To pinpoint the very best Texas beach towns, we polled a few locals on their favorite spots.

Read on to discover which destinations made the cut.

The mile-long sandy beach was the first in the state to earn Blue Wave certification for cleanliness and safety.

Surfside beach homes. Texas, USA

Credit:peeterv/Getty Images

According to Garcia, Port Aransas has something for everyone … Birders will love visiting theLeonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, which offers shaded viewing platforms and spotting scopes.

If youre hoping for plenty of beach time, though, you wont be disappointed.

Here, youll be able to embrace the true meaning of island time.

A view of Laguna Madre from South Padre Island, Texas. Beach condos and a high rise loom over the marina.

Joesboy/Getty Images

Park yourself on the pristine shorelinepreferably armed with water, sunscreen, and a good bookand revel in relaxation.

you’ve got the option to even drive your car right onto the sand.

If you want a break from the beach, there’s a public pool that’s open to visitors.

Pier at Rockport Beach in Texas before Hurricane Harvey.

jerryhopman/Getty Images

you might evenhop aboard a replica pirate shipfor a harbor tour full of swashbuckling shenanigans.

For a change of pace, Knight suggests a trip into historic downtown Brownsville.

Single seagull in mid-air in front of beach houses on Texas coast.

Olga Melhiser Photography/Getty Images

Aerial shot of the historic pier and the beach in Galveston, Texas at sunset. Authorization was obtained from the FAA for this operation in restricted airspace.

halbergman/Getty Images

Padre island remains of bob hall pier

cole brown/Getty Images

Jamaica Beach waterfront homes at sunset. Galveston, Texas, USA

peeterv/Getty Images

A tourist shop and boat tour office with pirate flags by the Laguna Madre in Port Isabel, Texas. Two older tourists stand in front.

Jon G. Fuller/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

People spend time on the beach near the Starship Flight 3 Rocket a day before its scheduled launch at the Starbase facility near Boca Chica beach

Brandon Bell/Getty Images