Would like to go to the ocean, Suggestions?

[bcody]

I live in Weatherford, west of Fort Worth, and I want to go to the ocean. I have not seen the ocean since leaving New England 8 years ago. The family and I want to plan a long weekend trip. (That would be myself, my husband, two kids 7 and 9). Any suggestions as to the best place that is not overcrowded between Galveston and Port Author?

How about pet friendly hotels? I would like to take my three dogs, they all travel well and have no problems with crates. One of them is diabetic and needs insulin and special diet, which is part of the reason I would like them to travel with us.

I would love any help tips and suggestions that you may have.

Thanks.

[jtriron]

You may want to think about looking a bit more Southwest on the coast, like Port Aransas. The ocean floor shelf drops very quickly down there and great green and even blue water can be on the beaches. Galveston will likely be what we call chocolate milk most of the time until mid summer. The extra drive will be worth it IMO.

[venchka]

Most of the structures between Galveston & Port Arthur were levelled by Ike. On it's best day, that section of the Texas coast isn't the best.
Jack is right. Go south. Or go to Maine. NOTHING on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico looks or feels like Maine.
You probably need to leave the dogs at home or rent from an individual. Try the web pages for Vacation Rentals By Owner.

[bcody]

Ssdly, like many others, I had forgotten about Ike. Maybe I need to save for a trip home next summer.

[Imagebuffet]

I've swum in the Atlantic and the Pacific, in Virginia and Hawaii. I've waded out into the surf on South Padre Island, too, during a massive storm that spawned 3 tornadoes in the area (this was years before Hurricane Ike). My limited experience with Texas coastline has left me underwhelmed. I'm told by several people that they have the same feelings. In general, Texas has crummy beaches. I've heard of some exceptions, but I've never seen them.

The sand dunes on South Padre Island were nice, but I've seen much better water and scenery.

For fun, I googled for "Best beaches U.S." and grabbed the first thing that came up. Here's their list for this year:

1. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
2. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
3. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
4. Cape Hatteras,Outer Banks, North Carolina
5. Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
6. Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
7. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachussets
8. Beachwalker Park,Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida

BEST BEACHES IN THE USA: best beaches ranking

#2 on the list is a 21-hour drive from Weatherford, TX. And, as it happens, the same people who dismiss Texas beaches as trash also praise Florida beaches. Of course, the oil slick might mess up many of those beaches, but I've heard wonderful things about Florida beaches, even up in the Florida panhandle.