Good beach for couple of days if staring from Dallas..

Hi.. we are flying from the UK to Dallas in early july for few days work, but before we return to UK would like to fit in three / four days on a beach... but no idea what would be good... Is it realistic to drive to somewhere like Corpus Christ, or would that be easier to fly?

Or any other places that would be good to go but easily accessible from Dallas, bearing in mind need to fly back to UK...

We would like to go somewhere that didn%26#39;t need a car to get around so a beach front hotel would be lovely, but nothing too expensive... would even like something quirky if any ideas..

All new territory for me, so would appreciate any help

Good beach for couple of days if staring from Dallas..

are you absolutely set on spending time at a beach? I%26#39;ve been to all the ';beaches'; on the Texas coast and Padre Island is definitely the nicest - but that%26#39;s not saying much. Texas beaches don%26#39;t even come close to what you can find in south Florida or California. Galveston (about a 7 hour drive from Dallas) beaches are dirty and you cannot even see your hand in front of your face in the water there - very dirty beaches and water. Padre Island would be an even longer drive from Dallas but you could go through Austin and San Antonio - the two more charming large cities in Texas. If you HAVE to go to a beach - I would vote for Padre Island but there is not going to be much to do down there - Texas is not known for their beaches. Just don%26#39;t get your hopes up. America has some fantastic beaches but we can%26#39;t take credit here in Texas

Good beach for couple of days if staring from Dallas..

the maps will tell you that galveston is a 4 and 1/2 drive from Dallas but the maps don%26#39;t factor in the traffic - it will take you 5 hours at least from Dallas if you stop a few times closer to 7 hours if you hit traffic in Houston (which can be very bad) I would schedule any driving through Houston to be in the weekend or avoid ';rush hour'; - which tends to be about 3pm to 7pm in Houston. Just wanted to give you a heads-up

It doesn%26#39;t take 7 hours to get from Dallas to Galveston unless you try to drive through Houston at rush hour. It%26#39;s probably closer to 5 hours. Also, while it%26#39;s not a Florida-style beach, Galveston is a nice town to spend a few days in. It%26#39;s still recovering from Hurricane Ike last year and could really use the visitors. The beaches do tend to have seaweed, but the water isn%26#39;t dirty, rather it%26#39;s full of silt from the Mississippi River Delta. The prevailing currents in the Gulf tend to shift runoff from the Delta along the Texas Coast, while leaving the waters off of Florida nice and clear. All of that being said, if our visitor from the UK wants to go to the coast for a few days and knows what to expect when he or she arrives in Galveston, it could be a nice way to spend a few days. In a nutshell, don%26#39;t expect to be able to snorkel in the waters here, nor should you expect to see miles of white sandy beaches, but Galveston has a lot of history and despite the damage from last year%26#39;s hurricane, is still open for business with historic hotels, good restaurants, and friendly locals who would appreciate your business.

For a three or four day trip, I%26#39;d look for good air fares and fly to South Padre (Harlingen via Southwest Air) *OR* (my preference) to Florida. It%26#39;s very easy to get to good beaches in Florida from Dallas. We have enjoyed Destin (fly into Fort Walton), Miami Beach (fly into Miami), Cocoa Beach (fly into Orlando) and North Redington Beach (fly into Tampa/St. Petersburg).

I definatly suggest visiting the Tampa Bay Area on your way in... We have some of the best beaches in Flordia and there are so many to choose from you can visit a different one everyday and have a different experience at each one! The sunsets here are gorgeous here since we are located on the Gulf Side of Florida....THere is alot of entertainment to. I suggest Clearwater Beach. its a great beach with lots to do plus everynight there is a sunset festival on the pier with free entertainment like fire and magic shows and breakdancing. Its alot of fun! if you go to http://tampabayonline.us you can learn more about the area. Make sure you visit the beaches page and look for links to some great hotel options...

Hope this helps you

I definatly recommend the Tampa Bay area. Great beaches and entertainment. Hotels and flights are cheaper in the Summertime so there are great money saving opportunities as well. I suggest Clearwater beach to stay on... the beach there is wonderful, powdery white sand and great entertainment at night. Every eveing the Pier hosts the SUnset Festival with lots of local craftsmen and shops to visit as well as free entertainment like magic and fire shows as well as breakdancing. It also hosts alot of great restaurants too. If you visit http://tampabayonline.us you can learn more about the area and get some insider tips on things to do. Make sure and visit the beaches page! look also for links to hotel discounts!

Hope this helps you:)

I%26#39;d bail on beaches, go to the Texas Hill Country and go to the Schlitterbahn. I love the Schlitterbahn! I also love floating down the Comal River.

But am confused here--how otherwise would you get somewhere without driving? Even in Galveston (I also enjoy Galveston) you need a car to get around the island. If you go to Galveston, Gaido%26#39;s has been a reliably good-excellent seafood restaurant for years and years. I haven%26#39;t been there since the hurricane though so don%26#39;t know what%26#39;s going on currently.

I guess I%26#39;m going to second other replies that Texas is not know for its beaches. Really the only accessible beach from Dallas, in a reasonable drive time, is Galveston. And it is 5-6 hours away depending on traffic. I rarely go because it%26#39;s not really worth the drive.

I think Galveston is nice in its own way. The water is not dirty as in polluted, so I hope you don%26#39;t get that idea. It is clean. It%26#39;s just not like the clear waters you would find in other parts of the country.

Texas is more famous for its hill country, and really is something that shouldn%26#39;t be missed when visiting the state. So if you think you could give up the idea of relaxing on a beach, I think you would enjoy a stay somewhere relaxing in the hill country. There are rivers and lakes in Texas that are gorgeous, better than any beach we have. Lake Travis is one of the most beautiful lakes in Texas. Crystal clear, blue water. And because it is a big lake, there are numerous places to stay on or near the water. I rented a condo right on the lake last summer and it was the most wonderful, relaxing time. Very beautiful. I would go back in a heartbeat.

South Padre Island is a perfectly fine beach in an entirely different part of the state. As suggested, your best bet would be an inexpensive flight to Harlingen, Texas on Southwest Airlines. South Padre is about 50 miles from there. Unlike the Upper Texas Coast this area has escaped hurricane damages in recent years (not to say it might not be their turn).

I do tend to agree that our state has better attractions than its beaches but if that%26#39;s what you like we definitely have them.

I%26#39;m from Houston originally and grew up taking day trips to galveston and staying for a week at a time in a beachouse in the summers. I, personally, love Galveston. Especially if you can rent a waterfront beachouse and relax on your deck in morning with a cup of coffee and the waves craching in front of you. Some of my fondest memories are in Galveston. The water is silty but still fun and some of the beaches are kept clear of seaweed better than others. That said....you%26#39;d have to rent a beach house to have that kind of experience. Otherwise you%26#39;d be limited to staying at a hotel on the seawall and that%26#39;s fun for about 2 hours not 3 or 4 days.

Either splurge on a WATERFRONT beach house (www.sandnsea.com) or take the other%26#39;s advice and go to the Hill Country instead :-)

Good luck! You%26#39;re going to love Texas where ever you go and whatever you do!!! Anna