Galveston Island is one of the most visited places in the state of Texas, due in no small part to its numerous beaches and culture that surrounds them. Naturally the beaches will appeal to anyone in town, but with so many to choose from, how can you make the most of your weekends or days off? We have visited several of the most popular beaches along Galveston island’s south coast to make sure you know which ones to skip, and which are must visits. 

Jamaica Beach

The furthest of the beaches we visited, around a 30-minute drive, Jamaica has always been a personal favorite of mine. Due to its distance, it is generally quieter than most other beaches. This doesn’t mean there aren’t things to do in the area though, as just before the beaches themselves is the entrance to Galveston Island State Park, which offers birding, camping, and hiking. As for the beaches themselves, there are over a dozen access points with varying quality. Some allow you to drive on the beach with ample room to enjoy the sun and waves, while others are surrounded by private property and covered in greenery, decreasing sand space and bringing bugs. Generally, the access points closest to the water tower are the most enjoyable. Overall, Jamaica beach when done right will bring everything to be expected from a great beach, while avoiding many of the big crowds. (4 out of 5 stars)

West Beach

East of Jamaica beach, you will find west beach. Due to its proximity to Jamaica, the surrounding businesses serve as an advantage to this one as well. It is plenty accessible, however there is no driving on west beach. This adds to an issue of parking, as it is somewhat limited, due to the fact that in comparison to most others this beach is relatively small. So, if it does happen to be crowded that day, you would likely be better off hoofing it a few more miles down to Jamaica. West is a solid beach, however its small size could make it problematic during common beaching hours and may be best to avoid. (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Seawall Beach

Likely the first beach you will come across, Seawall is by far the most popular beach on the island, and for good reason. Its proximity to Pleasure Pier, Murdoch’s, and other island staples makes it a great staging ground for a day on the island. This appeal attracts an incredible amount of guests though, which is the source for it being incredibly crowded during the weekends and peak season. Even when this is not the case, parking must either be done by parallel parking on the sea wall or by parking in another establishment and crossing the street. 

These both are far from convenient and may require you to pay for a spot, and can be downright dangerous depending on Seawall Blvd. traffic. Seawall is a great beach under certain conditions, but those conditions can be hard to come by. (3 out of 5 stars)

Porretto/Stewart Beach

Lastly, Porretto and Stewart Beach are parked right next to each other further east down Seawall Blvd., with Porretto coming up first. You are best to keep on driving though as Porretto has effectively no parking that offers easy access to the beach. 

Stewart on the other hand has a very spacious parking lot that, while not letting you drive on the beach, provides a very easy footpath. It is a relatively unremarkable beach, save for the fact that it bans tents or tarps of any kind, which may be a drawback for some. It is also situated somewhat close to Pleasure Pier giving it some of the appeal of Seawall Beach. Stewart is an inoffensive beach, and works as a great safety option. (2 out of 5 stars for Poretto, and 3 out of 5 stars for Stewart)