Beaches Within Driving Distance From Dallas, Texas

Living in a city like Dallas offers an abundance of culture and excitement, but sometimes you need to escape the fast pace of the city. If you’re in the mood for a beach vacation that’s a great escape from the city, you’re in luck. Texas has more than 350 miles of beautiful gulf coastline with tons of sunny, beautiful beaches. Whether you’re in the mood for a weekend getaway, or you want to spend a week relaxing near crystal clear waters, they’re all within driving distance from DFW.

With so many activities to enjoy in bustling Galveston, it’s the perfect getaway. Just about an hour away from Houston, Galveston Island is home to some of the best beaches in Texas. Families can visit the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, take a boat cruise in the scenic Gulf of Mexico, or enjoy an afternoon birdwatching at Moody Gardens, a nonprofit, educational nature center. The island features many beautiful hiking trails, gorgeous rentals, boat ramps, and volleyball courts.

Known as Port A to Texans, Port Aransas is a small beach town located on Mustang Island that is a popular spring break destination. It’s home to plenty of locally owned restaurants, sea cottages, and knickknack shops. It’s a scenic six hour road trip from DFW with a route that goes through the heart of the Hill Country. Port Aransas has plenty of gorgeous beachfront rentals, but you can camp on some of its sandy beaches with a beach parking permit.

Port Aransas is a popular beach vacation destination for locals for a variety of reasons. fishing destination, with plenty of jetties and piers to cast a line at. Port Aransas is also known for its multitude of bird sanctuaries, so it’s the perfect place for nature lovers who want to bird watch as well.

The calm Gulf Coast waters of North Beach in Corpus Christi is a great place for Texans of all ages looking to get away. Corpus Christi is one of Texas’ most famous beach towns, so there’s plenty of beach vacation activities to do. North Beach is a great place for an afternoon picnic, sunbathing or sunset stroll. Head to the Texas State Aquarium to engage the whole family

If you are looking for serenity, the white sand beaches of Mustang Island State Park is a great place for peace and quiet. Only a short 34 minutes away from Corpus Christi, this barrier island is home to some of the best blue water beaches in Texas. Mustang Island is a popular site for camping, kayaking, paddleboarding, and biking. This beach park’s clear waters are ideal for swimming and surfing. It’s equipped with restroom and shower facilities, RV and trailer hookups, and campsites for tent camping. There is an entrance fee per day, and children under 12 are free.

If you are looking for a great day trip that’s a little closer to home, consider going to Burger's Lake in Fort Worth, Texas. Just over an hour’s drive from Dallas, Burger’s Lake has swimming areas that will be fun for the whole family. The facilities include two sand beaches; a 30 acre park with over 300 picnic tables and multiple charcoal grills for cooking; and a one acre spring fed lake beach with six diving boards, a 20 foot slide and a 25 foot trapeze. The pool is completely staffed with lifeguards too, so feel free to sit back and let the kids play.