands, dunes and sandy beaches. It's unique, too: no other stretch of barrier island in the world is longer!
Unlike most other United States beaches, this one allows visitors to drive over the sand to reach remote regions of the park. Furethermore, the seashore gives visitors and residents of Corpus Christi plenty of chances to scour the beach for beautiful shells and build sandcastles.
Within the Padre Island National Seashore, the Malaquite Visitor’s Center features exhibits on the natural history and cultural history of the park, as well as an observation tower. Here, visitors can also learn about the rescue efforts being undertaken for the Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle. The most endangered sea turtles in the world, Kemp's Ridleys have been nesting on the seashore for decades. The rescue efforts involve volunteers searching up and down the beach each day for good nesting spots. Visitors can take part in the experience by watching on the beach as turtle hatchlings are released into the wild. Keeping them alive this long is an accomplishment, but as they speed towards the warm Gulf Coast surf they enter an even more dangerous part of their lives; they will face many obstacles in their quest to feed and avoid predators until becoming adults.
Visitors may fish along the seashore as long as they possess valid Texas fishing licenses with saltwater stamps. Many varieties of fish can be found here, including black drum, trout, red drum and saltwater catfish, to name just a few. A more exotic target is the shark, with black-tip shark being the most frequently caught along this stretch of beach.
If you'd like to explore the park, with its gorgeous sand dunes, grasslands and birding, the 0.75-mile Grasslands Nature Trail is an excellent choise. Visit during the migrations of the early spring and fall months to catch sight of the nearly 400 bird species known to visit the seashore beach.
A park entrance fee is required of those entering the National Seashore, but it remains valid for seven days. An annual pass may also be purchased at the entrance.
Directions: The National Seashore is located on Padre Island southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas. Find it by traveling east through the city on Highway 358. Crossing the JFK Causeway onto Padre Island, where Highway 358 becomes Park Road 22. The seashore entrance will come up about 10 miles south along this road.
Phone: 800.343.2368. For visitor information: (361) 949-8068M
Official NPS info for the Padre Island National Seashore
Sea Turtle Hatching Hotline: 361-949-7163
Padre Balli Park/Bob Hall Pier
15820 Park Rd 22
This 374.5-acre beach park near Corpus Christi includes some 54 paved campsites with all the amenities a camper could need, including picnic tables, cabanas and a bath house. In addition, there are 12 hardtop campsite areas for those wanting to pitch a tent with water and electrical hookups. Primitive camping is also permitted on the beach.
Very popular among avid fishermen, Bob Hall Pier is another attractive feature in Padre Balli Park. The pier has long been revered as one of the best and most productive fishing piers on the entire United States Gulf Coast. Its location, water depth, and abundance of fish species can make for an outstanding fishing experience. Riding the waves may be at the top of the list for most that enjoy this park, but many enjoy a bonfire on the beach in the Corpus Christi night and cast a line at the pier in hopes of catching a speckled trout.
Directions: You can find Bob Hall Pier by taking Highway 358 from Corpus Christi across the JFK Causeway until it dead ends into Park Road 22. Take Park Road 22 until you reach the Padre Balli Park. The pier is in the park.
Whitecap Beach
A local Corpus Christi favorite, Whitecap Beach runs about 1.5 miles long and is the perfect area to enjoy a sunset on a blanket or take in the sunrise with a cup of coffee. This beach is often sparsely populated and very rarely has a crowd. Many locals can be seen surf fishing on this beach. It also offers a great place to view wildlife and explore the dunes. Driving is allowed, though a beach parking permit is required and can be purchased at many stores on Upper Padre Island. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer months. Two convenience stores sit at the entrance to Whitecap Beach and are a great stop for last-minute supplies.
Directions: Whitecap Beach is located between Padre Balli Park and the beginning of the Upper Padre Island Seawall and is accessible from Park Road 22 by turning east onto Whitecap Boulevard. Beach Access Roads 3 and 4 also lead to Whitecap Beach.
City Beaches:
Corpus Christi Beach
Take the CC Beach Exit off of TX-35/ US-181
Located right in town and boasting an array of nearby fresh seafood restaurants, shops, and enticing attractions, Corpus Christi Beach offers a great water-side experience that you won't have to travel far to enjoy.
Visitors to Corpus Christi Beach frequently take time out to enjoy the sights and attractions it offers, including the USS Lexington, the Harbor Bridge and the Texas State Aquarium. Inexperienced swimmers and children will find this beach to be an excellent starting point thanks to the calm waters. An with plenty of restrooms, cabanas, rinse-off showers and picnic tables along the beach, you'll find everything you need at a convenient distance, especially if you stay in one of the fine hotels right on the water.
If all of the hustle and bustle of the city isn't quite what you're looking for, Corpus Christi Beach could still be the place for you. Its northern stretch remains primitive and is a great, quiet place to go for a jog, a stroll through nature or just a pleasant dog-walk.
Directions: Once on TX Hwy 35/ US 181, exit Texas State Aquarium/USS Lexington/CC Beach. Follow the exit towards Burleson Street, take a sharp right on Burleson Street and continue on Breakers Avenue.
McGee Beach
Located downtown on Shoreline Boulevard and Schatzell Street.
Because of its location along the Corpus Christi Bay and its calm, virtually seaweed-free water, this beach is perfect beach for children. There is a concession stand / restaurant / gift shop on the McGee Beach Pier, and you can even bring along a fishing rod and bait and try your hand at catching a fish from the jetties. Umbrellas and beach chairs are also for rent during peak seasons. After a playful day at the beach, take a stroll along our magnificent Corpus Christi Seawall. Parking is available along Shoreline Drive.
Corpus Christi Vacation Rentals
