Surfside (Texas)

Surfside or Surfside Beach is a small beach town in the Gulf Coast region of Texas between the Gulf of Mexico and the Intracoastal Waterway. It has over 4 miles of beaches.

Get in
Surfside is about 60 miles (100 km) south of Houston. Take SH-288 South all the way through Lake Jackson. On the south edge of Lake Jackson you'll cross Main Street and a few hundred yards later, on the right, turn right on SH-332 East, across the intercoastal waterway bridge to Surfside Beach.

From Galveston, head south to the toll bridge ($2 either direction) and follow the Bluewater Highway to town.

Get around
The beach makes for excellent walking, but the few services in town are spread out enough to make a car or bike a necessity.

Horses are allowed on the village beach Sep 15 - May 15. Horses are allowed year-round on the county beach north of Stanek Dr.

Be careful with driving e.g. your speed and coming to a complete stop as it is monitored closely.


 * Valero, 91 Fort Velasco Dr, Freeport. . The only gas station on the island and from Surfside till Jamaica Beach.

Eat
Surfside has a small convenience store for groceries, for extensive shopping you'll need to head over the bridge to Clute or Lake Jackson. Fresh fish and shrimp can be purchased at the small fish market on the other side of the bridge. Ten restaurants offer a range of food, including seafood, Greek, American, and Italian.



Sleep
Most visitors to Surfside take advantage of the numerous and affordable vacation homes ranging from tiny one-bedroom A-frames, to multi-story houses big enough for family reunions. Always do your homework before choosing your vacation rental home or rental management company.



Connect
The closest public internet connections are at the Lake Jackson Public library and in Galveston. If you're in town for a week or more, you can arrange wireless access through Surfside.net (owned and operated by the mayor!).

Note that many vacation rentals do not have telephones, but there is decent cell phone coverage in town. Cell service varies the farther north one travels on the beach.

Stay safe

 * Tap water is affected by "trihalomethanes", a byproduct of over-chlorination. It's also not very tasty. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, there's no health danger for short term visitors, but you'll probably want to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking.
 * Jellyfish are common in Gulf waters especially the Portuguese Man-of-War. Counteract the painful poison with a towel zapped in the microwave for 1 minute or a mix of vinegar and meat tenderizer.
 * Hurricanes affect the area. Evacuation route signs are posted along main roads.
 * Seaweed - a significant amount can sometimes be heaped up on the beach, especially after a storm. It can sometimes accumulate in large rafts that are too thick to comfortably navigate.
 * Beach conditions - flags dictate the condition of the beach, specifically if waves are dangerous or water quality is impaired.

Go next

 * Houston
 * Galveston
 * Lake Jackson
 * San Luis Pass
 * Jamaica Beach
 * Brazoria