Things to Do in and around Surfside Beach, Texas

With its 21 miles of unspoiled shoreline, Surfside Beach is a perfect retreat for people who want to relax, for recreational sports, and nature lovers alike.

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Village of Surfside Beach  *******  Brazos Chamber of Commerce ******* Texas Parks and Wildlife

Only 58 miles south of Houston, Texas

Explore miles of wonderful, sandy beaches--walk on, collect sea shells, fish, or just watch the ships come and go from the fishing jetties.

The sun sparkles like diamonds on the gentle waves of the Gulf of Mexico.

Things to do (Most of these activities are FREE)

• 21 miles of freely accessible shorelines
• Texas's best sports fishing
• Two fishing jetties
  • Surfside Jetty Park—*FREE* 1,500-foot flat-top surface over granite boulders Puts the casual, or serious fisher person within easy reach of moving tides and feeding fish
    • Playground, snack bar, groceries, volleyball courts
  • Wooden jetties--privately owned --especially good for Flounder fishing
• Two fishing piers
  • Sam's pier--privately owned--is located in Surfside Beach, Texas
  • San Luis Pass fishing pier--privately owned--is located just a few miles at San Luis Pass
• Stahlman Park--Publicly owned
  • This large covered pavilion offers a spacious accommodation for your reunions, receptions and meetings. Located on Bluewater Highway in the middle of Surfside's long, lovely beach, Stahlman Park is extremely easy for your guests to find. Stahlman Park is equipped with kitchen and bathroom facilities.
• Across the street from the Park is a large wooden walkway that offers access to some of the best crabbing areas on Surfside Beach.
• Deep sea fishing
• Dive the beautiful Gulf of Mexico "Flower Gardens" reef
• Enjoy one of the Audubon Society's favorite birding site locations in America
  • Southern Brazoria County has been ranked #1, twelve times in the past 20 years for migratory bird sightings
  • Miles of salt marshes are perfect for spotting resident rail
• Abundant natural habitats offer the perfect setting for viewing indigenous wildlife
• Fall migration of the majestic Monarch butterflies.  For more information, call 409-265-7831
• Sea Center Texas
  • $13 Million, state of the art fish hatchery and Visitor Center
  • World's largest hatchery for red drum (also known as red fish) Produces 20,000,000 red drum fingerlings per year Currently working to spawn spotted sea trout
  • 50,000 gallon salt water aquarium. Home of Gordon, the 250-lb. tame grouper, plus several not so tame 4-8 ft. sharks
  • Two 12-foot Touch Pools--touch and feel blue crabs, hermit crabs, starfish, urchins, clams, snails, and anemones
  • 5,000-gallon jetty exhibit + 5,000-gallon artificial reef + 2,200 gallon Coastal Bay aquarium + 1,000-gallon salt marsh exhibit
  • Guided tours are available, call 800-792-1112
  • ADMISSION IS FREE
  • HOW TO GET THERE: Sea Center Texas is at 300 Medical Drive in Lake Jackson, about 4 miles west of Surfside Beach. From Surfside, take Texas 332 west 3 miles to Texas 288. Take 288 toward Lake Jackson, turn left on Plantation Drive, which ends at Sea Center Texas.
  • More Information, call 409-292-0100 or 800-792-1112
• Brazosport Museum of Natural Science
  • Largest sea shell collection in the southern United States
  • Intricate carvings of jade and ivory
  • Dinosaurs
  • Indian artifacts representative of South Texas
  • Worldwide display of rocks and minerals
  • Affiliated Groups:
    • Brazosport Archaeological Society
    • Brazosport Birders
    • Sea Shell Searchers of Brazoria County
  • MORE INFORMATION, CALL 409-265-7831
• Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Park
  • In 1824, Martin Varner, one of Texas' original 300 colonists started his sprawling plantation on the Brazos River. Governor James Hogg purchased it in 1901, and his daughter Ima Hogg donated the property to the state of Texas in 1958.
  • Majestic ante-bellum home with many Hogg family heirlooms, period furniture and historic documents
  • For more information, visit http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us or call--409-345-4656
• Sea Shell Searchers of Brazoria County
  • Did you know that Texas has a state shell? It is the beautiful Lightning Whelk.
  • Anybody interested in the collection and study of sea shells found along the Texas coast are invited to participate in regular programs, field trips and a newsletter.
  • For more information, CALL 409-265-7831
• Golf at several 18-hole golf courses, including
  • Course Pro Phone
    • Riverside Country Club--Lake Jackson Jim Brisbin 409-798-9141
    • Columbia Lakes Resort--West Columbia Gene Amman 409-345-5455
    • Freeport Municipal--Freeport Larry Shaw 409-233-8311
• Shopping
  • Surfside Beach is a relaxed, casual beach resort. But only 7 miles away, directly on the way to Surfside from Houston, is:
  • Brazos Mall & Lake Jackson--2.4 million square feet of retail shopping
• Accommodations
  • There are a variety of accommodations to choose from on this island. Beach houses (many directly on the ocean), motels, R. V. parks, and camping all can be found at Surfside Beach.